Zombie

-x-

Hachi and Kuroobi laughed as Zoro and Sanji stood across from them. "Hey, Calamari, lets do this," said Zoro.

"Nyu! You wannna play with me?" Hachi replied, he wasn't scared of a human swordsman.

"That was a dirty trick you rotten fish!" Sanji snapped as he glared at Kuroobi, angry that Arlong had thrown Luffy into the water. Even if Luffy could swim, he'd still drown from being stuck in the rock.

"What's your hurry?" Kuroobi replied. "It's not like you have any chance of surviving! You fools are rushing to your deaths."

Meanwhile Luffy's situation was getting worse, but that only seemed to make Arlong happier. "Shahaha, you can't even breathe under water," Arlong chuckled. "What a puny species you are!"

-x-

"This looks bad," said Yosaku, "Luffy's in trouble."

"There's nothing he can do to save himself," Johnny agreed. Nojiko and Genzo looked on in shock, what was that supposed to mean?

-x-

"I'll finish you in five seconds!" Zoro exclaimed as he rushed at Hachi with his sword drawn.

"HACHI INK JET!" Hachi shouted as he shot out another stream of black ink. FWOOOOSH! Zoro kept charging at the fishman and quickly jumped out of the way of the way and dodged the blast, then he slashed his sword to the side, but Hachi quickly ducked down, SLISH! Zoro missed Hachi but ended up cutting off some of his hair.

"MY HAIR!" Hachi shrieked. "You brat! You think I'll let you get away with that? Well you're right... it's only hair, I'll grow it back."

"Uh... thanks," Zoro replied.

Sanji was watching Zoro and the octopus fishman fight and noticed that Zoro was already short of breath. "Uh oh," Zoro muttered.

"Keep on your toes is you want to live a little while longer!" Kuroobi snapped as he suddenly swung at Sanji.

SWOOOSH! Sanji managed to dodge the blow."Hah, a fish should never pit himself against a Chef," Sanji countered as he dropped to his hands and swung his leg around for a kick, THWAK! Kuroobi got his arm up and blocked the attack with relative ease.

-x-

Back in the water, Luffy was still drowning, "I CAN'T BREATHE!" Luffy silently screamed.

-x-

But back above water Zoro and Hachi were continuing their battle. "Roronoa Zoro, no swordsman is a match for me!" Hachi snapped, "Can't you understand that?"

"You talk too much!" Zoro growled as he charged in with his sword raised above his head.

"HACHI TRIPLE SWORD CATCH!" Hachi shouted as he raised his six arms and brought them together and attempted to catch Zoro's sword as the former Pirate Hunter brought it slashing down. WAPWAPWAP! Zoro's sword was going too fast and it ended up cutting Hachi's hands. "YOWWW!"

"I don't have time to play with you," Zoro groaned as he watched the octopus fishman flinch. "This is taking too long... hurry up and die!" Zoro charged at Hachi again.

"HACHI STICK UP!" Hachi yelled as he jumped up into the air and used the suction cups on his arms to stick upside-down to the wall above Zoro's head.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zoro demanded. "Get down here! Are you trying to waste my time?"

"I hear you use a three-sword style," Hachi commented without even trying to get down, "Why are you using only one sword?"

"You're losing badly enough with only one, fish!" Zoro taunted him.

"Shut up!" Hachi shot back, "I haven't even gotten serious yet! There's a reason why no human swordsman can beat me!"

-x-

"Darn it, that octopus is wasting time!" Johnny realized.

"They can't go into the water of they'll go right into their trap," Yosaku pointed out.

"But at this rate Brother Luffy is doomed!" Johnny exclaimed.

"We've got to do something to save him!" Yosaku agreed as the turned to go to Luffy's aid.

"Wait," Genzo called after them as he placed a hand on Yosaku's arm, causing the Bounty Hunter to yelp in pain. "You two are still injured. What will you be able to do? I'll help the rubber boy."

"Genzo, I'll go with you," Nojiko volunteered. A bunch of other villagers also volunteered to go as well. But Genzo would have none of it.

"No," said Genzo. "If there are too many people we'll draw the attention of the mermen. It will interrupt their fight and those pirates will have fought for nothing. I'll go alone."

"But Mr. Genzo," a villager protested.

"That's an order," Genzo resolved as he picked up his hammer and turned to head inside.

"Good luck," Johnny said to Genzo.

"We'll leave it to you," Yosaku continued, "But please hurry."

"Mr. Genzo, I'm going too!" Nojiko cut in, with a determined look on her face.

"Nojiko..." Genzo tried to argue.

"Those guys are fighting for my sister," said Nojiko as she stared at Genzo. Genzo stared back and realized Nojiko wasn't going to give in.

"Come on, we have to hurry," Genzo relented as he started running in.

"Right," Nojiko agreed as she raced after Genzo.

-x-

"You can't possibly win," Hachi taunted from where he was still handing on the wall, but suddenly Zoro collapsed to the ground. FWUMP!

"His wounds from Hawk Eye!" Sanji exclaimed, the deep gashes and cuts Mihawk had inflicted on Zoro hadn't fully healed, and Zoro was feeling the effects of that now.

"Now's my chance," Hachi realized, "FLAMING OCTOPUS PUNCH!" Hachi shot his six arms into the wall over and over again like a machine gun, WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Hachi jumped away from the wall and landed on the ground. "I'LL CRUSH YOU RORONOA ZORO!"

Hachi laughed but Zoro reached out and grabbed him then tossed him to the ground and calmly walked forward. KA-BLOOOSH! The rock Hachi had punched loose came crashing down where Zoro had been standing... right on top of Hachi.

Again Zoro collapsed to the ground, "Crap, why now?" he complained.

"Those wounds were too deep after all," Yosaku realized.

"Of course," Johnny replied. "A normal person would have died from an injury like that! Our brother has been suffering in silence all this time!"

-x-

"I thought it was strange that he got cut up like that and recovered so quickly," Sanji muttered, "That idiot!"

"ONE HUNDRED BRICK FIST!" WHAM! Kuroobi shot out his fist and caught Sanji in the chest launching the cook backwards and causing him to smash through the wall of Arlong Park. KRASH! "I told you to stay on your toes," Kuroobi taunted, "I'm a fortieth degree black belt in Fishman Karate!"

-x-

"What was that!" one of the gathered villagers exclaimed, "Was that man flying!"

"BROTHER COOK!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted at the same time.

-x-

"That's the last of them Lord Arlong," Kuroobi reported as he stood over the crouching form of Zoro. "What do you want done with Roronoa Zoro?"

"Just throw him and the others into the sea," Arlong replied, "What boring creatures. Hachi wake up! How long are you going to sleep there?"

KRASH! In response Hachi erupted up out of the rubble and got to his feet, "RORONOA ZORO! I'M REALLY MAD NOW!" Hachi screamed, "I'LL KILL YOU!" Hachi quickly got a set of six swords and held one of them in each of his hands, "I am the Greatest Swordsman on this island! I use Rokutou! (Six-Sword Style) Even if hell freezes over a mere human could never defeat me!" WOOOOOSH! To prove his point Hachi spun around, swinging his six swords wildly, the force from all the swords created a tornado that went up above Hachi's head.

"That's enough Hachi!" Kuroobi scolded him. "I know how you feel, but if you get too mad you'll destroy Arlong Park!" Hachi reluctantly stopped spinning and turned his attention to Zoro who was just getting back up.

"Let me tell you something, Squidy," said Zoro, as he untied his bandana from his arm then tied it onto his head. "There's a man I have to meet, and until I see him again, now one can take my life!" Zoro then turned to his bounty hunter partners, "Yosaku, Johnny, let me borrow your swords!"

"Yay! Zoro!" the Bounty Hunters cheered.

"I'll show you my Santōryū," Zoro told the fishman.

"I'LL KILL YOU RORONOA ZORO!" Hachi yelled.

"So he was still alive," Kuroobi commented idly.

-x-

Outside of Arlong Park, Sanji was still alive too. Much to the amazement of the gathered villagers he simply lit a cigarette and got back up to his feet. "Hmph, that's it?" questioned Sanji, who had blood dripping down his face from the gash Kuroobi had made. "If that was a level forty punch, then that old man's kicks must have been level four hundred!"

-x-

Meanwhile Nojiko and Genzo had made it into the water and were making their way down to Luffy's unconscious form.

-x-

Usopp screamed at the top of his lungs as he continued running from Chew, "AAAAAAAHHHH!"

-x-

Three Swords vs. Six

-x-

"Brother Zoro is in bad shape," said Yosaku, as he and Johnny watched their former partner fight to stay on his feet. "His wounds from Hawk Eye must be causing him great pain."

"If those wounds open now, he'll die for sure!" Johnny exclaimed.

"But there's no time to worry about that!" Yosaku snapped.

"Brother Zoro is the only one who can take care of this," Johnny added.

-x-

Back inside, Zoro and Hachi were getting ready to started, but already Zoro was showing signs of fatigue. Hachi was quick to point this out. "Roronoa Zoro, you look like a walking corpse! And I haven't even started on you yet!"

"Keep your comments to yourself," Zoro shot back as he tied on his bandana.

"BROTHER CATCH!" Johnny and Yosaku shouted as they threw their swords at Zoro. The two blades spun in the air like a pair of buzzsaws as they approached Zoro.

"This is bad," Zoro commented to himself, "I almost passed out. And my fever is rising..."

"Brother our swords!" Johnny yelled as the two swords whizzed towards Zoro from behind, did Zoro know they were coming?

"We threw our swords to you!" Yosaku called out, "Catch them!"

"I'll show you a world a normal two-armed human can't enter!" Hachi taunted as he held his six swords at the ready. "This is the six-sword style! Only a person with six arms can do it!"

"BROTHER ZORO, LOOK OUT!" Johnny and Yosaku screamed as the two swords whirled even closer to Zoro.

"OCTOPUS ARM MIRACLE SWORDS!" Hachi shouted as he poised his six blades at the ready and charged at Zoro.

Zoro spun around and caught the two incoming swords, then slipped in between the six blades Hachi was wielding, "Three-Sword Style ..." started Zoro as he dodged the frantic six-sword strike. WHUP! WHUP! WHUP!

"Try countering this with only three swords!" Hachi challenged as he continued slashing his swords out at Zoro, who continued to dodge them and swat them away. WHUP! WHUP! WHUP!

"...STREAMING WOLF SWORDS!" Zoro shouted as he slashed his three blades and slipped passed Hachi. SLISH!

"Nyu?" said Hachi as he stood in surprise how Zoro had gotten behind him and had dodged his attack. Arlong and Kuroobi were wondering along the same lines. PLURT! Hachi yelled out in pain as blood splurted out of a large gash on his chest. Zoro had gotten a hit in and had dodged Hachi's six-sword attack all in one move!

"He did it!" Yosaku exclaimed.

"He got passed that six-sword whirlwind!" Johnny yelled out. "That's incredible!" All the villagers agreed with the bounty hunters and stared in shock, any of them would've been turned to mince meat by now!

"NOW YOU'VE REALLY MADE ME MAD!" Hachi hollered as he turned to face Zoro again, "I'm gonna chop you up! Just think about it mathematically, three blades is the maximum you can hold, you have no chance against me!"

"Mathematically?" Zoro repeated, as he thought back to Mihawk comments about his amazing spirit. "That would be a grave miscalculation. I may only have three swords, but mine are much heavier than yours!" The two swordsmen faced each other and had another stand off.

-x-

Underwater, Genzo and Nojiko had made it to Luffy, Genzo was trying to smash the rock around Luffy's feet with his hammer, "He's swallowed a lot of water," Nojiko reported. "If we can't free him soon it will be too late!"

"Darn it, I don't know if this will work on the ocean floor," said Genzo as he smashed the hammer down on the rock again. But due to being under water, he hadn't hit the rock as hard as he could normally, so it did nothing. "I don't have much power due to the water resistance."

"Mr. Genzo, we need to hurry," Nojiko reminded him.

"I can't," replied Genzo, "the rock isn't breaking. And I can't carry him to the surface with that rock attached. I need an oxygen tank, but there's not enough time to get one."

"That's it!" Nojiko suddenly realized, she had a temporary plan.

-x-

Back at Arlong Park Zoro and Hachi were getting ready to continue their battle. "You think your swords weight more that mine?" questioned Hachi, "you idiot, my swords are much heavier than yours! Each of my swords weight six hundred fifty pounds!"

"I won't waste words on a fool," Zoro muttered.

"ROKUTOU!" Hachi called out as he brought his six swords together in a point, KLANG! "OCTOPUS POT STANCE!" Hachi charged at Zoro with his swords poised for attack. "NEW YEARS ..." Hachi drove his swords forward, but Zoro blocked them with two of his, KLANK! KLANG! "OPEN BODY!" Hachi suddenly pulled his swords apart, separating Zoro's swords in the process, SHOOOM! Now Zoro was wide open, "SLAM!" Hachi shot his head forward and drove it into Zoro's stomach, WHAM! Zoro was launched up into the air as he let out a grunt of pain.

"OH NO! HIS WOUNDS!" Yosaku screamed.

"BROTHER ZORO IS GONNA DIE!" Johnny shouted.

"I won't let you touch down alive!" Hachi exclaimed as Zoro kept flying up in the air. "WALTZ OF THE SIX SWORDS!" Hachi started spinning around over and over again, FWIIRRRR! Zoro started his descent and was going down towards what looked like an evil fan of doom!

"If you so much as touch my swords you mincemeat!" Hachi yelled. "Prepare to be diced!" FWUPFWUPFWUP!

Zoro saw what he was plummeting towards so he quickly stared spinning around as well. FWUPFWUP! Zoro came down on Hachi, both swordsman were spinning, everyone was waiting for the inevitable sound of Zoro being sliced to pieces but it never came, instead the was a sole slashing sound. The spectators stared in shock as Zoro landed on his feet, while Hachi yelled out in pain and dropped his swords. Hachi held his hands up and saw that they were bleeding.

"How? What coulda happened?" asked Yosaku.

"Yosaku, all of this fighting is sure to open up Brother Zoro's wounds," Johnny pointed out.

"That human matched the rotation of my blades and passed right through," Hachi realized. "He even managed to cut up my hands. Well I'm a swordsman, not an acrobat!" Hachi turned to Zoro and shouted at him, "Now I've really had it with you. Now I'm really gonna kill you!" Zoro just stood where he was with his back to Hachi, he was starting to feel faint.

"Brother Zoro looks like he's in pain," Yosaku observed, "I'd trade places with him if I could."

"Even if most people would pass out from wounds like these, I can not fall!" Zoro resolved to himself.

Hachi picked up his swords and put them together in a point like he had before, KLANG! "OCTOPUS POT STANCE!" Hachi shouted, "You're as good as dead!"

"Even though a normal person would have died from this pain, I can not die," Zoro said to himself as Hachi charged at him.

"This attack is one hundred percent unblockable!" Hachi exclaimed as he rushed in, "It already worked on you once!"

"I have to live to beat Hawk Eye Mihawk!" Zoro said to himself, "I can't lose!" "DEMON..."

Hachi reached Zoro and shouted out his attack, "NEW YEARS ..."

"SLICE!" finished Zoro as he charged at Hachi while slashing all three of his swords, KREEESH! Hachi's swords all broke in half! Hachi stared in surprise as his swords broke apart and the top parts clattered to the ground.

"Now do you see who's swords are heavier?" questioned Zoro. "I hope your satisfied now, stupid octopus! DRAGON..."

Hachi decided to forget the fact that he had lost his swords and he charged at Zoro in a blind rage, shooting his fists out like a machine gun again, "FLAMING OCTOPUS PUNCH!"

"...TWISTER!" finished Zoro as he spun around and slashed the incoming Hachi. THWAM! Hachi was launched up into the air and blood came out of the wounds Zoro had made on his chest.

"How could I lose to only three swords?" wondered Hachi as he plummeted downward then smashed into the ground unconscious. WHA-KRASH!

Zoro's swords carried all his dream of becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman and his sworn oath to never lose again. His ambition was far heavier than a mere six hundred fifty pound blade.

"Hachi?" Arlong called out.

"He couldn't..." Kuroobi muttered. Both he and Arlong had just witnessed a human beating one of their toughest fishmen! How could this have happened?

Zoro couched down and put his swords away, "The rest of you are beyond my notice," he said to Arlong and Kuroobi, "I have to save Luffy!"

"Roronoa Zoro!" Kuroobi exclaimed as he stood over Zoro with his arm raised, "HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO HACHI!"

But as Kuroobi brought his arm crashing down, THWAK! Sanji came out of nowhere and blocked Kuroobi's arm with his foot. "You sent me flying pretty far back there," Sanji commented.

"There was never a human in the East Blue who could take the full force of my punch and live," said Kuroobi.

"I'll wager a lot of people who could do it," Sanji replied, "especially at a certain restaurant I know."

"How dare you insult me!" Kuroobi snapped.

Zoro's battle with Hachi had finished, and Zoro had come out victorious. Sanji was now preparing to take on Kuroobi, but some distance away from Arlong Park, another battle was starting.

-x-

Heroism versus Fishman Cruelty

-x-

The Going Merry was anchored off the shore from Cocoyashi Village it looked perfectly innocent... except for the blood red water surrounding it. A figure stood on the deck of the ship and surveyed the blood red water. "Pathetic."

-x-

At Arlong Park, Zoro's battle with Hachi had concluded, Arlong glanced at Hachi in surprise, then turned his attention to Sanji and Kuroobi, their fight was about to get underway.

"We have to help Luffy," Zoro told Sanji.

"Don't be stupid," said Sanji, "If you go down there in your present condition you'll die."

"Shut up!" Zoro snapped. "He's got to be nearing his limit! We don't have time to wait for your fight!"

"I know," Sanji replied, "I completely understand the situation. That's why you need to shut up." Suddenly Sanji kicked off his shoes, "So now you can't blame me for doing this, right?" asked Sanji before diving into the water. SPLASH!

"Haha! Interesting," Kuroobi laughed. "He wants to fight me, a fishman, underwater?"

"That reckless idiot!" Zoro muttered. "That's exactly what these guys want!"

"Shahahaha! Learn this lesson well!" Arlong laughed at Zoro. "You humans are no match for us! What an incredible fool!"

-x-

In the water Sanji was swimming down towards the bottom. But then he saw in interesting sight, "It's a villager." Sanji said to himself. Genzo was still next to Luffy trying to cracked the rock his feet were stuck in. Luffy's head was nowhere to be found. He neck was stretched so it was completely out of the water.

"Come on, breathe!" said Genzo as he shoved his hands down into Luffy's chest, "I hope we're not too late!"

"Is that Luffy's stretched neck?" Sanji wondered as he swam closer.

"Hurry, before my breath runs out," Genzo said silently. Luffy's head might have been above water, but he was still holding his breath in an attempt to get the pirate to breathe.

-x-

At the surface Nojiko was holding Luffy's head above water. She was safely hidden so while she could see what was going on with the battle, none of the mermen could see her.

"I'm sorry I don't have the strength to bring your whole body up," Nojiko basically apologized to herself, Luffy couldn't hear her. "But with this stretchy neck of yours at least you can cough up water and breathe." GLURG! Luffy did just that, he coughed up a bunch of water and he slowly started to breathe. "Yes!" Nojiko exclaimed, "Mr. Genzo is doing it!"

-x-

Back underwater Genzo was still working on Luffy and Sanji was swimming closer. "Good, now with his feet stuck in the rock, he can at least breathe. Now I just need to shatter that rock with a kick and leave the rest to that old man."

"ARM BLADE SLASH!" came the voice of Kuroobi as he slammed his huge forearm blade down onto Sanji's shoulder, KA-WHAM!

Sanji couldn't help opening his mouth on the impact, "GLURRRP!" Water rushed into Sanji's mouth and he lost some precious air.

"It's that man for Cocoyashi Village," Kuroobi realized when he noticed Genzo.

"Oh no!" Genzo exclaimed in his head when he noticed that he was noticed, "I've been spotted by a fishman!"

"Do you really think all of your efforts will do anything?" asked Kuroobi as he swam closer to Genzo. "I'll drown you right now!"

But suddenly something grabbed Kuroobi's leg. The fishman looked over his shoulder and noticed Sanji holding onto him, "Not if I can help it!" Sanji snapped in his head.

"So you really want to fight me underwater?" questioned Kuroobi, who could talk underwater due to being a fishman, "It'll take everything you have just to hold your breathe! Alright, I'll take you on..." Kuroobi swung his head to the side and launched out his braid of hair which wrapped itself around Sanji's waist, WHAP! "DUELING HAIR TETHER!"

Kuroobi used his hold on Sanji to pull him closer. But when he got close enough Sanji lashed out his leg and connected with Kuroobi's chest. BLOOOSH! But the fishman just brushed it off. "That was weak," said Kuroobi. "Down here your kicks only have half their normal velocity. But with Fishman Karate there is no loss of power in the water, in fact the power of some moves is even multiplied!" Kuroobi yanked Sanji closer to him and lashed out his leg, THWAK! "SEA-SPEED STOMACH KICK!"

Sanji doubled over and fought not to lose any air, but Kuroobi quick flipped up above the cooks head, then brought his heel down on Sanji's back, "FLAMING AXE KICK!" CHONK! Kuroobi spun around the brought up his leg and drove his foot into Sanji's jaw, "RISING THRUST KICK!" KRAK! Sanji floated backwards while Kuroobi brought his arm back, then he shot it forward and drove his palm into Sanji's jaw, "HIGH-RANK PALM BOMB!" THWOOP!

KROOOOM! Sanji went floating backwards and smashed into the wall of the waterway, then smashed down to the ground, BOOOM! A large cloud of underwater dirt rose, clouding him from view. Genzo noticed the force Sanji hit with and realized he was in trouble.

But suddenly Sanji pulled himself up and swam straight up toward the surface, "I can't breathe anymore! I need air!"

"Where are you going?" asked Kuroobi as he darted in and swam in front of Sanji, blocking his path.

"Crap!" Sanji cursed in his head. "Let me passed, I need air!"

"Your ability to take punishment is annoying," said Kuroobi. "That's not normal for a human! Let me explain, this is the result of you trying to be a hero. You can't escape and the only way out of this is death. When I'm done with you, I'll kill the mayor and the rubber man will die along with him. Then I will kill that long nosed boy, Roronoa Zoro, and all those villagers that stood against us. And for her betrayal, Nami won't live peacefully. Don't you understand? Your heroism means nothing! In the end, you can't save anyone!"

"You humans are weak," Kuroobi continued as he reached out and grabbed Sanji. "You can't even survive extreme changes is pressure. If you were to descend rapidly too deeply into the sea you'd probably explode!" Kuroobi grabbed onto Sanji then pointed downward and shot down towards the bottom where the pressure was even greater. "PULVERIZING PRESSURE PLUNGE!"

"I've gotta change the plan," Sanji said to himself, "I have to let that village headman take care of Luffy. I won't let him get away with this, he thinks I can't save anyone!"

Kuroobi shot down to the bottom and blood splurted out of Sanji's mouth and nose, he couldn't take much more of this.

-x-

Above water Johnny and Yosaku were wondering what was taking Sanji so long. "Brother Cook still hasn't come up yet," Johnny commented.

"What happened to Sister Nami's sister?" questioned Yosaku, "And that man?"

-x-

PLURP! Sanji held his hand to his mouth and nose as blood splurted out from under his hands. "How can you still be alive?" Kuroobi wondered as he glared at Sanji. "Alright then, we'll do it again!" Kuroobi kept his hold on Sanji and swam upwards, looking to completely crush Sanji for good.

"These fishmen," Sanji thought to himself. "They breathe through their lungs on land, and switch to their gills underwater. So right now he's just a talking fish."

"We're near the surface now," Kuroobi told Sanji as he stopped swimming upward. "Let's see how much you can take!"

"Fish die when air is forced through their gills, it should be the same with him!" Sanji suddenly realized. Then before Kuroobi could stop him, he reached up and placed his mouth over Kuroobi's gills and breathed into them. FWOOOOO!

"AAAAAHHH!" Kuroobi screamed out and lost his hold on Sanji.

Sanji swam free and shot up to the surface and gasped desperately for breath. SPLASH! "Huh?" questioned Arlong when he noticed the human cook.

"Cook!" Zoro exclaimed as Sanji panted and fought to regain his breath.

"Don't worry, Luffy's safe," Sanji reported.

"He is?" asked the swordsman.

"Well, half of him," Sanji confessed.

"Half?" repeated Zoro.

"I'll explain later," Sanji told him as he pulled himself up out of the water and got to his feet. Then he turned and shouted into the water, "HEY! COME ON UP HERE YOU LOUSY FISH!" Sanji shouted to Kuroobi, "I'M GOING TO SLICE YOU TO PIECES AND EAT YOU WITH TARTER SAUCE!"

Kuroobi's head broke the surface and he pulled himself up out of the water. "You still don't get it," said Kuroobi, "I am many times stronger than you are. It doesn't matter is we are in or out of water. Now, you've really made me mad. I will use the ultimate move of Fishman Karate to kill you. I sent you flying before with my one hundred brick fist. But my greatest move is the thousand brick fist. The likelihood of your survival is... zero!"

But suddenly Sanji swung his leg around and connected with Kuroobi's neck, "COLLIER!" THWAK! Sanji slipped behind Kuroobi and slammed the side of his foot into the back of Kuroobi's shoulder, "EPAULE!" THOMP! Kuroobi fell to the ground. "What did you say you'd do to me?" Sanji taunted as Kuroobi fought back up.

Sanji dropped down onto his hands for a handstand, then started spinning around and lashed out his legs in rapid succession, first he connected with Kuroobi's back, "COTELETTE!" THWAP! At the same time, Sanji drove his other leg into Kuroobi's lower back, "SELLE!" THWAK! Sanji continued to spin on his hands and swung his leg back up and connected with Kuroobi's chest, "POITRINE!" THOMP! Everyone watching stared in marvel as Sanji kept going, and hit Kuroobi in the side of the leg, "GIGOT!" THWHAM!

Kuroobi dropped down to one knee and panted now that Sanji had finally let up his attack, "Why you!" Kuroobi snapped. "YOU... YOU... HUMAN! THE ULTIMATE PUNCH... ONE THOUSAND BRICK FIST!"

Kuroobi charged forward and went to punch Sanji but Sanji lashed his leg out and connected hard with Kuroobi's chest over and over again, "MOUTON SHOOT!" BA-BA-BA-BA-BA-BAM! Kuroobi went flying, he already out cold and he hadn't landed yet. "No dessert for you," commented Sanji, he had won.

-x-

It's All Over

-x-

KA-BLOOSH! Kuroobi smashed into the ground and didn't get up, Sanji had knocked him out cold.

Arlong glanced around him. The cook had just sent Kuroobi crashing through the wall beside him, and Roronoa Zoro had beaten Hachi. Two of his best men were down, and the third one was still out chasing that long nosed brat. Everyone else was either out trying to kill one-eye, or had been knocked out when the rubber human used his strength to take out Mohmoo. This wasn't going well, it appeared that he would have to take matters into his own hands.

"Kuroobi... Hachi..." Arlong called out to his men, but he received no answer, both of them were out cold. Arlong struggled to keep his rage in control. They were only pesky humans, there was no need to destroy Arlong Park over them... or was there?

"Looks like your guys lost," Sanji pointed out as he and Zoro stood in front of Arlong, "We're the winners of this game." In response Arlong slowly got up out of his throne and faced the two meddling humans.

"YOU!" Arlong snarled as he glared at the Cook and the Swordsman, "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO MY VALUABLE OFFICERS! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!"

"You said Luffy's half okay, what did you mean?" Zoro asked Sanji.

"It means he's not dead yet," Sanji explained, "I'll have to go back down to the ocean floor. But it looks like this guy isn't about to let me."

-x-

In her hiding place, Nojiko was still holding Luffy's head and had watched the whole battle take place. "Those guys are incredible!" Nojiko commented, "They beat two of Arlong's best men!"

Suddenly Genzo's head broke the surface and the village headman pulled himself out of the water. "That's it..." Genzo panted, "I can't... hold my breath any longer..."

"Take a break Mr. Genzo," said Nojiko, "I'll go down now. He's coughing up water, we're so close!"

"How's it going over there?" Genzo asked, wondering how the battle was going, having been underwater for most of it.

"No one's dead yet," Nojiko replied, "In fact, I can hardly believe it. But I'm feeling a rising sense of hope about this battle!" Indeed, so far the humans were way ahead, Luffy had taken out Mohmoo, Zoro had beaten Hachi, and Sanji KO-ed Kuroobi. Arlong was the only conscious fishman left in Arlong Park. The only problems they were facing were Zoro's wounds and Luffy being stuck in the water, but at the moment Genzo and Nojiko were working to rectify that problem.

-x-

Usopp was on the ground lying in a pool of blood. Chew stood over him, pleased with himself. "Smek, you gave a good chase," Chew admitted. "And you were pretty fast for a human. But then you died from just one shot from my water cannon. How disappointing."

Chew turned and started heading off, "I guess I'll head back," Chew resolved, "My comrades should be finished by now too."

Usopp watched Chew walked off from his spot on the ground. "Success," Usopp said to himself. "I'm saved. Good thing I made that Ketchup Star just for this kind of situation." What Chew didn't know, was that the blood Usopp was lying in wasn't blood, it was a puddle of ketchup. "That guy thinks he hit me with his Water Cannon. Ahahaha, just keep walking."

Usopp thought back to the overturned houses in Gosa Village. "What a terrifying species those guys are," Usopp thought. "They can flip an entire village of houses. I feel sorry for Nami, I wish I could do more, but if it means getting killed I'll pass."

"I'm covered in ketchup blood, too," Usopp observed as he sat up, "I wish I had a few more battle scars. That's it! I'll smear dirt all over myself to make it look like a fought a real battle." Usopp reached down and dusted himself with a coat of dirt. "What should I say when I get back?"

"Umm... sorry I lost," Usopp said to himself.

"We're Nakama, aren't we?" asked Luffy in Usopp's mind. He was willing to face the fishmen on behalf of Nami.

"Umm... I almost had him, but he got away. No... that doesn't sound believable. What would Y/N say?"

"Usopp, Nami saved your life, are you gonna repay her by letting her spend the rest of her life working for a horrible fishman like Arlong?"

"Don't cry Nami..." said Usopp, knowing that Nami would be upset if he lost.

"I prefer death to defeat!" Usopp remembered Zoro telling Mihawk. He was willing to fight the fishmen for Nami, on top of that, he was still injured.

"Umm... well, we all put up a good fight."

"But hey, compared to a bunch of woman-hating bastard fish, he's not so bad," Sanji said regarding Luffy. He was wiling to fight for Nami, and he had only just joined the crew.

"Uhhh..." Usopp couldn't think of any more excuses.

"It's business, I had no choice," Nami told Usopp when she had stabbed herself to make it look like she had killed him. She had been fighting Arlong for the last eight years, and had risked getting in trouble by saving Usopp's life.

"Umm... my wounds aren't that bad," Usopp commented as he glanced down at himself.

"Remember those faces," said Johnny and Yosaku as the Straw Hats marched to Arlong Park. "They've come to change the future. Not just for the East Blue, but the world." The two bounty hunters looked like they had fought the fishmen and lost, now they were counting on the Straw Hats to pull through and save the world from Arlong's tyranny. They believed in them.

"Can you understand what a painful choice this was for her?" Nojiko asked Usopp regarding Nami. Nami fought Arlong for eight years by surviving, even after the bastard shot her mother in front of her. Now he, Usopp, was too afraid to get his hands dirty and fight a stupid fishman?

"LET'S FIGHT!" Genzo shouted and all the people of Cocoyashi Village, they were going to go off and probably get killed by the fishmen. All the other's were willing to fight, they were risking their lives.

"Umm... you should've seen me fight."

"THIS IS PATHETIC!" Usopp realized. Everyone else was willing to risk injury and their lives to fight he fishmen, and here he was covered in ketchup wasn't a Brave Warrior of the Sea, he was a coward. But not anymore... that was gonna change right now.

Usopp took a deep breath then stood up and turned to face Chew. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, TRUMPET LIPS!" Usopp yelled.

Chew looked over his shoulder, "You're alive? Smek," Chew remarked in slight surprise.

"The moment I decided to become a real pirate I gave up my life of peace and security," Usopp said in his mind, he needed to take a stand. "You think your wimpy Water Cannon can kill me!" Usopp demanded, as Chew rushed at him.

"Luffy and those guys live every day of their lives like there's no tomorrow. That's why they laugh so heartily. That's the reason I set out to sea. I wanted to be like them. If I don't fight with everything I've got then I'm not worthy to sail in the same ship as those guys. I could never laugh with them again!" Usopp drew his slingshot and loaded it, then aimed it at Chew.

"FIRE STAR!" Usopp shouted as he fired. FWOOOSH!

"DEATHBLOW!" Chew yelled.

Chew charged through the fire that Usopp had launched at him and connected with a hard punch to Usopp's face. KA-POW! Usopp went flying while Chew rolled forward and stood back up. There was blood on Chew's webbed knuckles.

"You should've kept playing dead," Chew commented. "Your brain must be as weak as your body. Smek."

"It's all over," Usopp mumbled to himself.

"That's right, it's all over for you," Chew replied as he started stomping on Usopp. WOMP! WOMP! THWAK!

"It's all over," Usopp repeated as he reached up and fished into his pouch.

"Smek," was the only thing Chew said as he continued stomping on Usopp. THWAK! THWAK!

"USOPP HAMMER!" Usopp screamed as he threw his hammer up at Chew and hit him in the face. WHACK!

"Oooff," Chew grunted as he staggered backwards. Usopp shot back up to his feet and pulled out a rubber band, then stretched it backwards.

"USOPP RUBBER BAND!" he shouted. Chew flinched and closed his eyes, waiting for the attack to come, but it never did. When he opened his eyes again, Usopp was gone.

"What!" Chew exclaimed, "That fool tricked me! He ran away! THE LITTLE COWARD!" Suddenly a bottle of grog came flying out of nowhere. WHAP! Choo reached out and caught it without much fuss. "Booze?"

"LEAD STAR!" came Usopp's voice as a lead projectile smashed into the bottle, BLOOOSH! Booze splashed all over Chew and drenched him.

"Grrr," Chew growled, "I'm tired of this puny human's tricks." Chew wadded into a puddle by the side of the road, "No matter where you are, I'll blast you to pieces with this water." Then he bent over and sucked up all the water until he inflated like a water balloon.

"This fishman can say whatever he wants," Usopp said to himself in the trees, "But whatever happens, I will not run from this fight! If I lose, I die! I'm a pirate now!"

"WATER TYPHOON!" Chew shouted as he blasted a HUGE amount of water at the trees. KA-BLOOOOSH!

Usopp screamed as what looked like a tidal wave of water came rushing at him. But at the last second it veered to the side and crashed into the trees next to him, breaking them all. "WOW! WHAT POWER!" Usopp exclaimed as he peeked around the tree he was behind and spotted the damage Chew had done with his blast.

"Why do I have to fight this idiot?" Chew asked himself when he saw Usopp peeking out from behind the tree. "He's so obvious. I'LL TURN HIM INTO SWISSCHEESE! HUNDRED-SHOT WATER GUN!" Chew shot out a barrage of water blasts with the speed of a machine gun. POOM! POOM! POOM! POOM! Usopp quickly ducked behind the tree to dodge it and felt the blasts whizzing passed him on both sides and hitting the tree. THUD! THUD! THUD!

"Darn it," Usopp cursed to himself, "You'll see Usopp's pirates, Kaya, I went to sea to become a pirate! I'm going to fight, and someday I'll be a Brave Warrior of the Sea! THE DAYS OF PRETEND PIRATING ARE OVER!"

The top of the tree that Usopp was hiding behind broke off, and Chew appeared behind him. "What did you say was over?" asked Chew.

"THIS FIGHT!" Usopp exclaimed. "DON'T YOU KNOW BOOZE BURNS!" He quickly loaded his slingshot and fired, "SURE-KILL FIRE STAR!" FWOOOOM! The flames impacted with Chew and caused the booze he was drenched in to combust, the fishman burst into flames.

"UGGGHHHH!" Chew screamed as he felt himself burning up.

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!!