Chapter 36

The Battle Begins

Hawke kept an iron grip on Luffy's shoulders as the strange man helped her drag the rubber boy into the hut. Her vision was blurred, filled with tears she was trying hard not to shed, and her body shook as it was wracked with guilt and exhaustion.

I should have told him, why didn't I tell him? How could I forget?! How could I leave him!?

The shabby one room house was lit by a single lantern held aloft by a tall, thin man, presumably the doctor.

"Hmm," the man lifted a twiggy finger to his bare chin as he bent over Luffy, "Quite serious. Get him on the bed."

Hawke and the stranger in white hurried over to the corner and placed the raven haired boy on the sheets. Red immediately smeared over the pale fabric.

The doctor waved them away and began peeling off bloody clothes. No questions were asked and he worked in silence.

Hawke's strength left her the moment she set Luffy down. Her knees buckled and she sank to the ground, grasping weakly at her tattered cloak.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She realized it was her own voice she was hearing.

"Excuse me," the man with the purple face paint knelt down at her side with a grunt, "But who is that man?"

Hawke blinked and wiped away the tears.

"H-he's Monkey D. Luffy," she stammered, "Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates… my brother." Her shoulders shook and she was overcome once again by a wave of guilt.

"Hawke…" a weak gasp came from the bed.

The girl jumped to attention.

"Luffy!" she gasped, "Hang in there!"

The rubber boy's eyes were glazed as they focused on her.

"You have… to… help Vivi," he said slowly, his breathing low but closer to regular than it had been.

"Now, now, young man," the doctor snapped, "No talking until I've got you bandaged up."

Hawke ignored the doctor and shook her head.

"I can't leave you this time," she said, reaching out and touching his arm. She tried apologizing again but her words got caught in her throat and she only choked out a sob.

Luffy's body shifted under her fingers.

"There was... something you wa… wanted to tell me?" he panted.

Hawke's eyes widened and she quickly swallowed the dryness in her throat.

"About Crocodile," she nodded hurriedly, "You can land a hit on him if his skin gets wet."

There was a pause as the doctor tightened the wrappings around the rubber boy's chest.

"Uh," Luffy grunted, but then a smile lifted his lips, "That's good to know." The smile spread from ear to ear, "Thanks Hawke."

The scout sniffed loudly and wiped her eyes again.

"He needs rest," the doctor muttered, "The amount of blood he lost wasn't lethal despite the size of the wound. But he won't have the strength to move for a few hours."

The smile fell from Luffy's face and was replaced with a determined stare.

"You… have to help Vivi," he panted at Hawke, "There isn't enough time..."

Hawke shook her head as the doctor turned away and approached the other man.

"I can't, Luffy," the scout whispered, "I can't leave you like this."

"Hawke," his hand lifted off the sheets and grabbed feebly at her sleeve, "I'll be fine."

His words were final. An indirect order. Hawke closed her eyes for a moment and took a breath. A grunt from the man in white drew her attention. She turned to see his robes off and hanging loose around his wait and the doctor busy poking along his spine.

"If it is any consolation," the man said, "I will watch over Straw Hat and take him to Alubarna when he is well enough. I will be heading there myself."

Hawke blinked and then turned back to Luffy. Her brother was smiling drowsily up at her. She brushed the hair away from his eyes and then let out a sigh.

"Alright," she nodded slowly, "Okay…"

She squeezed his arm one more time before turning and moving to the door. As she drew alongside the doctor and the man with face paint, she paused and nodded her head.

"Thank you, sir," she said quietly, "I am in your dept… what is your name?"

The man gave her a serious stare and returned her nod.

"I am Pell, Head Guard of the King of Alabasta," he said.

Hawke tried to smile, but her lips felt like lead. Instead she nodded again and limped through the door. Without looking back, she stepped away from the doctor's hut and pulled up her hood. Her legs bent and then buckled and she tumbled to the ground.

The scout clenched her fists and dug them into the sand, spitting grains out of her mouth as she struggled to stand. Her robe shifted and something hard and hot fell against her skin. Hawke groaned and grabbed at her chest, feeling the warmth radiating from the small lump of the pearl. Looking down, she saw a black spot on her robes where the pendant lay hidden.

It won't give me any peace, she panted heavily through her teeth as she straightened her shaking legs.

"Come on," she groaned, forcing her thoughts away from the pearl and pulling strength from Luffy's words, which stayed stamped into her brain.

The second attempt was a relative success. Her wings snapped out and, after a few fumbling beats, she fluttered weakly towards the Sandora River and the desert Princess she had been ordered to protect.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hawke squinted after the Straw Hats and Eyelash as they, each riding one of the Super Sonic Duck Squad, sped off in pairs towards Alubarna.

She peeked out from the rock she and Vivi were hiding behind and watched the group disperse. A pair of hooded figures shot off to the western gate, another set of two ran towards the southwestern gate, and the last couple went straight through to the southeastern gate.

"The Agents have separated and gone after them," Hawke muttered, "Just like we hoped."

Vivi came up behind her and nodded.

"Good," she said, then lifted a hand to Hawke's shoulder, "Are you sure you're okay, Hawke-san? You could barely stand when you first met up with us."

The scout brushed the princess' hand off.

"I'm fine," she sighed irritably, "I just needed some time to rest."

She pushed off the rock she'd been leaning on and took a few shaky steps. Vivi's worried eyes followed the scout as she pulled herself onto Carue. Hawke settled and squared her shoulders before casting a defiant stare at the blue haired girl.

Vivi let out a sigh and moved to join her.

"Now we should go out towards the south," she motioned towards the sand clouds rising from the desert in that direction, "That's where the rebels are coming from."

Hawke nodded and squeezed back to give Vivi more room.

"Yes, and their forces are over two million strong," she said, "I'm not sure they'll be able to see just the two of us…"

"It's going to work," Vivi stated as Carue stepped out from behind the rock, "We can stop them. Luffy's taking care of Crocodile, we have to do the rest."

"Yeah… right," Hawke bit down hard on her lip as Carue leaned forward and, with a loud quack, jogged out into the open.

The dark haired girl cast a glance back at the western horizon, her thoughts leaping momentarily to her brother. But then she forced her mind to the task at hand. Her fingers came up to massage the still warm lump resting on her chest.

"Hey Vivi," she said, "Do you know about anything called Pluton?"

"Pluton?" the princess' shoulders rose and fell, "I've never heard of it? What is it?"

Hawke let out a sigh and shook her head.

"I don't know," she said, "But it's something that Crocodile wants. And he thinks he needs your Kingdom to get it."

Vivi's back stiffened at her words.

"Pluton…," she muttered, falling into her thoughts.

They moved on in silence until Vivi decided they were far enough out. Both girls dismounted and stood on either side of Carue, watching the dust cloud draw closer. Soon they could hear the distant thunder of hooves and the occasional ring of steel.

I can feel the ground moving, Hawke swallowed as she looked to her feet.

Vivi glanced sideways at the visibly shaking duck.

"You don't have to be here, Carue," she said gently, "You could get trampled."

But Carue shook his head with such vigor that his water jug swung around his neck. Despite her mood, Hawke smiled.

The rebels now formed a dark band over the near horizon, growing thicker and longer by the second.

"Hawke-san," the princess cleared her throat, "Maybe if you fly up high they'll be able to see you sooner."

The scout shifted nervously on her feet, hesitating to take flight for all to see. But, as Luffy's face, bruised and beaten but still smiling, flashed before her eyes, she nodded and drew out her wings. Taking a breath to gather her strength, she pulled her hood down further over her face, flexed her feathers as wide as she could and slowly began to rise.

As the yellow sand spread out before her, she could make out the silhouettes of the riders at the head of the army. Their faces covered in cloth and goggles, their hands gripping the reigns of their camels and horses, bodies bent forward, focused on the city ahead of them. Hawke shivered.

"They're coming in fast," she called down to Vivi, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow.

"We need to get their attention," the princess shouted, "Trying flying around."

Hawke flit nervously from side to side, feebly waving her arms and spinning around.

"Stop Rebel Army!" Vivi's shout barely made it up to Hawke's ears, "This fight is a set-up!"

The rumble of hooves, the clanging of swords, and the passionate shouts easily drowned out her cry. Hawke lifted her own voice, shouting with all the force she could muster.

"Stop! Please listen to us!"

The army was approaching at such a speed that they were already bearing down on the small group. Hawke could see the whites of the eyes of the people who weren't wearing goggles. The man in the lead, his black horse riding a length ahead of the crowd, was bent low over the neck of his steed. But his eyes were fixed upwards, on Hawke. She flinched at his penetrating gaze, but then relaxed slightly as the man's eyes fell to the figure on the ground. A look of shock moved over his face.

He's seen Vivi!

All at once an explosion rocked the earth below Hawke. Sand and dirt spewed upwards, carried on the strong wind. In seconds she was enveloped in swirling sand and dust, her view of the rebels completely blocked out.

"What?!" she gasped and let a bunch of sand into her mouth.

Coughing and gagging, she struggled to orient herself. Surely she was facing the rebels still. Or had she been turned around by the wind? Hawke dropped towards the ground, hoping to find Vivi.

"Stop! Please, Leader!"

That's Vivi! The storm blew the shout by Hawke's ear, making it impossible to tell where it had come from.

"Don't back down! Charge through! It's just a cloud of sand!" a man's voice was blown by her other ear.

Panic began to take hold and Hawke flew as low as she dared but still couldn't find the princess. The sounds of the rebel army were now mixing with the hissing sand. A shadow flit through the brown clouds ahead of her and Hawke sped up to meet Vivi.

But instead of the blue haired princess, she almost collided head on with a camel.

"Woah!" she swung her legs down and shot upwards, narrowly skimming the animal's nose and the head of the rider as they sped by under her and disappeared back into the sand cloud.

They're already on us?! Hawke barely had time to think before another figure burst through the sand ahead of her and she flew up higher to escape getting trampled.

"Vivi! Carue!" she shielded her face from the sand as she frantically searched for them.

The minutes ticked by as Hawke continued to almost collide with rebels and camels. Her forceful shouts were blown off her lips and frustration mounted as she failed to find her friends.

Then, as soon as it had started, the cloud of sand disappeared. The air grew still and the rumble of war moved on. Hawke stared in horror at the backs of the Rebel Army as they hurtled on towards the cliffs of Alubarna at full speed.

We couldn't stop them…

"Vivi!" Hawke dropped to the ground and ran towards the, now visible, crumpled and dirty figure of a duck that lay across the sand, "Carue, are you alright?! Where's Vivi?"

His wing shifted to reveal the princess laying on the ground underneath him. As she was exposed Vivi turned her tearful eyes to the city.

"We couldn't stop them." The distress in her voice increased ten fold when she saw her beloved steed. "Carue! You shielded me. I'm so sorry… We've done so much… but the rebellion has started."

Hawke knelt down and put a hand on Vivi's shoulder, wishing she knew what to say to encourage her. Explosions began at the base of the city, where the rebels were beginning their ascent through the southern gate.

"I'm so sorry," Vivi sniffled, her fists clenching in her lap, "But I will stop it. No matter how many times I'm brushed aside! I can't let something like this make all we've done be for nothing." Her tear streaked face lifted and she locked eyes with Hawke. "That's something I learned… aboard the ship. Not knowing when to give up!"

Hawke blinked and then a fierce glow sparked to life in her eyes.

"That's the spirit," she pulled the princess up, "We can still stop the fighting before too many people get hurt."

Carue offered a broken quack of agreement.

"Don't move," Hawke turned her attention to the injured duck, "Your wing looks broken. How are your legs? Can you stand?"

Before he could answer, the sound of approaching hoof beats drew both girls attention.

"Vivi! And Hawke! So this is where you were," Usopp, astride the back of a horse, came riding up to them.

"Usopp-san!" Vivi gasped.

"We can still make it in time," the sniper pointed towards Alubarna and then gestured to the back of the horse, "Hurry and hop on."

Hawke nodded and bent down to lift up Carue. I didn't know Usopp could ride, she thought as Carue struggled to stand.

"That bird has had it," Usopp said, "We have to hurry or the rebellion will only get worse! Hurry!"

Hawke frowned.

"Hey!" she snapped, "Why would you say such a-"

She stopped when she caught sight of Vivi's shocked face. Something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Usopp seemed unperturbed, "Hurry! This way!"

Vivi turned, stiff-backed, and lifted her face.

"Usopp-san, prove yourself," she said in a calm, quiet voice.

Prove himself? Hawke wondered, Is this man not really Usopp? How can that be?

"Oh? You doubt who I am?" the sniper sounded amused.

He thrust his arm up, letting his cloak fall back to his elbow, and proudly displayed the bandage.

"See?" he stated with a grin.

Hawke felt her heat skip a beat. She glanced down at her arm where, under her cloak and jacket lay the bandage and the marking. Vivi's eyes widened and flicked momentarily to meet hers.

It's not him!

The scout slowly lifted Carue again, letting him get unsteadily on his feet.

"We need to run," she barely moved her lips as she whispered into his ear, "Can you handle yourself?"

A low coo and slight nod was her answer. Then he let out a few soft clucks and Hawke's face darkened.

"We can't just leave you," she muttered.

"You…" Vivi's voice drew her attention upwards, "You are not Usopp-san!"

Hawke watched the man who looked like Usopp form a very un-Usopp-like expression.

"Oh dear," he lifted his left hand and tapped his face, "I wonder what gave me away."

In a split second, the man's face changed from Usopp to the makeup covered face of the okama Mr. 2.

"I thought I was perfect," he went on, "I even remembered your name." He pointed at Hawke.

The scout glared at him.

"What did you do to Usopp?!" she demanded, "What kind of power is that?"

Vivi began backing away from the man on the horse.

"He ate a devil fruit that allows him to change into anyone he touches," she said, "We ran into him while sailing here. You must have still been asleep so you didn't meet him. He's the exact reason we have our arms bandaged!"

Mr. 2 dismounted, throwing off his cloak to reveal his pink costume.

"Princess Vivi, Scout Hawke," he began pirouetting and Hawke noticed his ballet shoes, "This desert will be your… graves!"

As he spoke, his leg shot out, only missing Vivi because she dodged just in the nick of time.

"Woah he's fast," Hawke gasped as she finally got Carue steady.

The attack on his princess seemed the thing to gather his strength. The duck sprang up and forced Vivi onto his back. With a loud squawk, he shot off towards the city gates, Hawke running hot on his heels. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Mr. 2 dashing up behind them, gaining ground way faster than she'd expected.

"Keep going, Carue!" she shouted before spinning around and drawing two knives from her jacket.

"Oh?" Mr. 2 seemed pleased, "You're going to fight me, eh?"

Hawke lifted her weapons and launched one at the Baroque Works agent. The knife hit him mid-spin and sliced through one of the wings on the back of his coat.

"Hey!" he shouted, suddenly enraged, "Do you know how hard it was to make that?!" His legs began moving even faster, shooting out as he approached attack range. "I'll deal with you quickly."

But Hawke jumped up and over the agent, retrieving her thrown knife and then sweeping up from behind. She threw one blade, skimming Mr. 2's shoulder as he turned. As her enemy dodged to the side, Hawke brought her other knife down towards his abdomen. It was deflected as the man jumped up and thrust his large tutu-like shorts into her attack, causing her blade to sink into the puffy cloth and get stuck.

"Don't think you can out dance me!" Mr. 2 laughed as he pirouetted and rélevéed in aggressive circles around her

Just then, a loud series of squawks drew both their attentions and Hawke looked over the agent's shoulder to see Carue had veered away from the south gate stairs and start climbing the sheer cliffs that surrounded Alubarna.

"Stupid bird!" Mr. 2 immediately started running after them, "You'll just fall back down and die."

Hawke snatched up her knives and sprinted after the agent, arriving at the cliffs right as Carue was struggling to fly up the last few feet.

"Come on Carue!" she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted, "You can do it!"

"No, give up and fall!" the okama called.

Hawke gasped as the duck began to sink through the air. His quacks became frantic as he encouraged himself to make it.

The scout glared at Mr. 2, deciding that she couldn't afford to hide her wings from him anymore, and took off up the cliff.

"What?!" she heard him shout below her.

But Hawke was focused on the two above. As she approached the duck, she reached out her hands, pushing his butt up and over the final wall.

"There," she gave a satisfied smile before flitting up to land on said wall.

The smile immediately fell from her face. There were people locked in mortal combat all over the street they had landed at. Bullets whizzed through the air and swords were clashing mere feet in front of Vivi as she sat on Carue. Her shoulders were stiff and her head was bowed, shielding her eyes from the violence.

"We can't find Kohza in all this confusion. We'll go to the palace and find Chaka." Vivi's voice was low as she forced the words out.

Hawke blinked and nodded casting a worried glance at Carue. The duck was barely able to remain standing but he struck out headlong into the fray anyway.

Glancing over her shoulder, Hawke turned to face the oncoming Mr. 2. She was impressed that his dance moves could carry him vertically as she lifted a blade and aimed it were she anticipated his next step would fall.

Before she could release her weapon, a gunshot, followed by a sickening squawk, sounded from behind her.

"Carue!" Vivi's voice cried as Hawke turned.

As if in slow motion, her eyes found the duck. His steps were listing to the side, his body inching closer and closer to the ground. She didn't even hear the thump as he fell. Two men ran past her, oblivious to her presence and caught up in their fight.

Something hard and pointed pressed into the small of her back. Hawke's eyes widened as she heard Mr. 2.

"How stupid you are," he laughed, "Everyone knows not to turn their back during battle."

A crack, and then her body was rocketing towards the hard side of a building.

Hawke managed to bring her arms up to shield her face, preparing for the impact. Then she collided with… something firm. Something that wrapped around her waist and back as a venom filled voice spoke from above.

"How dare you strike a lady!"

Hawke blinked and lowered her hands to find herself in someone's arms.

"Sanji!" she gasped as he let her stand, "Where'd you come from?"

The chef gave her a gentle smile before stepping in front of her.

"I hope you are alright, Hawke-san," he lifted a cigarette to his mouth, "And you too Carue. You've both fought bravely. But let me take it from here."

Hawke stiffened and turned to see two other ducks standing protectively over Carue, who was laying exhausted and beaten on the ground. Relief flowed through the scout as she returned her gaze to the two men now facing off.

"You still have a rebellion to stop, right Vivi-chan?" the Straw Hat cook smirked over his shoulder.

The princess blinked and then nodded.

"Thank you, Sanji," Hawke said, retreating to Vivi's side, "Come on," she pulled the princess up, "You need to get to the palace."

"R-right!" Vivi stammered as she was pulled away from Carue, "Please take care of him," she called to the two other ducks.

"Alright, let's go," Hawke cleared her throat, "Straight to the palace."

She grabbed Vivi under her arms and threw her up into the air with all her might. The princess let out a cry as her feet left the ground. Hawke flew up in front of Vivi and grabbed her arms, looping them around her neck and settling her body between her wings.

"How's this?" the scout called over her shoulder, hovering in the air.

"I-it's incredible!" Vivi stammered.

Hawke couldn't help but smile as she oriented herself and then struck out for the castle. The sounds of war filled the city below as they moved through the sky. The scout felt the arms around her shoulders tighten.

"I'll stop this. No matter what I have to do," Vivi whispered.

Hawke felt a wetness on the back of her neck. She brought her hand up to pat the princess' arm as they circled in on the palace.

"Don't worry, Vivi. You still have us, remember."

A battlement came into view below and Vivi's finger snapped out, pointing at a large man standing among the soldiers of the Royal Army.

"There!" she gasped into Hawke's ear, "That's Chaka!"

The scout circle the area to lose some speed.

"Make way!" she shouted as she descended on the men.

Upturned faces let out surprised cries and Chaka gaped openly as she aimed for a gap in the crowd.

"Who are you?!" Spears were pointed at the two girls and they were immediately fenced in.

"What are you doing?!" Chaka shouted, "Lower your weapons! That's the princess!"

"What? Princess Vivi?"

"It's true! The princess has returned!"

"But why at a time such as this? And who is that person with her?"

Hawke stiffened and tugged her hood lower down her face as Vivi marched up to Chaka.

"You must destroy the palace!" Her sudden declaration brought on a heavy silence.

The man's jaw dropped even farther. Hawke's eyes widened. Well that would be a good distraction, she thought, but still…

"What? If we did that, then…" Chaka gaped.

"What?" Vivi cut in, "This kingdom would die? It would not! After all this place isn't Alabasta. Alabasta is the people who are fighting and hurting right now!"

Hawke stepped forward.

"Please, if we can only draw everyone's eyes over here for a few seconds then we can come up with something from there," she said.

"I swear we will!" Vivi declared, imploring Chaka to agree.

"But what are you saying, Princess?" a man on the crowd asked.

"Chaka-sama, please don't let your judgment go astray."

"The King is not present! We cannot allow you to do this on your own!"

Hawke watched as Chaka deliberated, beads of sweat covering his brow, and was surprised when he fell to one knee and bowed his head.

"Vivi-sama!" he said in a strained, but decided voice, "I will do as you say!"