A/N: This chapter is taking place near the end of the Alabasta Arc where Luffy is at the end of fighting crocodile. To lazy to go through all those episodes/chapters even if I skip a bunch of them. Also I don't really remember everything that happens so I'll be skipping some parts.


Luffy huffed. He was bleeding, but since he set out from Arlong Park he found the thin layer of metal that would usually protect his skin was useless among stronger enemies unless they happened to be using metal weapons. Crocodile grinned having seemed to regain his confidence since he hit Luffy "Give it up straw hat. Scorpion poison is flowing through you body now, even if you beat me you still die" he told Luffy. The poison had slipped in through a wound even so Crocodile never actually scratched him with his hook.

Nico Robin and Cobra stared at Luffy in amazement. It had been at least a few minutes since he had been poisoned, and that poison was not something that you just get up and walk away from. Crocodile growled as he bit as he saw that Luffy hadn't yet fallen. Luffy looked up slowly, his eyes shadowed by his hat. Luffy rushed forward and slammed his fist into Crocodile's stomach. Crocodile's eyes widened as he was set flying off of his feet.

"You should be dead on the ground by now" Crocodile growled while pushing himself up from the ground. "Skewered, dried up, and poisoned yet you still fight me" he said through his teeth between anger and frustration.

Luffy met Crocodile's gaze "Vivi, she's always tells people not to risk their lives, but she's always the first one to lay hers on the line" Luffy replied. "VIVI'S OUR FRIEND, AND AS LONG AS SHE KEEPS FIGHTING SO WILL WE" he yelled and rushed forward at a speed to which Crocodile couldn't react.

Cobra's eyes widened as Luffy sent Crocodile flying towards the ceiling. Luffy shot upwards using his powers to create springs at his feet that shot him upwards. As Luffy reached Crocodile he started pounding him through the ceiling. Cobra gaped as he lost sight of Luffy and the now unconscious Crocodile. "He's driving him straight through the bedrock" the king muttered to himself.

Luffy eventually broke through to the surface and sent Crocodile flying into the air. Luffy gave a small grin before he fell back down through the hole. Using his powers, Luffy slowed himself before he hit the ground by creating a cylinder of liquid metal in which he fell through that effectively stopped him. After reaching the ground, Luffy stumbled over to Robin and Cobra. Picking both of them up, Luffy put Cobra over his shoulder and Robin under his arm.

"Hey. Stop it" Robin cried out. "Just leave me and let me die down here" she told him as she struggled under his arm. After taking them out of the ruins, Luffy set them down lightly and promptly collapsed from a mix of the poison, injuries, and exhaustion.

Cobra gaped, Luffy had carried them all the way out after having fought Crocodile. Cobra quickly hurried over to Luffy.

"Move away" Nico Robin told him. Cobra looked up confused to why she would want him to leave Luffy. As Robin moved closer he noticed a small vial. Looking over, Robin gave a small smile "It's an antidote" she explained.

ssssssss

The Straw Hat crew laid scattered on a street. They were exhausted. Cobra smiled, these were the people that saved Alabasta — they certainly didn't look like much. The crew looked over at Corba and saw Luffy on his shoulders. "We're grateful and all, but who are you" Nami asked, as the rest of the crew were grinning after seeing Luffy.

"He was poisoned, but it's been taken care of" Cobra explained. The Straw Hats all sighed in relief.

"DADDY, DADDY" yelled a voice from down the street. Everyone looked over to see Vivi running towards them.

"Daddy" Sanji mumbled to himself as he looked towards Vivi then Cobra.

"WAIT THAT MEANS YOU'RE THE KING" Sanji yelled.

Cobra chuckled "Yes, but you saved this country, and as far as I know, my daughter as well" the king replied with a grin.

ssssssss

The Straw Hats sighed as they sailed away. The entire crew, excluding Zoro, was pouting since Vivi wasn't on board anymore. Zoro shrugged away the lame insults that were thrown at him. It's not like they hadn't seen this coming.

Everyone was quiet as they stared at something else "HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE" Nami yelled.

Robin smiled "I want to join your crew" she told them.

"WHAT" everyone except for Luffy and Sanji yelled.

"I didn't want to live anymore and Luffy saved me so I have no where else to go" she replied. Sanji was obviously busy in his love daze as he pranced around crying out something about Robin's beauty.

"Why would we let you join our crew, you were helping Crocodile try to destroy this country" Nami asked suspiciously.

"Oh I have this bag of gold and jewelry but" Robin stopped as Nami quickly snatched the bag. Zoro crossed his arms and glared at Robin.

"Just because they fell for you doesn't mean we will" Usopp declared and Chopper quickly agreeing. Robin made hands appear and start playing with Usopp and Chopper.

Zoro sighed "It's your call Luffy" he said.

"She's not a bad person" Luffy said as he gave a wide grin. "It's time to go to the next island" Luffy told everyone.

Robin smiled, and Zoro glared "Just because you're part of the crew doesn't mean I trust you" Zoro told her.

"Zoro stop it" Luffy told him in a whiny voice. "I told you she was a good person, otherwise I wouldn't of saved her" he explained. Shooting metal from his hands, Luffy grabbed Robin and pulled her onto the second floor of the Merry — much to her surprise.

Zoro glared "HEY HOW COME YOU JUST SET HER DOWN, I ALWAYS GET FLINGED OFF SOMEWHERE" he yelled at Luffy.

"We're on the ship, there's no where to fling her to" Luffy told him with a blank look on his face. Zoro rolled his eyes and laid down to sleep.

"So what can you do" Luffy asked excitedly as he crossed his legs and sat down in front of Robin.

Robin giggled a little sat down next to him, "Well i'm an archaeologist, and as you know I have devil fruit powers so I can make body parts appear wherever " she told him with a smile. "I'd also like to thank you for saving me" she said.

Luffy laughed "I heard from Vivi's dad that I should be thanking you for saving me from the poison" he replied. "Yes, but I couldn't of saved you if you hadn't saved me, and I lost my will to live before" Robin responded.

"Well I guess we're even then" Luffy said before he started laughing.

As Luffy left Robin studied him. Unlike a lot of people Luffy wasn't one to rely on his devil fruit for a source of power, he would fight all the same people he had already fought regardless of whether he had the powers or not. That fact combined with the fact that he had a devil during power made him a very hard person to kill. The devil fruit powers merely allowed him to fight at a much higher level than a seventeen year old should be able to. The more she thought about him the more he confused her. Why had he saved her when there was every reason not to.

Nami looked over seeing Robin sitting down and looking at Luffy. "You know, Luffy's a good judge of character so if he trusts you then so do I" she told Robin.

"He must be a good captain" Robin commented looking over at Nami since Luffy had gone inside.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call him a good captain, but he's a good friend — even if he is a bit airheaded" Nami explained.

"He should be dead" Robin stated.

"He was poisoned, and because of how hard he was working the poison should have pumped through his body even faster and killed him even faster" she explained seeing Nami's confused but not all that surprised look.

"That's Luffy for you, I honestly think if you want to beat him while his friends are on the line you're going to be pretty disappointed; you could cut off his head and he'd probably keep fight just from pure willpower" Nami told Robin.

"He said he was doing all of that for a friend, and he didn't seem to care what happened to himself as long as he helped her" Robin replied.

Luffy came into view of Robin and Nami as he was thrown out of the kitchen by Sanji. "Sanji I'm hungry" Luffy whined.

"I DON'T CARE YOU ALREADY ATE, WE'LL RUN OUT OF FOOD IF YOU CONTINUE AT THIS RATE" Sanji yelled from inside the kitchen. Luffy pouted and walked out and sat on his seat. Nami walked into the kitchen where the rest of the crew was as Robin walked over to Luffy.

"Are we friends" Robin asked.

Luffy looked over with a confused look on his face "What do ya mean" he asked.

"Well I helped start a civil war in your friends country, so wouldn't that make me your enemy" Robin explained.

"Yeah, but I can tell you're a good person so I'm sure you had your reasons so I forgive you, plus you saved my life so yeah" Luffy replied with a grin.

Robin looked ahead and leaned against the railing. "Hey Luffy, mind if I join you on there" Robin asked.

Luffy looked back at Robin "Ah, you're new on the ship so I guess you didn't know, but this is my seat" he told her.

"Yes but I wouldn't be taking it, I would just be sitting next to you on it" Robin explained.

"But there's not enough room" Luffy told her.

"I could sit on your lap" she suggested.

"Ehh, that would be weird though" he replied.

Robin giggled "I guess it would" she said. "How bout we go inside and get a snack" she suggested.

Luffy's shoulders slumped "Sanji said that he wasn't going to make me any food yet" he complained in a whiny voice.

"Do you think I could convince him" Robin asked. She knew Sanji was a great cook and a great fighter, but she found him a bit pathetic.

Luffy beamed at her "Yeah, Sanji can't help but give in to pretty women" he told her excitedly.

"Oh you think I'm pretty" Robin asked, trying to embarrass him or cause him to become flustered. Luffy nodded quickly and grabbed her by her sleeve and dragged her towards the kitchen.

As they entered the kitchen Robin found herself surprised. She knew she was pretty, and she could generally use that to her advantage against men. Luffy on the other hand seemed to hold no such thoughts like that towards her though.

"Cook-san can you make me some food" Robin asked.

Sanji's eyes popped out and turned into hearts "I'LL DO ANYTHING FOR YOU ROBIN-CHWAN" Sanji yelled as he quickly started cooking food.

"That looks good cook-san, but can you make some bigger as well" Robin asked. Sanji didn't even respond as he started to prepare something else as well. Robin thanked Sanji and left with the food.

Luffy who had quickly been pushed out of the kitchen and lectured on how it was rude to drag a women, let his tongue hang out as soon as he saw the food. "Ah, thank you Robin" he said quickly "you're going to be a great member of the crew" he added happily eating away at the food.

"You should eat, Sanji's a really good cook" Luffy said holding Robin's plate up to her face. Robin giggled as she took the plate, she had a feeling she was going to like being part of the Going Merry's crew. This thought caused her to frown a bit.