Hatchan’s Sea-Floor Stroll, Vol. 27: “Meanwhile, Octopako Had Gone Out, Too”. The preening Octopako has gone out on her own sea-floor stroll—carried by an entourage of blowfish.
At long last, the long awaited rain is falling all over the kingdom of Arabasta, bringing joy to all its inhabitants. In the palace, Vivi is watching it from the room where the Straw Hat Pirates are resting, unable to sleep. Tashigi, unable to react as a Marine should, gave orders to not arrest the crew while they were lying unconscious in the middle of the street. Meanwhile, Smoker has been rejoined by another Marine Captain, Hina, and asks her to bring the captured Crocodile to the government in his place. When Tashigi rejoins them and reports her failure to capture the Straw Hat Pirates, she starts crying and blames herself for helping them and then letting them get away. Smoker then suggests that she should try to get stronger.
Rain has finally once again fallen over Arabasta after three years. Aboard a Baroque Works ship in south Alubarna, Smoker is berating a colleague for suggesting that he used the Dance Powder, stating he knows well the difference between right and wrong. Changing the subject, the colleague is introduced as Marine Captain “Black Cage” Hina. She is annoyed with Smoker for using some of her best troops to search a ship, which Smoker reports was for the sake of a fellow marine. Hina calls Smoker out on this further, stating that he’s always treated Tashigi a little differently.
Smoker ignores this, asking Hina to take the Baroque Works ship back to Marine Headquarters along with Crocodile. Hina asks what gives him the right to order her around, and Smoker responds by having her call a coin toss in the air. Losing, she becomes even more annoyed with Smoker and tells him that he never changes. Back in town, Tashigi has ordered her subordinates not to lay a hand on the unconscious Straw Hats, much to their frustration. Vivi sees Koza being carried away for medical attention, and comes to his side to inquire about his wounds.
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She asks him not to die, as his father is still waiting for him back in Yuba. Amused at how much Vivi has always cared for others, he assures her that he also inherited his father’s stubborn life force, and he will be just fine. He then promises he will go back to him when his wounds are healed. The country continues to rejoice in the rainfall; even the kung-fu dugongs are celebrating. Toto is shown as well, wondering if his son could see it.
In the Royal Palace, the Straw Hats are all fast asleep and recovering while Vivi watches the rainfall from the window. Igaram eventually joins her, tucking the Straw Hats in as they reflect on the day’s events. The next day, Tashigi arrives at Alubarna’s eastern port to rendezvous with Smoker and Hina. She is visibly upset at her role (or lack thereof) in Crocodile’s defeat, and apologizes to Smoker for not only helping the pirates but also allowing them to escape. Smoker isn’t accepting of her apology, asking her if she pursued her own justice like he instructed.
She laments that helping from the back was the only thing that she was capable of doing, and that such is not her justice. Smoker tries to further appease her feelings of inadequacy, but she blows it off and tearfully walks away. This pushes Smoker to his boiling point, and he yells at Tashigi to do something about it other than crying. He implores her to try getting stronger then, to which she clinches her sword and tearfully vows that she will. Smoker instructs the marines to bring Crocodile aboard the ship, as they inform him that a call is coming in from a Marine base. The person on the other line informs Smoker that he and Tashigi will be receiving medals and promotions for their defeat of Crocodile. In a fit of rage, Smoker cuts him off and tells him that it was the Straw Hats that were responsible for the downfall of Baroque Works and Crocodile, not them. Hina tries to reason with Smoker that resistance is pointless, as the World Government has decided to try and cover up the pirates’ role in Arabasta’s liberation. Smoker angrily replies that the cover-up is precisely why Tashigi is crying right now. He then yells at the marine correspondent on the other line to tell the high-ranking officials responsible for this to “go eat shit”, and that this is “real” justice.
