Yay! This feels like a milestone for some reason :o

As always, a deep thanks to reviewers 18KmPerHour & OnePiecefan202. I appreciate you two taking the time to review :D

Everyone enjoy and let me know what you like ^_^

I do not own One Piece - that is property of Eiichiro Oda


Chapter 50: The Saviors

Andrea giggled as Chopper blushed from the attention he was getting from the palace's doctor. "Where did you learn your doctoring skills?" His hooves almost knocked over a couple vials in his surprise.

The reindeer squirmed as he was unused to so much praise so Vivi took it upon herself to answer for him. "He's an outstanding doctor from the Drum Kingdom."

The elderly doctor stroked his long, lengthy beard in amazement. "That country is really famous for its doctors! But despite me being a doctor for forty years, I don't possess such skill that you do."

The tanuki shivered with the weight of attention. "Oh you're so noisy! Don't think I like the attention so just go away but don't forget about me!" At the same time however, he wore an overly pleased expression on his face that only grew bigger when Andrea gave him some juice.

Heading over to the princess, the marine observed her watch the sleeping members of the Straw Hat crew with care. "I'm going to look around, Vivi-sama. I got that feeling." The princess bobbed her head in understanding as she learned rather quickly that the marine's feelings were oddly accurate. Andrea was glad to be out of the dancer outfit she had worn quite a bit but after cleaning it, she had packed it carefully within her bag.

Upon heading to her room, she changed out of the small dress that Vivi lent her to a new dress she had purchased. It was a white dress with a blue trim around it. There was a long slit on the left leg that went about mid thigh and would allow her to use her kicks if needed and she appreciated that the dress was sleeveless. The cleavage she did not approve of as it dipped rather low but the comments that Nami had given her about captivating the man in her life. Thinking of the admiral's eyes on her had caused a rather intense blush but she ended up buying the dress and she felt with her marine jacket, that they went together rather well. Placing said cape jacket over her dress, she walked down onto the palace steps and overheard quite the amusing conversation that the guard captain, Chaka, was having with some marines. "Do you really think I'd harbor pirates here?" he scowled at two minor marines who had gathered at the steps.

"Ah… Chaka-san. Good morning to you," she simpered playfully as she gave the Zoan a one armed hug. "And good to see some fellow marines. Would you like a tour of the reconstruction efforts?" The two of them evaluated her quietly as they had heard about her role in the recent events and they agreed to escort the 'lady' on a tour. While walking down with the two marines, she winked jokingly at Sanji and Usopp as they headed up the stairs. "Usopp-kun, let my lil bro know I'll be back later."

The two men sighed as they heard quite a commotion within the palace. "Damn, he already is awake. Things are going to get loud fast."

"I slept great!" the Straw Hat captain exclaimed happily as he looked around at his gathered crew. "Where's my hat?" he asked as he rubbed his head. Thinking for a moment, his stomach growled like a sea king. "I want breakfast. I'm starving!" He looked around even further. "Where's my sister?" He stood up on the bed dramatically while spinning on the mattress. "Where's my hat, breakfast, and Andy!" he demanded childishly.

Sanji rolled his eyes as he lit up the cigarette. "You are really noisy when you wake up. And it's way past breakfast but rather dinner time."

Holding out the trademark Straw Hat, Usopp laughed at his captain's enthusiasm. "Here's your hat. Your sis found it earlier for you."

Luffy put on the hat happily but his grin tapered slightly. "But where's my sis?"

"She had business to take care of, Luffy-san," Vivi answered with a small smile. "You really are high spirited aren't you?"

Luffy scrunched his brow in confusion. "I'm always like this. Just ask Andy whenever she gets back," the young pirate pouted.

Nami rolled her eyes as she turned a page in the book that Cobra had allowed to have. "Idiot… you had a high fever and many serious wounds and you just worry about your hat, feeding yourself, and her?"

"Psh, I worry about you all too. Thanks everyone!" he chirped happily as the door clanked open and Zoro walked in followed closely by Andrea who Sanji and Usopp noticed was rather marineless.

"Ah, I see our captain is awake," the swordsman commented in amusement while Andrea tossed her little brother an apple.

"Ahhh! Zoro! Andy!" he waved happily at both of them as he chewed noisily on the fruit.

"Long time no see!" the first mate muttered before he flinched while walking.

Chopper descended upon Zoro and started gasping as he worried about the first mate exercising too much. Usopp chucked and turned towards Luffy's sister. "I noticed your escorts are gone, Andrea-san."

"Ah well they did not last in the clothing stores of this country very well. Only took fifteen minutes of me shopping without showing them my outfits to put those two to sleep. For shame…" she shook her head in amused disappointment before striding over to her brother and giving him a hug. "You slept for three days, little bro. Worried your poor sister. I wouldn't be surprised if I grew some white hairs," she wavered dramatically while Luffy chuckled at her antics.

"You already have white hairs, Andy." The woman steamed at the pirate's words, unsure of whether or not he was joking. "Wait… three days… that meant I missed fifteen meals!" He held his stomach as if in deep pain and looked at his crew with deep sadness.

"That was rather fast," Nami murmured in irritation while Usopp nodded in agreement next to her.

"What I find amazing is he counts five meals a day…" the sniper muttered as he mentally wondered where the captain put all his food.

Vivi chuckled as she saw his exuberance. "I made sure dinner was prepared so no worries about food."

The food that was brought in as an appetizer which Luffy polished off immediately. To their surprise, a woman who looked creepily like Igaram and turned out to be his wife, took the young captain's appetite as a challenge. "I worked here for thirty years. I will not disappoint your appetite!" she declared proudly.

The young captain smirked as a gleam entered his eyes. The crew noticed that Andrea wore a similar expression and shuddered in fear. "My sis is just as bad with food. She just has… what do you call it sis?"

"Restraint, you idiot," the gleam did not go away as they went to the dining room. Said restraint was nowhere to be seen in the siblings as they seemed intent on devouring everything of nutritional value, carbohydrate or vitamin within sight. Both had great speed with their consumption but while Luffy completely lacked table manners and haphazardly shoved food into his mouth without regard of where any stray morsels appeared. Andrea wielded her dinner knife and fork with great precision and after making specific cuts, quickly speared the food and consumed the food neatly. The crew noticed one thing of amusement however.

"Hey Luffy, why the hell did you take my plate?" Usopp whined as he pointed at the plate that Luffy just licked clean. "Wait, why are you stealing from everyone else's plate?"

Luffy sputtered back a response but was smacked by the orange haired navigator in annoyance. "Don't spit your food, idiot," she scowled as he had sprayed her a few times with some food particles earlier and did not want a repeat of that.

"I think the only one who hasn't had your grubby paws on their food is your sister," Sanji commented offhandedly as he was guarding his plate carefully between each morsel.

"Only because we both learned in our house if you don't eat fast and aggressive, you starve," she informed between bites of some desert animal. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Straw Hat sniper place a really spicy sauce on his own food and predictably, Luffy snatched the food and upon consuming said morsel, his face lit up a deep crimson.

"You really are stupid," Usopp deadpanned as Luffy was trying to fan his mouth.

The captain however elected to ignore the insult and after failing to communicate with Vivi's father, the king, due to his mouth being full from an excess of food, the king politely excused the pirate. "Relax. We can talk after you dine," the king assured the pirates who looked cheerful. While the group was rather boisterous and noisy due to their various demands for beverages and other dishes, the guards around the room had to admit that they rarely saw their princess so happy. Before they knew it, Usopp began to dance on the table with plates spinning on his long nose while a happily fattened Luffy clapped at his crewmates' antics. Andrea sat back comfortably as she watched the cheering from the pirates and saw the royals and their staff relax in their presence.

It did not take long for the party to be content with food in their bellies and after dividing into guys and girls respectively, they headed for the bathhouse. For the men, Cobra led them into the spacious room. "This is our best bath which is typically used in the rainy season."

The men gaped at it in wonder before Usopp and Luffy ran but slipped on the slick stone. After groaning and mourning their wounds, they played a bit in the water such as mocking Zoro's training methods which only made said swordsman, who was currently assisting Chopper with his fur, groan. Sanji however had other things in mind. "Where is the woman's bath?" he asked sneakily and while denied by Igaram at first, they were answered by a most unlikely source.

"Over that wall," the king answered which made his advisor gasp in shock and the sniper get a sneaky gleam in his eye.


-Meanwhile-


Vivi was scrubbing carefully at the navigator's back, trying to be mindful of her wounds, while she was receiving a back massage from a rather sleepy marine. "The steam here is rather nice," Andrea murmured listlessly as she wrapped her towel tighter around herself as she sensed a certain presence.

"It would be nice to have a bath like this on a ship," Nami contemplated before turning to the princess. However before she could respond, she spotted some familiar presences over the wall.

Vivi became appalled as she wrapped herself even more tightly while Andrea looked at the men with a bored expression on her face. "What are you idiots doing?!" she shrieked in discomfort.

Luffy at least looked slightly guilty. "I wanted to make sure none of them saw my sister," he maintained stubbornly as he went down from the wall but all the women knew out of the men, he sadly was the most innocent.

"Stupid men," Nami muttered while standing up and walking towards them. She whipped off her towel suddenly. "Happiness Punch!" she exclaimed happily before following up with, "A hundred thousand Beri from each of you!" After the men retreated, some from embarrassment and others from nosebleeds due to perversions, the three women sank into the water. Nami turned to the princess sadly, "We might end up leaving today," she admitted.

Vivi's eyes widened as Andrea also nodded. "I'll be going soon too."

Seeing Vivi's shock, Nami began to explain. "Luffy is now fully recovered and with marines around the coast, our ship is in danger."

Andrea sank deeply in the water, leaving her head exposed. "My handlers will be here soon and despite them going easy on Luffy," Nami's eyes widened dramatically upon hearing this news, "the fact that Alabasta is being lenient on his crew may not go over well. Smoker is under a lot of flak too." The two women looked at her curiously. "He told some of the higher ups to eat shit because they had the nerve to promote him and Tashigi-san."


-Meanwhile-


Luffy smiled as Cobra thanked him and felt the scene in the bathing area was just right. They were all equal here and here, Cobra could give his thanks without someone butting in and proclaiming it improper.


-Later-


Andrea had walked with her little brother to the temporary marine base which was set up. "This is far enough, Luffy-kun," she murmured softly as the marines came up to them.

"Sis…" she looked at him in confusion. "Just sleep. It's obvious you keep being too strong when it's ok to be weak." Before she could retort she did yawn and her eyes blinked as if surprised at how exhausted she really was. A moment later, she slumped as her narcolepsy took a hold. Hoisting his sister in his arms, the marines nearby looked wary. He grinned to the men around him, "Sorry. I'm not ready to give my sister back yet." He took off running to the palace like a bat out of hell.


-That Night-


"We have to go now," Luffy commanded as he looked around at his crew. They were not exactly pleased when he showed up at the palace with his sister unconscious then set to tying her up, but what could they really say that they would obey.

"This is the right time to go," Zoro agreed. "Especially if our captain was stupid enough to 'capture' Andrea-san in front of their minibase."

"I didn't capture her. I just think she needs a vacation," he retorted as his crew waved off his excuse.

"Anyway, it's your decision," Usopp said as he looked at his friend carefully and despite being hungry, his crew knew that in the end, what he would pick as a priority.


-Meanwhile-


Chaka held some wanted posters to Igaram with worry. "We need to tell them but how?"

"I hope they can leave the country but with what young Luffy did…" They saw Zoro's bounty as a solid sixty million Beri but Luffy 'kidnapping' a high ranking marine bumped up his bounty from what it might have been to a respectable 125 million Beri. "He defeated a Shichibukai and captured a marine… will there be mercy for him?" Igaram questioned as he ran to warn the pirates.