Crocodile Tears
Title: Crocodile Tears
Rating: T
Fandom: One Piece
Summary: [Alternative Ending to The Tale of Crocodile and Alligator] Alligator died at the War of Marineford, protecting Luffy. His last request was for Crocodile and Daz Bones to join the Straw Hat Pirates. He wanted Crocodile to learn how to care about others again.
"Fighting back?" Tashigi asked. "How?"
"My chains aren't seastone," Crocodile revealed. "Yours aren't either, Law,"
"If you're not in seastone, why don't you just change to sand and get us out of here then?" Tashigi asked.
"I'm covered in blood," Crocodile reminded.
"I prefer to escape behind a smokescreen," Law said. "Can anybody here burn things?"
"Franky can set fires," Luffy informed. "He can even shoot a laser beam! Franky, why don't you burn this chain with the beam?"
"I need to use both hands to shoot the Radical Beam," Franky motioned to his tied up hands. "The only thing I can is Coup de Boo from my ass!"
"Gross…" Crocodile mumbled.
"Whatever," Law said, unfazed by the gross act. "Can you set fire to the Marine ship down there on the right?"
"That's as easy as pie, young man! You can count on me!" Franky stood up. "Franky…Fireball!" He exhaled a large ball of flames that set the broken Marine ship ablaze.
XXX
"Huh?" Caesar stared at the screen. "What is he doing? Is he just desperate? That Pacifista bastard! After the experiment, I'll chop up their bodies and put them to good use,"
"I'll chop up Crocodile's and Aura's," Eric offered. "I'll need some pictures afterwards. I'll cherish this moment for as long as I live,"
"You have issues," Monet commented.
"I do not!" Eric defended. "I just want to remember the day I got my revenge!"
Fang tried to grab Law's heart from Vergo's pocket. Vergo kept it away from her. "This isn't food. You can't eat it yet,"
"I'm not gonna eat it. I'm gonna return it to Law!"
XXX
Law removed his chains before using Shambles to teleport his sword. He drew Kikoku and freed Crocodile, Luffy, Robin, Daz, and Franky. He then looked to Smoker, Tashigi, and Aura. "Now what should I do with you three?"
"You can let Aura go and then leave those two to die?" Crocodile suggested.
"Croc…" Aura addressed in a threatening tone.
"Fine, can you also free Smoker and Tashigi?" Crocodile sighed.
"I have no obligation to save you but if letting you go back to the base safely makes Vergo lose his footing, it works out well for me," Law told the trio of Marines. "However, you need to forget everything that you heard about me and Joker. This isn't a favor; it's a condition,"
"We agree to those conditions," Aura said.
"What's going on out there?" Luffy asked, tearing a hole in the cage. He then jumped out, glad to be free.
"How dare he do whatever he pleases," Law growled.
"Law, if you're going to ally with Mugiwara there's one thing you should know," Crocodile said, standing up with Daz supporting him. "Do not bother creating a plan. It's Mugiwara, the same kid that had the guts to punch a Celestial Dragon,"
XXX
The shutter opened, allowing the G-5 Marines to enter. After all the Marines were inside, the shutter closed. Standing near the lever were Smoker, Tashigi, Aura, Law, Daz, Crocodile, Robin, and Luffy. "Smokey! Captain-chan! Aura-chan! You're alive!" Not long after the shutter completely closed, Zoro and his group crashed through, breaking the iron door. "THEY CUT THE SHUTTER!"
"Law, can you reattach the shutter?" Crocodile calmly asked.
"Room," Law recited. "Shambles," The iron triangle was put back into place, easing the G-5 soldiers' worries about the poisonous gas getting in.
XXX
Caesar laughed as the gas spread throughout the island. "It is done! There's no way anyone could be alive on Punk Hazard now!"
"Vergo," Eric asked. "Could I please see Law's heart?" Vergo held it out to him. It was still beating. "Law's alive. The others must be too,"
"How could they have escaped~?" Caesar exclaimed.
"I know at least Crocodile's chains weren't seastone," Eric revealed. "When I was beating him up, my hands grazed them but I wasn't weakened,"
Caesar frowned. "Why didn't you tell us sooner!?"
"Where would the fun in that be?" Eric grinned. "Now I can actually kill Crocodile and Aura myself!"
XXX
The Marines aimed their guns at the pirates. "Prepare to die, Straw Hat Pirates! You too, Brownbeard the Pirate!"
"I thought we were out of trouble but now we're immediately surrounded!?" Usopp said. "There's no place to run!"
"Who needs to run?" Zoro asked.
"Is that a dragon?" Crocodile's eyes turned to hearts. "Let's keep it as a pet!"
"Yeah!" Luffy agreed.
"We are not keeping the dragon!" Nami declared. She then turned to Law. "Torao! Switch me and Sanji back to our original bodies!"
"Room," Law sighed. "Shambles," The two were back in their bodies. "I have something to say to everybody here! Right now, the lab is completely engulfed in poison gas, but there is an escape route to the sea that isn't exposed to the outside air," He then began to explain the layout of the lab. "I don't have any desire to be a mass murderer but you only have two hours,"
"I'm fine with being a mass murderer," Crocodile commented. "It's the pirate life. If they die, I'll take the credit,"
"You going to do something to the lab?" Luffy asked.
"I'll only do what is necessary," Law replied as he walked away.
"G-5!" Smoker called. "The kids that have been abducted over the last two years are in this facility. Retrieve them and head for door R-66! If it's as Law says, there should be a port at the end of the passage. Steal a boat and get off of Punk Hazard!"
"The children?" Nami asked. "Everyone! We gotta split up and look for the children! Let's lead them all to the escape route!"
XXX
One of the hazmat suit guys confirmed that the Straw Hat Pirates, Law, Smoker, Tashigi, and Aura were indeed inside of the lab and had escaped the cage. "Whatever else happens, I can't let Law escape," Vergo said. "Depending on what he's planning, I may have to kill him here myself,"
"Who shall I go after first, Crocodile or Aura?" Eric's grin widened.
"Are you trying to imitate Young Master?" Monet asked.
"No!" Eric huffed. "I'll just…go and find them now!" He ran out the room.
Vergo also began to leave. "You aren't the only one who would be in trouble if Smoker or Law makes it out alive, Caesar. I can't just leave it to you," He began to try to grasp something in the air. "I'll cut them to pieces. Where is my sword?"
"You're not a swordsman," Monet reminded.
"That's right. I'm not a swordsman," Vergo recalled. "Well then, I'll just go and smash those brats. The crocodile can eat them if she's hungry,"
"Like I'll eat Crocodile or his nakama!" Fang refused in her reptile language.
XXX
G-5 soldiers were rushing through the gate. "Croc, Daz, you both go on ahead," Aura said. "Tashigi and I need to get all our men through,"
"Aura, hurry up!" Crocodile called. "The gate's almost completely closed!"
Not long after Aura went back through the gate, an explosion was heard. "There's a hole now! The gas is coming in!"
"Aura!" Crocodile shouted.
"Tashigi get inside!" Aura ordered. "I'll make sure the others get in too!" Her eyes widened as she witnessed some of the soldiers get petrified from the purple gas. "Go now guys!"
A couple more G-5 soldiers made it through the gate. "Hey, where are Aura-chan and Tashigi-chan!"
"They're still on the other side," Crocodile told them. He tried to walk towards the gate but Daz stopped him. "Daz, let me go!"
"Boss, in your condition, you'll not be able to make it back in time," Daz told him.
The G-5 soldiers looked to each other and nodded before running back out. They all picked up the two female Marines and threw them through the gate, the Marines on the other side catching them. "Guys!" Tashigi called. The Marines held her back. "Let me go!"
"Tashigi…you already saw how close the gas was…" Aura said. "They've already turned to stone,"
"Guess I owe your subordinates one," Crocodile said. "If it weren't for them, you'd be stone too, Aura,"
"Guys…" Tashigi whispered, tears falling.
Aura wanted to comfort her subordinate but didn't know what to say. Crocodile walked over to Tashigi. "Stop crying and get going,"
"How can you be so heartless towards Tashigi-chan!?" G-5 growled.
"Death is a part of life," Crocodile told them. "If you aren't prepared to witness death, then you aren't fit to be a Marine! You can't save everyone, even if you try your hardest! Now get moving. Don't let their deaths be in vain. And don't you have kids to save?"
"R-Right!" Tashigi said. "Let's go!"
"Hey…" A few of the soldiers asked. "What's that sound?"
"It's the dragon!" Crocodile pointed to the sky, the dragon exhaling a blast of flames. They all jumped to the side to avoid getting hit. "At least all this blood is dry," He scraped the dried blood away. The dragon soon became scared and flew away.
Marines were cheering, surrounding a person. "Captain Tashigi! Vice-Admiral Aura! We got reinforcements!" They told the two. "A third Vice-Admiral will make victory certain!"
"Third…Vice-Admiral?" Tashigi questioned, her eyes widening at the sight of Vergo.
"Run!" Aura shouted. "Vergo's the enemy!"
"Aura-chan, what do you mean?" G-5 asked. "He's the strongest person in G-5,"
"He's working with Caesar!" Aura revealed. "Get away from him!"
She was too late. Vergo used Shigan against a couple of the soldiers with quick speed. Tashigi couldn't believe that Vergo was the traitor. She thought back to the day she and Smoker first joined G-5.
"Welcome," Vergo greeted, standing up from his seat. "I've heard a lot of rumor about you, Vice-Admiral Smoker. I look forward to working with you,"
"Isn't there another Vice-Admiral here?" Smoker asked.
"Aura won't be here for the rest of the week," Vergo informed. "She's been greatly affected by the casualties of the Paramount War. Anyways, the men of G-5 are rough around the edges and aren't all that bright but once you get to know them, you'll see that they're better than their reputation. Before long, I'm sure you'll come to see them as your cute subordinates,"
"Stop!" Aura charged in, pushing a subordinate aside to get them out of the attack's way.
Before the Shigan could hit her, Vergo stopped. "Aura, step aside,"
'He stopped?' Aura thought. "Vergo, stop this! As a Marine Vice-Admiral, I am putting you under arrest!"
"Get away from Vice-Admiral Aura!" Tashigi shouted, swinging her blade.
Vergo blocked with his Armament-covered arm. "Aura—"
"Fang Fatal Chomp!"
Vergo's face contorted into one filled with pain. No one had ever thought that expression on Vergo's face was possible. The traitor fell to the ground, clutching between his legs. Fang came crawling out from under his coat, grinning ferociously.
"Fang!" Crocodile called the baby Bananawani over.
"He put me in his pocket so I bit him where it hurts!" Fang told him. "Also, look what I got," She opened her jaws to reveal Law's heart.
"Good girl!" Crocodile took the heart and petted Fang.
Anyone can guess why Vergo didn't attack Aura? They've known each other for years and Vergo does have emotions, he just doesn't express himself well. *Wink* That's a big hint and it's pretty obvious what I'm trying to imply.
