GROWING PAINS / zoro.

SIXTEEN / park renovation, straw hat style.

"but . . . how are we gonna beat arlong? we saw what he did at baratie." usopp said timidly.

"every creature has a weakness." zoro told him.

usopp raised his eyebrows doubtfully. "even bulletproof ones?"

"i'll know it when i see it." luffy said lowly. "and when i do, i wont hesitate."

"hey, if worst comes to worst," anjali piped in, tapping her temple with her free hand. "we can always just fuck with his head. fishmen are known for having weakly fortified mentalities."

"yeah, no." zoro squeezed anjali's hand tighter. "i doubt there's anything to mess with in there."

some of the villagers laughed nervously.

anjali wanted to reassure them, but no amount of consoling could put their minds at ease in this situation. everything she could say only sounded like false truths, even to herself.

if she said they would be fine, that would be a bare-faced lie. this village was not fine. they were already crumbling from the foundations, only still a village because of the people within.

instead, she only squeezed zoro's hand for her own reassurance, knowing that the only peace their crew could bring to these villagers was the victory of ending arlong's reign.

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THEIR FIRST ATTACK was a surprise one. the crew tossed the smoke bombs made by usopp into the park entrance, hiding behind the thick wooden doors and waiting for them to detonate.

once the smoke billowed up high enough to see over the gates, the now fully formed crew bust down the wooden doors, marking their arrival into arlong park.

they were greeted by that same fishman who had been with arlong at baratie. he snarled at them in fury, calling out to his other crew mates. "fishmen! stand by to repel boarders!"

anjali and zoro shared one last look. the green haired man was wearing his signature battle bandana, wrapped around his head to conceal his hair.

"don't die on me, pearl." the man said as he unsheathed the wado ichimonji.

the woman scoffed, playfully grinning. she too took out her daggers, holding one in each hand. "i should be saying that to you, big boy."

usopp prepared his slingshot, and sanji got into a fighting stance. they all seemed to form a circle around nami, who was glaring at the fishman standing in front of them.

"where's arlong?" luffy asked, cracking his knuckles.

"he's probably in the map room." nami said quietly. 

"then that's where we're going." he nodded to the rest of the crew, a mutual farewell until they would see each other, hopefully at the end of the battle.

luffy and nami ran off to find arlong, and the remaining straw hat pirates prepared for the onslaught of fishmen that was to come.

"wait!" anjali raised her hands in a stopping motion. "in case we don't get out of here — not saying we won't but just in case,"

she went around the remaining crew, giving each man a big hug. at last, when she begrudgingly parted with zoro, she quickly pecked the man on the cheek with a sly grin.

"okay! now we're good." anjali said, readying her blades once more.

"you're an odd one." sanji laughed.