I don't own One Piece. I only own my OC, Aurora.
Chapter 29
"No, nope, no way. I don't know anything about it. Not at all. Not me."
"Hey, why do you keep looking away? Look straight into my eyes." Sanji grabbed hold of the boy's face, turning it towards him. "Now let me ask you. How did enough food for 9 people, which I carefully divided so that it lasts until we get to Alabasta, suddenly disappear in the middle of the night?"
Luffy attempted to look away again.
Sanji grabbed him by the face, but Luffy wouldn't budge. "Resistance is futile. You'd be a terrible poker player."
"Braaap."
"Hey, there's something around your mouth."
"Crap! Leftovers!?"
Sanji kicked Luffy across the deck. "It was you!"
"Ooobffh!"
"He didn't act alone." Aurora glanced over at Usopp, Chopper and Carue. The three had their backs to them as they fished off the edge of the ship. Quiet chewing noises came from their direction.
Nami and Vivi followed the angel's gaze. "Huh?"
"Oh, Nami! Can you believe that asshole!? You gotta buy me a refridgerator with a lock!"
"Yeah, I'll think about it." Nami sweatdropped. "Our lives probably depend on it…"
"Gulp… okay, better catch some fish for Sanji."
"Quack."
"Hero? Crocodile is the hero of Alabasta?!"
The pirates were all gathered around Vivi. She sat up against the door leading below deck, Zoro splayed out asleep in front of her. Nami and Aurora leaned against the mast, Luffy sitting crosslegged next to them with Sanji perched atop a barrel to his right. Usopp, Chopper and Carue lay in a heap on the deck, Sanji having knocked them out after learning they were Luffy's accomplices.
"Basically the Shichibukai are pirates working for the World Government. Whether the Shichibukai crush pirates for treasure, or the marines crush pirates in the name of justice… the people's gratitude doesn't change. After all, their town's attackers are driven away."
"He puts on a hero act in front of the people, but behind the scenes he's actually their downfall." Aurora frowned. "The people would never even dream that the hero of Alabasta is actually trying to take control of their country. It's sick… but brilliant." The angel hated to admit that.
"So look out, Crocodile!" Luffy crowed. "I just need to kick his ass, right?!"
"Yes… first we'll stop the rebellion. If we can drive Baroque Works out of Alabasta… my country will be saved."
"Wait, hold on." Usopp interrupted. "How the heck does this Baroque Works system work, anyways? "Mr." this, and "Miss" that…"
"The system is simple. At the top is Crocodile… "Mr. 0". There are 13 "agents" who take orders directly from the boss, 12 men and 1 animal. All their names are "Mr." plus a number. They are paired with female agents who compliment their particular powers. Mr. 13 and Miss Friday are special in that they punish the other agents for failure." Vivi explained. "All the agents from Mr. 5 up are called "Officer Agents". Most of them have devil fruit powers. They don't act unless the business is extremely important. Below them are the frontier agents. They command the basic units. Their job is to raise funds for the company around the entrance to the Grand Line. That is the secret criminal organization "Baroque Works" in a nutshell."
"I get it now! Look out Crocodile! I just need to kick his ass, right?!" Luffy repeated himself.
"You didn't understand a word she said, did you?" Sanji huffed.
"Then that means…" Nami drifted into thought. "If the takeover of Alabasta is the Baroque Works' final plan… then!" she snapped her fingers. "The officer agents should all…"
"Yes…" Vivi took over. "Be together."
"Luffy! I thought I told you not to eat the bait! If we don't have any bait, we can't catch anything!"
"But you ate some."
"I only ate the stuff on the bottom of the lid!"
The fifth day since leaving Drum Island. The ship torturously continues on to Alabasta.
Vivi approached the two bickering boys. "Luffy, Usopp, have you caught any… CARUE!"
"QUACK!"
"I wonder if we'll catch a shark."
"I want to catch a sea monster."
Vivi came up behind the two, bashing them over the head. "What are you doing to Carue?!"
"Oww!"
"Quaaaack!"
Something in the distance caught Vivi's attention. "What is that…? Smoke…!"
"Whuzzat?"
"Is it cotton candy?"
"Come quick, Nami!" Vivi darted up to the galley. "There's something up ahead!"
"Oh, don't worry." The navigator waved her off. "It's nothing. Just steam."
"Just steam, from the ocean?!"
"Yes, it's a hotspot."
"What's that?"
"It's where magma come out. Down below us are underwater volcanoes."
"There are volcanoes underwater?" Chopper inquired.
"There's probably more underwater than there are on land." Aurora joined in.
"Wow!"
Luffy was disappointed. "Who cares, we can't eat it."
"In several thousand or ten thousand years… there will be a new island here."
"That's so cool, Nami~!" Sanji crooned.
"This place is amazing…"
"Yeah." Nami agreed with the princess.
"Ten thousand years… I wonder if I'll be alive then." Luffy mused.
"No, you'd die." Usopp shot him down, the two boys still attempting to use Carue as bait.
"Quack!"
The ship sailed into the large cloud of steam.
"Whoa!"
"Smells like sulfur!"
"I can't see anything! Only steam!"
"I could fly ahead to see where it ends."
"Just hold on… we'll be out soon."
The Going Merry finally surfaced from the cloud of smoke. Perched on the railing, Luffy and Usopp sat with their mouths wide open. The two were gaping at something… but what?
"Quaaack!"
"WE CAUGHT AN OKAMAAAAAA!"
"Wait… what?" Aurora whipped her head in their direction, not sure she heard them right.
"OH NOOOOOOOOOOO!" a voice cried out. "How did I get stuck… on this weird giant duck?!"
There was silence… and then a splash.
"Thank you very much. You are swanderful people."
Aurora eyed the stranger warily. He was certainly unlike anyone she'd ever met before. The tall, lithe male was a cross dresser, swathed in ballet clothes with a swan theme. He wore a pink overcoat, adorned with swans on each shoulder and wings on the back, and blue medieval clothes. He sported heavy makeup on his face and a distinct wide grin. His legs, being exposed, were hairy.
"My life has been saved by pirates that I do not even know. I will never forget this. Might I have a warm cup of soup?"
"NOO! We're hungry too!" the boys roared.
"Ooooh!" the man took notice of Vivi. "Well, aren't you a cutie! I'd like to gobble you right up!"
"Ugh…" the princess cringed. 'What a weirdo…'
Aurora, who was also keeping her distance, shuffled closer to Vivi. She laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The blue-haired girl said nothing, merely smiling in thanks. She didn't want to draw the okama's attention back to herself.
"Hehe, so you can't swim either." Luffy laughed at the man's misfortune.
"Yes. I ate a devil fruit."
"Really?! What kind?" Usopp was curious.
"Yes, well, I must wait for my ship to come back anyways. So I might as well put on a show." He stood up. "This is my power!"
"Boof!" Luffy grunted, the okama having slammed his open palm into the straw-hat captain's face.
"LUFFY!"
Zoro reached for his swords. "What are you…?!"
Aurora stiffened, the slightest bit of power forming at her fingertips.
"Waaait, waaaait, waaait! I told you this was my show!"
"Wha…?!" Zoro froze, sword halfway unsheathed.
"Stoooop joking aroouuuuuund!" the okama drawled, Luffy's face now in place of his.
Luffy couldn't believe it. "Huh? It's me!"
"They're identical!"
"Surprised?! Surprised?!" Even his voice matched Luffy's. "Gaaaahahahahaha!" The okama touched a hand to his face and it reverted back to normal. "Touch my left hand and it goes back to normal. This is the power of the Mane Mane no Mi!"
"The voice…"
"Even the physique is the same…!"
"Whoa! Cooooooool!" Luffy was amazed.
The okama went down the line, touching Nami, Usopp, Zoro and Chopper's faces. "Well, it's not necessary to punch you for it to work." He switched to Usopp. "If I just touch your face…" Now Zoro. "With my right hand…" Chopper was next. "I can imitate anyone…" Nami was last. "Just like this!" He opened his shirt. "And your bodies, too."
The boys gaped.
Nami punched the okama in fury. "Stop it!"
"Ouchie!"
Aurora was deeply disturbed. "He better not come up here. If he even thinks about copying me…"
Vivi gripped the angel's hand. "Don't worry. The boys are keeping his attention. I think we're safe."
"I'm so sorry, but that's all I can show you-"
"You're awesome!"
"Do some more!"
"Veeeeeeery well!" the okama danced, egged on by the boys. "I've also got a perfect memory!"
"Yeaaahh!"
He began to transition between various faces. "Every face I've ever touched! I never forget a single one."
"Wha…?" Vivi jerked, recognizing one of the faces. Aurora glanced at the princess in concern.
"Ridiculous…" Zoro grumbled, not at all amused by the display.
"How do you like my super-special talent?! I usually never show this to people!"
"COOOOOOOOOOL!"
The boys and the okama formed a chorus line. "Stoooop joking arooooouuuuuund! Stoooooop joking arooooouuuuuund!"
"Someone kill them." Nami had had enough. "Hey! There's a ship coming this way. Is it yours?"
"Oh me my me!" he jumped onto the railing. "Is it time to leave already?! Too bad."
"Awwwwwwwwww!"
"Do no be sad, my babies! Separation is inevitable! Never forget me!" He glanced back, giving a thumbs up. "Length of time means nothing… to true friendship!"
"We'll see you again!"
The okama jumped onto his ship. "Let's go, lovelies!"
"Yes sir! Mr. 2 Bon Kurei, sir!"
The pirates all froze, watching the ship sail away. "MR. 2!"
"That was… Mr. 2 Bon Kurei!" Vivi was distressed.
"Vivi! Didn't you recognize his face?!"
The princess fell to her knees. "No… I've never met Mr. 2 or the Mr. 1 pair. I didn't know that he had any powers either!"
Aurora crouched down, putting an arm around the upset girl's shoulders. "Don't blame yourself. You weren't high up enough in the organization to be privy to that kind of information."
"… But I did hear rumors about him…" Vivi piped up. "That he was a huge okama, talked like an okama, wore a swan coat which had "Okama Way" written on his back…"
"You should've noticed." The boys were quick to judge. Aurora glared, silently telling them to cut it out.
"One of those past faces he showed off from memory… was my father's…!" Vivi shook. "What in the world… will he use my father's face to do…?!"
"Well, if you got to be ruler… he could definitely do some bad things with it…" Zoro pointed out.
Usopp crossed his arms. "We just let a really dangerous guy get away."
"He was an enemy…?" Chopper didn't fully understand.
"Well… he will be dangerous if he turns into an enemy…!" Nami got straight to the point. "Assuming he finds out we're his enemies…!"
"He didn't know just now… but he's bound to find out sooner or later." Aurora spoke the truth. It wouldn't be long before Mr. 2 realized just whom he'd run into.
"If he uses his memory to turn into one of us… we won't be able to trust each other."
"Huh? Really?"
"Listen, Luffy…" Nami started up again.
Zoro clapped a hand on his captain's shoulder. "Wait a minute. She may have a point, but there's no need to be afraid of him." The swordsman smirked. "I think we're lucky that we met him. Now we can use counter-measures."
"MEOWWWWWW!" a sea cat emerged from beneath the water.
"What is that?!"
"A sea cat!"
"UWAAAUGH!"
"A SEA MONSTER!"
Zoro sprang to his feet, swords at the ready. "Our first meal in four days!"
"Food!" Luffy popped up next to the swordsman.
"Direction… check." Nami checked the log pose. "I hope we get there soon…"
"FOOOOD!" Luffy was delirious with hunger.
"No, it's retreating!"
"Put the ship in reverse!"
"You can't do that!"
Sanji burst onto the scene. "Don't let it get away! Make sure you kill it!"
"NOO!" Vivi suddenly appeared, taking the three down with a large mace. Aurora sweatdropped, frightened by the princess' violent behavior and also wondering where she'd gotten the mace from.
The sea cat swam away.
"W… What's wrong, Vivi…?!"
"Jeez, Vivi, you asshole!"
"You can't eat it!" Vivi defended her actions. "In Alabasta, sea cats… are sacred animals."
"There sure are lots of things in the ocean." Chopper was fascinated.
Usopp cowered just behind the reindeer. "Hahahaha… you're still a k-k-kid if that kind of s-stuff s-scares you." The sniper straightened into a heroic pose. "Okay, time for me to tell you about the time I bravely fought with sea monsters on the calm belt."
"With sea monsters?!" Chopper was riveted.
"Yeah, the giant kind!"
"… Liar."
"Damn it, Aurora!"
Luffy gnawed on the railing, tears streaming down his face. "My… my food got away…"
"Don't worry. You'll be able to eat all you want soon." Vivi reassured him.
"Really?! What kind of cat will it be this time?!"
"Vivi!" Nami interjected. "The wind and temperature seem to be stabilized."
"Yes… we've entered the Alabastan climate zone. The sea cat is more proof."
"I bet those things behind us… are even more proof we're close to Alabasta."
They turned, looking in the direction the swordsman indicated. Various ships dotted the horizon. Each sail was emblazoned with a very familiar sign.
"SHIPS!"
"Look at all those ships! When did they-?!"
"Hey, they all have the Baroque Works signs on them!"
"All the members are coming together…!"
"Those are probably the "Billions"!" Vivi guessed. "Servants of the officer agents…"
"200 of them will be tough…" Nami stated.
"And these are different from the 200 elite bounty hunters Baroque Works hired for Whiskey Peak!"
"All right…! L-Let's shoot 'em with the cannon now!" Usopp decided.
"No, it would be faster just to go over and kick their asses!" Luffy halted the sniper's actions. "No wait, I need to eat first!"
"Neither of those is a good idea!" Aurora placed her hands on her hips. "We can't risk getting into a fight now."
Zoro scoffed. "Stop worrying. They're nothing!"
"Yeah!" Sanji agreed. "All is lost if we lose sight of our true objective. There's only 9 of us."
"Tie them on tight. Our enemies have plenty of mysteries."
Zoro knotted some white bandages around his arm. Not that far away, Chopper did the same for Luffy. Vivi, Nami and Aurora were in a circle, the girls taking care of each other's new accessory.
"I see. As long as we can see these, we don't need to doubt one another." Nami was impressed by the swordsman's plan.
"Does he really look like us that much?" Sanji asked, tightening the bandages on his arm. "When he does his Mane Mane no Mi thing…"
"He doesn't look like us. He is us." Usopp explained. "Too bad, you really should have seen it! We were even dancing."
"I'm not interested in okamas."
"Now that we know he's among the enemy… we can't allow for any careless individual actions!"
"Zoro's right. We need to be careful." Aurora agreed.
"Hey, what should I do?!"
"Just do what you can, nothing else." Usopp told the reindeer. "Run away from enemies you can't beat! Just do your best!"
"You're just telling that to yourself." Sanji muttered, tightening the bandages wrapped around Carue's wing.
"Quack!"
"What I can do… got it!" Chopper took the advice to heart.
"We're coming up to the harbor. Let's stop in that inlet to the west. We have to hide the ship."
Luffy held out his arm. "Okay! Whatever happens from now on, this left arm…"
The others held their left arms up, forming a circle.
"Is proof of friendship. Now… let's get onto dry land!" Luffy paused. "TO A RESTAURANT! Then Alabasta."
"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT!"
Alabasta Port Town, Nanohana…
"RESTAURANT!"
"Wait a minute!"
But it was too late. Luffy had already run off. His desire for food had won out. Now his crew was left to find him… before he got into any trouble.
"What should we do? Nanohana is a large town. It'll be very hard to search for Luffy!" Vivi was worried.
"Don't worry, Vivi." Sanji soothed. "We'll just look for the noisiest spot in town. He'll be there."
"Hahaha! You got that right." Usopp agreed.
"Anyways… I wish he would pay more heed to the bounty on his head." Nami complained. "Especially in a big country like this one…!"
"Who knows what kind of trouble he'll get into when someone recognizes him."
"See?! Aurora gets it!" Nami was happy that someone understood her point of view.
"Just let Luffy take care of himself." Zoro didn't seem all that concerned. "Let's go eat. We can think things through after that."
"Wait…!" Vivi noticed something hidden behind the rocks not that far away. "That's Mr. 3's ship!"
"What?!"
"Hold on… you mean he's not dead…?!" Usopp couldn't believe it.
"Quack…"
"That ship can only move through the power of the Doru Doru no Mi… he must be in the kingdom…"
Nanonhana, Town Limits…
"It's gorgeous! I really like it!" Nami gushed over her new attire.
"I hate to complain, when you asked us to wear these, but… Sanji these make us look more like dancers than normal citizens!" Vivi blushed, embarrassed by the revealing clothing. She was used to wearing something more modest.
"That's okay! Dancers are citizens!" Sanji was enjoying the display. "It's okay as long as they don't find out you ladies are a princess and pirate, right?"
The girls certainly didn't look the part anymore. Nami's outfit consisted of a blue and purple halter top with a pink shroud and long white skirt with the top part blue. Her hair was thrown up and various pieces of jewelry adormed her body. Vivi, meanwhile, wore a purple and pink top with a white shroud and a long light blue skirt with a purple/pink fabric flap over it. Unlike Nami, she wore far less jewelry.
"Hmm?" Nami glanced back to where they'd changed, noticing the absence of one particular person. "Aurora? Aren't you dressed yet?"
"… I'd rather not wear this."
Nami fully turned, hands on her hips. "Aurora, we have to blend in. I know it's not your usual style, but just suck it up and put the clothes on!"
"Absolutely not!"
"Oh, come on! Vivi's as conservative as you and she's wearing her outfit."
The princess attempted to diffuse the tension. "Nami, let's not push her…"
"I don't care! I am not wearing this!"
Nami began to march over to where the angel was hidden. "If you don't start getting dressed in the next 10 seconds, I will come back there and do it myself!"
"… You wouldn't dare."
"Try me!" Nami growled, poking her head around the corner.
Aurora yelped, shoving her away. "Ok! Ok! I'll change! Just… give me some privacy."
"Atta girl." Nami grinned in triumph, sashaying away.
A few minutes later, Aurora poked her head out. "Could I have something else to cover up with?"
Nami clucked in disapproval, yanking the angel out of her hiding spot. "Just show us already!"
Aurora blushed, attempting to cover herself with her arms and subconsciously tugging at her new clothing. Her dancer outfit consisted of a lavender and pink top, a sky blue shroud adorning her frame. Her skirt was a much paler blue, almost white, and had a purple/pink sash draped around it. Small circular ornamental pieces decorated the waistline. Her hair was thrown up in a tight bun, one long strand falling over the left side of her face. To complete the look, the angel had on a simple gold bracelet, a gold armband, gold earrings and her necklace.
"I don't see what the big deal is. You look great!" Nami grinned, holding the angel by the shoulders.
Aurora shrugged her off, pulling the shroud tightly around her body and attepting to ignore Sanji's fawning in the background. Vivi came over, laying a hand on her shoulder. She gave the angel a tentative smile, shifting awkwardly in place. The gesture was reassuring, allowing Aurora to know that Vivi was just as uncomfortable as she was.
"By the way, Sanji…" Vivi drew the cook's attention. "Walking through the desert will be a little…"
"If you get tired, I'll carry you!" he cooed, laughing pervertedly. He proceeded to turn to the others. "Even if you guys are camouflaged not to look like pirates… compared to the girls, you still look like bandits!"
"How are you any different?" Zoro growled, busily stuffing his face with food.
"Huh? Whatcha doin', Chopper?" Usopp asked the reindeer between bites.
The small human/animal hybrid was lying on the ground, clutching his nose and looked to almost be in pain. "My nose is going to fall off."
"Your nose must be sensitive. Nanohana is famous for perfume." Vivi figured out what was wrong.
Chopper whined. "Perfume?"
"There are extremely powerful ingredients in it…"
"Like this?" Nami sprayed a bottle of perfume on herself.
"AAAAH! Stop it, stop it!"
"Aaaaa, I'll fall in love all the way to the gates of hell!"
Aurora swiped the perfume away from Nami, ignoring the navigator's protests. She chucked it as far away as she could.
"Can you get any dumber?" Zoro directed his question at the cook.
"What?!"
Aurora sighed, diverting the cook's attention. "Sanji, you got all the supplies we needed, right?"
"Yeah, I've collected up the materials needed to make a journey through the Alabastan desert…" He turned to the blue-haired princess. "Where are we going, Vivi?"
"Well… first and foremost, I want to stop the rebellion! We don't know when they might rise up and cause needless bloodshed. And the base of the rebellion, where the leader lives… is an oasis town called Yuba." She answered. "To go to Yuba, we-"
Vivi was cut off by Zoro yanking her by the arm. "Wait, hide!"
"Wha-"
"Marines." Came the response. "Why are they here…?!"
Usopp poked his head around the wall, Aurora joining in. Zoro continued to closely watch the Marines. There was a large group of them. They seemed to be chasing someone.
"Did they find a pirate or something?"
Further investigation showed that they were indeed chasing a pirate. But the pirate in question… was…
'NOT YOU!' they all had the same collective thought.
"Hey! Zoro!" Luffy saw the swordsman.
He ducked behind the wall. "What the?!"
"There's the Straw Hat crew!"
"Come back once you've lost them, you idiot!" the boys tried to deter Luffy.
"Oh! You're all here!" Luffy finally took notice of the rest of the crew.
"Get back, men!"
"Captain!"
"You're not getting away!" Smoker was on Luffy's tail. His arm transitioned into smoke, aimed directly at the Straw Hat captain. "WHITE BLOW!"
"HEAT HAZE!" A stream of fire shot out of nowhere, blocking the attack.
"What do you want?" Smoker seemed to recognize the newcomer.
"Cut it out. You may be smoke, but I'm fire. Your powers don't stand a chance against mine."
"Who is that…?!"
The man standing before them looked remarkably similar to Luffy, only taller and more muscular with chilidish freckles on his face. On his back, which was facing them, was a tattoo of the Whitebeard symbol. Another tattoo was on his left bicep, spelling out ASCE. He wore black boots, black knee-length shorts with an eyelet-studded orange belt, and a blue pouch belted around his left leg. He also wore a short second belt with a large red "A" on the silver buckle over his right hip, but left it unfastened and threaded the free end along the back of his shorts. A dagger in a green sheath hung at his left hip. On his left arm, he wore a Log Pose and a red and white striped bracelet around his wrist, and an orange elbow guard. He wore a red beaded necklace and an orange hat with two blue smileys, one frowning and one smiling, and a string of red beads sitting above the rim. Two long orange side straps hung down sides of his hat and met at a large medallion of a bull's skull with orange tassels.
"Ace…?!" Luffy seemed to know the man.
He grinned. "You haven't changed a bit… Luffy. Well, we can't talk like this. You guys run, I'll catch up to you. I need to stay here and stop these guys for you."
"GO! LET'S GO!" Luffy ordered, heading in the direction of the Going Merry.
"Huh?! Who is that?!" Nami demanded to know.
Aurora grabbed some of the supplies, hustling the navigator along. "We can talk to Luffy about it later! Right now we need to go!"
"We need to get on the ship!" Vivi dragged a bag of supplies along, her trusty duck not far behind.
"Get on the ship?! Are we leaving the island?!" Usopp was terrified and confused.
"No, we're going up the river… then into the desert! We only came to Nanohana to get crucial supplies!" the princess explained.
"Hurry, hurry, the marines are coming!"
"Get on and raise the anchor!"
Luffy ran backwards, barrel balanced atop his head and bag in hand. "Man! I never thought I'd meet Ace here!"
"Luffy!" Usopp called to his captain. "Get on, already!"
"Okay."
"Wait, Carue!" Vivi stopped her companion from getting onboard. "I have an extremely important job that only you can do!"
"Quack?!"
"Go North to Alubarna and give this letter to my father! This is Crocodile and Baroque Works conspiracy. Igaram and I researched it all. Everything's spelled out plain and clear." She handed the duck the piece of paper. "And tell him I'm alive and in Alabasta with a group of strong-willed friends. Can you do that? You have to cross the desert alone."
"Quack!"
"Okay! Conserve you water in the desert. Now, go tell my father! That we can save this country!"
"QUACK!" Carue darted away, chugging water from the small barrel around his neck.
Vivi yelled after him in exasperation. "Conserve your water!"
"YOU TOO!" Sanji shouted, kicking Luffy in the back of the head.
The straw hat captain was rapidly chugging an entire barrel of water, the cook's assault the only thing that stopped him.
Usopp wailed. "You idiot! Our precious water!"
"BROTHER?! That guy back there… was your brother?!"
Luffy nodded. "Yup, he's my brother."
"Well, I'm not surprised you have a brother." Zoro took it all in stride. "But why is he here in the Grand Line?"
"He's a pirate. He's looking for the One Piece." Luffy answered. "Ace is 3 years older than me. So he left the island 3 years earlier."
"What are the odds of the both of you eating devil fruits…?" Sanji wondered.
"I know, I was surprised too! Hahaha! He hasn't eaten one before. Even then, I could never beat him in a fight. Ace is really strong!"
"Not even once…? Against a regular human?!" Nami couldn't belive it.
"The monster's brother must be on hell of a monster."
"Yeah, I always got my ass kicked! Dahahahaha! But I could beat him now!"
"That's a groundless statement." Zoro sweatdropped.
Aurora glanced at the swordsman. "I agree. Luffy, if you couldn't beat him before he had the power of the devil fruit, then what makes you think you can now?"
"Just who…" a figure leapt up behind Luffy, landing on the railing and knocking the boy off. "Can you beat?"
"ACE!"
"Yo." Said man bowed to the other pirates. "Hey everyone, thanks for taking care of my brother."
"No kidding."
"So why are you here, Ace?" Luffy got straight to the point.
"Huh? Didn't you get my message in Drum?"
"Drum?"
"Sounds like someone forgot to relay it to us." Aurora mused. "Thought I'm not surprised, what with everything that went down."
Ace had turned his attention to the angel when she spoke. He gave her a cursory glance, gaze coming to rest on the necklace around her neck. Aurora noticed this, fighting every instinct not to reach up and cover it. It's almost like he knew what it signified.
"Ah, never mind. No biggie." Ace shrugged it off. "Anyways, I'm glad I saw you. I'm here for a silly little task. I figured I'd try to meet up with you. Luffy… will you come join the Whitebeard Pirate Crew? With your friends too, of course."
"No way."
"Ahahaha… just thought I'd ask."
Usopp began to quiver. "Whitebeard… so the mark on your back is real?"
"Yes, it's my pride and joy… Whitebeard is the greatest pirate I've ever known. I want to make him the Pirate King… not you, Luffy!"
"That's okay! I'll just fight him!"
Aurora sighed. "Fighting doesn't solve everything Luffy…"
"Huh? But it's worked so far…"
"… Never mind."
Ace smiled.
"Why don't you come inside if you want to talk?" Sanji offered. "I'll make some tea."
"Oh no, don't worry about me. This'll only take a minute. Those marines haven't come after us at all. Yeah, I threw them off track with my Mera Mera power." Ace tossed something to Luffy. "Here. I wanted to give this to you."
"Huh?"
"Always keep that with you!"
"It's a piece of paper." Luffy began to unfold it.
"Yup. That paper will let us meet again."
"Wow…"
"Don't want it?"
Luffy clutched the paper to his chest. "No… I do!"
"Having a dumb little brother… makes an older brother worry." Ace grinned. "He probably gives you lots of trouble, too. Take care of him for me…" He turned to Aurora, eyes darting from her necklace to her face. "Although I'm sure he'll be well protected… if you're what I think you are."
The berry-haired girl stiffened, fingers twitching in agitation. The others were now staring at her. They were surely going to ask questions now.
Ace jumped overboard, landing in a smaller boat tied off the side of Merry. Luffy leaned over the railing to look at his brother. "What?! You're leaving already?!"
"Yeah."
"You can chill out here a little longer! I haven't seen you in so long."
"I told you, I only came to do that." Ace chided. "I'm chasing a major criminal right now… he's been calling himself "Blackbeard" lately. But her originally used to be a member of the Whitebeard Second Corps. My subordinate. He committed the worst possible crime on a pirate ship… "crewmate-killing". I'm the commander, so I have to finish him off. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be back here in this part of the sea." Ace smirked up at Luffy. "The next time we meet… will be at the Pirates Summit."
Luffy smiled in response.
"No… no way…!" Nami held her hands to her chest. "How could someone that sensible be Luffy's brother?!"
"I was sure he'd be as irresponsible as Luffy." Usopp shared the sentiment.
Tears streamed down Chopper's face. "Brotherhood is a wonderful thing."
Zoro was trying not to copy the reindeer. "What a great guy, cares about his brother…!"
"I don't get it… the sea's a mysterious place." Sanji said.
Vivi sweatdropped. "Please, everyone…"
Aurora sighed in relief, the attention having been taken off of her. She knew it wouldn't last forever though. Once things had quieted down, she had no doubt the navigator would pull her aside and ask questions. How did so many people know what she was at just a glance? Perhaps Kureha had been right…
"SEE YOU LATER!"
"What did you get from your brother?"
"I don't know. It's a scrap of paper."
"Yeah, it's just paper. It's not a note or anything."
"What does it mean?"
Luffy shrugged. "I dunno, but Ace told me to hold onto it. So I'm gonna hold onto it! So sew it in there tight!"
Nami nodded, needle and thread in hand. "Behind the ribbon… gotcha." She finished her work, holding the hat out to Luffy. "Here you go."
"Oh!" he plopped it back on his head. "Thanks, Nami! Now I don't have to worry about it. I'll never lose it."
"How do you know that?" Usopp asked.
Vivi reappeared, clothing in hand. "Wear this, Luffy!"
"Huh?! Why? It's hot."
"You wear it because it's hot. The desert gets over 50 celsius. You'll get sunburned if your skin is exposed."
He turned to Nami and a silent Aurora. "Why are your clothes so skimpy, then?"
"We're going to wear coats, too." The navigator quipped.
"WHAAAAAT?! YOU'RE GOING TO WEAR THOSE?!" Sanji was distressed.
"Oh well, guess I better do it." Luffy walked off.
Leaning over the railing, Chopper called out. "Hey! We just rounded the side of the island!"
"No, this isn't the side of the island. This is the bank of the river Sandora." Vivi corrected. "You can see the other side off in the distance, right?"
"Oh, you're right."
"Look. This is a rough map of the area. And this is our destination! It's called "Yuba". We'll cross the Sandora then head out for it!"
"And Yuba is where the leader of the rebellion is." Zoro stated.
"So I just have to kick his ass, right?!"
"Would you stop that?!" Vivi pleaded. "I want to persuade the rebellion not to shed any more blood…!"
"A rebellion of 700,000 people? Will they stop?" Zoro was skeptical.
"Will they… stop…? We'll discover everything on the way to Yuba… exactly what Baroque Works has done to this country! Exactly what the Alabastan people have gone through! WE CAN STOP THIS SENSELESS VIOLENCE! I WON'T LET BAROQUE WORKS DO WHAT THEY WANT TO MY COUNTRY!"
"Vivi…"
"…."
"I'll make a special desert-crossing lunch for you, Vivi!"
"Whoa! This sounds exciting!"
"Sorry about that…"
"Okay Vivi!" Luffy clenched his fist. "I understand! Let's go! UPA!"
She sweatdropped. "Yuba."
"YUBA!"
"That's right."
Aurora took the scene in, still silent. After Ace's appearance earlier, she'd kept her mouth shut so as not to draw attention to herself. She knew if she did that there would be questions. The angel turned, preparing to head to the back of the ship and away from the others. It was only temporary… at least until they reached land.
A hand on her wrist stopped her. "Not so fast."
Aurora turned, her gaze falling on the navigator. Nami's mouth was set in a hard line. Her grip on the angel's wrist was tight, ensuring she couldn't escape.
Aurora blinked innocently. "Is something wrong?"
"Yeah, there's something wrong. What was that back there? What did Luffy's brother mean when he said "If you're what I think you are."? What does he think you are? Not to mention, this isn't the first time I've heard people talk about you that way.. Are you hiding something?"
Aurora frowned, not saying a word.
Nami went to speak, but another voice cut her off. "Nami?" Vivi appeared next to the duo. "I hope you don't mind, but I was wondering if I could talk to Aurora? With Baroque Works hiding out in Alabasta, I wanted to familiarize her with the terrain in case she needs to scout ahead for any danger."
The navigator frowned, grudgingly releasing her grip on the girl. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Go right ahead."
Aurora watched Nami go, internally sighing in relief. She was out of the woods, for now. A hand landed gently on her back, steering the angel towards the door leading to the women's room below deck. She let the princess guide her, warily watching as she locked them in.
"We're not down here to talk about scouting expeditions, are we?"
"I know what you are."
Aurora tensed, staring at the princess' back.
Vivi turned, sending a gentle smile in the angel's direction. "I first suspected when Mr. Dory and Mr. Broggy said something. Then, Miss All-Sunday hinted at it. Mr. Dalton even pointed it out. Luffy's brother commenting on it just now further confirmed my suspicions. Not to mention, the way you react each time." Vivi paused, staring straight into the girl's eyes. "You're a true angel, aren't you?"
Aurora tried not to react, but she couldn't help the way her eyes widened or how she suddenly lost the ability to breathe. Her mouth was agape in shock. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard, a ringing starting up in her ears.
Vivi cautiously walked over, resting her hands on the girl's shoulders. "Don't worry. I'm not going to tell the others. I'm sure you have your reasons for keeping this secret."
Aurora forced herself to breathe evenly. She didn't need to have a meltdown in front of the other girl. That would just cause her to worry. She needed to try and speak. The berry-haired girl opened her mouth, ready to deny the princess' claim.
Vivi cut her off. "Please, don't try to deny it."
Aurora swallowed, her every instinct telling her to continue the charade. To deny any and all claims. But… she knew it was wrong. Her holy powers screamed at her, wanting her to admit the truth. Lies blackened the soul. To keep them up would lead her down a dark path. Lies would lead to questionable actions to protect her secret and from there she'd just dig herself into a deeper hole. She didn't want to go down that path. She didn't want to become… fallen.
"H… How do you… know… about my kind?"
Vivi smiled, happy with the breakthrough. "My mother and father. They used to tell me stories about these beings called "true angels". They told me they walked amongst us under the guise of being human. That they were sent from heaven above to maintain the balance between light and dark in this world." The princess reached out, carefully holding Aurora's necklace in her palm. "True angels were said to be identifiable by a special pendant they wore. It was always a small gem, bright yellow in color." Vivi released the necklace. "The older I got, the less I believed the stories. I just thought they were fairytales meant to help me fall asleep. But now… I can see there was some truth behind those stories. The proof is standing right in front of me."
"… I used to think that everyone viewed them as fairytales." Aurora began quietly. "That no one would ever realize what I truly was. But… ever since we entered the Grand Line, I've been proven wrong time and time again. Dr. Kureha was right. Anyone who's anyone knows that angels exist…"
Vivi blinked in surprise. "Doctorine knew what you were?"
Aurora snorted."I shouldn't have been surprised considering how long she's been alive. She even made a comment about meeting another angel a long time ago." Aurora sighed. "Doctorine said she'd keep my secret… but then… she asked me how long I thought I could keep it up?"
"Why do you? Nami's already starting to suspect and it won't be long before the others notice."
"… It would change things." Aurora admitted. "True angels are known as these all powerful beings, sent by God to right the wrongs in the world and keep the darkness from taking over. In ancient times, humans used to worship my kind! If the others knew what I was, they would treat me differently." Aurora swallowed, a lump forming in her throat as unbidden memories came to mind. "I've already been through that once. I don't want it to happen again. I… I don't want to be taken advantage of."
Arms twined around the angel's body, Vivi hugging the girl tightly to her. "They would never do that! These people are your friends, Aurora. I see how much they care for you. It doesn't matter who or what you are. The others will treat you the same way they always have. As a friend… as family."
Aurora clung to the princess, head buried in her shoulder. Muffled sobs echoed throughout the room, the dam finally having burst. Vivi said nothing, merely stroking the angel's hair in a soothing manner. Aurora had kept this secret close to her chest. To tell someone about it, even just a little bit… it was like having a weight lifted off of her shoulders.
"Someone wronged you in the past. They must have done something terrible to make you so guarded about your identity."
Aurora hiccupped. "Yeah… they did."
"What did they do to you?"
The angel pulled away, rubbing her eyes. "If it's alright with you, that's one secret I'm not quite ready to discuss. I don't know if I'll ever be ready."
"… Ok." Vivi acquiesced. "Your secret's safe with me. I'll let you tell the others in your own time."
"Thanks."
Vivi smiled, attempting to brighten the atmosphere in the room. "Now, perhaps we should do what I told Nami we were going to do. She'll be even more suspicious if we go back up top without having discussed anything about Alabasta's terrain."
Aurora smiled in return. "Sounds like a plan."
"The "plan" will begin at 7:00 AM, two days from now. Have you made all the arrangements?"
"Yes, I have…" Miss All Sunday answered her boss and partner. "150 of the billions are on standby in Nanohana. I called back Mr. 2 as well. It seems Mr. 3 wasn't caught."
"No, he's just lurking somewhere in Alabasta." A voice rumbled, a dark figure descending the staircase.
It was a young man, tall and fit with haunting red eyes. He had short black hair, bangs draped over his right eye and a piercing going through his left brow. He wore a long black vest that was left open, the edges ripped and jagged. His chest was visible for all to see. To complete the look, he donned black pants and boots that had a red tint in certain light. But the most noteworthy piece of his ensemble was the circular, silver ring attached to a chain around his neck.
Miss Sunday smirked. "Kai… I was beginning to wonder where you'd gotten off to."
The man, Kai, flopped down next to his companion on the couch she was perched upon. "Oh, you know… just doing my usual reconnaissance. Found Mr. 3's ship docked at the edge of Nanohana. Haven't managed to find him though."
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Miss Sunday waved him off.
Kai raised a brow, smirking. "You sure about that?"
"... What do you mean?"
"Now see… that's the funny part. Those Straw Hat pirates you told me about, Nico… their ship was anchored not that far from Mr. 3's."
Crocodile whirled around. "What?! They're alive?!"
"But Mr. 3 reported that he had killed them all."
Kai shrugged. "Obviously he was lying. Probably did it to save his own skin. The man may not be very strong, but he is smart. He knew that if he told you the Straw Hats and Vivi got away that you'd send someone to kill him."
"But Mr. 2 was sent to kill him for falsifying a report anyway." Miss Sunday chimed. "He claimed to have killed them all and then was attacked during the call. Said one of the pirates wasn't dead like he thought, but that he'd taken care of it."
"Maybe it was the Unluckies?" Kai pondered, gauging Crocodile's anger. "Perhaps when they got there they discovered the ruse and went after Mr. 3 themselves? It would explain why they haven't returned, eh, Nico?"
"What have I told you about using real names instead of code names?" she chided.
"It's just the three of us. Who cares? We all know who the other really is. Hell, I don't even have a code name! I just go by my own."
"Because we're the only ones who know you even exist." Crocodile pointed out, seemingly having calmed down... for the moment.
"Well, that was the plan." Kai stated wryly. "Nico acts in your stead, giving orders to the other members while you parade around as Alabasta's hero. Meanwhile, I work behind the scenes, fanning the flames of violence and making sure everything unfolds according to plan. Need I remind you that I'm part of the reason why the people distrust the king and formed a rebellion?"
Crocodile fully turned to face the younger man. "Causing chaos is a fallen angel's strong suit. That's why I agreed to let you stay on at Nico Robin's suggestion. Your efforts proved to be more fruitful than I expected."
"Hiding in the shadows, going virtually undetected by the world's population... You could probably throw the World Government into disarray if you wanted to."
"Aw, Nico! Stop! You're making me blush. I mean, I'm good, but I'm not that good… yet."
"And you might not be, if that little cutie of an angel senses your presence."
"I still can't believe you came across a true angel." Kai stated, glancing sideways at his companion. "And with a pirate crew, of all things!"
"It did seem a bit odd… but it would appear that they have no idea what she truly is."
"Still doesn't explain why she's traveling with them. She's the embodiment of good and light. Why on earth would she associate with a band of pirates?"
"True angels are able to see the good in people." Crocodile piped up, having been initially silent. "There must be something about those pirates… if she and the princess are willing to trust them."
Kai scoffed. "Whatever. All I know is, if she gets in my way, she's goin' down."
"Yes, yes, of course." Robin patted him on the head. "Now, back to the matter at hand. All the officer agents will be meeting soon. Spiders Café, 8 o'clock, tonight."
"Hmm… that's fine."
She glanced at the clock. "It's past 5 already. I suppose they're probably arriving now."
Later that night…
"They should be heading here… to Rainbase, about now. I sent Banchi to go pick them up… they should be here in the morning."
"What about the message for the billions in Nanohana?"
"Since the Unluckies are more than likely out of commission, I dispatched a substitution. The "Elimaki Runners"…"
"I see… very well."
"WE MADE IT! YUBA!" Luffy was excited. "Wait a minute. There's nothing here!" He turned to Vivi. "Let's look for the leader! Where is he?!"
"No, Luffy, this isn't Yuba yet. We still have to walk Northwest through the desert for half a day."
Usopp squawked. "Half a day?!"
"She's right." Aurora glanced over Vivi's shoulder, having studied up on the terrain. "Look at the map."
"We crossed the Sandora River and we just landed her at Erumalu, the "Green Town"." Vivi pointed out their current location.
"Green Town?" Luffy was confused. "But there's nothing green around here!"
"No, not anymore…"
A splash caught their attention. Just off the coast, a creature had surfaced, not too far from where Usopp stood. It appeared to be a type of dugong.
"WHOA, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT, A TURTLE?!"
"Kuo!" it punched a fist in the air.
"A SEAL?!"
"A Kung Fu Dugong!" Vivi recognized the creature.
"Kung Fu?" the sniper mimicked the dugong's actions.
"No, Usopp, get away from it!" the warning came too late, the sniper having been knocked out. "They're strong."
"OWWW!"
Zoro sweatdropped. "You lost."
"We have a winner over here…" Nami pointed to Luffy, who'd taken the dugong out.
"DON'T BEAT THEM EITHER!"
"I feel like we're missing something here…" Aurora eyed the princess.
"It's Kung Fu Dugong law that the loser of a fight becomes the winner's student."
"Kuo." The dugong bowed to Luffy in respect.
"They're martial artists, then." Zoro realized.
"KUO!"
"No, the stance goes like this!" Luffy was instructing the large group of dugongs that had appeared.
"HOW DID YOU GET SO MANY?!" Vivi couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"When did he beat them all?" Aurora wondered, not having even seen the Straw Hat captain fight any other dugongs. She shook her head, wading through the sea of dugong. "Luffy, playtime's over. We need to go."
"Aww! Do we have to?"
"We have to stop Crocodile, remember?"
He blinked, remembering the purpose of their trip. "Right! I just need to kick his ass!"
Aurora sighed, nudging the boy along. "Yes, Luffy. You can kick his ass… after we stop the rebellion."
The angel continued to nudge her captain along, pausing when she heard shuffling behind her. Aurora glanced back, the dugongs a few feet behind. She continued to guide Luffy forward, the shuffling starting up again. She whirled around, the dugongs halting in their approach.
Aurora sweatdropped. "Are they… following us?"
"They're Luffy's students now. They're going to follow him wherever he goes." Vivi turned to the boy. "This is why I didn't want you fighting them."
An idea came to Aurora. "Chopper? You can speak to other animals, right? Maybe you could convince them to stay here."
A few minutes and a load of food later, the Straw Hat pirates were on their way.
The dugons waved goodbye. "Kuooo."
"Now, let's go to Yuba!"
"You wasted almost all of our food!" Sanji was irate.
Nami was just as angry. "If Chopper hadn't talked them out of it, we'd be in major trouble!"
"Yeah, they kept saying, "We'll go with you"… I had to give them our food to keep them away."
"Why don't we take them along?" Luffy didn't understand.
"We can't get into any towns with that many trailing along!" Nami seethed. "You idiot!"
"The dugongs in this country are pretty weird, Vivi." Sanji commented. "They live in the river?"
"… No, the ocean." She answered. "Ever since ancient times, the Sandora River has sustained this country. But lately, the river has lost the force it once had. And now it's being pushed back by the sea, downstream."
"Then the water those dugongs live in is…"
"Salt water. Can't use it on fields or drink it."
"Is that why this village dried up?" Zoro asked.
"No. They collected water on the rare occasions when it rained, and the town survived off of that, most of the time. Up until recently, this town was a lively place, full of green plants."
"This place…?"
Luffy stopped to pick up a skull, Chopper frightened by the sight.
"However… in the past three years, not a single drop of rain has fallen in the entire country…"
"Three years?" Aurora hummed. "That's… unnatural. Even deserts get rain every now and then."
"Is that port town going to be okay?" Chopper seemed concerned.
"Nanohana gets its water supply from the oasis at Katorea, so they're safe." Vivi replied. "Even in Alabasta, no rainfall has ever been something to worry about, for thousands of years… but there was always one place that got more rain than anywhere else. The capital, Alubarna. The city built around the King's palace. People called it the "King's Miracle". At least, they did up until that day…"
2 Years Ago… Port Town, Nanohana
"Let down the cargo!"
Large sacks were loaded onto a cart, several men grabbing hold of the handles and pulling their load along.
*CRACK!*
"Look out!"
"You'll be crushed!"
"Jump out of the way!"
The load was too heavy, a wheel having broken and the cargo spilling out onto the ground.
"Hey, are you okay?!"
"Are you injured?!"
One man sat up, alarmed. "Oh! Oh, crap! We're in trouble now! We have to deliver this to King Cobra in Alubarna!"
A bystander knelt down. "What the heck is it?"
"It's green powder!"
"Uh… um… we… we don't know! W-We're just actiong on the king's orders… we're just transporting it…! We're deliverymen!"
The men had slowly crawled away from the scene of the accident, suddenly jumping up and sprinting away.
"R… Run for it!"
The kneeling man scooped up the green substance. "This is… Dance Powder!"
"What?!"
"It was dance powder…?!"
"Yes."
"Hey." Luffy turned to Nami. "You know what that is?"
"It's also known as "powder that summons rain"."
"Powder that summons rain?!"
"It was created by some country with no rain, long ago." Nami began.
"Right, right."
"The powder emits a mist-like smoke that rises up into the air. It speeds up the creation of ice particles in sub-freezing temperature clouds and causes rainfall. Basically, it's a powder that makes artificial rain."
"Ahaaaa, so it's a "mystery powder"." Luffy concluded.
"It makes rain." Zoro chimed in.
"Huh? So that would make it perfect for this place, right?" Usopp questioned.
"Originally, yes. The people who created it called it Dance Powder because it made them dance with joy… but, there was a large pitfall to all this."
Aurora blinked. "Pitfall? What was wrong with it?"
"It caused droughts to countries downwind! Do you understand? Artificial rain is the process of nurturing clouds that aren't ready to rain yet. It sucks the water out of the clouds…"
"I see…!" Usopp realized what Nami was saying. "It steals rain from clouds that would mature over neighboring countries!"
"Yes… and it started a huge war. The loss of life was profound… since then, the World Governments have outlawed the manufacturing and possession of Dance Powder worldwide. A powder that brings happiness and misery at the same time…"
"That large shipment of Dance Powder appeared in Nanohana. Soon afterward, an abnormal weather pattern started, and no rain fell anywhere except for where the king was…!" Vivi relayed the tragic memory.
"It's normal to distrust the king." Zoro pointed out. "They must have thought he was using the powder to steal all the rain…"
"Dang, Vivi, your dad is evil!"
Sanji kicked Luffy in the head. "He was framed, you idiot! Vivi's father would never do such a thing!"
The princess pulled her hood down. "Now I realize that Crocodile's terrible plan was already in effect." She knelt in the sand, picking up a skull. "My father was suddenly surrounded by a scandal he had nothing to do with… somehow a large volume of Dance Powder had been brought into the palace under his nose." Vivi laid her forehead against that of the skull. "It was all a trap set up by Crocodile…! A rebellion arose… just as he planned! Towns dried up, people starved and an army of furious rebels started a bloody battle with an innocent country…! The kingdom's peace… the trust in the royal family… the rain…! The towns… and even people's lives… were all stolen. And it was done by one man… Crocodile! WHAT RIGHT DOES HE HAVE TO DO THOSE THINGS?!"
Sanji, Luffy and Usopp said nothing, moving away from the group. Aurora knelt next to Vivi, stroking her hair as she cried. It was time she returned the favor.
"I WILL NEVER…! EVER… LET HIM GET AWAY WITH THIS!"
A yard away, one of the decrepit buildings suddenly collapsed.
"Tch…" Zoro made a sound, realizing what had caused the destruction. "Stupid kids…"
The trio made their way back over.
"Hey!" Nami called out to them. "What were you doing…?!"
Luffy continued to rotate his arm. "Let's move forward already. I'm anxious, now."
