Hiding the Truth (One Piece)

Chapter 33 - No Going Back

As they browsed a clothes shop, Robin began explaining to Nami about the relationship that existed between Fishmen and humans upon seeing a few interactions that occurred during their experience on the Archipelago. Just as we were paying, Franky came bursting into the shop out of nowhere, scaring the living shit out of us. 

We had been to enwrapped in what Robin had been saying to notice anything going on around us, and as it turned out, Keimi had been kidnapped, for a second time. When she'd been kidnapped the first time I didn't know, but this time she was taken by slave traders, who intended to sell her at one of the auction houses. Something I had distinctly warned them about, yet managed to happen anyway.

We followed Franky to where the others were situated, and after much searching and questioning of the kidnappers, we'd discovered that they had already sold her off to the auction house on Grove 1. I stayed back in search for Zoro and Luffy, seeing as we would need all the help we could get.

As the others ran off, I tried to activate my Observation Haki in hopes of being able to find the two idiots faster. What I didn't expect was to find Luffy and Zoro riding a fish?... And heading in my direction. Whilst the imagery was downright confusing, I looked up in a hurry to see exactly what I'd imagined I'd seen.

Luffy and Zoro riding a flying fish.

"Lana!! Get on!" At Luffy' shout, I only had time to scream in protest when Luffy's arm's stretch out to their abnormal length, wrapping tight around my waist and pulling me towards him at full speed. The speed at the development left me little time to make sense of what was happening, and just as I came to terms with the incoming crash that would no doubt occur at the speeds I was being yanked at, I'd crashed headfirst into Zoro, who had attempted to catch my flailing body.

We would have fallen right off the flying fish and plummeted to the ground had it not been for Zoro keeping us on. Groaning, I looked down to find myself face to face with Zoro, precariously thrown over his lap as he gazed at me with a surprised expression. I quickly clambered off him, turning to Luffy who had the nerve to laugh at what he'd just caused.

"LUFFY! YOU IDIOT! THINK BEFORE YOU ACT!" I shrieked, which only earned me a half-hearted apology as he continued to rub his head and laugh.

"Sorry, sorry" He faced forward and ordered the fish rider to speed up. I turned to Zoro to apologise for the mess, but it seemed he was still shocked at what had happened, remaining motionless with a blank expression. I crawled closer to him so the wind wouldn't throw me off, helping to sit up so he could have a better bearing on the moving creature we were stuck on.

"I'm sorry about that. You know what Luffy's like" I sighed with a glare thrown at the carefree idiot, who only threw a sheepish smile in response at my complaint. Zoro only nodded before looking away, trying to hide a faint shade of red that coloured his cheeks, with a mumbled 'it's fine'. 

Just when I was about to ask him if he was alright, we hear Luffy yelling at the fish rider to 'smash right into the wall', making both Zoro and I to whip our heads towards Luffy, screaming in protest at his order. It really made no difference, as we were sent crashing right through the auction house wall in a cloud of rubble and dust.

Third Person's POV

Once the brown cloud of dust cleared, everyone could only look on with hanging jaws and astonishment as the Straw Hat captain Luffy and two of his crew-mates emerged from the mess they had made upon their entrance. The female with short golden brown hair grabbed Luffy by his shirt and shook him vigorously, clear to the onlookers that she was trying to beat some sense into the fool.

"You fucking moron! What did I just tell you!?" Zoro, the moss haired swordsman, just stood there with anger marks popping out on his forehead as the brunette scolded their captain. It seemed that the three realized why they were there in the first place, and their attention went to the large stage where a large fish bowl was placed, and inside was the distraught mermaid.

Luffy rushed forward to save Keimi, but was quickly halted by Hachi, who restrained the man before he could do anything that would possibly worsen the situation. Hachi having forced to keep Luffy back, exposed his multiple arms to the onlooking public, making it apparent to the whole auction house that he was a fishman, something he had been trying to hide. The fact that everyone began to panic at the sight, proved that the rift between fishmen and humans still held strong.

Through the chaos that ensued, a single gunshot rang, silencing everyone as the attention was turned to the prancing raven haired noble, who was boasting about having shot a fishmen. Hachi having collapsed from the wound, burned rage within the Straw hats who'd witnessed the scene, with despair evident from Keimi, who was still trapped inside the water-filled bowl and the explosive collar wrapped around her neck.

Luffy began to ascend the stairs, his expression twisted with rage as he approached the gloating noble. His advance was stopped by the fallen fishman, begging Luffy to not go through with what he had in-mind. Instead, Luffy brushed his warning off and continued to make his way to the Celestial Dragon, who was beginning to notice the change in atmosphere, finally seeing how serious Luffy was in attacking him. His approach was once again stopped, but this time not by the fishman, but by the Straw Hat strategist.

Lana's POV

"Luffy you do know what you're getting yourself into right?" I questioned him in a low voice, my hand gripping his clenched fist. Luffy didn't even spare me a glance, his eyes trained on the now quiet noble, who snobbishly glared down at us, clearly believing himself to be above the rest of us.

"Lana, move" He removed his hand from grip and made to walk past me, but I raised a wall of water between the two, halting his movements at the sight of the makeshift barrier. Gasps of surprise rose up from the onlookers, the power strange to witness even for the Grand Line, but I paid no heed to them, my focus solely on our Captain who was about to make a life changing decision, for both himself and his crew.

"You harm this pig and there's no undoing it. Do you understand that? Not only for you, but for the entire crew" He only nodded, though this time, looked me in the eye to show his understanding. I knew from that look that he had his mind set, and their was no changing it.

I sighed and lowered the barrier with a flick of my wrist; turning to flop onto the seat beside me as I waved Luffy off.

"Then there's no stopping you. Go raise hell" I looked to him with a smirk, and he turned walking up to the noble, and without a moments hesitation, smashed his fist into the pig-headed noble's face. 

The moment Luffy's hand came into contact with the Celestial Dragon, that was where the line was drawn for us. 

There was no going back from here on out.

---------------------------

I felt like this chapter was a bit rushed but nevertheless a chapter has been uploaded. Don't forget to comment and say whatever you want. Thanks for being patient and I hope to post more. 

As a side-note, if any of you are Haikyuu!! fans, I'm thinking of writing a fanfic for that and seeing as season 3 is coming out I couldn't help myself. So I want you guy's opinions on that and we'll go from there :)