Author's Note 1: Yup, Alabasta Arc, finally! Now, let's see how I can make the Strawhats and Lelouch's group meet and get to an understanding. Maybe not in this chapter, though. And yes, the twins are staying for the long haul.
Author's Note 2: … oh yeah, there's Smoker and Tashigi.
Chapter Seven: Somewhere I Belong
That ain't right
My god ain't right
Fear me not needed
Lelouch never thought he'd admit it, but he felt far from serene right now; his eyes, most of the time so serious, were now shining with barely concealed excitement as they took in the familiar sandy environment he left thirteen years ago. Thirteen years was a very long time, and even though Nanohana didn't seem to have changed after he left the country with Vergo, the navigator also felt a little overwhelmed by all these emotions in his mind.
Alabasta. Warm, once welcoming Alabasta where everything started. With Sphinx. Somehow it felt good to be back here, but on the other hand, he was a little apprehensive of what his old master would say after years of silence from his student; he didn't know whether Vergo had updated the older man on his progress in his training or not, but Lelouch will admit that his decision to go to Alabasta was to see how princess Vivi intended to stop Crocodile's schemes, considering that she'd even infiltrated Baroque Works willingly. Surely she must have a good plan to counter the cunning Warlord, but something in his guts told him that it wouldn't meet his expectations.
She didn't know anything about warfare and consequences, sacrifices to get something desired. That was what Lelouch actually dreaded with her; although he hadn't gotten to know more about princess Vivi in the past, mainly because he hadn't been interested in getting to know a royal (who could have been rotten, for all he knew), he had guessed that she'd been living a very sheltered life inside the walls of her palace and would want nothing more than peace and fantasy. Being aware that many of her people would actually die to get what she wanted would break her, because she wasn't a war veteran with experience of Cornelia's caliber and could claim that she'd only want everyone to live. Crocodile would laugh at her face if she told him she'd stop the rebels from going to Alubarna – he'd literally laugh. If she thought that stopping the rebels would actually stop that Warlord, she was seriously wrong; if that was her plan, the country would be in ashes and ruins sooner than she expected and all she'd be able to do was cry her sorrow.
And Lelouch certainly didn't want that to happen. Not when he had a chance to see his old master again. After all these years, he owed Sphinx way too much to just overlook him while he was in the country. Old man, he thought with a wistful smile, I wish to hear your insults again. I'm back.
Closing his left eye with a sigh, Lelouch reached in his pouch to get his eye-patch as he took a good look around town. Nanohana felt...alien to him. He hasn't seen this environment in years and even made sure not to get lost in memories of the Desert Kingdom because that could have disrupted his tough training with Vergo (and Doflamingo, whenever he'd get sent to him and his crew). He wasn't even sure if the people who have known Sphinx well before Lelouch landed in this world would recognize him, as he's grown to become this young man – the golden left eye might put them off at first, though. And during such rough times with a damn Warlord trying to be pictured as a hero, the rebels fomenting an assault on the capital and the princess who was back to stop an impeding doom with her childish ways, catching up wasn't on his mind right now.
But somehow, there was something very off in the air. Lelouch could feel it as he glanced up, frowning. The air wasn't normal. It wasn't just in the air, it spread all around him like it was surrounding all of Nanohana and even further – Katorea, Yuba, Rainbase and all the way to Alubarna. He didn't like this atmosphere, it definitely didn't feel like thirteen years ago. As an expert navigator, Lelouch could tell that the sandstorms just wouldn't be natural, mainly due to Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit; as a Warlord, the bastard must be very adept at fighting with his Devil Fruit powers and since they were located in a desert with plenty of sand to play with, everyone was stepping in his domain and could face a deadly, unforgiving burial in the quicksand this guy could generate. It would be so easy: he had purposely turned Alabasta into his playground so he could work on his secret projects in peace, so any fool who would take him on would die a cruel death. Without a solid knowledge of Haki or his weakness, being any liquid form, there was little to no chance of winning against him. In this situation, princess Vivi was the fool.
Damn. This might not end well if she didn't have an ace up her sleeve. Or someone who actually knew anything about warfare and consequences that could help in this predicament – it wasn't like Lelouch had actually 'agreed' to help her out, all he wanted was observe how she intended to proceed. But it still wasn't going to end well, lives would be lost in this battle and many tears will be streaming down the cheeks of those who couldn't see past the deception sooner.
"Feels alien and familiar at the same time, huh?" Sabertooth had quietly come up behind him, tail swishing from side to side. His green eyes were observing his friend, wistful and understanding.
Lelouch nodded, tying up his eye-patch over his golden eye. "I've always known that I'd come back here sooner or later. I didn't know when, the wait was starting to eat me alive and then this happens." He sneered, tying his cane-sword behind his back with a sash. "The atmosphere of the country feels off, as if there was a malevolent power at work – might as well be Crocodile's greedy presence, because it makes me sick to my stomach to not recognize the country where everything started."
"I thought you only cared about your master, not Alabasta?" the monkey man inquired, arching a white brow in curiosity. His lips twitched, hinting at a smile upon his friend's hesitation. "Beside your old master, you said there was no one else but I've learnt to discern your lies...you don't like being attached to anybody, do you?"
No, Saber, Lelouch thought bitterly as he closed his right eye, a grim expression on his face, I don't. And I paid the price of this way too many times. He had so many memories of Alabasta he'd rather hide in a corner of his mind, mainly because there was the ultimate risk of losing any of the people he secretly cared about to the brewing war within the country; Ali, Pharaoh and Adma, Baala and even the old Rê – Sphinx – were some of those people he absolutely didn't want to lose in a senseless war that shouldn't happen in the first place. All this because a damn Warlord was probably looking for something, so the country had to burn to ashes.
The bastard was looking for a good beating. A bloody one Lelouch would be very glad to give, should any of his childhood friends die in this madness. They absolutely didn't deserve that.
Shaking his head, Lelouch pursed his lips as he looked at his friend. "No, I don't," he answered truthfully. But then he frowned at Saber. "I'm not going to lie, but I can't bear the thought of losing anyone close to me because that's a certain death they absolutely don't deserve; they're up against the malice of one of the seven Warlords of the Sea, their princess is one fool who must think of saving this country without anyone dying and all of them are too blind to face the truth – that Crocodile is two-faced and not the man he claims to be and that they've been fooled so easily. If I involve my friends in a war we can lose because we're too stupid to be prepared to face the consequences, I seriously need to consider the possibility of them losing their lives and I don't think Vivi is actually aware of this. Which is why someone needs to knock some sense and reality in her head before we lose Alabasta to a greedy pirate."
Nasse closed her unseeing eyes, her expression grim and somber. "Because people die," she said softly, her hand reaching out to grasp her twin's shoulder tightly. "If an all-out battle erupts in Alubarna, we can bet on our money that many soldiers will die for nothing. Baroque Works and Crocodile will make sure of it if princess Vivi doesn't change her aim. You were right, Lelouch: stopping the rebel army won't stop Crocodile and even if she manages to do that, he'll just find another way. There's always another way: if you're indeed right and that his intentions are not to take over Alabasta but look for something the royal family may be hiding, then burning and destroying the country to the ground is the best way to find what you're looking for. Especially after fooling the Alabastans into trusting him and appearing as a praised hero in their eyes." Lelouch could see her hands shaking, sense her fear rise within her body, and he couldn't help but grasp her own shoulder to reassure the young woman. "You were right: she really has no idea who she's up against and her plan is so full of flaws and holes that it will be child's play to foil her. Princess Vivi... that foolish princess..."
Sometimes, being right on almost everything hurt like a bitch – especially when people you loved were in great danger and didn't deserve that hell. Sphinx didn't deserve that, Pharaoh and Adma didn't deserve that – nobody in this country couldn't suffer the consequences of a Warlord's greed. The World Government chose to play dumb because they needed Crocodile's strength, but Lelouch was sure that if his misdeeds were brought forward to the Five Elders by a Marine whose sense of justice couldn't be corrupted, he'd be demoted and thrown into the last level of Impel Down to be forgotten.
And being right could also make you feel like drowning – exactly like Lelouch was feeling right now, upon seeing Nasse about to cry. Noctis was putting up a front, but the fear the navigator could sense from him wasn't a lie; the twins were obviously trying to rekindle with Alabasta, but the dire situation their native country was in right now was an obstacle that wasn't easy to overtake. It was on the verge of destruction because of one man's greed, and the feeling of hopelessness was growing stronger now that they've realized princess Vivi's foolishness over the position of Alabasta and Crocodile's. He had it all figured out, except her. Those golden eyes from Noctis were wide and terrified, threatening to let those unshed tears stream down his cheeks – and Lelouch wasn't having any of that. Not right now. He needed to find Vivi, knock some sense into her and even fight with her if need be. There were too many lives at stake, she wasn't taking the right way to take down a damn Warlord and was gambling. So, no.
Hell no.
Placing himself behind the twins, Lelouch grasped their shoulders tightly to get their attention. "Give yourself the right to cry, alright? You deserved it," he murmured to their ears only. He closed his eyes solemnly, listening to the building sobbing that was slowly shaking their bodies altogether. "But imagine the princess' pain at the realization of her own foolishness about this whole ordeal: she'll feel your pain and cry twice harder, but she needs to be confronted first. Understood?" When he felt them nod vigorously, Lelouch exhaled softly. "Good. I'm sure that she feels everyone's pain, because she knows it better than anyone else: Alabasta is slowly dying. But it can begin anew, as soon as this war is finished and Crocodile's deception is busted. Now," he opened his right eye. The purple color seemed to vibrate with energy flowing into the iris as Lelouch's power flared up slightly. "let's gather supplies and find ourselves a blue-haired princess."
Turns out that Lelouch didn't find Vivi first. No, he found someone even better than the foolish princess. But the question remained: what was this Marine officer doing in the Grand Line, in the Desert Kingdom of Alabasta when he was supposed to be back at Loguetown?
Lelouch stood calmly in front of Captain Smoker, arms crossed against his chest as he waited for the older man to talk. His purple eye stared back at the white-haired officer as his glaring gaze took in the younger man before him. The genius could only imagine what was going on in his mind right now, since he was known as Vice-Admiral Vergo's protege and expert navigator, but he knew that disturbing rumors had spread like wildfire among the ranks of the Marine soldiers about him being a cold genius and a mastermind sociopath that nobody would want as an enemy – part of it was absolutely true and he won't deny it. Smoker had his reasons not to trust him just because he was Vergo's apprentice, Lelouch was a nobody to him.
But he heard good things about Smoker: the man had a good sense of justice that seemed inflexible, different from Akainu's exaggerated and merciless 'absolute justice' that allowed him to see reason and think as a human being. Akainu was the definition of a merciless monster who had no soul, and the fact that he was an Admiral meant that he would have no qualms in killing anyone standing in his way – at least, only him would act this way. Not the two others. Smoker, Vice-Admiral Jonathan and Hina were, surprisingly, a breath of fresh air in the Marines (Vergo being a pirate and a traitor didn't count). Lelouch could appreciate the man, if given a chance.
Finally, after what seemed to be a long while, Smoker leaned forward in his seat to look up at Lelouch in the eyes. "Tell me," he asked in his rough voice, two smoking cigars in his mouth (Damn, that actually explained his name). "what's the Cipher Pol prodigy doing in Alabasta while he should be elsewhere, considering a position in one of the strongest branches of the World Government?"
Lelouch fought really hard to conceal his surprise and remain emotionless. Christ, even he had heard of this? The news couldn't have reached that far in the East Blue, and Smoker couldn't be that interested in his history to ask him this kind of question...could he?
But the genius smirked instead. "And what's Captain Smoker doing in Alabasta, in the Grand Line, when he should have remained back in East Blue? In Logue Town, where he's supposed to be based?" he clapped back, relishing in Smoker's small flinch. But his one-eyed gaze snapped to his young protege, Tashigi, who couldn't contain her small gasp. "Do your superiors know you're here?"
"That's none of your business, little runt. I'm here to arrest a pirate that's been on my nerves lately."
Oh? A Jolly Roger with a straw-hat flashed quickly in Lelouch's mind, smiling and probably laughing. He and Saber looked at each other in wonder, then turned back towards Smoker. The hybrid smiled toothily at the Marine officer. "A pirate, you say? Does this pirate have a straw-hat on his flag?"
The smoker's scowl deepened when the accessory was mentioned, as if it was the pirate's trademark object. Lelouch just knew they've hit the mark, judging by Smoker's rising tension – it wasn't fear, no. A little close to that. It must take a lot to scare people like Smoker or Hina. Even Tashigi right here was pretending to adjust her glasses to hide her own tension, looking away as she frowned. Saber fought hard to not show his confusion towards her, his green eyes flashing. Most swordsmen he knew were fierce and proud, had an imposing presence that intimidated the weak-willed ones (the swordsman's spirit, which was pretty similar to the Conqueror's Haki) and didn't really have to act tough to conceal their emotions. Dracule Mihawk was the embodiment of the ultimate swordsman. This wannabe swordsman right here looked...mousy and meek. Almost frail. But her reaction to the straw-hat was weird.
"Straw-Hat Luffy," Smoker almost growled, puffing on his cigars. "or also known as Monkey D. Luffy. He's a rookie who's just rose to infamy after defeating Arlong, a Fishman who's been reigning in East Blue for years. I've been after him since our short encounter back in Loguetown, where he... escaped. I've heard rumors that he and his crew were heading to Alabasta, so we came here to capture his cheeky ass."
Tashigi chose this moment to flare up to life. "And the Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro as well!" she hissed fiercely, her eyes shining, but the next second she shut herself up when her superior's glare snapped up to her.
Ah, interesting. But that just didn't cut it: if what Lelouch heard about Smoker was true, it would take a lot more than just a 'rookie' to get him to leave East Blue and pursue the same pirate until he got his hands on him. The navigator arched a brow as he stared at the Marine officer, still suspicious. His tone implied a grudge suggesting that Smoker must have been really close to capturing this Luffy and was unable to only because of an interruption...or something. Whoever this Monkey D. Luffy was, there had to be something special about to make Smoker move out of Logue Town and East Blue altogether. As for Roronoa Zoro? Another unknown person who could be considered rather big and threatening later on by the World Government – if Smoker and Tashigi were that determined to capture them, then they must have sensed the rising threat and potential danger they could become.
Lelouch nodded, flexing his gloved fingers. "Fine, I get that. That sort of explains your presence here for me, but I'm not convinced that will sit well with your superiors so I'll pass," he said, gaining the attention of everyone around him once again. He royally ignored Smoker's warning growl and put his hands in his pockets. "But you being here is also a good thing, since you could help this dying country by putting an end to Crocodile's business and his secret organization. What? Are you trying to tell me that you've been convinced by his act as the 'hero of Alabasta'? You're smarter than this, Smoker," he drawled with an annoyed scowl, enjoying the slowly building nerve on his temple.
"Damn it, Lelouch," Saber warned in a groan as he grabbed his friend's shoulder tightly, as if to prevent him from committing a grave mistake. "Calm down..."
"Cut to the chase, kids, or scram. Just because you're Vice-Admiral Vergo's proteges doesn't mean I can't put you in your place with a good beating." Energy seemed to flow around him as he slowly got up, towering over Lelouch with good inches but the navigator held his ground, glaring. Smoker's glare was murderous as he looked down at the younger man, smoke starting to surround them. "I don't know you personally, but you seem to be pretty informed about what's actually going on in this country – and also ready to kill someone despite you being so calm right now. So, are you going to tell me why you sought me out?"
Saber nearly took a step back when he felt the ominous, sinister aura Lelouch unconsciously spread around them as his scowl deepened even further, but willed himself not to. His green eyes flashed in slight panic as his mind processed what he was about to do – which could be the biggest and dumbest mistake his best friend would do right now, as they didn't need it. No, not right now!
His breath hitched a notch or two, and he forced his mind not to think of his deepest and most secret fears that he could suddenly trigger by accident. He took a huge breath, quickly moving his hand to grab Lelouch's neck. The hybrid shook his head, his eyes shut, and pushed back the nightmarish fears he had learnt to master years ago. If they needed Smoker's strength and his men out here to fight back against Baroque Works, the wielder of this blacklisted Devil Fruit had to be controlled. Saber murmured an apology to Lelouch, already frustrated and irritated enough by the whole situation.
Then he pressed the skin between the two sides of his friend's neck. Very hard.
The effect was immediate: Lelouch made a choked out sound as the muscles in his neck contracted to resist against the pressure of the fingers, his eyes going wide because of the pain. The cold and sinister aura vanished just as suddenly as it first appeared, and Saber held his breath for a second, staring at his friend with a stern, yet concerned expression. He didn't even lift his head to acknowledge Tashigi or Smoker just to check if they had felt the change in the atmosphere – since he didn't catch any gasp from either of them, they must have missed it – but he still secretly took a glance at the Marine officer; the older man hadn't budged, but was watching them curiously. Behind, the twins looked on with conflicted expressions, their gazes upon Lelouch's bent form as he struggled to calm down.
The hybrid sighed tiredly, lifting his head to stare at Smoker. "Lelouch hails from Alabasta," he started as his grip on his friend's neck just tightened a wee little bit to prevent him from going mad, even though he was actually contorting to free himself from his hold. "He might not show it and probably would deny it on his deathbed, but he's concerned about the state of this country because of Crocodile's presence and wrongdoing. There are people he cares about that will certainly die because of this Warlord. Plus, we have theories that he might be up to something even bigger than taking over Alabasta."
Smoker was silent for a few seconds, pondering Saber's words as he looked down at the young swordsman. Then he started to walk away, mentioning for them to follow him with a nod. The hybrid sighed in relief, releasing Lelouch's neck and allowing him to breathe properly; the navigator's knees nearly buckled under him as his body was racked by coughing fit, his fingers stroking the sore skin of his neck. Saber hadn't been kind, but that was what he actually needed to be calmed down if need be – struck him hard until he felt a great pain to snap out of it. The Terror-Terror Fruit could still take over his mind if he kept being this careless and couldn't control his emotions.
Nevertheless, he sent his monkey friend a silent thank you before standing up once again, panting a little. His eye met Tashigi's disturbed gaze, who had been studying him for a few minutes now – probably because he'd tried to contort his way out of Saber's painful grip. He frowned at her, nursing his neck. "What?" he croaked out, making her jump in surprise. "Can't I feel upset and angry because of what's going on?"
"You can, and we respect that," Saber hissed furiously in his ear, pulling him along to follow Smoker. "but you have to keep your head and your calm. Of all of us right now, you're the smartest and most cunning that has a higher chance to overthrow this fucked up situation in the blink of an eye if you put your head in it. Don't attack Smoker because you can't control yourself, Lelouch. Don't we need him on our side right now?"
Lelouch gave an affirmative grunt, taking one last gulp of air to finally calm his nerves. Saber was right for once: he seriously needed to keep his cool in this situation because Crocodile wasn't the only problem they've got – Vivi was a problem on her own, the World Government hunting him down was a problem, almost everything was a goddamn problem, starting with his Devil Fruit. As if being blacklisted actually wasn't enough.
Grunting, he went on ahead to match Smoker in his strides. "Have you seen princess Vivi in the area?" he asked, looking around the different shops of Nanohana as if hoping to catch a glimpse of blue hair somewhere. "I have reliable sources that informed she'd return to Alabasta in order to stop Crocodile, but...she just doesn't know who she's up against. I think she's going to get killed like an idiot."
The Marine officer blew out a cloud of smoke before answering. "So do I. I saw her earlier near the port of the town when my team was chasing Straw-Hat and his crew before we were... interrupted by someone more problematic." There was a bitter tone in his voice that made Lelouch raise a curious eyebrow. "They must have left Nanohana by now, so you've just missed them."
"So she came back home with those pirates in tow? I hope she didn't become one during her journey with them, otherwise it would be a good motive to have her arrested even though she's a royal," Saber stated with a grimace. He was shading his eyes with a hand, trying to block the harsh sun. "And even though she came back to fight for her country, it wouldn't matter to the World Government. As a matter of fact, what the hell is the World Government even doing about this situation? Just because Crocodile is one of their precious dogs doesn't mean that they have to let Alabasta, home to one of the royal families and founding members of their organization, fall in his hands. Surely they must have a clue as to what he's actually doing to this land?"
Lelouch snorted in derision, walking towards a stand that sold robes. "Oh, but they do. And the fact that Crocodile is one of their best assets explains their lack of action, Saber: just like the Riku family who met their unfortunate doom at the hands of Doflamingo, the Nefeltaris won't get any help from the World Government because that would mean breaching their contract with one of their Warlords. And if they do that, they would have to revoke Crocodile's title and that would leave his place vacant. Each of them is a force to fear – they're no amateurs. You see, the Warlords of the Sea always have to be seven for some reason, and if something were to happen to one of them – hi, I'll take four traveling robes, please," he said as he gave the smiling woman some money. He returned the smile when he was handed four robes, neatly folded. "Thank you. OK, as I was saying, if something were to happen to one of them, a meeting would be held to decide which pirate would replace the fallen Warlord." His purple eye looked at Saber, Smoker Tashigi and the twins. "The World Government are a bunch of selfish, righteous bastards who don't really care about a whole country being destroyed by one of their own. If anything, they'd happily let it happen..."
"... or even orchestrate it," Tashigi finished in a whisper, having gone white and feeling sick. She stole a troubled look at her superior but he wasn't even looking at her. No, he was intently staring at Lelouch with such an emotionless gaze that made it absolutely impossible for her to read his thoughts. What this handsome young man was saying was really disturbing, and she didn't know whether she should bash his words for insulting the World Government or not, because that was downright insolent. Smoker wasn't even correcting him, meaning that he was somehow agreeing. She looked at his friends, only to see that they were also sporting the same expression as her superior. Even they aren't this stupid to think that they're the good guys, she thought with a start.
Lelouch nodded at her, handing his friends their robes. The face of a young boy sporting a white fur-hat with freckles, hateful grey eyes and a sickly complexion because of his sickness flashed in his mind, for a brief second. He blinked rapidly, trying to erase that memory. "Well, the World Government must not care about their Warlords since they're just regarded as assets to them and can be easily replaced, but they sure as hell will turn a blind eye over their assets' activities – like they're doing with Crocodile or Doflamingo. The Nefeltaris can scream for help or cry all they want, they won't send anyone to save them. And if by any chance – as miraculous and ridiculous as it could sound – Crocodile were to be defeated by a pirate, they'll just cover up the whole ordeal and give the credit to one of their allies. A Marine who just happened to be in Alabasta, for example. It's cruel, but the honest truth." Lelouch met Smoker's eyes, where he could decipher a silent, almost imperceptible and mutual understanding. "After all, we all know that even though the Warlords have allied themselves with the World Government, they still remain pirates at the end of the day."
There was a disturbed silence for a moment, in which nobody dared to speak as they were all processing Lelouch's words. Tashigi, for her part, was really troubled as she slowly dropped to a crouching position, unable to remain standing. She felt rather numb and awed, stupid and so...cheated. When she joined the Marines, it was about making a difference and give her own justice to all pirates – much like Smoker, she didn't share Admiral Akainu's 'Absolute Justice' and preferred Admiral Aokiji's moral justice because it allowed her to see reason and the difference between right and wrong. But with Lelouch's on point analysis of the World Government and its behaviour towards people and countries supposed to be under their jurisdiction, she just felt...
Disgusted. Sick to her stomach. Idiotic.
Her vision of the world and people was still too naive to be taken seriously and as an aspiring swordsman claiming to reunite the twelve deadliest swords ever forged, Tashigi needed to grow and mature. If she still wanted to defeat Roronoa Zoro, take his Wado Ichimonji from him and fight all those who owned those legendary swords, she absolutely needed to believe in her sense of justice and grow stronger. Thus, she had to start by getting a better understanding of the leading organizations – the Marines, the World Government... there was a long and complexed story of corruption shrouding them and she didn't want to hear it from Lelouch. No, she really didn't want to.
"Captain Smoker, I'm guessing that princess Vivi is currently heading towards the base of operations of the rebels in order to stop them, even though I'm persuaded that wouldn't solve anything at all," she heard Lelouch say and she numbly lifted her head. He had an annoyed scowl marring his handsome face. "Apparently they're based in Yuba, which is pretty far from our position. However, I don't think they'll stay there for long. If you choose to continue pursuing the Strawhats, I suggest you make way for Rainbase to confront Crocodile directly."
Smoker blinked, then took a step towards the genius. "Lelouch...just how much do you know about what's really going here?" he demanded.
"Ever heard of a criminal organization named Baroque Works?"
Not too far from their position, two brown-haired twins wearing robes with bright sparkling brown eyes and cat-like features were spying on the little group from afar. Hiding behind someone's stall just so they wouldn't be seen, their intense gazes were studying the young man with the dark hair. The Marine guy didn't count, not even the monkey man (hybrid?) and that navy blue-haired girl with the glasses and the sword – she looked too frail and weak to know how to wield any sword. No, the only that counted was the man with the purple eye, the familiar scowl and the intimidating and strange presence around him.
Years ago, there was only one boy who could strike such nervousness and fear in one annoyed glare at you. And now, years later, he was finally back. He grew, matured and changed physically, but that man had to be him.
Could it be that he came back because he believed that Crocodile was sucking their country dry until they destroyed each other? Or...had he come back because he's finally heard that Sphinx had passed?
Pharaoh and Adma looked at each other excitedly and hopefully, then a wide smile broke out on their identical faces – the first real one ever since that asshole of a Warlord appeared in Alabasta, proclaimed himself their hero and deceived the whole population.
"He's back... Lelouch's back, Pharaoh!" Adma whispered frantically, tears starting to gather up in his eyes.
His twin nodded very slowly, as if he still couldn't believe it. "After all these years...," he whispered back, holding up his own tears. The boy he had looked up to in the past – and still did – had come back for them; from what he and Adma have heard, Lelouch was explaining to the two Marine soldiers what he's uncovered from Crocodile's deception and telling them to go directly to Rainbase, where he was residing. Pharaoh wanted to cry out in relief. Thank you, gods of Alabasta, his childhood friend was one of those who've seen through the Warlord's deception!
But then, his joy turned to pure rage. His features hardened faster than he'd yell 'Bastard!' and he clenched his fists, soon shaking so hard he almost couldn't contain it. After all these years, Lelouch didn't have the balls to come and meet them first, just to reassure them all that he hadn't died somewhere? The bastard. Not even one call because Sphinx had jinxed their chances of staying in touch by stating that Lelouch should just forget him, not even one letter sent to talk about his adventures in the New World and his training with that Marine guy? Damn. Ali cried his eyes out when he heard from Sphinx that his only student had left one day without saying goodbye, Adma had been upset for at least a month and would refuse to even hear his name around him, old Grandma Rê lost her smile – a smile Lelouch had somehow been able to give back ever since Grandpa Akhmet died. And Pharaoh?
He chose to remain secretly angry and bitter. He thought that seeing Lelouch again years after such a long time spent apart and oceans away would make things better, but... no, they had too much to settle and talk about. Plus, the situation with Crocodile was just too important right now to catch up with an old friend and try to rip him apart with intentions of hurting him.
"Tashigi!" Smoker suddenly called out to his subordinate, souding resolute. "Gather all the men, we're going to Rainbase! Right now!"
"Yes, sir!" she responded, saluting for a second before dashing off to find the rest of the present Marines in Nanohana.
He turned toward Lelouch and his new friends, surveying the genius for a few silent seconds. "If you're right about everything you've just said, Lelouch, you might have to get involved in this war to save this country instead of staying neutral," he told him severely. "I heard a lot of things about you, most of them very disturbing, but I'd like to see for myself if they're actual facts; if you're as strong and powerful as the cold mastermind sociopath you're portrayed, then you should be more than able to take down Crocodile all by yourself. Especially if you're a very proficient Haki user."
Lelouch didn't look that convinced. "But still: he's a Warlord, a Logia type and a veteran from the New World to boot. If anything, the desert is his playground. I'll need to be extra careful should I take him out, although it isn't just my fight only. It's also Vivi's. And this country's. This is Alabasta against Crocodile. Whichever wins will determine the other's fate. Which means death for the loser. Either Alabasta or Crocodile." Pharaoh and Adma flinched as they both looked at each other in fear, their breathing coming to an abrupt halt as they processed Lelouch's words. "Now go, we'll catch up in no time. Godspeed."
Smoker didn't need to be told twice as he nodded and left in brisk strides, leaving the small group alone. Then, when Pharaoh thought about tackling his old friend and beating him to a pulp, he was left frozen on his spot by Lelouch's cool voice.
"Now Pharaoh and Adma, are you two coming out so we can talk about saving your country?" he said, turning towards them with a serious look.
For the five seconds the two were staring at each other, there was only two words that kept echoing in Pharaoh's mind. And they only served to make the young Alabastan even angrier at his friend.
'Your country? Your... country?'
This time, Pharaoh did bolt to punch Lelouch in the face. And surprisingly enough, his fist connected with his jaw alright. As hard as he could with his rage, because he knew that this genius bastard would trash him with just one strike to a specific spot on his body. The other pair of twins around him cried out in shock, Adma yelled his name in disbelief, the monkey man just frowned in curiosity while Lelouch merely took a step back to catch himself, holding his sore jaw with a gloved hand. The force of the blow still made him skid on the sandy ground, but he didn't even look hurt that much – had he really grown that stronger with all the insane training he had with Sphinx? Unless...he let him land a hit on purpose.
Your country, he fumed silently as he panted, his fists still aching to hurt. His glare hardened even more as it drilled holes in Lelouch's form, probably wishing to kill him on the spot right now. Your country.
Pharaoh couldn't even fight the urge to laugh incredulously at those insulting words. "Lelouch, are you being serious right now?!" he shouted at him, his brown eyes blazing with unconcealed fury. "'Your country'? This is how you label the land that protected and cared for you for three years before that Marine guy took you away? You heartless, whack genius!" he howled before launching himself at Lelouch.
This time, Lelouch blocked his second punch too easily by intercepting it with his arm and struck a point on the inside of his elbow – all this in just three miserable seconds during which Pharaoh couldn't feel any feeling in his whole forearm. The limb just fell miserably on his side, useless and strangely heavy. So, in his disbelief, he tried with his other arm; since he had a larger built than Lelouch, he had a higher chance to knock him out. Blocked as well. And also very easily.
Lelouch held him up with his own strength which was, very surprisingly, matching his. How could that frail-looking genius grow so much stronger? "Damn it, Pharaoh," he growled out. His purple eye flashed dangerously and for a very brief second, Pharaoh swore he saw it turn to bright gold. "We don't have time for this, Alabasta is in great danger!"
"Oh, now you refer to our country as 'Alabasta'?" the bigger man spat angrily, trying to unblock his arm so he could beat Lelouch. "And you think I don't know it's in great danger because that damn Warlord is trying to destroy it from within?"
"Pharaoh!" he heard Adma scream, along with his rushed footsteps right behind him. "Pharaoh, have you lost your mind?! Let him go!" When his twin brother tried to take a hold of him, there was the metallic, singing sound of a sword being drawn out of its sheath, the sharp inhaling of breath and a frightened gasp he recognized all too much: feeling his heart drop in his stomach, Pharaoh slowly turned his head to see his brother being held close to him, the blade of Lelouch's friend's sword to his neck where his pulse was.
The monkey man had a blank look on his face, and the way he was holding this sword against Adma's neck implied his ability to fight and, more than anything, kill. He could slice his brother's throat in less than a second and be done with it, Pharaoh probably wouldn't have time to save him.
"Saber, calm down," Lelouch admonished casually, his visible eye never straying from Pharaoh's pale face. Then he sighed, drawing attention from everyone around him; he was sporting a forlorn expression that implied his guilt over being silent for the thirteen years he had passed away from Alabasta. "I guess I deserved that one, hence why I let you punch me this one time. But certainly not twice, Pharaoh." His eye narrowed painfully for a second, then an almost pleading expression smoothed his face. "Please, my friend? If you still know me, then you should know I absolutely mean no harm to Alabasta or anyone. You should know I'm here to help take down this bastard and restore peace in the country."
"You shouldn't beg an idiot who's more focused on beating you up because you didn't give him any news instead of asking for your help to save your country, Lelouch," Saber coldly cut in, baring his teeth at Adma who glared back at him. "Where do his priorities lie right now?"
"Have you forgotten that you actually have somewhere to belong to, Lelouch?" Pharaoh hollered, turning red in the face. "Alabasta is your country as much as it's ours, don't you ever forget that! Don't insult us by calling your native land as 'country'!"
"We don't have time for this, Pharaoh," Lelouch persisted in a hiss, even though his face was starting to twitch a little. "Either you let us go to Alubarna so we can devise a plan to outsmart Crocodile, or you let the bastard drown Alabasta in its blood and ruins. Your choice."
The emphasis on the last words was strong enough to make Pharaoh give up on beating Lelouch, since the threat on their beloved land was just too much to handle – just imagining Alabasta on fire, with all the land completely destroyed or bathing in blood would have his mind all twisted. After all, the World Government did have one island in the West Blue buster called without any mercy, and that was a fate the Desert Kingdom didn't deserve. The muscles relaxed slowly, he exhaled heavily and let his valid arm fall back next to his side, allowing his childhood friend to let his guard down – or so he thought: his expression still didn't soften one bit and had hardened a little more.
Now this was a glimpse of the Lelouch he used to know in the past. But Pharaoh couldn't really tell if he still existed or had been swallowed by this new Lelouch that had a strange and powerful aura surrounding him. It seriously creeped the hell out of him.
The monkey man put his sword away from Adma, who breathed a little better now that he didn't have a blade so close to slicing his throat, and sheathed his weapon back into its sheath. Then he walked toward Lelouch and the red-haired twins, looking at him with a serious gaze. "We need to go," he told Lelouch, who nodded absent-mindedly at him. "Alubarna or Rainbase, depending on where the whole final battle will take place?"
The navigator bent down to pick up the robes he had let go of. "Alubarna. I'm sure that wiping out the capital where the royal palace stands is the starting-point to destroy the country from within. By doing this, he'll cripple Alabasta for good and crush everyone's spirit. Baroque Works, the royal and the rebel armies will be fighting there to death, the last two parties confused and blinded. As for Rainbase...let's leave it to Smoker and his men. Vivi will most likely go there to confront Crocodile directly once she realizes that her own plan is doomed to fail miserably."
"Then we should go!" the red-haired man with the cat-like features – obviously an Alabastan like his blind sister – exclaimed, slapping a hand on Lelouch's shoulder to shake it slightly. He looked very concerned, alarmed even.
"Agreed. It's good that we prepared supplies before setting foot on land, that's going to be a long journey to Alubarna – we might even have to stop by Rainbase to restock..."
That was when Adma found his tongue, after helping his brother back up. "Hey, wait a second Lelouch!" he shouted, feeling light-headed from all the disturbing, cold words flowing out of his friend's mouth.
But he was ignored as the navigator barely glanced at him, putting on his robes. "...and eventually run into Vivi and her friends. If she decides to go to Rainbase to confront Crocodile directly, then someone must have slapped her with reality and the cold truth; that she can't win her like that, that she should expect casualties from her side. Pharaoh, Adma," he called as he turned towards them, an apologetic expression set on his face. "let's meet after this mess is over, OK? I'll see you later with Sphinx. Then, we can catch up."
He turned seconds before he could catch the painful expression on the twins' faces and even left before they could call his name. Pharaoh felt his heart drum wildly against his chest as tears rapidly gathered in his eyes. His voice died down his throat, all cracked – he'd start sobbing even before he could tell Lelouch about his old master's fate. Sphinx. God, Lelouch still didn't know that Sphinx wasn't there with them anymore. And just how was he supposed to hear about the old man being dead? Should they just scream it and wreak havoc in his head, right when he was devising a plan to take down Crocodile? A relaxed Lelouch devising plans was dangerous enough, but just how dangerous and ruthless could he turn out to be if he was mentally shaken up and teased to kill once upset?
Pharaoh turned towards his brother, just to agree on doing something or not, and got a firm shake of his head and a very pained expression. No. No, they should shut the fuck up for now. As much as they'd like Lelouch to know about his former master's death, they couldn't fuck with his head while their country was about to explode into a gigantic bloodbath. Adma covered his mouth just as a strangled sob escaped him, looking away from his twin, and Pharaoh grounded his teeth, bowing his head with closed eyes. Just how much had their friend changed over the years to be startled by Sphinx's death? Would it affect him as much as it affected everyone else who knew the old Alabastan? King Cobra had been shaken up, probably even more than everyone else for some reason, Pharaoh and Adma had been pretty upset (they even started blaming Lelouch for leaving, because they needed someone to take it all out at the time), Baala and Ali had had trouble overcoming it, coupled with their childhood friend leaving Alabasta after just three years, and old Rê fell into deep depression. Like Lelouch, Sphinx was some sort of bright sun that made everything funnier and brighter – not that they were miserable.
"I'm so, so sorry, Lelouch," Pharaoh croaked out, tears streaming down his cheeks. This time Adma, who felt his pain, couldn't take it anymore and finally broke down sobbing. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Unbeknowst to them, someone actually heard them with the help of Observation Haki. Maybe he shouldn't have, but the hurt behind Pharaoh's voice and the way it was directed at his best friend in front of him made him feel cold inside – and it was a very unwelcome feeling right now. The muted horror written on his face could tell that he had a pretty good idea as to what the twins were referring to, and if he told Lelouch right now, there was a good chance he would snap and just murder every single Baroque Works agent just to drown the sadness and whatever guilt he may feel. If he told him, there would be a lot of blood spilled just to 'cool off' because that would be the only way to keep him active in this situation – had it been otherwise, he'd have just meditated to deal with the rising bloodlust inside him due to his ability.
Fuck, was all he could think of as he fell into step with his friend. Off to the desert they go.
"Sandora lizards," Lelouch said after ten minutes in the desert. Green eyes and two other pairs shot up to him in curiosity. "They're giant lizards that prey around here, hunting in pairs in the desert, so let's be careful. I think they'd make a good meal should we run out of supplies."
"Is it tastier than roasted chicken?" Noctis asked with a raised brow. "Because I absolutely can't remember, for the life of me, how lizard actually tasted."
Lelouch chuckled heartily. "It's actually tasty. I remember eating some chops with my master back when we'd run into the desert to build up my stamina, that was nutritive enough to feed me for two whole days."
"Well, you did look like a small pretzel a few years back," Sabertooth muttered, uncoiling his long tail. His mood still hasn't cleared, soured and miffed from what he had discovered in Nanohana with the twins, and he wasn't even ready to tell his best friend about it. "And now, you're a fear-inducting jack-o-lantern."
"How do you go from a pretzel to a jack-o-lantern? That's two different things. And you used to look like a small elf with a monkey tail and big pointed ears," Lelouch fired back gently, rolling his eyes.
And that was how their journey in the desert started; kind insults to kill time, laughter to cheer up the atmosphere and shared anecdotes (mostly Lelouch and Saber, since the twins didn't want to talk about the Blacken Serenade circus for now). Sabertooth still decided to remain silent about Sphinx, mainly because that would trigger murderous intentions his friend would need to release in great amounts of killing and they needed him sane and in his right mind. They couldn't risk having more innocent lives wasted in this long-awaited battle with Crocodile and Baroque Works.
"So, Lelouch," Noctis started as they climbed down a sand dune. "what's your relationship to the princess of Alabasta? You talk about her as if you already know how her mind works."
It was no wonder the twins were curious; Sabertooth already knew what he needed to know about his friend's relationship with Vivi and wouldn't really care about further details – acquaintances, not friends. Sheltered little girl who would need to learn more about the world. Idiot. Ditz. But could become a good queen since she hadn't seemed rotten to him.
There was a serene expression on his face as he answered. "That's because she was pretty easy to read as a young girl. But then again, I'm pretty sure the dumbest pirate could see that her plan to stop the rebellious army is stupid and that she should directly strike at the source of the conflict. Well," he hummed again as he looked up to the sky. "I can't say that we've become friends in the past, because I hate royals, but I think we're acquaintances. We merely used to hang out together whenever Sphinx decided to visit the king and do whatever they had to do – maybe chess, that was the only thing he was ever stupid at. She did want to be friends, but I turned her down because she initially said I was crazy to be Sphinx's student and follow his training."
"Well, you turned out alright – minus the dark Devil Fruit part," Noctis joked, chuckling a little bit. He seemed to be a little more comfortable around Lelouch by the minute, which he found to be a good thing. "But you seem to hide more than you actually show."
"The best part of someone's skills is the secrecy about the most devastating attacks that can literally end you in a matter of seconds, so yes, I'm probably hiding more things about me you'll never get to know. Anyway, Vivi got mad when I replied that she was an idiot for not understanding why I wanted to become strong – of course, how do you want a princess to understand your point of view when she's living a very sheltered life and seven years your junior? I needed to find myself in this world, so staying in Alabasta wasn't going to be of any help. Maybe Pell and Chaka, two great warriors of this country, told her that I might have been out of my mind to be trained by a mad man such as Sphinx, but I didn't expect her to actually get the point. I'd usually wander around the palace and she'd follow me around, along with her guardians. Since Chaka and Pell didn't know me too well at the time, they were very reluctant to leave their precious princess with me, but that was all right."
"Why?" Nasse asked as she frowned a little, skillfully avoiding a baby lizard that had poked its head out of the sand.
"Because she'd go out of her way to try the moves I've been taught and they'd try to talk her out of it. Can you imagine, their precious princess 'trying to train'? Hilarious."
The Green City was gone. Destroyed by the sand. The drought caused by the damn Dance Powder Crocodile had brought to this country had ravaged Erumalu to the point that it was left in ruins, and all its citizens must have run to the nearest town – Nanohana, since Yuba was a little bit further. This was a very sad view offered by the devastating power of the Dance Powder, which would explain the rebel army's desire to kill the one responsible for destroying Alabasta – according to them, king Cobra.
The fact that they got it all wrong was probably making Crocodile overly ecstatic.
And Lelouch remembered strolling into the Green City, amazed and awed by the sheer luxury of the greenery in the middle of the desert. It wasn't even a mirage, it was real, fresh grass. Erumalu was beautiful. The citizens were all kind and welcoming, thinking that he was either courageous or insane to take on the challenge that was Sphinx's training. As he strolled inside the ruined town, he remembered talking to some other children who were curious about him; a boy with features that screamed 'aristocracy', insanely sharp and intelligent, and brave enough to follow Sphinx's training sure surprised a lot of people in Alabasta. Even though he hadn't wanted to attach himself to other people, mainly due to his previous experience as Lelouch Lamperouge in his native world, he gradually became attached to some of the children who used to live in the Green City.
Pharaoh and Adma, Baala and Ali used to live in Erumalu. And the only thing the navigator knew was that they deeply loved their town and lost everything, because of the damn Warlord's greed and his search for something.
That was enough to trigger a strong desire to kill within Lelouch's mind. There were just too many reasons to confront Crocodile and try to murder him for killing the country from within – the Dance Powder used to dry up the land and prevent the rain from falling, the deception that led to the distrust of the whole population towards their own king, his Sand-Sand Fruit that has been driving everyone crazy for three whole years. And for what? Something that might or might not be in this country? This was bloody ridiculous. No innocent lives should be involved into some lunatic's plans to destroy an entire kingdom along with the country it ruled on, and that was what princess Vivi was attempting to prevent. But her way was just wrong, so wrong.
As his silent rage kept boiling inside, Lelouch's keen eyesight noticed something white poking out of the sand, near a broken building. Despite already knowing what it was, he slowly walked towards the object to extract a skull. Behind him, Saber couldn't hide his anger anymore.
"Even though it isn't my country, I feel your pain and your rage, Lelouch, Noctis, Nasse," he sneered, his green eyes flashing. "Had this Dance Powder been brought to Zaran-Zara Island and destroyed it like this town, my native home where my whole family lives, I would have murdered the culprit without even a second thought. Be it a Warlord or not, the culprit would have died from my hands. Hey, how are you holding up?" he then asked softly to the twins, turning towards them.
Lelouch didn't even have to turn towards Noctis and Nasse, he could easily hear the only woman in their little group sobbing as quietly as possible. As Lelouch dully stared down at the crane he was holding, he imagined the previously alive person whose crane he had in his hands, smiling and even laughing before the disaster that hit the Green City in full force. That person must have been so carefree and unaware of what had been coming her way... and now seeing that she or he ended up in this unfortunate and unfair state after the tragedy of Erumalu during Crocodile's onslaught was sickening.
The sound of crushing almost startled everyone as the crane shattered between Lelouch's gloved fingers, severely weakened by being in the sand for so long. However, the navigator looked disturbingly unperturbed as he just silently watched the pieces fall from his hands. Like this, he thought fiercely, Alabasta is falling apart just like this crane. And just like this, this was how he realized that he still cared a lot about Alabasta; all he needed was to see and realize with his own eyes how those who weren't fooled by Crocodile endured this shit.
How pitiful. And ironic too. The land where his own journey started was crumbling like a sand castle, unable to fight on its own since there was a monster trying to destroy it. He'd been ignorant about this situation for three whole years while he'd been away in the New World, training to become what he was at the moment. Knowing that Sphinx must have suffered too sickened him to the core...but if Sphinx was still here, why hadn't he done anything to prevent Crocodile from creeping into the kingdom and attempting a take-over? Looks like he needed to confront his master for being remotely indifferent towards his homeland – his damn homeland, for God's sake! Why hadn't he asked Pharaoh and Adma about his master's whereabouts so he could ask him himself? That would have saved the country a lot of emotional pain, mental scars and unnecessary trouble as they didn't deserve this. Didn't Sphinx belong here?
"So do you," a female and familiar voice whispered in his ear, but he didn't even react to it. Euphemia's face was contorted in pain and tears were streaming down her bloody cheeks as she watched her brother's inner conflict and rage. "You had somewhere to belong, Lelouch. You belonged here. And now, the dead are silently asking for justice. Can you help them find peace?"
He could. Yes, he definitely could. Lelouch fisted his hands slowly, but relaxed them a little as he bowed his respectfully to the shattered skull, eyes closed. "May you rest in peace," he whispered.
Behind him, Saber and the twins also had their heads bowed down in respect, sending prayers to all who had already fallen to the tragedy of Alabasta. No comforting words would be able to calm down their leader, whose rage was on the verge of exploding once he would have his hands on Crocodile. When Lelouch rose to his feet, the eyepatch was removed from his face and there was a murderous hatred written on his expression; the mismatched eyes burned with killing intent, intensified by the sinister aura he was giving off.
"Alright," he said slowly. "Let's go to Alubarna."
Author's Note 3: Ouch. Hard to write, that one. But even harder after learning of Chester Bennington's death. Linkin Park was also part of my life, I loved their songs – especially "Somewhere I Belong", which I absolutely loved. So, here.
Author's Note 4: I originally wanted Lelouch to learn of Sphinx's death in this chapter, just for him to go loose on Baroque Works and kill whoever was in his path. But, huh, I quickly realized that would have been a bad idea – with his Devil Fruit having eaten away half of his sanity (even though he wasn't entirely sane to begin with after the Zero Requiem) and him being emotionally disturbed because of that, he wouldn't have been able to think straight and would have endangered the whole population. Yep, better Sabertooth to realize this than Lelouch. And with all this, I originally titled this chapter 'Crawling', 'In The End' or 'Faint'...just to see how Lelouch would have confronted Vivi about the whole situation. Damn.