King Neptune.

I sat down in the cafe across the sea of grass, Riley by my side, and Star on my lap, as a rotund fishman slid across the counter on a floating bubble, up to us.

I looked down at his feet and found a mutilated fin, torn and broken, healed and scarred.

"Old injury?" I asked.

"Yes. Got it running from some human slavers as a kid." He said, looking at Star in his panda suit and then at me.

Silently he poured me a shot from the bar.

"I didn't ask for this." I said.

"On the house. I saw what you did. Freeing those fishmen. Appreciate it." He said.

I raised an eyebrow and downed the shot, when he tried to punch me and slammed his hand onto the forcefield.

"What was that for?" I asked amused.

"For the slaves you threw to the dog of the marines." He scowled, nursing his wrist.

"I didn't think he'd be mad enough to kill them on live snail television!" I said.

"Not an excuse to use them as shields. Especially when you have your own." He said, eyeing the forcefield.

"The people of the world needed a wake up call. And an ordinary alarm clock wasn't going to cut it. They needed to see that the longer they continue to live under the heel of the World Nobles and marines, the harder it would be to free themselves once they decided to. Better to rip that bandage off. No sense pulling it out slowly. It would have only hurt worse."

"Pragmatic. But sometimes, pragmatism isn't the answer." The man said.

"It's worked well for me till now. And I have saved entire worlds from slavery. Trust me I have the experience."

"And how did that work out with that little friend of yours there." He asked, handing me a menu.

That shut me up for a moment before something struck me.

"Hold on how do you know-"

He pointed to the snail on Riley's shoulder as the realisation set in.

"I forgot to turn off the recording!"

The man laughed, as I fumbled to cut the connection.

Once that was done, I just sat there.

I looked down, contemplating it.

Maybe I was truly wrong.

On second thought, I certainly could have handled it better. That recklessness could cost me in the future.

Or maybe I'm just... this is just a passing feeling.

No. This was a mistake. My mistake.

I.... maybe I'll sit in on Riley's session with Wong next week.

Couldn't hurt.

I was in no hurry to become a good person. Good people don't last long in the multiverse. Not without becoming a pawn of destiny to gain plot armour.

I refuse to be either.

I'll carve out my path on my own, with my blood, sweat and tears.

But for now, I am secure in my power. So I can afford to be relax a bit.

"I suppose you're right. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. It was reckless. And I had just saved them from Mariejoise. I was impulsive."

"I don't hear an apology." He said.

"That's because I ain't apologizing." I replied, miffed.

"....but I'll take it under advisement. Next time." I added softly.

"You better. Now, what will you be having?" He asked.

"Three hamburgers."

"And I'll have whatever's fresh and local. Surprise me!" Tattletale said, entering the shop.

"You didn't go back?" I said, surprised.

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not a groupie. I just wanted to see the mermaid kingdom." Tattletale shrugged, "No judgement though. Honestly, they should have stuck around for this part at least. Also, really? You come all the way to goddamn Atlantis and you're ordering hamburgers?"

"I thought you said no judgement." I smiled.

"That is one thing I will definitely judge you for! Get sushi at least!" She replied, rapping the table with her fingers, as she slid into a seat beside me.

"Yeah. Why didn't I order a fishman to make sushi, I wonder?" I snarked.

"We eat fish too. If you want sushi, we have it." The cafe owner interjected from behind.

"Ha!" Tattletale pointed at me.

I sighed and hung my head.

"I'm just shooting blanks today aren't I?"

"Hehehehe!" Tattletale chuckled.

"Yeah, laugh it up chuckles." I said, turning to the chef.

"I'll have some sushi too."

"Sure. But I already have three hamburgers on the grill...." The chef informed.

"I'll take one." Paige said, walking in.

She took a seat opposite Tattletale, and slid in.

"You're late." Tattletale teased.

"I...uh..got lost." Paige replied, awkwardly, averting her gaze.

That's odd.

"Paige, is there something wro-" I asked.

Just then the door swung open as soldiers flooded into the diner.

"King Neptune would like to meet you...uh...."

"Jay Walker." I introduced myself, annoyed.

"Please come with us."

"I don't think so." I said, "I have ordered food already. And if the King wants to meet me he can come here."

"How dare you! The king isn't going to -" A guard shouted as a bolt of plasma whizzed past his face melting his trident in his hand.

"Might wanna rethink you words before you try something stupid." I warned chillingly.

The guard gulped thickly, and turned to look at his trident then back at me.

"We will wait." He said, implying I was going to come with him later.

How amusing.

"I don't think you understand what I said."

"...and we will send a message to King Neptune." He said, gesturing at a guard behind him.

The guard nodded and ran back out.

The other guards surrounded the shop while the one without a trident sat down in another seat and ordered an ale.

Leisurely, we finished our meal, without any further interruptions.

I paid the bill and wiped Star's mouth clean, before setting him free.

"Where to now?" Tattletale asked.

"Waterpark. Maybe the orchestra. There's lots of stuff to do down here. It's a whole day." I said.

"Please wait." The guard from earlier called out, "King Neptune is coming."

"Is he now?" I smiled.

Honestly, I didn't expect that.

Though I suppose he is scared of what I might do too.

Horns sounded outside, a shadow cast over the cafe and a bubble palanquin hovered across the street, and a herald announced.

"King Neptune has graced you with his presence. Be grateful!" A fishman announced.

I walked out and came face to face with a giant fishman wearing a crown, glowing golden trident glimmering in the light, his bulky shoulders leading into a slimmer body.

He looked very odd. Like a caricature of a strongman almost. Except more fishy. And redheaded.

"Nice to meet you, King Neptune!" I greeted.

"Please leave, jamon!" The King said bluntly.

Huh?

Who starts a conversation like that?

"Excuse me? No." I replied just as straight.

"Why?" He asked.

"I want to visit the waterpark." I said.

"You will leave after you visit the waterpark, jamon?" Neptune asked, worried.

Oh, I see now. He is afraid I will use the same bomb that downed Mariejoise on the Ryugu Kingdom if he fights me.

"No. I'll visit the orchestra. Maybe some more tourist locations."

"You will bring trouble to Ryugu Kingdom, jamon." He said.

"I wiped away your troubles actually.

Now the fishmen don't need to worry about slavers. Not as much as before at least. And now that the world nobles are dead, the market for slaves has been all but kneecapped. You should be thanking me." I said.

"Hohoho. Thank you, jamon!" He said.

Wait what?

He'll just thank me like that?

I scratched my head. This is odd.

I don't know how to deal with people like these.

"So uh.... we'll go to the waterpark if you don't mind?"

"Yes..no wait! Jamon! This island is under Whitebeard's protection." He said, stabbing his trident in my path.

"Please don't do anything troublesome here, jamon!"

"Sure." I nodded, as I remembered the Arlong pirates,

"Oh and, also. While I have you here."

I opened up a portal, dropping the half dead fishmen at his feet.

"Meet the Arlong pirates. Guess where I found them? In a east blue village, torturing humans for pleasure.

Now I don't know if I've got this right, but your wife, queen Otohime's lifelong dream was peace among humans and fishmen, wasn't it?

Allowing the human hating former Sun pirates to roam unchecked doesn't seem like a great idea then."

"I did not know this! I will deal with them. Hand them over, jamon!" Neptune requested.

"Uh uh uh!" I wagged my finger, covering the Arlong pirates with my forcefield.

"Don't you think I deserve a reward for helping the fishmen avoid further conflict? Sweeping away this shame?"

Neptune sighed.

"Of course. I will hold a feast for you heroes, jamon!"

"No thanks. I'd rather take something from you. A promise. To give me one thing I ask at a later date. Unconditionally." I asked.

"Anything you want, jamon!" He replied, jovially.

"Anything you say?" I asked, surprised.

Is it just me or is this man wierd?

Why is his mood changing from serious to jovial like a pendulum?

Is he really just going to agree to this?

No questions asked?

"Anything!" He replied.

Maybe he's just dumb?

That must be it.

"I'll take you up on that offer someday. Remember it." I smiled.

I'll just have him surrender to me peacefully, saving me the effort of making underwater drones or fighting through fishman island when I conquer this world later.

I mean sure, I could just drain the world's oceans with massive portal and catch the fishmen unawares, but why waste that much water and ruin the unique and delicious seafood when I can just get a surrender out of promise.

Just to solidify his gratitude though, I pushed a bit further.

"Alright then. Since you're being generous. I'll reciprocate.

Your daughter Shirahoshi had been confined to her tower because of an ... unexpected suitor, hasn't she? Vander Decken was his name, I think?"

Vander Decken IX. The captain of the flying pirates, and the wielder of the Mark Mark fruit. He had the power to mark someone by touching them, making it so that anything he threw would automatically fly it's way to attack them.

Using this power he had harassed Neptune's daughter, Shirahoshi with his violent 'gifts', axes, spears, swords, arrows and sometimes even actual gifts, forcing her to be confined to a tower in the corner of the palace to protect her for the past few years.

"Yes, jamon." He replied, shamefully, hanging his head.

"We just can't seem to catch him!" He added.

Yeah. No shit you can't. I mocked internally.

Neptune was a weak and incompetent king. Even Whitebeard thought so.

And while I get that Vander Decken can hide anywhere in the vast ocean floor, it's simply ludicrous that in the years it had been happening, not once did the king or Jinbe, the hero of the fishmen and warlord of the sea, ever find him!

I shook my head.

"But I can. Computer, kill Vander Decken." I said.

A blue glow lit up the reef in the distance outside the bubble and a scream echoed out throughout the kingdom.

"CAPTAAAAIN!"

"There we go. Princess Shirahishi is free to leave captivity again. Consider it a gift. Now let me enjoy my vacation in peace." I said.

"I will allow it. You have my gratitude, Jay Walker. But leave tomorrow jamon! Please!" He said, turning around and left.

"Okay?" I agreed.

That's the wierdest encounter I have had in years. And I have been chased by Chthulu.

"Is this...normal?" Tattletale asked, "I expected the king to be more..."

"Regal? Yeah. I'm confused too." I replied.

I can deal with arrogant, power hungry and scheming people but this....

How do you deal with pure, unadulterated sincerity?

Truly. King Neptune is one bizarre man.

"Let's not look a gift horse in the mouth...." Paige interjected, grabbing my arm, "...and enjoy the vacation?"

"Let's." I smiled.

.

That night after the rest had gone to sleep, I sat with Paige on the roof of the hotel, sipping on some wine, as she leaned into my chest, lost in thought.

"Jay?"

"Yeah."

"What you did today...do you do that often?" She asked.

"The waterpark? No. Once a year maybe." I replied.

"No. I mean the...slaves." She hesitated.

"I do that pretty often. I have saved slaves on many worlds. In one galaxy, I'm even called The Liberator. Complete with statues and stuff." I bragged.

Not a virtue, but meh, I can enjoy myself sometimes.

For a moment she was quiet, as she reached her hand down, and twined it with my own, squeezing it lightly.

"What you did today...I don't like it. Putting thise slaves between you and that man." She said finally, worried.

Ah right. Paige was a good person at her core after all wasn't she?

There's no way she can stomach that.

"I know. I didn't like it either." I replied, kissing her forehead, "I was planning to go back tomorrow and help those who got hurt, revive the injured if possible."

"You will do that?" She asked.

"Uhun. Why?" I nodded.

She looked at me with a relieved expression, happily nuzzling into me.

Ugh. That is so cute.

"Thank you." She whispered, quietly, "I almost thought...."

"I know." I said, "Is that what you were worried about all day?"

She hesitated again, before replying.

"Yes."

And before I could ask for clarification, she pulled me into a kiss.

"mhnmm?" I intoned, confused.

"Don't talk. Just ahn...let me have this, please?" Paige moaned, kissing me again.

I relented and shrugged.

I guess I can always find out later. And as she said, why look a gift horse in the mouth?

And so I leaned into her, and enjoyed myself.

_____________________

Yeah. This chapter sucked. I didn't know how to write it. I wrote myself into a corner.

So, if you have any ideas how I could improve it, do tell me in the comments!

Also, next chapter, the factions meet, and mc is caught in the middle. Or if you guys think that's stupid, I can just finish this arc and move to Worm to finish that one?

I'm kinda stuck and lost here.

Next chaoter at 400 powerstones!

Thanks for reading.

Bye~