(How the Iron Maiden works.)

If you were wondering how Nami was able to control Mawgona's ship without him noticing, here's how to operate it.

The ship doesn't have a traditional steering wheel, but levers. There are three main levers in a row located where a steering wheel would be. The first one on the left side makes the ship go back and forth, the right one makes it turn, and the middle one either extends or retracts the arms and legs underneath.

With each new crew member, the size of the Iron Maiden increases if Mawgona is certain that he has obtained a new member.

That's all for now.

(Back to the Story)

(Barry)"Zant's gonna be ok. We managed to grab some medicine and bandages, but we're going to need an actual doctor. Surgical staples aren't gonna hold forever."

(Mawgona)"That's fine, he'll pull through. I don't understand, why did Nami do such a thing?"

(Yosaku)"We just might know the reason..."

(Mawgona)"What do you mean?"

(Johnny)"Earlier, before Krieg showed up, Sister Nami noticed the wanted posters we keep around. Specifically, this one."

He took out a poster of a Saw Shark Fishman.

(Pepin)"A-Arlong?"

(Mawgona)"Do you know him?"

(Pepin)"I mean...of course, almost every Fishman knows about him! He used to be in a different Fishman Pirate crew years ago. After the Captain died, he took a few men and came here."

(Mawgona)"It sounds like there's more to that."

(Pepin)"Well...I used to be a part of his crew. Not for very long, however. As a kid, even now, I'm not like him and his men. I may be stronger than Humans, but I don't hold that much of a hatred for them. He threw me out, and I was on my own."

(Pepin)"Eventually, I found Zeff. He was stranded on a large to rock. He was down to the bone, he had eaten all the food he had from a shipwreck, he was missing a leg, and...there was the skeleton of a child..."

(Pepin)"I couldn't just leave him like that. I was able to jump onto the rock since Fishmen are such good swimmers, and I was able to get him to safety. We eventually opened the Baratie, and the rest is history."

(Mawgona)"I see. Do you have any idea of what he might be doing?"

(Pepin)"Before I was thrown out, he said something about conquering the East Blue, but it doesn't look like he's done it yet. He's only taken one island as far as I know."

(Terry)"We're here!"

(Mawgona)"Land on the other side of the island, we don't want any of Arlong's men spotting us already."

But it seems that they had just left the opposite side of the island. The town was in ruins. Buildings were flipped upside down, the ground was all tore up, and there was no doubt in their minds that the previous inhabitants we're most likely dead.

(Zant)"Damn, it looks like they blew up the place!"

(Pepin)"This is definitely Arlong's work, you said that Nami girl was collecting a hundred million Beli, right?"

(Mawgona)"Yes?"

(Pepin)"Then I can make a pretty good guess as to what happened here. Arlong must be making these people pay some sort of protection fee, to protect the people from him."

(Zant)"Guess this one couldn't pay up on time."

(Mawgona)"That's why Nami need a hundred million, she's trying to buy back this village so that the Fishmen leave."

(Terry)"Why didn't she just tell us? We could beat 'em up easy!"

(Yosaku)"Are you insane!?! There's like a dozen of these guys!"

(Johnny)"He's got 20,000,000 for a reason!!!"

(???)"YOU!"

In the distance, there was a little boy with a sword, and he was steaming mad.

(Pepin)"Me?"

(Boy)"I'm gonna kill you!!!"

He charged at Pepin. The bull shark didn't want to hurt the kid, so he grabbed the arm with the katana.

(Pepin)"Easy, kid! You'll stab yourself with this thing."

(Boy)"That stupid Arlong killed my dad! I'll kill you, I'll kill all you dumb Fishmen!!!"

(???)"What are you doing?!"

A woman with blue hair and tattoo showed up and pulled the boy away, giving him a good chop on the head to teach him a lesson.

(Woman)"Don't harm the Fishmen!"

(Boy)"B-But they...!"

(Woman)"I know what they did, but there's nothing we can do about it!"

(Pepin)"Um, I'm not one of Arlong's men. Not anymore, really. Me and my friends here were looking for a girl with orange hair. I believe her name is Nami?"

(Woman)"Nami? ...Follow me."

She brought the group to her house, which had a large orange farm. After they were inside, she introduced herself as Nojiko.

(Nojiko)"So she took your ship and made her way here with a hundred million Beli?"

(Mawgona)"That's right. She apparently has some connection with this Arlong."

(Nojiko)"That's because she's part of his crew."

(Everyone except Mawgona)"WHAT?!?!"

(Nojiko)"Yep, she's pretty infamous around here."

(Pepin)"But, Arlong hates humanity like a vegetarian hates meat! Why would he let Nami in!?"

(Nojiko)"Well, it goes back 10 years ago..."

Many years ago, during a war between the Marines and a large group of Pirates, a woman named Bell-mère took part in it.

During the battle, she found a young Nojiko, and an infant Nami. Seeing as they're parents weren't around,she took them in as her own children. She wasn't the richest person, so they mostly ate the oranges she grew.

"Why doesn't she just sell the oranges?" You may be asking me. It sounds like a good idea, but there was such a huge increase in oranges that their price went down, so it wouldn't bring in much. Despite these conditions, they were able to get by. The now 8 year old Nami started to gain an interest in the ocean, specifically for drawing maps. With just a few (stolen) books, she was able to draw stacks upon stacks of accurate sea charts. One day, their lives changed forever.

The Arlong Pirates arrived on their village, and easily took it over. Afterwards, Arlong told the Humans that they needed to pay a toll once each month.

100,000: Per Adult

50,000: Per Child

If they couldn't pay the toll, well, Arlong says it best.

"If you can't pay the cash, then you're out with the trash!"

When he came to Bell-mére's house, she only had 100,000, so...she sacrificed the few to save the many. With a smile on her face, and a gun to her head, she had one thing left to say to her children.

"I love you!"

To make matters worse, one of the Fishmen found Nami's maps. The saw shark decided to make use of her. He forced her to make sea charts, and threatened to kill here too if he didn't. One day, he made a deal with her, just to keep her from doing something she'd regret.

"If you gather up 100,000,000 Beli, I'll give this village to ya!"

And now you know. For the next 10 years, Nami had been stealing as much treasure and money as she could get her hands on. Sometimes, it was easy, but on rare occasions, she had to use...other methods, methods she would never speak of to anyone.

(Barry)"Damn, she had to work for him as a kid?"

(Mawgona)"We need to go help her then."

Suddenly, there was a scream from someone outside.

In the middle of town, Arlong was standing before a man with a pinwheel on his hat.

(Terry)"That guy's huge!"

(Pepin)"Yep, that's the Arlong I remember, hasn't changed a bit..."

Apparently, Genzou had been collecting weapons for some time. Not to fight the Pirates, but as a hobby. Unfortunately for this man, Arlong takes the smallest thing as an attempt to rebel. Against the villagers wishes, he picked the man up by his face, and savagely threw him around, smashing his head into the wooden beams and dirt.

(Arlong)"This is what happens when you harbor I'll thoughts!"

He was about to end his life, but suddenly...

(Pepin)"ARLONG!!!"

(Arlong)"Huh?"

Pepin had left hiding spot, pushing his fears aside, as much as he could.

(Pepin)"P-Put the Human down!"

(Arlong)"Wait a second...aren't you that pipsqueak I kicked out years ago?"

(Pepin)"Yes, it's me."

(Arlong)"I remember now, you're Pepin! What's with that suit?"

(Pepin)"After you banished me, I-I found this...Human, and we opened a restaurant together!"

(Arlong)"You worked with Humans!? I knew you were a wimp, but that's low even for you!"

(Pepin)"Listen to me, I know what they did to us was bad, but this isn't the right way to go at it! You're no better than them now!"

(Arlong)"Shut your mouth! Fishmen were gifted by God himself with superior abilities than these creatures, they hardly count as people! I thought that you of all people would understand, all those years of sl-"

(Pepin)"That was a long time ago, and I've made a new life without the harm of anyone else! You always just wanted to kill them, Arlong! You never once considered, that maybe, just maybe, there could be a good Human! Not even when we met Ko-"

(Arlong)"SHUT UP!!! I don't have time to argue all day, so either get the hell off my island, or drop dead!"

(Pepin)"I'm not going anywhere, not until you set these people free."

(Arlong)"Fine then, I gave you a second chance, but it seems that you can't get anything through that thick skull of yours!"

He dropped Genzou and rushed toward the bull shark. Pepin used the technique he used previously on Pearl, and was able to knock Arlong down for a moment.

(Pepin)"All these years, and you still haven't learned Fishman Karate!"

The saw shark got back up, quicker than what Pepin had expected, tackled him, and began punching his face repeatedly.

(Arlong)"Jinbe got the best of me too many times, but you're not at his level!"

In the middle of his punch, Pepin caught his fist with his teeth. His powerful jaws allowed him to keep it in place.

(Arlong)"Argh! Let go of me, you traitor!"

He pulled with all his might, and even so, the teeth were still sunk in his arm. He managed to rip out the whole mouth full in Pepin's mouth, but luckily for him being a shark, a new set grew back in mere moments.

(Pepin)"Takes one to know one!"

He kicked off Arlong and regained his footing.

(Pepin)"80 Tile True Punch!"

In the small window of opportunity, he landed a punch right into Arlong's chest, sending him flying into a house.

(Arlong)"That's it! I've just about had enough of you!"

He held onto said house, and ripped it right out of the ground.

(Fishman)"A-Arlong! Are you trying to destroy the village!? If you do, then our tribute will decrease again!"

(Arlong)"Then we'll just take over another village! WE ARE THE SUPREME SPECIES!!!"

He slammed the house on top of Pepin's head with full force. He now had splinters up and down his body, blood came out of his nose and mouth, and he was certain that a few of his rips were cracked and broken. Unable to move, Arlong lifted him off the ground by his hair.

(Arlong)"Look at you, you could have been one of us, but now you've dropped down to a Human's level. Just looking at this suit sickens me!"

He ripped off Pepin's shirt, and everyone gasped at once, as they could see, right in the center of his chest, a brand.

(Arlong)"Damn, it's just as bad as I remember...they marked you as an object, yet you chose to forgive them..."

He dropped the smaller Fishman, and walked back to the huge building in the distance.

(Arlong)"I'm serious, don't come back again..."

With only a few seconds of consciousness left, Pepin had one thing left to say.

(Pepin)"Ar-Arlong..."

(Arlong)"...What?"

(Pepin)"Fisher, he wouldn't have wanted this..."