Heeeyyyyyy people. SO! the 25th chapter! I hope you all enjoy it.
NEWS! So, on my profile page, I finally settled on a theme for Kai, and there is also a link to an avatar i made of her on . Fun stuff.
Thanks to xiloveanime01x, FirstMateShadowNinja, Miyu the fangirl, supterattackpea, Nunua, cuteknight101, Luffy95, and BirdieV.R.S for reviewing! the rest of you? Hit that button.
"STOOOOP JOOOOOKING AROUNDDDD!" was what I heard as I ghosted into the secret basement of Rain Dinners Casino.
Really, Crocodile? Your base of operations has a Bananadile on the roof. A Bananadile made out of gold.
Needless to say, it was easy to spot.
"How long is he going to make us wait? At least bring out some Takopa!"
The hell is Takopa?
I found a dark corner to hide in, settling in to wait. I decided to lean out for a peek, and was satisfied that none of them could see me.
A man in a ballet costume was spinning around in circles, his leg raised impossibly high behind him, while a short stout woman who reminded me of a mole yelled at him. A large fat man was laughing at them both, while a thin voluptious woman was shaking her head. And across from her was a tall serious man with a unibrow..who I actually knew.
"I'm spinning! Spinning like a beautiful swan!"
"Please be quiet, Mr. 2."
"Seriously, you 'Duh'! Your shoutin' kills my hip!"
"You be quiet as well, Miss Merry Christmas."
So the ballerina is Mr. 2, the mole is Miss Merry Christmas...I'm guessing the fat man sitting across from her is her partner. I know Daz Bones is Mr. 1, Mr 2 is the Okama. We already took out Mr. 3 and Mr. 5, so the fat man must be Mr. 4. The woman across from Daz though, I don't know her.
Well, I will soon enough.
The tapping of footsteps made me shrink back a bit, and I pressed myself into the shadows even more firmly.
"Well, it looks like you all really can't get along. Not that it really matters.." I heard Nico Robin say casually.
"Miss All-Sunday!
"OH, SUNDAY DARLING, HOW ARE YOOOOO?"
"I SAID SHUT UP, YA 'DUH'!"
I want to rip that mole's mouth off.
"Thank you for enduring the long journey here. Having all of us together will ensure our victory." Nico said demurely.
"Miss All Sunday. Where is this?" I heard Daz say.
Serious as always, huh Daz.
"Oh, that's right...Banchi took you in the back door. You're probably familiar with the town where people dream of getting rich quick by gambling, The 'Dream Town', Rainbase. The building you are in right now towers above the oasis in the middle of Rainbase. The greatest Casino in town...Rain Dinners." Nico said dramatically, and there was a silence from all the Baroque Works agents gathered there.
"Yeah, lets go! Start now nowstart."
...Seriously, can I shut that mole up? God.
"But before that, I must introduce the boss you haven't met yet." Nico said, and the room breezed as bits of sand began moving across it. "Until now, I have acted as his 'Private Face' in giving you orders, but there is no more need to do so..understand?" She finished.
"It's about time..." came a deep, relaxed voice that I knew entirely too well. Crocodile coalesced into the chair at the head of the table, looking relaxed and confident as ever.
Bastard.
"Plan: Utopia. That is the final plan of Baroque Works"
"What?"
"Eh?"
"CROCODILE?"
"I thought you would recognize his 'Public Face'..." Nico chuckled
"Well damn this is unbelievable."
"I never would have guessed...Why one of the Shichibukai?"
"YOU MEAN WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A PIRATE?"
"You are our boss?"
Crocodile's face darkened with each comment.
"Any complaints?"
I shivered in my hiding spot, that tone bringing back memories I really didn't want to be having.
The Baroque Works agents fell silent for a moment, before Daz's partner spoke up.
"No complaints...Just a question. Why would a pirate sponsered by the World Government do this?"
To my surprise, Crocodile almost chuckled.
Damn that's creepy.
"What I want is not money or land..it's military force. He said cryptically.
"Military force...?" Daz questioned, and was brushed off as Crocodile lit his cigar.
"Let's talk about this in order. First my objective, then the details of Baroque Works final plan." He stated calmly, and began to explain.
As I sat and listened, the more horrified and angry I became.
He was going to overthrown Vivi's country to get at some legendary superweapon..Pluton.
Mr 4 and Miss Merry Christmas would kidnap King Cobra, and hand him over to Nico.
Mr. 2 would be impersonating the King in Nanohana and admit to using Dance Powder in Alubarna, inciting the rebels.
Daz and Miss Doublefinger would crash a supply ship into Nanohana, arming the Rebels, and allowing them to fight the Royal Army.
All of the agents other than Crocodile and Nico would then meet up and cause havoc while Crocodile and Robin got the superweapon.
He doesn't even care that he's ruining this country, and all for a stupid legend. But I shouldn't be surprised.
"You mean we can do that here? We can take over the whole country? I'm getting excited!" exclaimed Mr. 2 with glee.
"So our last duties..are to carry out the different facets of this final plan?" Daz inquired.
"That is correct." Crocodile intoned. "All the jobs you have done since the founding of Baroque Works have been for this plan, and those are the last orders I will entrust you with. The time to get rid of the Kingdom of Alabasta has come." He said, smiling as the agents looked at their orders. After a few minutes, they held them to the candelabra in the middle of the table, burning them.
"When you have completed those orders, the Kingdom of Alabasta will be destroyed. The cornered rebels and civilians will tragically fall right into the Baroque Works' hands! In just one night...this country will become our Utopia!"
I saw red, and in that instant, I could only think of one thing.
"I won't let that happen."
Heads spun as I snarled out the sentence, darting out of the shadows towards the table full of Baroque Works. Crocodile's eyes widened for a fraction of a second as he recognized me, and then I transformed to full Logia and attacked.
Blood rage is a strange thing. I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt it in my entire life. It's an all-consuming anger, coursing through your body, setting your blood on fire. Whenever it's happened, I can never remember what I do while under it's effect.
As a result, the next few minutes are still foggy in my mind, even now as I look back on it. All I can remember is wind and sand and hands and steel before a whirring noise caught my attention. Before I could find out where it was coming from, a cage crashed down around me and I slammed into it, promptly getting my energy drained.
Goddamn seastone.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Delanoi, come back from the grave. Tell me, how did you get in here?" Crocodile rasped, his face shadowed, but smiling.
"..." I chose to glare at him nastily, not saying anything at all.
"Even more importantly, how did you know where to find me?" He asked, and my glare deepened.
"As if I would actually tell you that." I hissed, stepping away from the bars as I did so.
"...I apologize for the interruption, I'll be dealing with that later." Crocodile said smoothly after a moment, making his way back to the head of the table.
Fuck.
Several of the agents exchanged glances before giving him their attention again.
"This is Baroque Works' great, final 'Plan Utopia'. Failure will not be tolerated. The operation will begin tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock. Meeting adjourned." Crocodile finished, then smiled evilly.
"Pray for victory."
" I would appreciate it if you waited a bit on this 'Plan: Utopia'."
Who...
I glanced up from inside the cage to see who had interrupted Royal Bastard the First.
Wha...What the hell? Waxman?
"Mr. 3! How did you get into the secret underground base?" Nico asked, sounding surprised.
"MR. 3! WHERE DID YOU SNEAK IN FROM? I GOT RID OF YOU, JUST LIKE I WAS ORDERED TO!" the ballerina yelled, lunging forward.
"WAIT, MR. 2!" Crocodile shouted at him.
"Sneak? How rude. I simply followed you all the way from Spiders Cafe. I hitched a ride on your Banchi." Waxman said offhandedly, before becoming serious.
"Boss, please listen. I came here because I wanted another chance. Of course Mr. 2 came to kill me because I failed to complete the orders I was assigned, so I changed my course slightly and went to the Agent meeting spot, Spiders Cafe." He finished saying, then noticed me glaring at him from the cage. "But I see you already know about that."
"You failed to complete your orders? I already know? What are you talking about?" Crocodile asked, setting his cigar down.
Waxy gave him a strange look.
"I'm referring to the fact that I allowed Vivi and the Straw Hat crew to escape."
Crocodile stood up swiftly, his chair flying backwards as he did so.
"YOU LET THEM ESCAPE? YOU MEAN THEY ARE STILL ALIVE?" He yelled, and my eyes widened in shock.
Wait...wait a minute.
He...didn't know that we escaped him? He didn't spot us as we were coming in? And why is he shocked now? I thought that the Unluckies saw me back in Whiskey Peak. Surely they reported that I was with the Straw Hats...
"What did you tell me on the phone snail then? Didn't you say you had disposed of the pirates and Vivi?" Crocodile asked angrily, bits of sand beginning to float around him, a sure sign that he was furious.
"What do you mean? I never used my phone snail on Little Garden." Mr. 3 said, raising his hands out.
"...WHAT...?"
Crocodile sat back down with a thud a few brief seconds later, lighting his cigar and sighing.
"Damn. Well, now I know why the Unluckies never came back. You killed at least one or two of them, right?" He asked, composed again.
"W-well, not exactly..."
Crocodile fixed him with a killing stare.
"What?"
Mr. 3 began to wave his hands in consternation. "B-but there was a mistake in the information! There were actually five pirate escorts! A-another long-nosed man...and a logia user!"
Heads snapped to look at me as I scowled from inside the seastone cage.
...Shit.
"Why you..." Crocodile snarled at Mr. 3, while Mr. 2 became utterly confused.
"ZERO DARLING? EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!"
And so Crocodile did. He told them how Vivi had learned his true identity, and that she had come under the protection of a pirate crew, and he had sent agents to kill them, and how they had apparently failed.
I still don't understand. He didn't know that I was with the crew? How...
And then I saw Nico's small smile as she glanced at me.
Someone edited the information before it reached Crocodile.
Interesting, Nico Robin.
"I...I MET THEM!" Mr. 2 exclaimed suddenly, and the others stared at him in shock.
"What?"
"While I was on my way here...I MET ALL OF THEM!" He repeated, his hand spreading out on the table where the pictures of the crew had been laid.
He turned into Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, pointing at each one in turn, then slapping the photo of Vivi.
"AND SHE MISS WEDNESDAY? PRINCESS VIVI? YOU MEAN THEY WERE ALL ENEMIES?" He exclaimed, and Crocodile glanced over at me.
"And it looks like my little problem over there was one of them as well. Yes, they all know my identity. If we let them go, they'll interfere with the plan."
Wait...they didn't mention Sanji. They still don't know about him!
Good.
"Mr. 3, you said there were two extra people.. and an animal, with them. More than previously reported." Crocodile said, his mind at work. He glanced over at me again, and gave me a condescending look. "We already caught one, I believe." He intoned, then promptly forgot I existed. "If we ignore the pet and, that leaves five left, including Vivi. And since Delanoi is sitting right over there, they're already in Alabasta, and probably on their way here."
Damnit. If he catches them because of my goddamn stupidity I'll never forgive myself.
"Mr. 2, let's take some pictures using your memory." Crocodile said.
Apparently the Waxman couldn't stand being ignored.
"BUT BOSS! IF YOU'D JUST GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE, I WILL DESTROY VIVI AND HER CREW!" he yelled, and was cut short by Crocodile grabbing him by the throat.
"SILENCE, YOU MORONIC EGGHEAD!" He yelled.
Sayonara, Mr. 3. It hasn't been a pleasure knowing you, but I almost feel sorry for you now.
"Mr. 3...Mr. 3. Do you know why I gave you the position I did? Hmm?" Crocodile asked, seemingly casual.
I knew better.
"In battle, you are inferior to Mr. 4! I gave you the position of Mr. 3 because I believed your sneaky, cowardly tricks would eventually fulfill my orders. And you disappointed me! Someone who can't do what he needs to do when the time comes is worthless!"
Well. That sounds familiar, doesn't it.
But all the same...I kindof agree with it. But I don't.
People aren't worthless. Some are just braver than others.
While Crocodile was keeping a firm grip on Mr. 3's neck, Mr. 3 had begun to shrivel up, like a mummy. The other Agents noticed it quickly enough.
"W-WHAT'S HAPPENING?"
"He's..He's drying up..."
I could only look on in pity as Mr. 3 collapsed to the floor, reducing to a mere shadow of what he had been before.
"Wa...Waduh...waduh.." He croaked as Crocodile crossed to the other side of the room and pressed a button.
"Drink all the water you like." He said, not watching the floor open up underneath the unfortunate man, who fell to the room below.
Crocodile tapped on the window, and looked out at a huge Bananadile.
"Feeding time."
Silence reigned as we listened to Mr. 3's screams of terror from below.
"That little craphead earned it. Killing him once isn't enough!" Crocodile snorted, before continuing with the debriefing. "Now, all of you, burn the images of these five into your minds! Their aim is to 'Stop the Rebellion'. If we allow them freedom, they'll show up on their own." He said, with a knowing smirk tossed my direction.
I only snorted and looked away.
Fuck you, you damn Croc.
"But, Zero darling, if she really is the princess, doesn't that mean she could stop the rebellion?" The okama asked, and Crocodile sighed.
"Maybe, unfortunately. I have heard that the Rebel leader Kohza and the princess were childhood friends." He said, and I knew that he was carefully considering options and plans. "It's a wave of 700,000 men. It won't be easy to stop, but she could certainly sidetrack them. We must not let them meet!" He decided. "I already have several Billions placed inside the rebellion. I haven't received a letter from them yet, so no direct action has been taken. We absolutely must avoid all contact between Vivi and the Rebels before the plan begins." Crocodile paused to take a drag of his cigar.
"Miss All Sunday."
"Yes?"
"Use this opportunity to send a message to the Billions in Nanohana. Use a phone snail if you must. Once they find them, they must annihilate them." Crocodile ordered, then slammed his fist onto the table, causing the candelabra and silverware to jump.
"DO NOT LET THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATES INTO KATOREA! VIVI AND KOHZA MUST NOT SEE EACH OTHER!"
Nico merely closed her eyes and nodded.
"Yes, right away." she said, stepping away to do what he had ordered.
Crocodile cast a glance around the table.
"Now leave, all of you. You'll be late to the party. Our Utopia lays before our eyes. There cannot be any more trouble from here on, understand?"
The agents stood, displaying various degrees of confidence.
"Leave it to us, boss!"
"WE'LL DOOOO IT!"
Crocodile smiled.
"Enjoy yourselves.
"So, Delanoi." Crocodile began, opening his newspaper.
"..." was my response as I flicked my eyes up to stare at him blankly.
"It's interesting that you escaped from the slave pits."
"..."
"I'm surprised you survived this long. Who healed that nasty wound you had, hmm?"
"..."
"Well I guess it doesn't really matter. When your crew shows up, you'll die along with them."
"..."
"What, no response, Delanoi?"
That's the last straw.
"That's not my fucking name." I snarled, earning a chuckle from the imposing Shichibukai.
"Oh it's not?"
I ground my teeth while my knuckles turned white from the grip I had on the table I was seated on.
"My name is Zehra Kai, you bastard, and don't you EVER FORGET IT!" I snapped, clipping my words and putting every ounce of anger I had left into them.
Silence reigned.
Crocodile swirled into being in front of the cage, giving me the darkest look I had seen to date on his face, and nearly biting his cigar in half.
"Where did you hear that name."
"What do you mean, where did I hear that name?" I sniped. "It's the name my mother gave me before she died. You know, as a slave of the Tenryubito." I finished angrily, meeting his glare in a straight-up challenge.
His face paled a few shades.
W-what? That shocked him?
As I digested that, he walked back to the couch, picked up his newspaper, and left the basement.
"What...the hell just happened?" I asked the empty room, confused as all hell, and settled in for whatever would happen next.