Epilogue

About three weeks after the Straw Hat Pirates left, a peaceful day came to Kayaku Island.

The sun was shining, the children were playing, the fishermen were out at sea...

"SHASHASHASHA!"

And Raijax was roaring with laughter in the town's pub.

"SHASHASHASHA!" The sharkman bellowed heartily, doubling over in his mirth as he pounded the bar helplessly with his fist. "OH, WHAT A DAY! WHAT A LOVELY DAY!"

"Well well, ye seem to be in a good mood today, Mister Scourge!"

Raijax spun on his personal reinforced stool and shot the piratical mayor an eager grin.

The sharkman was currently devoid of his armor, instead clad in casual clothing: an oversized set of somewhat roughshod jeans, a coarse black leather jacket with a pair of wide open shark jaws depicted on the back, a white t-shirt with the words 'BITE ME' printed across it in block letters, and a black and white neckwarmer with a cow-skin pattern wrapped around his throat.

"You're damn right I am, Polly!" Raijax cackled, his entire body shaking vigorously with glee as he held up a hand and waved around a newspaper. "Have you read today's special edition?"

Polly let out a good-natured scoff as he slipped onto a stool next to the sharkman. "No, on account o' how ye keep swipin' me paper after it's delivered since the Coos all avoid ye'!"

Raijax had the decency to glance away sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "Ah... eheh... those birds have a hell of a memory..."

Polly snickered in amusement before waving a hand. "Ah well. Anyways, the article?"

"Oh, right, right!" Raijax hastily snapped the paper open, his eyes eagerly taking in the article he'd read thrice before. "Listen to this: 'Yesterday, the New World was rocked on a geopolitical level as the kingdom of Dressrosa was levelled to the ground, and its ruler, the now ex-Warlord of the Seas and nefarious black-market dealer Joker, Donquixote Doflamingo, was arrested for crimes including, but not limited to, weapons trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, false imprisonment, slavery, and crimes against humanity. The arresting marines, including Admiral 'Fujitora' Issho, have accredited Doflamingo's defeat to none other than the already world-famous pirate alliance of equally former Warlord, Trafalgar Law, and...'"

Raijax snickered for a second before throwing his head back and roaring with laughter, pounding the bar once anew. "MONKEY D. LUFFY, AKA MY JACKASS OF A CAPTAIN! SHASHASHA!"

Polly laughed at his recently new friend's merriment. "Har har har! It sounds like yer captain's gotten a bit busy! Although..." He cocked an eyebrow in curiosity. "Do ye really have to keep calling him a jackass?"

Raijax's grin somehow managed to widen further. "Are you kidding? Were you not listening? He pounded Doflamingo! The most despicable and heinous slave trader on both sides of the Red Line and this half of the century! Hell, I was sold in one of his damn shops! And now... LUFFY BEAT HIM!" Raijax collapsed on the bar and howled with laughter. "THAT JACKASS UPPED MY DEBT AGAIN AND HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW IT, SHASHASHA! I'LL BE INDEBTED TO HIM TO DEATH AND BEYOND! SHASHASHA!"

"HAR!" Polly bit out a laugh. "Well I'll be! That does sound like cause to celebrate!"

Raijax shuddered as a burst of giggles ran through him. "And it's not even the best part!"

The mayor blinked in shock. "No? What could possibly be better?"

Raijax fumbled with the paper for a second before shoving it into the human's arms. "Read it, read it!"

Polly chuckled at the sharkman's overeager antics before doing as he was told, scanning over the words. "'Furthermore, over the course of their escape, several nearby civilians testified to witnessing seven pirate captains pledging their loyalty to-'"

"I HAVE BROTHEEERS, SHASHASHASHAAA! FIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED OF THEM!" Raijax finally burst out, roaring his joy to the heavens as he flung his arms wide in jubilation.

Polly laughed in agreement, pounding the sharkman on his shoulder. "HAR HAR HAR! Good for you, lad! Truly a reason to celebrate!"

"I agree wholeheartedly!" Raijax smirked. "And in the spirit of that sentiment..." He swung an arm out over the pub. "NEXT TEN ROUNDS ARE ON ME!"

The statement was met with a roar of approval from the patrons present.

"I'll drink to that, matey!" Polly cackled.

Raijax snickered at the sentiment and started to reach across the bar for a bottle...

"RAIJAX!"

Before freezing as a fisherman burst into the pub, panting heavily in exertion.

"Ship... on the horizon..." He panted. "Weird design... no flag..."

Raijax's eye twitched in impotent fury for a second before slamming his fist down on the pub as he stood up. "Right, I'll make this quick. You all know the deal."

"Aye, aye," Polly rolled his eyes. "Stay inside, raise the sea wall, keep a close eye on things."

"And touch my imported Drum Whiskey and die." The sharkman topped off with a snarl as he stalked out of the building, sliding his neckwarmer up over his snout.

-o-

Raijax narrowed his eyes contemplatively at the bottom of the ship as he circled beneath it, taking in the design.

The ship didn't look like your standard pirate ship - but considering the kooky designs pirates favored, that wasn't saying much. And one of the more welcome differences was the low freeboard. Swimming a bit lower, he angled himself upward and started swimming as hard as he could, shooting out of the water and over the side of the ship onto its deck.

Raijax cocked an eyebrow as he took in the... bar? That was set into ship for a second before dismissing it with a snarl and slamming the butt of his trident against the deck. "Alright, whoever is on board, come out and identify yourself. I'm the protector of this island, and if I don't like you, I'll introduce you to a good friend of mine: Davy Jones."

"Please, wait, there's no need for violence."

The sharkman tensed as a figure jumped off the bar's overhang and onto the deck before him. She was a relatively short human woman, with short blond hair, a young face and a generous figure. She was scantily clad in a leopard-patterned bikini, with a black-and-white striped thigh-high on her right leg, a white cape slung over her shoulders, and a quiver full of arrows hanging off the back of her hip. Perhaps the most notable aspect of her was that she had a large green snake with a dopey expression slung around her body, tasting the air with his tongue as he stared at Raijax.

"I apologize for our lack of flag, but we felt that discretion was best." The woman explained. "Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Marguerite. I am-"

"A Kuja Pirate." Raijax finished for her flatly. "I recognize the snake."

Marguerite tensed as she was suddenly overcome with a sense of dread. "You... know about us."

"Hancock and I became..." A dark growl rumbled out of Raijax's throat as he searched for the right word. "Acquaintances about six years ago, when I crossed the Calm Belt."

The Kuja swallowed heavily as she took a step back, her hand slowly drifting to wrap around the tail of her serpent. "What... kind of acquaintances?"

The sharkman outright snarled as he twisted his head and pointed at a cluster of diamond-shaped scars on the back of his neck that were far too familiar for Marguerite's taste. "Intimate."

Marguerite instantly broke out in a cold sweat. "I'm... certain she had a good reason..."

Raijax nodded slowly. "She did. I ripped a fang out of the mouth of one of her ship's Yuda Serpents."

Marguerite relaxed slightly.

The sharkman pinned her with a cold glare. "After it tried to swallow me whole."

That caused her to wince in a confusing mix of embarrassment and sympathy. "Ah..."

Raijax slowly started to tap his trident in the palm of his hand. "Normally, I'd just kill you here and now and be done with you. But-!" he held his hand up reassuringly. "I'm a changed fishman. I'm kinder. More merciful." And with that, he promptly crushed the shaft of his trident in a knuckle-popping grip. "You've got five seconds to explain why you're here before before I turn you into shark bait."

Marguerite hesitated slightly as she faltered for words.

"Four, three, two..."

"She's here to help, Raijax."

The Sharkman froze instantly, his eyes wide in shock. Both he and Marguerite turned their gazes to the bar in the ship, where a large octopus fishman with a tattoo of the sun was stepping out, his gaze focused on Raijax.

"And so am I." Hatchan continued somberly.

Marguerite blinked in confusion at the fishman's unfamiliar tone before rallying herself. "Y-yes, he's right! I apologize for my queen's actions, but Empress Hancock and I are friends of Luffy. You see-"

"Quiet." Raijax growled as he snapped a glare at her.

Marguerite's serpent hastily snapped its tail into her mouth, silencing her completely. The girl didn't particularly mind, considering how she swiftly wilted under Raijax's gaze.

The sharkman slowly turned his gaze back to the more traditional fishman, his expression unreadable. "You've got a lot of nerve, Hatchan." He growled.

Hachi swallowed nervously before clenching his fists. "I've got even more regret, Raijax." He said. "A lot of regret... for a lot of things. Things I'm not proud of. I can't apologize enough for what I've done, so..." He swallowed heavily. "I'll accept whatever punishment you choose."

Raijax stared at Hatchan silently for a moment before stepping forwards. In two steps, he was within a foot of Raijax.

SLAM!

"GAH!"

And in less than a second, his fist was occupying the space where Hatchan's head had been, while the other fishman lay groaning on the deck.

"Hachi!" Marguerite jerked forwards in concern.

"Don't!" Hachi stopped her with a raised hand, his gaze focused on the sharkman. He winced as he nursed his bruised snout before sighing in resignation. "That was payback for kicking your ass in Arlong Park, wasn't it?"

To both his and Marguerite's shock, Raijax scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Hell no."

"Then... oh!" Hatchi slapped three fists into three palms. "Was it for the trick I pulled six minutes in?"

That earned a snort. "Not even close."

"Uh..." The octopus cocked his head and scratched his head with three fingers. "Right, I got nothing."

Raijax reached up and jerked his neckwarmer down, exposing his smirk. "That was for waking me up at six in the god-be-damned morning." He extended a hand. "Long time no see, you old dumbass."

Hatchi blinked in surprise for a second before smiling and taking the hand. Once Raijax yanked him back to his feet, he shook his hand firmly and pounded him on the back. "It's good to see you too, you shark bastard!"

Marguerite blinked and stared at the pair of aqua-mammal hybrids in confusion before glancing up at her snake. "Is this... perhaps one of those 'guy things' Luffy mentioned?"

The snake hissed in equal confusion as it shrugged its body.

Meanwhile, Hatchan was smiling and scratching the back of his head. "So, you really don't hold me and Arlong beating you up against me?"

Raijax scoffed once anew, his smirk growing wider. "Hachi, my memory of that day might be a bit foggy, but my body doesn't lie: I've got scars from katanas, scars from rapiers, scars from daggers, scars from arrows," he shot a brief glare at Marguerite, causing a shiver to run down her spine before he redoubled his smirk at Hatchi. "But one thing I don't have?" He let out a chuckle. "Scars from sabres."

Hatchan blinked as he processed this for a second before his eyes bulged out and his mouth dropped open in shock. "W-w-what!?" He stammered, jabbing his fingers at the sharkman. "I didn't even scratch you?!"

"Preeeetty sure I knocked you silly in the first few minutes of the fight and then used you as a living club." Raijax cackled.

The octo-swordsman gaped at him for a second before slapping his hands to his face with a moan. "So much for officially being the best swordsman on Fishman Island…"

"Eh, I wouldn't worry about it." Raijax waved his hand airily. "Getting beat by me is no shame."

"Your modesty is humbling." Hachi deadpanned.

"Ah, look on the bright side! Your takoyaki only half tastes like ass!" Raijax chuckled.

"MY TAKOYAKI IS DELICIOUS AND YOU KNOW IT!" The fishman fumed. "IN FACT, MY FLOATING STAND IS THE MOST POPULAR ONE ON FISHMAN ISLAND!"

By this point, Marguerite had grown bored with the conversation and had turned her attention away from the pair and over the sea. Almost instantly, however, she froze and stared. "Um... excuse me?"

"Oh yeah, you did mention you wanted to build one way back when, right? Good for you! But why bring it here? Seems like a bit of a risky locale to be selling takoyaki in."

"I already told you: Marguerite and I are here to help you protect Kayaku."

"Oh yeah, speaking of her, what's a Kuja doing out of the Calm Belt anyways?"

"Oh, that's easy: Hancock escorted her to Fishman Island, and when she learned that I was buying supplies to come here, she ordered me to take her with me! Brrr, I tell you: beautiful woman, scary personality!"

"Uh, pardon me?" Marguerite tried again, this time with a little more urgency in her voice.

"That just raises even more questions! Like- wait! Big question first: how did you get here? I know exactly where all of Kayaku's Eternal Poses are at all times, and there's only a one-in-eight chance of getting here via the normal Log Pose!"

"Oh, that was an easy one: I saved a giant octopus from some sharks that were hunting it and asked for directions, and he gave me a lift until the Log Pose locked on!"

"Wait, giant-? Agh, I knew I should have made sushi out of that damn cephalopod when I had the chance! Me and my stupid bleeding he-!"

THWACK! SMACK!

"OUCH!"

"ACK!?"

The pair's conversation was interrupted by a firm snake tail slapping them upside their heads. "WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME ALREADY!?" Marguerite demanded furiously, her serpent coiling back around her protectively.

"Damn Kuja bitch..." Raijax snarled as he glared at her.

"Marguerite!" Hatchan whined as he rubbed the back of his head. "What'd you do that for?!"

Marguerite didn't say anything, merely indicating the galleon flying a Jolly Roger barely a hundred yards off the port bow.

Hatchan blinked numbly. "Ah..."

Raijax narrowed his eyes at the flag before snarling in exasperation. "The Great Plain Pirates. One of Kaidou's fleet. Should have seen this coming." He shook his head with a sigh and a smile. "Damn jackass captain..."

Hatchan quickly recovered and crossed his arms with a firm snort. "Let me guess: Luffy pissed off Kaidou and now they're here to get some revenge?"

"That obvious?"

"It is Luffy."

Raijax sighed again as he started rolling his shoulders in anticipation. "Ah well, fair enough. Now then, from what I've read, these guys have about three hundred members. I'll take one hundred and fifty, you take one hundred and fifty?"

Hatchan rolled his eyes as he reached over the bar's counter and brought out a bandolier full of swords and a quiver of arrows. "Come on, give Marguerite some credit. I've sailed with her for awhile now, I know she's strong. Plus, she is a Kuja. One hundred each, nice and simple."

"Spoilsport."

Marguerite glanced between them swiftly, her eyes chock full of disbelief before she finallu couldn't take it any more. "Are the both of you insane!? Those are New World pirates! You can't just treat this like it's some sort of game!"

"So are you staying here or...?" Hachi held up the quiver questioningly.

Marguerite worked her jaw for a second before huffing in exasperation and snatching the quiver from his hand and slipping it into place. "If only so I can watch your backs and guarantee that you won't get yourselves killed. But please, I beg of you: don't be reckless. This will not be an easy task."

-o-

"I can't believe how easy that was." Marguerite breathed, her voice numb with shock as she and the fishmen watched the galleon burn from the deck of the Takoyaki 8.

Raijax chuckled as he scarfed down the large tray of takoyaki he'd dug out of the ship's fridge. "Hachi was right, Kuja bitch, you are pretty scrappy! That was more fun than usual! The fire was new, though. Did you start it?"

"My bad, sorry!" Hachi offered as he tied a bandage around his top right arm with his teeth. "Duel in the kitchen wound up breaking the floor and spilling into the gundeck. Things kinda went downhill from there. I almost wound up on my own menu!" he finished with a laugh.

"That should not have been that easy." Marguerite reiterated, still numb from the battle. "They were New World pirates who served under Hundred-Beast Kaidou."

Raijax rolled his eye at her. "Yeah, and you're a Kuja bitch from the Calm Belt who served under the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock."

"Plus, you told me that you've been training in how to use Haki since you were a little girl!" Hachi added.

"That too." Raijax nodded. "Simply put, you're a badass like us. Get used to it."

Marguerite slowly swapped her gaze between the shark and octopus fishmen before slumping to her knees. "I'm a monster." She moaned to herself as much as anyone. "My whole life, I thought I was merely above average and instead it turns out I'm as much a monster as you two."

Hatchan blinked before looking at Raijax in confusion. "Uh... was that a compliment?"

Raijax shrugged as he tossed the rest of the takoyaki into his jaw. "Hell if I know. Anyways..." He wiped his forearm over his teeth, clearing them of crumbs. "Mind telling me what brought you here in the first place?"

The octo-swordsman smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Well, basically, I heard about how Luffy'd claimed Kayaku as his territory and how you were guarding it, so I decided to come here so that I could both apologize and help you out. I still owe Luffy for everything he's done, after all."

The question appeared to snap Marguerite out of her funk as well. "Indeed, that is how I heard of it as well. The Kuja Pirates were picking up supplies from an island close to Sabaody when we heard rumors of Luffy's new territory. I asked my queen permission to aid Luffy in whatever manner I could, and she agreed."

Raijax blinked and looked at her in disbelief. "She let you up and leave... just like that?"

Marguerite took on a slightly embarrassed expression as she looked away with a blush. "My queen is... rather infatuated with Luffy."

Raijax blinked again before looking distinctly green around his gills. "Aaaaand just like that I've lost my appetite."

"You hurl it, you mop it!" Hatchan warned him.

Raijax cast an acrid glare at him before sighing and standing up, cracking his back in the process. "Well, anyways, welcome to Kayaku! Do me a favor and sail us into port, will you? Meanwhile..." He shrugged his jacket off. "I'm gonna go up on the deck to try and get some color back in my chest."

Hatchan blinked as he processed that statement before hastily waving his arms. "W-w-wait, what!? Raijax, are you sure about that!?"

"Hm?" The sharkman looked at Hachi as he started to tug his shirt up. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Uh, well... I mean..." Hatcnan lowered his arms hesitantly. "Your chest...?"

Raijax stared at him for a second before smirking. "Now why would I want to hide my chest? After all..."

Without warning, he peeled his shirt off and bore his chest for all to see.

"I've got nothing to be ashamed of."

Hatchan and Marguerite stared at the sharkman's chest in shock.

Finally... Hatchan laughed. Out of the blue, he just doubled over and busted out laughing, catching himself on the ship's counter in an effort to keep himself from keeling over.

Marguerite herself was giggling in amusement, a hand whipping up to cover her mouth as she let out her amusement. Her snake, meanwhile, guffawed and flailed uproariously.

Raijax grinned at their reactions for a second before throwing his head back and laughing in agreement.

And through it all, the straw-hat wearing skull and crossbones emblazoned across his chest laughed with him.

-FIN-