-1Truth

After hiding the Going Merry properly, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, Juba, Ace, Bear, Vivi, and Carue set off to save the kingdom of Alabasta. They all stopped in a town to get water before heading out into the scorching desert.

"Do we even know what this Crocodile looks like?" asked Bear. Juba shook his head.

"All we know that he is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea," replied Juba. Everyone else was silent.

"So how will we be able to find him?" asked Bear.

"Don't know," replied Juba. After that, everyone remained silent. Some time had passed when a unknown figure appeared before them.

"Hello everyone," stated the figure.

"ARE YOU CROCODILE?!" Luffy shouted at the figure.

"No," replied the figure. Juba froze up a little because he recognized the voice.

"What are you doing here?" asked Zoro as he reached for one of his swords.

"I have business with your tactician," replied the figure. Everyone looked at Juba then looked back at the figure.

"With Juba?" asked Nami.

"What kind of business?" asked Bear. Juba stepped forward.

"Guy's, go on without me for now." Everyone's mouths dropped wide open.

"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING?!" shouted everyone.

"I am not kidding," stated Juba, "I know who this is, and I know that he isn't here to fight us."

"We are in the middle of something," Usopp reminded Juba.

"I know and I promise that I will meet up with you guy's."

"Where Juba?" asked Vivi. Juba was silent for a moment, then he smiled.

"The castle town of Alabasta." Everyone was shocked to hear what Juba said. The figure was standing still waiting for them to leave.

"Are you crazy?" asked Nami, "do you really think that you can get there alone? You are our tactician!" Juba remained silent staring at Luffy. Luffy turned around and continued to walk.

"Juba," Luffy said while walking away, "see you there." Juba smiled.

"Thanks Luffy."

"We're leaving," Luffy ordered his crew. Everyone wasn't sure if they should leave Juba with this man, but they all listened to Luffy. After they were all gone and out of sight, the man smiled and pulled back his hood.

"I figured it was you," Juba said unhappily, "I know your voice too well to forget it."

"I am glad that you remember me so well," stated the man, "so your name is now Juba. It's kind of stupid." Juba smiled.

"I like the name Juba," stated Juba.

"Well," stated the figure, "maybe you should go back to your real name."

******

Bear stayed behind to keep an eye on Juba and the figure. Of course, everyone else didn't have a problem with that.

"I am not part of your crew Luffy," stated Bear. Bear was remembering what had happened before he parted with the party. "I don't have to follow your orders. I'll keep an eye on Juba and that figure. You guy's keep doing what you are doing." Everyone nodded and they parted ways. Bear was behind a sand dune listening in to the conversation of Juba and the unknown man. Bear had just discovered that Juba wasn't Juba's real name.

******

Edgar was pacing back and forth waiting for a report about his son. After what seemed like an eternity, a marine entered his room.

"Report!" Edgar ordered the marine.

"Well sir," the marine began, "Tom is no longer on this island. Reports says that he went to the sand kingdom of Alabasta."

"Why would he go there?" asked Edgar.

"Sir, reports also tell that the Strawhat Pirates, lead by Monkey D. Luffy in the wanted poster, are there." Edgar froze up.

No, he went to see Vahn. Edgar snapped out of it and turned to the Marine.

"Tell the near by Marine units to bring him home. That is an order."

"YES SIR!" the Marine shouted as he ran out. Edgar stared out the window and saw the ocean. He saw the ocean turned red in an instant as if to represent the anger that Edgar had towards his son.

******

"How can I go back to my real name when I am using my real name?" asked Juba.

"Don't play dumb," shouted the man, "you know that Juba isn't your real name. Father isn't happy with you."

"I don't have a father Tom," replied Juba, "or maybe you forgot what your father did to my mother." Tom laughed.

"Are you still hung on that? Please, it happened so long ago and that bitch deserved it." Juba grew furious.

"DON'T TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER LIKE THAT!" Juba transformed to his man beast and charged at Tom. Tom dodged the attack with ease. Tom then launched a punch at Juba face and hit him dead on the cheek. Juba flew a few feet and landed with a great big thud.

"I can talk about her anyway that I want," stated Tom. Juba got to his feet, and transformed back into a human.

"Your father killed her," stated Juba. Tom ran up to Juba and grabbed his throat and lifted him up.

"Fool, you should know that you can't beat our father, Edgar Howler the Grand Tactician. So what if he killed our mother, she deserved it for helping that criminal." Tom dropped Juba. Juba was on the ground catching his breath.

"He isn't. . .my father . . .ANYMORE!" shouted Juba. Tom smiled.

"That is something that can't come true. You should know that." Juba stood up and stared at Tom.

"I refuse to have someone like him as my father."

"You can continue to say that," stated Tom, "but it won't come true. Father wants you to come home. That is where you belong. You don't belong with pirate scum. This Luffy is one lucky pirate to beat Buggy, Don Kreig, and Arlong. However, he need more luck to beat Crocodile."

"He has more than luck," stated Juba. Tom looked confused. "He has the power to beat Crocodile." All of a sudden, a giant creature appeared out of nowhere and punched Tom in the face. Tom flew a couple dozen feet before hitting the ground like a stone. Juba looked at the creature that had attacked Tom. It looked like a grizzly bear with human parts on him. Standing proudly like a champion of justice.

"What the hell man!?" shouted the creature with a familiar voice. Juba knew who it was. The creature transformed into a human, and it was Bear.

"You didn't have to use your bear bear fruit powers," stated Juba.

"That is not important right now," stated Bear. Tom got up and walked back to Bear and Juba.

"A friend of yours?" asked Tom.

"More or less," stated Juba. Bear gave a sigh.

"Come on man, you and I are friends." Juba nodded his head.

"Well," stated Tom, "perhaps I will show you what you are up against brother." Tom got into a battle stance, ready to take on Bear. Bear just stood their with a cocky look on his face.

"SIR TOM!" Tom turned around to see a Marine running towards him.

"What do you want?" Tom asked impatiently. The Marine handed Tom a letter. Tom opened the letter and read it carefully. After he was done reading the letter, Tom let it go with the wind like a leaf in a autumn breeze.

"What's wrong?" Bear asked sarcastically. Tom stared at all of them.

"You got lucky this time Bear," stated Tom. "However, next time you will not be so lucky." Tom then looked at Juba.

"What?"

"I will get you to come back home, Vahn Howler," Tom stated with a smile as he started to walk away.

"Well," stated Bear, "that takes care of that. Let's go to the Alabasta castle town." Bear started to walk but Juba didn't move from the spot. "What's wrong?" Juba slowly turned around and stared at Bear.

"How much did you hear?" Juba asked with no emotion in his voice. Bear was silent.

"The whole thing," Bear finally replied. Juba gave a small sigh and walked next to Bear.

"Don't tell them," Juba stated.

"Why?"

"I don't want them to know this fact about me. If they knew that fact then they would kick me out of the crew." Bear gave a sigh and continued to walk with Juba to the castle town.