Chapter 29

Crocodile Appears

Hawke frowned as her shoulder was shaken, bringing her roughly out of sleep. She let out a groan and rolled over, trying to pull the blanket up over her head.

"Hey!" a voice whispered sharply in her ear, "Wake up!"

Hawke squinted her eyes open to see the stars still twinkling brightly above her. The fire was crackling low in its pit, casting a faint light on a face held inches from her own. What the hell?! She jerked away from the person hovering over her, rolling across the sand and springing from her blanket. Her hands flew to her jacket pockets and she had a knife out in seconds.

"Woah, woah," the man lifted his empty hands as he whispered, "Calm down, Hawke."

Hawke blinked as she recognized the orange hat and freckled cheeks. His chest was still bare, but a dark red robe covered his arms and shoulders, hiding his tattoos and dagger under its shrouds.

"Ace?" she breathed his name, not quite believing that he was standing in front of her.

But the man smiled and nodded, gesturing to one of the rocks that sat away from the fire. Hawke thought for a moment, then wrapped her cloak around her body and tiptoed across the sand. The clink of the chain around her waist was muffled by the ground and she carefully moved to its fullest extent. Crouching down behind a rock, her eyes fixed on Ace as he sat down on the sand.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, amazed that she was seeing him again so soon.

"I've done what I came here to do," he shrugged, crossing his legs and leaning back against the boulder, "I was leaving when I saw your fire and came to investigate." He gestured back to the clearing, "What have you gotten yourself into, Hawke?"

The girl blushed as his eyes fell to the chain around her waist. "I got kidnapped by Baroque Works," she admitted, "Those two are taking me to Rainbase. I think they're bringing me to Mr. 0… Sir Crocodile." She named the man when Ace gave her a blank stare.

"Hmm," he lifted a hand and scratched the back of his neck, "That's the guy Luffy wants to beat up."

Hawke nodded and leaned forward. "So you met up with Luffy?" she asked eagerly, "Where is he?"

"He was almost at Yuba when I left," Ace nodded and then pointed a finger at her nose. "It seems you forgot to mention a crucial detail when we first met," he smirked, "If I'd known you were my little sister, I'd have made sure you got out of there safely."

Hawke smiled softly and pushed his finger gently away from her face. "I wasn't truly positive myself," she lowered her eyes, "And I thought I would see you again right after leaving the restaurant."

Ace let out a chuckle and Hawke tilted her head to the side.

"So…" he motioned to her waist, "Do you want me to break that or what?"

Hawke blinked and then shook her head, earning a surprised stared from the man opposite her.

"You said Luffy had almost reached Yuba?" she asked, smiling when he nodded, "By now Vivi's convinced the rebel army to stop fighting. Luffy will be wanting to get to Crocodile next. And that's where these guys are taking me." She lifted the chain and gave it a few taps with her blade before returning the knife to her pocket. "I could break this easily. But I'm going along with it because I have no idea where I am and they have food. A thought struck her and her eyes brightened hopefully. "Do you know where Rainbase is?" she asked.

A smile lifted Ace's lips and he shook his head lightly. "Sorry, I don't. And my map got destroyed when I tussled with Smoker the other day," he sent Hawke an apologetic glance, "Well, it seems you know what you're doing. Best of luck with that."

Hawke let out a soft laugh, hiding her disappointment. "Thanks," she smiled, "But I'm winging it. I probably should just escape and try and find the crew."

Ace shook his head, "No, no," he said, "Alabasta is a big country. There are a million ways to die if you don't know where you're going. You made the right call." He gazed out over the desert, "Luffy decided to let you figure it out on your own. It was a hard decision, but he knew you'd be alright."

Hawke felt her cheeks warm and her eyes fell to the sand at her feet. She could hear the gurgling of the slow moving Sandora River a ways off in the darkness. She still wasn't sure if she was awake.

"So Luffy went to live with you, right?" she quipped, eager to know everything about this man, "He only just told me about it, but he seems to really adore you."

She looked up to see Ace's happy smile shining through the dark. "That little crybaby wouldn't leave me alone. He followed me everywhere!" he sniggered before a calm stole over his features, "But I see he's got a good crew to look after him now. I don't have to worry about him." He paused, "He really missed you, you know. He was always telling stories about you and wishing you'd come live with us."

Hawke dropped her gaze to the sand again and shook her head in embarrassment. "Oh no," she mumbled, "I hope he didn't bother you too much with those."

Ace leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. Hawke as she jerked her head up and her eyes widened.

"Far from it," the man squeezed her arm gently, warmth flowing through his fingers into her arm. "He made me really want to meet you. Don't tell him I said that though," he added hurriedly, a blush tinging his cheeks.

Hawke blinked and opened her mouth, then closed it again.

"I've got a little brother, and I wouldn't trade him for the world," Ace continued, dropping his eyes to the sand as his cheeks became redder and redder, "But I hope that, one day, you'll call me Big Bro like he calls you Sissy."

The sincere love in his words, rising in emotion as he ended his sentence, greatly confused her. She stared at him, her eyes wide as saucers. How can he love me so quickly and so easily? She couldn't understand.

A smile came back onto Ace's face as he saw her confused and curious expression. He cleared his throat, gave her wrist one last squeeze, and then stood.

"Well, since you don't want to be rescued," he sent a smirk down to her, "I guess I'll get going." He lifted a finger to his hat and bent the brim down slightly.

Hawke pushed herself up so fast that she stumbled back a few steps. The chain clinked against the rock and she froze as the figures laying by the fire shifted.

"Ace, wait," she grabbed the sleeve of his robe, "Please. I've only just met you. I want to get to know you. I want to call you my B-," her throat constricted and she gasped, "My Bi-"

Ace's finger left his hat brim and settled across her lips. "Hey," he smiled, "There's no rush. The next time we meet, you'll have plenty of stories to tell me and I'll have tons to tell you. But right now I'm on a mission and I have to move on." He stepped back and her hand fell. "It was great meeting you and seeing Luffy again. Until next time, Sissy."

And with that he abruptly turned and walked off into the night, leaving Hawke staring at his form until it disappeared into the dark horizon.

"Ace…" she whispered after him. Her voice was whisked away by a sudden wind that hissed out from the desert.

Hawke shivered and made her way slowly back to the fireside. He left so soon, she thought sadly as she wiggled back under the blanket and coiled the chain neatly in the sand beside her, I wish I had the chance to ask him more about himself.

She settled down, but her busy mind didn't let her rest until the sky began to dim and the first stars disappeared into the morning light.

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"Boy, you look like you had a rough night," Bran sniggered at Hawke's messy ponytail and bleary eyes.

She merely offered a grunt in response as she scooped a bunch of scrambled eggs his plate.

"Oi, I noticed you went for a walk last night," Tank took his own breakfast and began eating, "What were you doing over there?" he gestured to the rock she and Ace had sat behind the night before.

Hawke shrugged and started on her own plate. "I had to go to the bathroom," she muttered glumly.

Tank nodded his head and his mouth formed an "oh" shape. Hawke quickly finished her portion and lifted her gaze to the river, which could now be seen not too far from their camp.

"Are we crossing it today?" she asked, pointing to the expanse of blue and grey.

Bran raised his head to see what she was talking about.

"Yep," he said through a mouthful of egg, "Rainbase is just on the other side."

Hawke searched the water as it disappeared over the horizon but couldn't make out any land or city. "It sure is big," she muttered as she handed her plate to Tank.

She stood and stretched, trying to wake up her tired body. Try as she might she couldn't keep her eyes from straying to the horizon opposite the river; the one that had swallowed Ace during the night. You'll see him again, she reassured herself as Bran approached her, holding out the handcuffs.

"You won't be cooking any more meals," he mumbled, snapping them over her wrists and refusing to meet her gaze.

"I have to say I'm going to miss your culinary skills," Tank said as he moved past them, heading for the concealed surfers, "It'll be back to stew again tonight."

Bran sent a glare after his friend and Hawke let out a soft giggle. "You'll live," she sighed.

She watched as Tank pulled the two surfers out and pointed their bows towards the Sandora River. The large man busied himself with the leather straps, muttering about stew all the while. Hawke slowly followed Bran as he walked over to his surfer and helped him adjust the straps of his own vessel.

A welling of nervousness began bubbling in her stomach and she was having sudden doubts about her decision to stay with these men. She was being brought right into the hands of a very powerful man that she knew almost nothing about, with no plan as to what she was going to do after she met him.

Bran seemed to sense her unease. He moved to her side as she attempted to untangle two intertwined pieces of leather and took the straps from her hands.

"What's on your mind, Angel?" he asked quietly.

Hawke let out a sigh and shook her head. "Nothing," she faked a smile, "Just thinking about what's going to happen today."

A shadow crept onto Bran's face and he quickly averted his gaze. "Well, try not to let it bother you," he said, climbing into the surfer and gathering the straps in his fists, "Grab a seat. A bit of sailing will cheer any pirate up."

He motioned to the space on the floor of the vessel with a hopeful smile. Hawke paused, a spark of excitement springing to life at the prospect of being on the move again.

"Alright," she nodded and settled into the bottom of his surfer, "Let's get this over with."

As she shifted into a comfortable position, Tank's vessel drew up alongside them and he cast a smile down at her.

"Ready?" he asked, pointing towards the water, "We make our crossing and head straight into the desert until we hit the city."

Bran nodded and adjusted his grip on the sail. A distant roaring was heard approaching quickly from behind them. And then the wind picked up in a rush and the surfers shot off across the sand.

Hawke felt her spirits lifting as they drew near the vast expanse of water. The surfer skidded up one of the dunes forming the riverbank, gathering speed as it sailed upwards and crested the top. The expanse of blue stretched out before her and the wind whistled through the sail over her head. Bran let out a grunt and struggled to keep the surfer straight as they tipped over the edge and sliced downwards.

"What a wind!" he exclaimed, "I've never seen it this strong."

Hawke stretched her arms out ahead of her and grasped at the breeze as the water drew ever closer. She heard Bran laughing and her smile widened. Casting her glance to the side, she saw Tank inching ahead of them. The two surfers reached the shore. Sand met water with a lively splash and then they were skipping over the waves.

These are really handy ships, she thought, leaning out and dipping her fingers into the warm water.

"Woah!" Bran cried out sharply as the vessel listed under the shift in weight, "Keep still, Angel!"

Hawke quickly returned to her seat and cast an apologetic glance over her shoulder.

"Sorry, Bran," she shouted over the roaring wind. He sent her a happy smirk once he'd gotten the surfer back under control. His hood had blown back when they'd crested the last dune and his hair was flying wildly about his face, trying to get free of the bandana that was holding it secure. The naginata was strapped securely across his back and stuck out above his head, glinting in the morning sun. His eyes shone with excitement as he navigated across the river, riding the tops of the small waves and skimming through the swells.

Tank shouted something and Hawke saw him pointing ahead, holding the leather straps of his surfer in one fist with an ease that Bran couldn't muster. She scanned the horizon and saw a thin line of brown separating the blue of the water from the blue of the sky.

"There it is," she mumbled.

The nervousness returned as Hawke looked ahead and settled down into the hull. These were probably going to be her last moments of relative freedom for who knows how long. Since she was being kept alive, she was sure a prison cell was waiting for her at the end of this trip.

The Sandora River disappeared from beneath them in much too short a time for Hawke. The sun hadn't even reached its zenith when they crossed up the other bank with a thump and were sailing over sand once more.

Hawke had curled up slightly on the floor of Bran's surfer. Her knees brushed against her chin as they sped along. A particularly large bump threw her balance off slightly and she tilted back on her tailbone and fell lightly against Bran's legs.

"Oh sorry," she wiggled forward again.

"Hey," Bran tapped her shoulder.

Hawke craned her neck around to see him looking down at her with a concerned frown. A sudden wind blew back on the sails, slowing their speed for a moment and shoving Hawke's ponytail into her face. But the change in currents was momentary and the breeze soon righted itself. Hawke brushed her hair away from her mouth, blinking watering eyes as she tried to focus on Bran.

"What is it?" she asked when she could see again.

The man's smirk almost covered the red in his cheeks as he let out a chuckle. "Eh? Oh, nothing," he shook his head.

Hawke shrugged and turned around again. A small gasp escaped her as some shadows appeared on the horizon, drawing ever closer. She could make out spires and rooves, and a large pyramid-like structure rising above all others.

Tank appeared alongside them and pointed ahead, waving his small binoculars. "Here we are," he called over, "Rainbase."

Hawke nodded and offered an uneasy smile.

They approached the city in silence. Hawke watched as the pyramid loomed above her. A large golden statue of a crocodile sat atop the peak of the building. Well that's subtle, Hawke lifted an eyebrow.

"Is that where you're taking me?" she asked lifting her arms to point.

"Yeah," Bran grunted, "That's the Rain Diners Casino… Headquarters."

The surfer jerked a little as it began to slow. The smaller, shabby buildings of the outskirts came into clear view. Dusty side streets lined with thirsty looking palm trees seemed quite sad with the golden pyramid rising in the background.

The surfers drew up right alongside a dilapidated two story building and came to a halt. Glass from shattered windows littered the ground as Hawke alighted and stood waiting until Bran and Tank had fully hidden their ships.

Bran came over and tied the chain to her handcuffs as Tank walked to one of the empty windows and stuck his head in. Hawke heard him speaking to someone in hushed voices. Then Tank withdrew his head and joined them.

"Alright then, Angel," Tank took the chain from Bran, "I'll go first. Bran, you take the rear. Miss All Sunday will receive the transfer."

Hawke swallowed the lump that formed in her dry throat. Miss All Sunday? She remembered the top agent from her invasion of their ship after leaving Whiskey Peak.

"Awesome!" Bran let out a hushed exclamation, "We'll get to see what she actually looks like."

Tank nodded and brought his finger to his lips. "Keep quiet now. Its midday and the civilians will be everywhere."

Bran snapped his mouth shut and nodded. Then the trio, with Hawke herded in the middle, started off into Rainbase.

Once they'd got through the outskirts and into the city proper, Hawke saw that it was thriving with people and animals. There were trading pavilions, food shops, clothing stalls, auction houses, everything that a large and wealthy city could have.

Hawke eyed a large fountain as she walked past, dodging to the side to avoid water being splashed onto her robe. Isn't that a bit of a waste in a desert? She wondered as the trio entered a large plaza. Tank slowed to a halt, turning his head to search the crowds. Bran leaned forward and Hawke felt his breath on her ear.

"Hey," he suddenly whispered, "What's your name?"

Hawke blinked and turned around. Bran's face was lowered and bashful as he brushed a foot across the stones that lined the plaza floor.

"I mean," he stammered when she offered no answer, "What's your real name? You never told us…"

A smile broke onto Hawke's face and she shook her head. "Does it matter now that we're parting ways?" she asked softly.

His cheeks reddened and he shrugged his shoulders, looking away. "Not really, I guess," he mumbled.

The girl let out a low chuckle. "I kind of like the name you gave me," she whispered, causing him to jerk his head back to face her, "But if you really want to know, my name is Hawke."

The corner of Bran's lips lifted in a one sided smile. "Hehe," his hand came up to tug at the ends of his bandana, "Nice to meet you, Hawke."

The warmth rising in her cheeks suddenly drained away as Hawke caught sight of a woman over Bran's shoulder.

"There." Her voice trembled as she nodded towards the edge of the plaza.

Both men stiffened and turned to follow her cue towards the tall woman leaning against a wall opposite them. She was standing in the shade of a building, but her form could easily be seen due to the long white cloak and white cowboy hat she was wearing. Her long black hair hid most of her face, but Hawke saw the sharp outline of a nose and the flash of icy blue eyes.

"Miss All Sunday," she let out a whisper.

"How do you-?" Bran's question was cut off as Tank started forward.

"Let's go," he tugged on the chain, causing Hawke to stumble a bit.

They quickly crossed the plaza; a sense of urgency had taken hold of the two men and Hawke truly felt like a prisoner as they ushered her towards the waiting woman.

Miss All Sunday remained silent as they approached and only smiled when they stood before her. She turned and began walking away, her coat swishing at her heels as she headed down a side street. Tank and Bran exchanged glances over Hawke's head and hurried after her.

They continued to follow the agent into the center of the city until she reached a bridge arching over a small stream. Hawke looked up to see they had arrived before the golden pyramid. As Miss All Sunday crossed over the bridge, she turned away from the path and walked along the grass at the side of the structure. They continued until they rounded one corner and were confronted with a simple door. The mysterious woman knocked and the door opened. She gestured for the trio to walk through and Hawke's captors started forward.

The scout entered a brightly lit passage. The walls were a crisp, clean white and a red carpet lined the floor. Hawke was hurried forward and found herself almost immediately at a cross roads.

"You two." Miss All Sunday suddenly spoke, gesturing to the hall on the right, "I will take the prisoner. You will give a full report of all you have discovered." She held out her hand for the chain and a coy smirk lifted her lips, "Good job on making your deadline."

Hawke bit down on her lower lip as Tank handed over the chain and the men stepped away. The larger man sent an uncertain, apologetic glance at her before nodding and moving away down the hall. Bran made to follow his partner, then paused and turned back. He shoved his hand into his robes and withdrew the black blade he'd taken from her when she'd first been captured. Approaching with quick steps, he slipped the knife into one of the pockets in her robe. Hawke's eyes widened; she'd completely forgotten about him taking it.

"See ya…. Angel," he said quietly, his comforting smile offering a small amount of warmth before he turned and disappeared after Tank.

Hawke watched both of them vanish, taking her confidence and comfort with them. Their departure had happened so suddenly that she felt a momentary wave of loneliness envelope her.

Geez, she frowned and shook her head slightly, I shouldn't be getting attached to people like that.

"Let's go," Miss All Sunday's sharp voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Hawke jumped a little before stepping forward down the left hand hall, quickly following after the white robed woman. Silence hung heavy in the air, only broken by Hawke's soft footfalls and the clicking of Miss All Sunday's high heeled boots.

The agent knew exactly where she was going, taking left turns and right turns with military precision. She came to a halt so abruptly that Hawke had to jerk herself back to keep from walking right into her. Miss All Sunday let out a short chuckle and stepped forward, revealing two large and ornate doors. Turning the handle, she swung them inwards.

"After you," the woman's voice was low and sultry as she gestured into the room.

Hawke walked stiffly forward and found herself in a surprisingly large room. A wide marble staircase led away and down from the swinging doors, ending at a vast, checkerboard floor. A series of floor-to-ceiling windows lined the walls and an eerie blue light was spilling from them into the room.

A loud click sounded and Hawke's head jerked around to see Miss All Sunday closing the doors. The woman moved past her without a glance and began taking elegant steps down the staircase. A brisk tug on the chain pulled Hawke down after her.

As they neared the base of the stairs, Hawke's attention was drawn to a large cage that sat back in the shadows on the right, windowless, wall. A shiver ran down her spine but her fear was temporarily relieved when she was led instead to the large table that occupied the center of the room. High backed chairs lined the edges and a large, red, padded armed chair sat at the head of the table. And in this position of power, a figure sat tall and proud.

Hawke's breath caught in her throat as Miss All Sunday pulled out the chair at the opposite end of the table.

"Sit," she barked her order and Hawke quickly obliged.

Once she was seated, the agent stepped back, though still keeping a firm grip on the chain.

"Mister 0," Miss All Sunday nodded her head towards the man at the head of the table.

Hawke stiffened and leaned forward. So that's Crocodile? A heavy silence fell as Hawke tried to make out the features of the man sitting down the table. His shoulders were broad but their outline was blurred by the fur-lined cloak that hung around them. The man had darker skin and a large, square jaw which was tensed around the cigar he held between his teeth. His black hair was slicked back, showing a wide forehead and a large scar that marred the skin over his nose, running from one cheek to the other.

Something caught the light and Hawke's eyes were drawn down to the table, where a large golden object was resting on the wood.

"It's rude to stare," Crocodile's voice was silky and deep.

Hawke started and her eyes flew up to see him sneering at her. At that moment, the gold object moved and she realized it was attached to his hand.

"Sorry," she said quietly, lowering her gaze again.

The man let out a low grunt before shifting to sit back in his chair. Hawke could feel his eyes surveying her and struggled to stay still under his gaze. She could feel a menacing aura radiating down the table from him and was beginning to doubt her decision once again. Hey, keep your nerve, a voice snapped in her head, you're here to scout for Luffy. The Straw Hats need to know more about this guy if they're going to take him down.

She clenched her fists into her lap to strengthen her resolve. Lifting her head, she returned Crocodile's intense stare. He arched an eyebrow, seeming amused by her actions.

"So," the man casually flicked his cigar into an ashtray at his right, "You're Hawke of the Straw Hat Pirates."

The girl bowed her head slightly, unsure of how to respond to the statement.

"She's a scout and is rumoured to have aided the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, in the attack at Whiskey Peak," Miss All Sunday spoke up from behind Hawke's chair, "She was apprehended in Nanohana the day before yesterday. The billions have reported that she has the power of the Feather-Feather fruit but that she didn't give them any trouble."

Hawke stiffened and sent a fearful glance over her shoulder at the agent. She caught Miss All Sunday's hand resting on her hat, where a very small snailphone could be seen perched on the brim, muttering words into the woman's ear.

Crocodile nodded. "Good enough," he said, drawing a long breath on his cigar, "As long as Straw Hat will come looking for her."

Hawke blinked. So I'm bait? she lifted an eyebrow, well this seems a bit pointless. Luffy's coming here anyway.

A frown suddenly darkened Crocodile's features. He lifted his left arm and waved the golden object. Hawke's eyes widened as she saw that it was a large hook, and that it wasn't attached to his hand, it was his hand.

"Put her in there," he grunted, gesturing across the room, "I've got a few things to take care of before we begin. You may come back in an hour."

Miss All Sunday appeared at Hawke's side and pulled the chair back. The girl was yanked to her feet and then tugged across the room and into the large cage. She was thrust through the gate and the chain was quickly removed. Then the door was slammed on her and Miss All Sunday retreated back up the stairs. It all happened so fast that Hawke was left a little dizzy and unsure of how the woman had managed to do it all.

She took a moment to look around the prison she now found herself in. Other than a bench sticking out of the wall, the space was bare. As her gaze swept the area, the hairs on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end and her eyes snapped back to the table. Crocodile had a few papers in front of him, but the pen in his hand was immobile and his dark, cold eyes were fixed on her.

Hawke stood stiffly as she confronted his gaze, trying to decipher what was behind such an empty face. She wondered what he would do if she engaged him.

"You're one of the Seven Warlords, right?" she chanced, watching for his reaction.

A thin eyebrow was raised and he gave a disinterested grunt. "Perceptive." The sarcastic snap was all he offered.

Hawke felt her cheeks warm and she retreated from the bars. But as she sat down on the bench, she once again found the man's gaze on her. This time a probing, curious, expression moved over his face, prompting a sharp stare from Hawke. Her senses were immediately put on edge. Every second he held her gaze, the awareness grew in her mind. This man was dangerous. His eyes bore into her and Hawke felt as if he was reading her thoughts.

She dropped her gaze, yielding to the man, and tugged nervously at her jacket cuffs. She still wore the pale yellow robe that Tank had given her and was grateful for the added layer of fabric between her body and the giant of a man beyond the cage.

How could Luffy bring him down? she wondered, chancing a glance up and relaxing a bit when she saw Crocodile had resumed his writing. We may have bitten off more than we can chew here.

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So this was all the extra interaction I could squeeze in between Hawke and Ace without messing up the plot :( But I'm glad they got a little more time to connect and both they know where the other stands.

Thanks for reading! You are amazing :D