Just as the group was deep in discussion about the Sea King language, Manboshi and Ace burst into Neptune's study, both gasping for breath.
"Father! Uncle Gustave!" Manboshi cried out desperately. "Shirahoshi has been kidnapped! Luffy already went after them!"
"What?!" Both Gustave and Neptune exclaimed in shock. The princess had been taken?
"Ace, tell me exactly what happened," Gustave demanded, his voice sharp with concern.
"Uncle Gustave," Ace panted, still catching his breath, "we'd just finished planting Tom's flowers when this ugly four-legged guy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Shirahoshi!"
"Father, it was Vander Decken IX! He took my sister!" Manboshi added frantically.
"Vander Decken IX?!" Neptune's face went pale with horror. "This is my fault... I should never have allowed Shirahoshi to leave Hard Shell Tower today!"
The truth was that Shirahoshi wasn't supposed to attend the welcome ceremony at all. But when she'd heard that distinguished guests from the surface world were visiting Fish-Man Island, she'd begged her father with such earnest pleading that Neptune's heart had melted. Missing his deceased wife and seeing his daughter's lonely existence, he'd granted her request.
Neptune had believed that with himself, Jinbe, Po, and Gustave all present, Vander Decken IX wouldn't dare make a move. But the moment they'd left Shirahoshi alone, the madman had struck.
"Your Majesty!" Jinbe said firmly, catching Neptune as the king swayed. "This isn't the time for self-blame. We need to find Princess Shirahoshi immediately!"
"Yes... yes, you're right. Finding Shirahoshi is all that matters now," Neptune managed, fighting back his anguish.
"Jinbe, who exactly is this Vander Decken IX? Why did he target the princess?" Po asked, though Gustave already knew the disturbing answer.
"Vander Decken IX leads the Flying Pirates and possesses the Mato Mato no Mi - the Mark-Mark Fruit," Jinbe explained with obvious disgust. "After encountering Princess Shirahoshi once, he became obsessed with forcing her to marry him. Can you imagine? She's just a child!"
"King Neptune issued a bounty for his capture, but it's proven useless. He continues stalking and harassing the princess relentlessly."
Po's expression darkened with fury. Despite Shirahoshi's impressive size, she was still an innocent child of only a few years old. The thought of an adult pursuing her romantically was absolutely revolting.
"Po, use your observation haki to locate Princess Shirahoshi. She might not have left the island yet," Gustave said decisively. "I'll seal Fish-Man Island with an electromagnetic barrier!"
"Understood," Po replied, immediately expanding his senses to cover the entire underwater kingdom.
Gustave transformed into pure electrical energy and shot upward toward the center of Fish-Man Island. While his electromagnetic capabilities had been limited before, his fruit awakening had dramatically expanded his range. He could now barely manage to encase the entire island.
"Barrière Électromagnétique!"
The residents below watched in awe and terror as a translucent blue barrier emerged from Gustave's position, rapidly expanding until it encompassed their entire world. Lightning crackled along its surface like trapped storms.
"What's happening? What's that barrier?" civilians cried out in panic, fearing Gustave intended to harm their island.
Neptune quickly addressed his people through Den Den Mushi broadcasts, explaining that Princess Shirahoshi was in danger and the island needed temporary protection. While still frightened, the residents gradually calmed down - both Neptune and Shirahoshi were beloved figures, and protecting the princess took priority over their fears.
Meanwhile, Vander Decken IX had planned to escape Fish-Man Island as quickly as possible, but Gustave's swift response had trapped him. One of his subordinates tested the barrier and reported it was impenetrable with their current strength.
Forced to change tactics, Vander Decken IX headed toward Fish-Man Street to seek assistance from his allies.
In the shadowy depths of Fish-Man Street, the leader of the New Fish-Man Pirates wasn't pleased by his visitor's arrival.
"What are you doing here? And why did you bring Princess Shirahoshi?" Hody Jones snarled, his shark-like features twisting with anger.
"Hody, I need you to help me break through that barrier. I want to take Princess Shirahoshi away from this island!" Vander Decken IX demanded.
"Why should I help you?" Hody replied coldly. Their alliance was one of convenience, not friendship.
"Because I know you're the one who really killed Princess Otohime," Vander Decken IX said with a malicious smile.
"You bastard!" Hody's eyes flashed with dangerous fury. How had this information leaked?
At that moment, Princess Shirahoshi began to stir, consciousness returning just in time to hear the shocking revelation.
"Mother... you killed mother! You're the one who murdered her!" Shirahoshi wailed, her emotional control completely shattered. Unlike her future self who would meet Luffy years later, she was still a traumatized child processing fresh grief.
"Shut up! Stop that crying!" Hody roared, moving toward the sobbing princess.
But Vander Decken IX immediately blocked his path. He considered Shirahoshi his personal treasure, and no one else would be allowed to touch her. Their fragile alliance crumbled instantly.
The moment Hody reached for Shirahoshi, Vander Decken IX's fist connected with his jaw, and the two former allies began battling furiously.
Shirahoshi's cries grew louder and more anguished, the sound carrying a power beyond normal weeping. The commotion attracted Luffy and Fukaboshi, followed quickly by Po, Jinbe, and Neptune descending from above.
Seeing his daughter in distress, Neptune moved to rescue her, but both Hody and Vander Decken IX immediately recognized their precarious situation and used Shirahoshi as a human shield.
"Hody, are you really siding with this madman?" Jinbe demanded angrily.
"Don't call me like we are brother, Jinbe!" Hody spat back. "I'm not collaborating with Vander Decken IX - I'm trying to save Fish-Man Island! Unlike you, I haven't surrendered to humans!"
As a fish-man supremacist, Hody had long since abandoned any connection to Jinbe, viewing him as a race traitor.
"Vander Decken IX, release Shirahoshi and we can discuss terms," Neptune pleaded, forced into temporary surrender by his daughter's captivity.
"Tell that human to drop the barrier and prepare a ship for my escape, or Princess Shirahoshi suffers!" Vander Decken IX threatened.
"Yes, yes, anything you want. Just don't hurt her," Neptune agreed desperately, preparing to meet the demands.
But Shirahoshi's emotional state continued deteriorating. Her cries grew more powerful and anguished, and something ancient stirred in response to her distress.
Massive shadows began moving beyond Gustave's barrier - Sea Kings of incredible size, drawn by an irresistible call they couldn't understand but felt compelled to answer.
"What... what are those things?" Vander Decken IX stammered, seeing the colossal forms gathering outside the protective dome.
"Damn it," he realized. "Even if the barrier comes down, I'll never escape past those monsters!"
But his moment of distraction was all Gustave needed. In a flash of lightning, he descended from above, instantly striking Vander Decken IX to instant death and sweeping Shirahoshi to safety.
Jinbe immediately engaged Hody Jones, though part of him still hoped to reason with his former comrade rather than fight.
"My daughter! My precious daughter!" Neptune rushed to comfort Shirahoshi, understanding that calming her was crucial - the Sea Kings outside would destroy everything if her emotional calls continued.
But learning the truth about her mother's murder had shattered something in Shirahoshi's young heart. Despite Neptune's desperate attempts at comfort, her cries continued unabated.
The entire population of Fish-Man Island watched in terror as more Sea Kings gathered beyond their protective barrier, their massive forms darkening the artificial sunlight.
Gustave assessed the situation with growing alarm. The Sea Kings were responding to Shirahoshi's unconscious power, and conventional methods weren't stopping her emotional breakdown.
"There's no choice," he sighed, turning toward Tom, who was cowering behind Po's massive frame.
"It's up to you, Tom!"
Before the cartoon cat could protest, Gustave grabbed him and hurled him directly through the barrier toward the gathering titans.
Tom's terrified screams echoed across the water as he found himself surrounded by creatures that could swallow islands whole. But to his amazement, he discovered he could somehow breathe underwater - another impossible aspect of his cartoon nature.
His relief was short-lived as the Sea Kings drew closer, their ancient eyes focusing on the tiny intruder.
"TOM! SPEAK TO THEM! USE THE SEA KING LANGUAGE!" Gustave's voice carried through the barrier.
Swallowing his terror, Tom began speaking in the deep, resonant tones he'd demonstrated earlier. The massive creatures, drawn by Shirahoshi's unconscious summons but confused by their compulsion, suddenly stopped their advance.
Here was a tiny being speaking their ancient tongue - something they hadn't heard from surface dwellers in countless generations.
From inside the barrier, everyone watched as Tom appeared to negotiate with beings older than civilization itself. Then, miraculously, the Sea Kings began withdrawing into the deep ocean's darkness.
Tom turned back toward Fish-Man Island with obvious pride, having somehow convinced the most dangerous creatures in the ocean to spare their island through nothing more than conversation.