The air was still.
Not calm, no.
Heavy.
Like the ocean itself was holding its breath.
Giovanni stood frozen mid-strike, his blade halted inches from its target…
blocked not by strength, but by resolve.
Queen Otohime stood between them.
Her arms spread.
Her body trembling.
But her eyes… unwavering.
"...Move."
Giovanni's voice was low. Controlled. Dangerous.
Not anger.
Simply conviction.
"Queen… move."
Behind her, Fisher Tiger slowly lowered his stance, tension still coiled in his muscles, but no longer attacking.
He understood.
This wasn't a battlefield anymore.
This was something else.
Otohime shook her head.
"No."
Her voice was soft.
But it carried.
Giovanni's grip tightened on his sword.
"You don't understand."
A step forward.
"These two—"
His eyes flicked past her.
Toward the bleeding figures of Arlong and Hody Jones, both struggling to even stand after being cut down.
"They will never change."
His voice sharpened.
"They'll grow stronger. Gather followers. Spread hatred."
A pause.
"And people will die because of it."
Otohime didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
"If that is true…"
She inhaled.
"…then it is our burden to carry."
Giovanni's eyes narrowed.
"That's naive."
"Maybe."
She smiled faintly.
"But it is still mine."
Silence.
Even the waves outside seemed distant now.
Giovanni exhaled slowly.
"You're asking me… to let them live."
A beat.
"To let future suffering happen… when I can stop it right now."
Otohime stepped closer.
Close enough that his blade, still raised, could have taken her life in an instant.
"If you kill them…"
Her voice trembled now, but didn't break.
"…what will the people here see?"
She gestured around them.
At the unconscious bodies.
At the wounded.
At the blood.
"They won't see a savior."
Her eyes met his.
"They'll see a human… slaughtering Fishmen."
Giovanni's jaw tightened.
"They will hate," she continued.
"They will fear."
"And everything I've worked for…"
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"…will crumble."
A long pause.
Fisher Tiger watched silently.
Carefully.
This… was not a fight of fists anymore.
This was something far more dangerous.
Giovanni clicked his tongue.
"...Damn it."
He dragged a hand through his hair.
Frustration clear.
"You're really asking for the hardest option."
Otohime smiled.
"That's usually the right one."
Another silence.
Giovanni slowly lowered his blade.
The tension in the air didn't disappear—
But it shifted.
"...Fine."
The word came out sharp.
Reluctant.
But real.
Arlong's eyes widened slightly.
Hody gritted his teeth.
Neither spoke.
Neither dared.
Giovanni turned away.
"You win, Queen."
He muttered.
"But don't misunderstand."
He glanced back once.
His eyes cold now.
"If they step out of line again…"
A pause.
"…I won't hesitate next time."
Otohime nodded.
"I understand."
Fisher Tiger stepped forward slightly.
His presence steady now.
"You chose restraint."
He said.
"That takes more strength than killing."
Giovanni snorted.
"Don't start praising me."
He rolled his shoulder.
"I just listened to a stubborn queen."
That earned the faintest chuckle from Fisher Tiger.
"Still."
Tiger crossed his arms.
"You're strong."
A beat.
"Not just your sword."
Giovanni paused.
Then smirked slightly.
"Coming from you… I'll take that."
He turned fully now.
"And you're not bad yourself."
A grin.
"Fisher Tiger… right?"
Tiger's eyes sharpened slightly.
"You remember names."
"I remember strong people."
Giovanni tapped his blade against his shoulder.
"Would be a waste not to."
A brief moment passed between them.
Not hostility.
Not quite friendship.
But something close to… respect.
Behind them—
Otohime turned sharply.
Her expression no longer gentle.
But firm.
"Arlong."
"...Hody."
Both froze.
Her voice carried authority now.
The kind that didn't need volume to command obedience.
"What happened here…"
A pause.
"…is unacceptable."
Arlong clenched his fists.
Hody's eyes burned with quiet rage.
But neither interrupted.
"You acted without reason."
"You acted without understanding."
"You acted with hatred."
Each word struck like a weight.
"I will not tolerate this."
Arlong gritted his teeth.
"...They're humans."
He muttered.
"Asking for trouble is what they do."
Otohime's gaze hardened.
"And what did you do?"
A step forward.
"Prove them right?"
That shut him up.
Hody looked away.
Silent.
Seething.
Fisher Tiger exhaled slowly.
"I'll keep an eye on them."
He said calmly.
"They won't cause trouble like this again."
Otohime nodded.
"I trust you."
Giovanni glanced back one last time.
'They won't change.'
The thought lingered.
But—
He shook his head.
'Not my call anymore.'
He began to walk away.
Steps steady.
Unhurried.
"Hey."
Tiger called out.
Giovanni paused slightly.
"If we meet again…"
Tiger said.
"I won't hold back."
A grin spread across Giovanni's face.
"Good."
He didn't turn.
"Wouldn't be fun otherwise."
And just like that—
He left.
---
The palace was quiet.
A calm that came after chaos.
Soft lights shimmered across coral walls, casting gentle reflections that danced like distant waves. Servants moved quietly, carefully, like even sound itself didn't want to disturb the fragile peace that had settled over Fishman Island.
At the grand dining table—
King Neptune sat with a heavy sigh, holding a massive fork in one hand, though his appetite seemed… absent.
Across from him—
Queen Otohime sat still.
Her plate untouched.
Her thoughts… elsewhere.
Neptune glanced at her.
"You haven't eaten."
Otohime blinked slightly.
"Oh…"
She looked down.
"I didn't notice."
Neptune frowned gently.
"That's not like you."
A pause.
"You're thinking about that boy."
Otohime smiled faintly.
"…Yes."
A moment passed.
"I wonder…"
She clasped her hands together.
"…if I did the right thing."
Neptune leaned back slightly.
"That's a strange question."
Otohime looked at him.
"He wanted to stop something terrible before it could happen."
Her voice softened.
"And I… stopped him."
Neptune crossed his arms.
"You protected your ideals."
"But at what cost?" she asked quietly.
"If he's right… then I may have allowed suffering to continue."
Silence lingered.
Neptune studied her carefully.
Then—
He laughed.
A deep, booming sound that echoed through the hall.
Otohime blinked.
"…What's funny?"
Neptune wiped a tear from his eye.
"You're overthinking again."
She puffed her cheeks slightly.
"I am not—"
"You are."
He cut in gently.
He leaned forward now.
"That boy…"
A pause.
"He doesn't strike me as the type to hold grudges."
Otohime hesitated.
"…You think so?"
Neptune nodded.
"If you're worried…"
He gestured casually.
"Why don't you go see him yourself?"
A beat.
Otohime's eyes lit up slightly.
"…That's true."
She stood up immediately.
"I'll go now."
Neptune chuckled as she hurried off.
"Not even going to eat first, huh…"
---
The palace halls stretched long and quiet as Otohime made her way through them.
Her steps were light—
But her heart felt heavy.
She stopped in front of a door.
Giovanni's room.
A brief hesitation.
Then—
She opened it.
CLANG.
The sound of steel echoed instantly.
Otohime's eyes widened slightly.
Inside—
Giovanni stood in the center of the room.
Shirt slightly open.
Body glistening with sweat.
His sword moved in smooth, controlled arcs—
Cutting through the air with precision.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each swing deliberate.
Focused.
Disciplined.
SHING.
The blade stopped.
Giovanni turned his head slightly.
Then smiled.
"Oh."
He rested the sword on his shoulder.
"Queen."
Otohime blinked.
"…You're training?"
Giovanni shrugged.
"Nothing else to do."
A grin.
"Besides eating and being surrounded by beautiful mermaids, I mean."
Otohime couldn't help but smile at that.
"…I see."
A small silence followed.
Then—
She stepped forward slightly.
"…Are you angry with me?"
Giovanni paused.
Then—
"…Huh?"
Otohime clasped her hands.
"About earlier."
Her voice softened.
"I stopped you."
For a second—
He just stared at her.
Then—
He burst out laughing.
"Hah?!"
He pointed at her slightly.
"You think I'm mad at you?"
Otohime blinked.
"…Aren't you?"
Giovanni wiped a tear from his eye.
"Not even close."
He stretched slightly.
"I'm frustrated, sure."
A shrug.
"But angry?"
He shook his head.
"No way."
Otohime's shoulders relaxed.
"…Really?"
Giovanni nodded.
"You're doing your thing."
He tapped his chest.
"I'm doing mine."
A grin.
"Sometimes they clash. That's life."
Otohime smiled softly.
"…I'm glad."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Giovanni snapped his fingers.
"Oh yeah."
Otohime tilted her head.
"…Yes?"
"You guys got a Den Den Mushi?"
She blinked.
"A… Den Den Mushi?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"I need to make a call."
Otohime immediately turned toward the door.
"I'll have one brought right away."
Within minutes—
A servant arrived, carefully holding a small Den Den Mushi.
It blinked lazily.
Giovanni crouched down in front of it.
"Perfect."
Otohime watched curiously.
"…Who are you calling?"
Giovanni smirked.
"You'll see."
He dialed.
Click… click… click…
The Den Den Mushi's face shifted.
Morphed.
Changed—
Into a familiar expression.
Then—
"GIOOOOOOO!!!"
The voice exploded out of the snail.
Loud.
Excited.
Unfiltered.
"YOU'RE ALIVE!!!"
Otohime flinched slightly at the volume.
On the other end—
Shanks was practically shouting through the Den Den Mushi.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT'S BEEN?!"
"WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"ARE YOU EATING PROPERLY?!"
"ARE THERE MERMAIDS—"
Giovanni burst out laughing.
"Relax, relax!"
Shanks didn't.
"I CAN'T RELAX!"
Giovanni shook his head.
"You haven't changed at all."
Shanks scoffed.
"Of course not!"
A beat.
"Wait, seriously, where are you?"
Giovanni leaned back slightly.
A grin forming.
"I'm at Fishman Island."
Otohime watched quietly.
A soft smile on her face.
Shanks's voice came through again.
"So?"
A grin audible in his tone.
"How is it?"
Giovanni glanced at Otohime.
Then around the room.
Then back at the Den Den Mushi.
"…It's not bad."
A pause.
Then—
He smirked.
"…The mermaids are incredible."
Silence.
Then—
"YOU BASTARD!!!"
Giovanni laughed loudly as Shanks started yelling again—
The tension of earlier…
Gone.
---
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