Fishmen Island V

(A/N: Sorry for the late update. Didn't have enough time in the weekend to finish the last part. Enjoy the chapter!)

"Where are we going captain? The people around here aren't happy to see us here at all."

Soren said as he and the rest of the crew walked through a gloomy street. The usual cheery and clean outlook of fishmen island was nowhere to be seen.

"We're looking for Asher and Duke. They are residence in this particular place on fishmen island. If I recall correctly, it is called the fishmen district. To say it is delapitated is an understatement. It is like the slums of the fishmen island."

Akane replied, looking around to see if she could spot her two possible crew mates.

"I see."

Soren simply replied, as he too began to look around.

He too began to look around for Asher and Duke, wondering if they would still come along with them or if he was the only one who would stick around with the crew.

All around them, fishmen looked at the filled with hostility. If their eyes could kill, Akane and her crew would surely have died more than a thousand times over and over again.

The hatred was palpable.

"*Whistle* They sure aren't cute like kittens~ I wonder why were are hated so much~"

Ban said, not sounding even the slightest bit serious.

"Stop playing around."

Akane gave a look at Ban that made him hold his tongue. He had noticed it as well, that the moment one of them spoke, a riple of anger would go around the district.

The crew kept silent as they continued to look around.

After a few hours, they finally found Asher and Dukes home. It wasn't a pretty sight. The house was very dilapidated, on the point of almost breaking apart. The windows had been hammered shut, while the door was only hanging on a single hinge. There were multiple holes in the roof and walls, which were patched up with a few pieces of wood.

The house clearly wasn't habitable anymore. Not that the houses in the surroundings were any better, as they too were in about the same state as Asher's and Duke's house.

Asher was waiting outside for them, leading them inside as soon as he saw them. All the other fishmen watching from the side had a foul look on their faces as they retreated back into their own homes.

"You really came at a bad time."

Asher began, looking through a few holes in the walls to see if there was anyone near the house.

"Why so? It's not like they could look any worse at us. Besides, I used to those looks~"

Ban replied, as he found himself a spot on one of the chairs in the living room. Asher just shook his head, as he went to get something to eat.

Coming back within a minute, Asher carried a plate filled with roasted fish. At his side were two kid mermaids, twins to be exact. They were barely five years old, both staring in fear at Akane and her crew. Though it was mostly directed to the human members of the crew.

"Now, now, Erika, Terumi. They don't bite. They are the ones who got me and brother away from the bad guys on the surface."

Hearing this, the fear in their eyes faded away as they came closer. Both of the twins sat down near Soren and continued to observe them as they ate.

"Ah, let me introduce them. Captain, these two are Erika and Terumi. They are our little sisters. Say hello to my captain."

Terumi and Erika both gave a little wave of the hand but continued to stare. They clearly weren't planning to do anything else.

"Don't mind them. They are a bit shy towards strangers."

Asher said as he scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Where is Duke? I don't see him here?"

Akane said as she had also stretched out her khaki through the house, not feeling any other people but them inside.

"Duke is with our mother. They are out to get some food."

Asher replied, giving a few pieces of sea fruits to his little sisters.

"Then do you know when he'll be back? We need to have a talk with the two of you."

Asher didn't seem to be the slightest bit surprised at Akane's words, having fully expected them.

"He'll probably be back later today, late noon."

"Good. Then we'll wait."

Not bothered in the slightest, Akane went out on her own to look around the fishmen district. She placed an illusion over herself to make her seem like a female fishmen.

The other fishmen didn't look all that hostile as before, opting for ignoring her. This allowed her to look around all she wanted to.

Looking around, there didn't seem to be that much difference in housing compared to Asher's home. Maybe the homes were just a teeny bit less dilapidated in the center, but that was all.

Walking to one of the more spacious places in the district, Akane soon ended up following a group of fishmen and malnourished merfolk. She didn't know where they were going, but the group seemed to be excited to go.

Letting herself get carried along, Akane ended up in a crowd, all looking at one person in particular. It was a great white shark fishmen. He had fuzzy black hair tied in a simple ponytail, the upper part being covered by a simple hat. In his hand was a red trident. Across his stomach was a deep scar, going from the middle up and behind his jacket. On his arm was a tattoo of a shark.

There were a few others around him, most likely his companions.

"My fellow fishmen. Another human has come again today. He thought he could sneak into our place and take our brethren from us to sell to those above the water. Fortunately, me and my companions have dealt with the intruders, saving us from their clutches."

The fishmen crowd cheered, excitement clinging to the air as they stamped their feet on the ground, all kinds of curse words being called out to all who lived on the surface.

With a single raised hand, the crowd became silent again.

"Even if the cases of kidnappings have been brought down by the Whitebeard pirates, they are still humans! Who knows when they decide they have a shortage of treasure and decide to sell us? Brothers, Sisters, we are all fishmen! Not humans. Follow me and learn how to defend yourselves and defeat any who try to kidnap and sell you! Kill all those despicable slave traders! By the name of Hody Jones, I promise you I will kill all those slavers, even if it is the last thing I do!"

The fishmen, Hody Jones, yelled loudly.

The crowd cheered loudly again, this time so loudly that it send tremors through the bubbles some of the merfolk were perching on.

"As we are still too weak, speak of this to no one but those you trust. Neptune will certainly send his guards on us if he were to know of our aim to protect ourselves. He does not want us to gain strength, to let us continue to depend on him and his army. I say NO! We will fight for ourselves. Now return to your homes, sharpen your fangs and weapons for the future! And above all, keep yourselves and our brethren save!"

Ending his speech, Hody and his companions soon left.

'There really is something wrong with the management of this island.'

Akane thought as she too left and went back towards Asher. By now Duke should have returned. Let's see if they had an explanation to what she had just witnessed.