"No, Neptune. Fishman Island can't be without you. Tiger and the others are leaving too—there's no stopping them."
Otohime shook her head and continued.
"Just like you said, Doflamingo can't be trusted. This time, I'll only take a small group of our people—only those who truly wish to come with me."
"If the Heavenly Yaksha makes a move, I believe my status alone will be enough to pacify his wrath."
This was the best chance for their people—their one true chance to reach the sunlit lands above.
No matter the cost, even if she had to pay with her life, she couldn't miss this opportunity!
The Heavenly Yaksha's intentions were clear: he wanted the fishmen to serve him.
Not trustworthy.
But only by seeing it with their own eyes could they truly judge whether the promises made to the fishmen by Skypiea were real or not.
Hearing Otohime's resolve to risk herself, Neptune's expression darkened.
"Otohime..."
Before he could finish, Otohime threw herself forward, placing her palm gently over his mouth.
Neptune froze instantly, afraid he might accidentally hurt her fragile body.
"My love... you know the children dream of the surface."
"Every year, so many of them sneak off to Sabaody... only to end up as slaves."
"For the sake of the next generation, I must go to Skypiea. The fishmen and merfolk... we shouldn't have to live forever in the dark depths!"
"Even if it's just a lie... let me be the one to shatter it!"
Otohime grasped Neptune's hand. Her emotions surged, and her Observation Haki bloomed from her almost uncontrollably.
Neptune could feel everything she was feeling through the link of her haki.
His eyes drifted away from the palace's golden walls and focused on her face.
A heavy sorrow settled over his heart.
"Maybe... this is what it means to be royalty. To sacrifice when it matters most."
After a long silence, he sighed softly and wrapped her in a gentle embrace.
"I'll let you go... but take some guards. And if you can—live."
...
While Neptune and Otohime were still finishing their discussion, chaos had broken out on Fishman Street.
"I'll never serve humans! Never!!"
Arlong's eyes were wide with disbelief, fury shaking his voice.
His brother had betrayed Fishman Street? Just like that?!
Wasn't there another way?
Unite all the fishmen, storm Ryugu Palace, and everything would be solved!
"It's not serving them—it's working under the Heavenly Yaksha."
Tiger understood how Arlong felt. He'd been there too once. But that rage solved nothing.
It was just powerless fury.
"Arlong, calm down and think," said Jinbe, stepping in to help.
He didn't want to serve humans either, but this was a new path forward.
People like the Emperors didn't bother to lie.
"Trust? You expect me to trust?!"
Arlong's fangs clacked loudly as he ground his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead in rage.
His bloodshot eyes turned upward—toward Sabaody, toward the Red Line, toward the cries of his enslaved kin.
He pointed violently skyward and roared.
"Do you even know how we became orphans?! It was humans! Humans!"
"Their greed caused everything!"
"You're betraying us!!"
"Humans... they can't be trusted!!"
...
Arlong's anguished scream echoed through Fishman Street.
Behind him, several powerful and brutal fishmen stepped forward—great white sharkmen, hammerhead sharkmen, sawsharks, cigar-smoking dharma sharkmen...
They had all fought their way to the top of this brutal world.
And they sided with Arlong.
Revolution? Change? Why should they be the ones to bend?
Tiger gave up trying to persuade Arlong. Instead, he turned toward the frightened, skinny children hiding in the shadows.
He spoke calmly, firmly.
"My people... you all know it. Every fishman is born different—even those with the same parents."
"Humans are the same. Each one is an individual."
"There are those who sell our people... and there are those, like Whitebeard Newgate, who shelter our island."
"But even the strongest man in the world couldn't solve the problems of Fishman Street."
"But now, we have a new solution. I want to take you... to a new home."
Bandages still wrapped around his battered body, Tiger stood beside Jinbe, their presence steady and strong.
The young fishmen glanced at one another, confused and overwhelmed.
Too much had happened in just a day and a half.
First, Tiger and the others were defeated. Then, the Heavenly Yaksha extended an invitation to the fishmen.
Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.
"I want to go with Tiger-san!"
"You're crazy! The Heavenly Yaksha is an Emperor of the sea—he'll sell you off to the auction house!"
"Whitebeard is an Emperor too, and he didn't sell us to the Celestial Dragons! True strength has no need for the scum of human trafficking!"
A boy—scrawny, no more than seven or eight, his skin the dull green of seaweed—clenched his fists and shouted.
"I want to leave this filthy Fishman Street! I just want to eat!"
"Jin, I'll go too!"
"Tiger-san! I'm with you!"
The boy named Jin sprinted toward Tiger.
It was like a spark in dry grass.
One after another, skinny fishmen emerged from the shadows, running to gather behind Tiger.
He reached out and gently touched Jin's bony frame—there was nothing but skin and bone beneath his fingers.
This place...
Fishman Street was never meant to be a home for anyone.
Tiger turned to face the group behind him, gazing into every pair of trusting eyes.
He took a deep breath and spoke with resolve.
"I won't let you down. Even if I die, I'll die before any of you."
"Tiger-san! We believe in you!!"
...
Tiger turned back to look at Arlong. His gaze was complex, conflicted.
Some truths didn't need to be said aloud.
They could still pretend not to know.
He had resented Ryugu Palace once too.
But he didn't want the blood of his own people on his hands.
Arlong's heart gave a strange flutter.
He had a bad feeling.
It was like Tiger already knew what he was planning.
"Arlong... go out and see the world. At least go visit Haku and learn Fishman Karate."
*Note 1: Haku is likely a reference to a fishman martial arts master.
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg