Author's Note 1: Yes, guys. The Straw Hats will be in Lelouch's Romance Dawn – what, you thought Lelouch wouldn't get to torment Luffy and Nami and make friends with Robin? That friendship has to happen, one way or another.
Author's Note 2: DID ANYONE SEE THAT AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR TRAILER?! THAT BLACK PANTHER ONE?! DAMN I'M BEYOND EXCITED FOR THOSE MOVIES!
Chapter Eight: You Will Lose
Hold onto your sanity, and everything should go smoothly. Just smile to hide the growing madness and the anger behind the most beautiful appearances so you won't fuck someone up because you wanted to. And if you're handsome and well-mannered, nobody will feel the killing intent.
Fuck that. Lelouch needed to bathe his hands in the blood of the Warlord to calm down – even his whole body if he had to. He flexed his fingers slowly and breathed in deeply, longing to have Crocodile's body in his hands so he could wreck him to a broken, bloody heap of bones. The devastating sight of what was left Erumalu had left him bereft and hungry for revenge; destroying such a beautiful city where most of his childhood friends used to live, with the help of Dance Powder, for the price of getting something that might not even be located in the country called for blood to be spilled. And lots of blood will be spilled, now that Lelouch had a leg to stand on.
Kill him. Kill him. Kill the bastard who pretended to be Alabasta's savior. Terminate the one who lied. Disrupt his plans. Make him taste fear of the unknown. Make him remember our name. Make him beg for mercy. Show him who the real monster is.
'Our' name? Last time Lelouch checked, there was only one personality in his mind. Not two, not three.
Those thoughts had been whispered by an inner voice for a while now, and Lelouch had been listening to all of them; he couldn't recognize the raspy voice whispering these horrifying words, even though they were all enticing to him. They expressed the blood-thirsty urges he was trying hard to contain, only because he didn't want to release them in front of his friends. Sabertooth was already used to it and had mastered his fears, but the twins? He almost 'devoured' their minds and could have killed them back then, had his insane mind not been dead set on ripping the late clown to shreds. And at that time, someone had been whispering in the back of his mind as well, with the same raspy voice. Had Sabertooth not been there to snap Lelouch out of his trance, he would've done...something. Something really bad that would have his secret out: his blacklisted Devil Fruit. If Noctis and Nasse didn't master their fear of him, there was a good chance they wouldn't be able to follow them on a journey.
He couldn't let that happen once again. Cases of split personalities must exist in the Grand Line, and being one of those freak cases because of the Terror-Terror Fruit couldn't lead to a joyful ride. Hm. Even though Lelouch hadn't been exactly sane to begin with when he was reborn in this world (with all of his memories), it looks like he'll have to thank Vergo for nurturing his persistent madness with his powers.
The navigator was so engrossed in his dark brooding that he hadn't felt someone sneak up right behind him, it was only when fingers tentatively grasped his shoulder that he violently snapped out of his trance with a start. Not only did he nearly jumped out of his skin, but Lelouch only contorted his head instead of looking over his shoulder with a disturbed expression plastered on his face. And this action had Nasse freaking out and jumping into her brother's arms, utter shock written on her feline face.
Both took big breaths to calm their nerves, eyes still wide, while Sabertooth and Noctis eyed them warily. Ever since they left the ruins of Erumalu, Lelouch had been surrounded by a sinister aura he wouldn't tamper willingly; it was rolling off him in waves he would release slowly, but surely, and they didn't like his brooding. Lelouch groaned tiredly, contorting his head back to the normal side after mumbling an apology to Nasse.
"So you do care," came Noctis' voice, which carried a tone of amazement, as he stared at the hunched form of the navigator. "You do care about Alabasta and its balance, but you're not willing to show it. Why is that, Lelouch? The fact that you want to take part in this war could have reassured your friends from Nanohana."
The wind blew into their faces, warm but uneasy, and Lelouch's face softened a little at the mention of Pharaoh and Adma. Sabertooth snorted, and turned away to keep an eye on the road while guiding the giant moving crab they managed to get out of his hiding spot in the sand.
"I don't need to show that the situation is actually affecting me as much as you, only my actions will determinate my state of mind," Lelouch declared stiffly, his mismatched eyes staring into the endless sand dunes far away. "The most emotionless people are even more empathetic than the most emotional ones, and my mind is currently a mess right now."
"Tell me about it," Noctis ground out, his golden eyes drilling holes into Lelouch's back. "Can't you see what's happening with you? Not only are you a danger to all of us, but you're a danger to yourself as well: the triggers you keep having will lead you to murder someone you hold dear someday, unless there's something you can do about it!"
Yes, there was something Lelouch could do; he could try to meditate and reach out to whatever was living inside his own head to tame it. But if he didn't know what the hell it was, there was little he could actually do. Stretching his arms above his head, he blinked twice before flopping on his back. He lay there for a few seconds, watching the clear sky with a frown, before he expertly did a handstand, balancing his body weight, and graciously stood back on his feet to face Noctis.
"I won't comment on your ignorance about possessing a Devil Fruit that's stronger and deadlier than you mentally speaking, but let me tell you this," Lelouch snapped back, whirling around to pin the acrobat with a chilling stare. He almost relished at the noticeable flinch he saw in Noctis, but didn't dwell on it. "Do you even have the slightest idea of what that Devil Fruit puts me through every single damn time I use it? I'm not asking for a pity party from you and your sister, I'll just try to force you to be in my shoes for a whole week – no, not a week, just a single day. The Terror-Terror Fruit doesn't just allow me to dig up your worst fears and replay them like an unending nightmare, it also plays with my sanity. Not that I was entirely sane to begin with," he laughed sardonically at the twins' ashen expression, stepping further into their space. "but it was the price to pay to control this power. You want me to do something about it? I can try, but could you have done something better? You, the young boy who still has someone precious to lose and would have most certainly committed suicide after losing his dear sister to death?"
Once he was inches away from Noctis, Lelouch slowly smirked at him.
"You don't get it at all, Noctis. In order to master this Devil Fruit I've been forced to eat, I have to conquer all of my personal fears and, if necessary to survive the process, give up something precious to me to move forward. If I act insanely to you, that's because I needed to get rid of my own sanity in order to be on the same balance with the Terror-Terror Fruit. I've come to realize something very important: madness beats fear. You should choose guts over fear. The most insane people don't care about anything because there is nothing to fear to them, even dying must sound like the greatest idea they ever heard in life. Can you give up your own sanity for something you need? There is no way anyone, who has eaten this accursed Devil Fruit, could roam the Grand Line with a sane mind, because the things you do to people with those powers are beyond twisted. You're a completely changed person to the core, you become darker and you also develop killing intent. You can view me as a demon if you want, I wouldn't be that surprised," he snorted with a dangerous scowl, then held up one finger. "But you're right about one thing: I may attack you one day, should I literally lose control of myself or... if I don't sound and act like myself. But I will ensure that this won't ever happen anytime soon, I'd be damned before I could try anything on you. However," he started darkly as his eyes flashed dangerously at them. "don't talk to me as if I was a child who doesn't know what he's doing with his powers, I've been dealing with those for at least ten years."
He cocked his head on the side, taking in the pale faces and the terrified expressions on Noctis and Nasse. Good, let them know how and why Canterbury Lelouch was a sick bastard who could be the coolest guy they'd ever known and be the worst son of a bitch the next second – insanity was no joke, Lelouch could have beaten Noctis to death for nothing. If his own madness could beat his fears, grant him mastery of the Terror-Terror Fruit and make Euphemia's ghost go in peace, then he'd happily accept it. Nothing else was acceptable. When the twins started trembling and gasp for air as if it had been knocked out of their lungs, he turned away from them and went back to his spot on the ginormous back.
But he said one last thing. "You would have happily died to escape from the clutches of this Devil Fruit, Noctis. Don't you dare say otherwise, because I simply won't believe this blatant lie."
I'm sorry if I'm not the kind of friend or leader you two expected, Lelouch thought solemnly as the twins sat further away from the two best friends, obviously too shaken to even be near him. But this is who I've become because of that. He could have chosen to be someone else despite having eaten his accursed Devil Fruit, but he would have ultimately killed himself; he would have suffered the most shattering breakdown and wouldn't have taken the exclusive opportunity to explore the Grand Line, meet Sabertooth and turn this world upside-down (starting by fucking with the World Government and their stunts). Granted, Noctis and Nasse still haven't seen just how sick he could be, should he get to this point without Saber around to hold him back, but Lelouch snapping and killing someone because he just wanted to was bound to happen. Sooner or later.
Lelouch idly wondered if the twins would stick around with them after the Alabasta debacle, especially after he gave them a close-up explanation of his real self (or did he really?). The most logical thing they'd do would be leaving them to their shenanigans for many reasons, but he failed to see what they had left from the Desert Kingdom; Noctis and Nasse were, if Lelouch recalled correctly, orphans and didn't have any relatives left they'd live with. Plus, Alabasta would need to recover from the war that was about to break out and a country that was on the verge of destruction would need time and determination from its nation to rebuild it – mentally, politically and physically speaking. The twins would have little to zero chance of fitting in, since they've been estranged from this dying country for so long. Lelouch pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming.
Could this situation be any more annoying and messy? If he needed to think ahead of Crocodile, his self-control had to be on point in order to disrupt his plans to have Alabasta destroyed by its own people; having Baroque Works blend in as soldiers of the Royal Army (because that's what he would have done) and trigger everything in the blink of an eye would be ideal to have everyone confused while he could get his hands on what he wanted. The loss of Erumalu had been the beginning, he wasn't going to stop until Alabasta drowned in its blood, spilled by its own deceived people. And seeing the ruins of the Green City... Lelouch bet that the princess must have wanted to cry about it since coming back.
And he was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't sensed someone sneaking up behind him, until two arms caged his head into a deadly headlock. What on earth, he thought with wide eyes and a stunned expression as they almost doubled over, leaning dangerously towards the edge of the moving crab. He jumped up, startled and almost spooked, but the person holding onto him was clinging for dear life and wouldn't let go. What on earth indeed.
"Listen, Lelouch," Nasse's voice hissed angrily in his ear, struggling to keep her hold onto him – especially because he could just slither out of it like a damn snake. Contortion and all. "We get it. You're one hell of a bastard genius with a deadly Devil Fruit that can eat your mind and drive you crazier than most of the sons of bitches up in the World Government, but does that mean you have to steer clear from your friends? Those same friends who want to help you bring down a damn Warlord of the Sea and restore balance in your country? As your friend, Lelouch – if you ever consider me as one –, I'm concerned about your well-being, Sabertooth is concerned, Noctis is concerned and I'm sure the twins from Nanohana are also concerned. Why do you have to scare us to death just so you won't have to deal with us trying to help and care for you? We're not your pawns, we're your damn friends and we care about you!" she practically shrieked the last part in Lelouch's ear, making the navigator cringe.
"And you think I haven't thought of that beforehand?" Lelouch hissed back, finally breaking out of Nasse's headlock by performing a gracious back flip to land smoothly behind her. He evaded her blows swiftly and expertly, glaring back at her blind eyes. "You think I can't see that you all care? As my friends, you're both my strength and my weakness and vice-versa, that's how our enemies will try to get to us. Don't you get it, Nasse? I'm giving you a chance to escape, to leave us and our problems because you two will be caught in an impossible whirlwind of deadly encounters and adventures – not the kind that you would like, because we'd be in constant danger if someone notified the World Government that I'm the wielder of the Terror-Terror Fruit. Heavens, can't you two see it?" he growled, eyes flashing almost desperately.
They couldn't see it, they couldn't understand the magnitude of the danger they'd be exposed to if they stuck to each other. And he had to make them see it. Lelouch deftly caught Nasse's wrists, holding the infuriated girl against him as she struggled violently, but he held firm. He could see the anger in her unseeing eyes, overruling her hurt and fear (even though he could still sense it beneath those waves of anger), and that prickled his heart a little bit because she absolutely didn't deserve it, certainly not from him.
"I'm a walking death trap that will have you two killed, in the most unfair way possible, if you don't learn to think like us," he told the twins earnestly, sighing when Nasse deflated slowly in front of him. "Death traps like me would be your tomb if you don't steer clear soon enough. So you're absolutely right: I do care, but I don't show it every day – even Sabertooth must know by now that I care a lot about him. If you choose to follow us –"
"THEN IT'S OUR CHOICE!" both Nasse and Noctis yelled at him, stepping into Lelouch's personal space.
The words seemed to echo around them, loud and heavy with determination and anger in the air. Behind all that fear Lelouch could sense lay lots of inner strength and potential that awaited awakening, and the twins were currently showing what they needed to survive in this damn world. Guts and balls. The Grand Line may be a cutthroat, but if they were to follow one of the biggest sons of bitches that could overthrow the World Government with mind games just because he felt like it (without any reason at all), they would have to want it from the heart and not regret that choice later on. All they had to do was stay alive for themselves. Their souls and spirits better be tough, because that's where you find toughness. Not in the muscles.
There was a long moment during which Lelouch stared down at the twins, his face blank and unmoved, eyes hard. Behind him, Sabertooth looked closely at the siblings with observant eyes that couldn't miss anything from where he was sitting, all the while guiding the giant crustacean. Nasse and Noctis didn't back down, scowling at Lelouch with their hands fisted at their sides and glowering. One was interesting when the other twin wasn't around, but when together, they were similar to a rising storm that could be potentially dangerous.
And finally, finally, low chuckles could barely be heard apart from the crunching sounds the crab made, but they slowly got louder. Two pairs of eyes watched in complete confusion as Lelouch's face softened considerably and he erupted in laughter, joined by his best friend.
Noctis blinked several times, clearly at a loss. He shook his head, trying to wrap his head around whatever was actually going on. "W-What...," he sputtered, clearly too confused to utter a coherent sentence.
"You do have guts," Lelouch said between two chuckles, nursing his neck a little with one hand and putting the other on Nasse's shoulder. His strange eyes didn't have that terrifying glint anymore and the atmosphere seemed to have warmed up all of a sudden; the coldness was gone, replaced by what Noctis could call...relief? "Your spirits are much stronger than I originally thought, which is a good combination."
Nasse was doing this magnificent interpretation of a puffer fish, gaping at the chuckling best friends with a stupefied expression plastered on her feline face. What the hell was going on right now? A second ago, she and Noctis were about to bite his head off for thinking they were too weak-willed to follow them and now, they were laughing as if there wasn't going to be a big fight between them? As much as she wanted to smile with them, Nasse had to know if everything was alright between them.
Sabertooth answered for her, his keen eyes bright with satisfaction. "Jack-o-lantern was just testing your will, your spirits and your guts. You should know by now that muscles and brains aren't enough to keep up with us – or Jack-o-lantern alone. If you can take all of his madness and master your worst nightmares, then you can definitely beat fear." His smile dimmed a little bit, but the warm glint in his green eyes never faded. "He might be a huge bastard, but he'll give you reasons to trust him once you're ready. Still a bastard, though."
Lelouch's round house kick knocked him out before he could burst out laughing.
When Sabertooth came back to, someone was pulling at his tail excitedly and shouting nonsense. His eyes shot open and he nearly slapped the bastard who was man-handling his beloved tail. It was the kind of thing that little children who've never seen a hybrid such as himself – his race was the sister tribe of the legendary Minks of Zou, after all – always did because it seemed so cool, so it was a very unpleasant feeling for Sabertooth. Monkeys treasured their tails, and so did he.
He kicked whomever was torturing his precious tail, snarling and bright green eyes glaring. "Don't ever pull at my tail like a hyperactive child, idiot!" he yelled over the shouting match, jumping to his feet.
"Urrgh... sorry," the sprawled heap of clothes mumbled from its crumpled position on the sandy ground. And just as it started rising from the ground, it was tackled hard once again by a furious Sabertooth as the monkey flat out ignored the surprised screams from other people around them. "Hey! I said I was sorry! What gives?!" the boy – it looked like a boy to him, even though he was now a target – shrieked, trying to shake off the angry monkey man.
"You think I'm going to let you off the hook that easy after nearly ripping my tail off?" Saber snarled as he restrained the boy with one hand and started to draw his sword with the other. "How about you lose some fingers for a – oh, Lord!"
His green eyes widened slightly as his keen senses and Haki rang through him, making the hair of the back of his head stand, and the hybrid quickly performed a Soru to avoid being cleaved by a sword being drawn by someone else. Saber swiftly reappeared at Lelouch's side on all fours, scowling at the one who tried to cut him for tackling the idiot. Dark eyes glared right back at him, sending a confused yet murderous look (probably because he must have never heard of the Six Powers and its moves); the man had hair as green as his own eyes, a muscled body hidden behind those layers. Saber studied the sword he was holding with a critical eye, and blinked in slight surprise when he felt a faint, dark pull calling to him.
That sword is cursed, he realized as he gracefully stood from his position. And that must be a Kitetsu sword. He smirked slightly, eyes suddenly shining. That moss-headed guy must either have an incredible luck or was very strong-willed to wield a cursed sword such as a Kitetsu; just having to bear the curse showed that his spirit was strong enough to overpower it and not succumb to madness or death. After all, Kitetsu swords were rumored to bring tragedy to their wielders. But what finally got Sabertooth's full attention was the white sword resting at his hip.
"You must be skilled to wield one of the twenty-one O Wazamono grade swords and to have survived without having been defeated for it as the prize, Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro," the monkey drawled, smiling widely. He chuckled in amusement at the narrowing eyes of the younger swordsman, waving his hand. "Relax, you keep that Wado Ichimonji for yourself, I'm quite happy with mine." Very happy.
"How did you avoid my attack so quickly?" the moss-headed man demanded sharply, even though his tone suggested that he was still baffled and suspicious about the whole process.
Sabertooth's smile turned into a challenging smirk. "Once you grow stronger, rookie, maybe I'll tell you."
Lords above – if there were any in this nonsensical world –, his best friend had taken an interest in Roronoa Zoro and could fuck up everything in the span of five minutes if he didn't shut up. Sensing that the situation could quickly turn sour, Lelouch turned towards him, raising a brow. "Sabertooth, are you aware that you were about to maul the captain of the Straw Hats?" he questioned lightly. He nodded when Saber sent him a surprised look. "And yes, he's the same boy who was pulling at your tail."
Green eyes settled on the boy he'd almost mauled and studied him thoroughly, ignoring the strange-looking reindeer who was fussing over him. What he noticed first was the straw-hat, strapped to his head so it wouldn't fall; if he remembered correctly, Red Hair Shanks was the previous owner of that legendary straw-hat. And now, that precious pile of straw belonged to that scrawny guy, who looked nothing short of extraordinary (or maybe he was still a bit woozy from Lelouch's round house kick). A small scar was visible under his left eye, which could have been the result of a tiny cut. From a first look, Monkey D. Luffy appeared harmless, but maybe there was more to him if they were to fight.
How on earth could this guy possess such treasure? Had he actually met Red Hair Shanks, one of the Four Emperors that ruled the New World? If so, then that must mean this Monkey D. Luffy had to have impressed the powerful pirate to have received his greatest treasure, because there was no way in hell that he'd part ways with the straw-hat that once belonged to the very Gol D. Roger. Shanks must have seen something in him that Sabertooth couldn't see, and maybe that was enough to give this rookie his straw-hat as a guide and treasure to look after.
Sabertooth blinked slowly. Then twice as he cocked his head on the side. "Huh? This is the captain of the Straw Hats?" he asked Lelouch, uncertainty dripping from his tone.
"Apparently. That's Monkey D. Luffy and two members of his crew," Noctis piped in, coming to rest an arm on Saber's shoulder. He was keeping a close eye on the green-haired swordsman, who was still eying them all with a suspicious glare. "We've just stumbled upon them while you were out cold, thanks to Lelouch, and it seems that they were separated: Tony Tony Chopper right here – the little reindeer with that cute pink top hat – is trying to track down the rest of their crew."
So Vivi must be somewhere else with the rest of the Straw Hats, Lelouch thought idly as he glanced towards the sky. The sun was already setting, taking along its insane heat and all the hazards they could have run into had he not known everything about this desert, and it was bound to be very chilly pretty soon. They would have to set camp for the night to replenish their energy and get back on the road towards Alubarna on the back of their giant crab, since the capital was still very far away – though the oasis of Yuba was close to their position, Lelouch didn't have any business over there and the rebels must have left already.
And Vivi was still dead set on going there to try to convince their leader to stop their rebellion. Once she and the Straw Hats get there, what the hell will they do if they realized that they left already towards another oasis – Katorea, for example? They would have traveled all the way from Nanohana for nothing. Her plan was trash and she must face the cold truth about it: stopping the rebel army wasn't going to stop Crocodile from destroying Alabasta. She needed a new plan right now, she needed to confront the snake head on.
Lelouch silently cursed the stupid princess, thinking fast. Then his eyes slowly slid towards the three Straw Hats and he eyed them for a few seconds. He couldn't make the mistake of trusting them – not so soon, not so fast. Not only were they actually traveling with the princess of this country, but they were also pirates; Lelouch may not know how they thought right now, but he was sure there was no way in hell they'd tell him if Vivi was indeed back in Alabasta to stop Crocodile. No, especially if they understood the predicament she was in and became friends with her, because they seemed absolutely different from all the other pirates he and Sabertooth had met prior to this encounter. Had she met another pirate crew who would have taken advantage of her status, there was a chance that Vivi would have never made it back home safe and sound. So the Straw Hats... must be here to help.
And what's more, if Lelouch told them that going to Yuba to stop the rebel army was completely pointless, there was a risk the Straw Hats wouldn't believe him; why would they believe someone they'd just met over Vivi, whom they must have come to know and trust for some time until they reached Alabasta? They must have had time to earn each other's trust and friendship, and that was a plus – something Lelouch didn't have right now.
Alright. He had to know. Still, if they really were here to help the stupid princess...
"Have you come here to defeat Crocodile because of what he's doing to the country?" Lelouch asked softly. "Then must I assume that Vivi is back after having blown her cover as a Baroque Works agent, alive and ready to do whatever needs to be done to save Alabasta?"
The questions came so suddenly that the three Straw Hats shut up rather abruptly, turning toward him with widened eyes – for Luffy and Chopper only, Zoro merely put a hand around one of his swords and frowned at him. The surprise showing on their faces was hilarious, more than the fact that Lelouch – who was a complete stranger to them they met ten minutes ago – already knew why they were in Alabasta in the first place. Resisting the urge to chuckle at them, the navigator put his hands up to show that he meant no harm.
"Come now, there's no need to lie and pretend to not know what I'm talking about," he drawled, smirking slightly. "I mean no harm to her, since I'm a native of this country. But I do have to question your own motive to come here and help her, since pirates don't actually do this kind of thing – you are no heroes, you're wanted criminals who just happened to come across a princess silently crying for help, but too proud to admit it." His face became serious and cold, the smirk now wiped off. "What's your excuse to help her? Friendship?"
It took a moment for them to ponder what he was saying, but the response didn't take that long to come. It was Luffy who answered this, seeing that the situation had suddenly gotten very serious in the span of ten minutes.
"And what if we are? What's it to you, anyway? Do you know Vivi?"
The Pirate Hunter whipped around to punch his captain – his own captain – on his cranium, snarling. "Stop talking, Luffy!" he scolded him. "You're giving away our plan to some guy we don't even know and might be lying for what we know!"
"I happen to love this country," Lelouch said smoothly, drawing all eyes on him with various expressions – from shock to pure comprehension. For those who knew him, getting him to talk about the things he loved and his emotions was even worse than pulling teeth from a restless child. His face looked a little strained as he opened up about it. "Even though I don't express it firmly or often, I care about Alabasta. What's happening here is nothing short than a slow death sentence and I don't know if Vivi really is prepared for it; if she plans to stop the rebel army, and only if she succeeds, what then? Will that get rid of Crocodile?" He scoffed, feeling somewhat irate for a second. "And you're going along with her plan? You're setting yourself up for failure. You can't be that stupid, now can you?"
"Watch your tongue, freak," Zoro warned in a cold voice, glaring at Lelouch.
But he was just starting, because the whole thing was already pissing him off and he hasn't got ahold of Crocodile yet. If he could make Straw Hat Luffy see that following Vivi's lead would only lead to failure (even if he could see it himself), then Alabasta might have a chance to have a tomorrow. As Lelouch slowly stalked towards the Straw Hats, he crossed his arms over his chest and glared right back with a ferocious glint in his mismatched eyes. "What I don't understand is your involvement in this matter: there's nothing for you to gain in getting involved in Alabasta's predicament, yet you're willing to throw your lives away for a country that will still see you as pirates. You're about to take on one of the Seven Warlords of the sea...you? A pirate crew that just emerged from one of the Blues? Rookies against a seasoned pirate who became a Warlord? You're out of your league, little boy." Lelouch scowled as he neared Zoro. "You know what I think, Straw Hats?"
The Pirate Hunter snarled, drawing his sword at him to swipe at him, which seemed to wake Straw Hat Luffy up.
"ZORO, DON'T ATTACK HIM!" he suddenly screamed, eyes wide in alarm and rearing his arm as if to catch him in mid step.
He sensed it. He wasn't as reckless as he looked if he could feel someone's greater might – even though that person still hasn't shown his Conqueror Haki. While the older pirate heard his captain order him, it was too late to stop his attack. But Lelouch was more than ready: he lifted a leg to counter the blow, using his knee to strike the inside of Zoro's wrist where he knew there was a tense point. The navigator almost smiled when he heard the faintest sound of a cracked bone; Vergo's insane training had been so thorough and intense that it succeeded in hardening his body to the point it would be as hard as steel – almost like Vergo. The gasp of pain that the swordsman tried hard to muffle still reached Lelouch's ears, which made him scoff in derision.
Once Zoro's arm was out of the way, he swiftly swung his other leg to high kick the Pirate Hunter to the ground the next second by knocking him on the head, using the front of his other foot to do a complete circuit of his body. The strength Lelouch put in his blow made the swordsman fall gracelessly on the sandy ground, grunting in pain.
"Zoro!" the reindeer squealed fearfully, eyes wide in disbelief as he ran up to his friend to check on him.
Even Sabertooth expressed his concern. "Please don't overdo it, Lelouch?" he groaned, slapping a hand to his forehead. Suffice to say, he already knew where this was going and those rookie Strawhats will hate him just for telling the truth. But the truth was the truth. "There's no need to turn them into our enemies."
Good, the navigator thought as he looked down at the swordman, flexing his fingers. Because that's not even a quarter of the painful reality I'm about to drop on your head.
"GUM GUM...", Lelouch heard as he glanced towards Straw Hat's way, and he just waited patiently, standing right in front of Straw Hat Luffy to evade the oncoming barrage of fists. He smirked 'kindly' at the angry expression that was just appearing on the young pirate's face. "GATLING GUN!"
To one trained eye very attentive to detail, it looked like two fists punching the air in every direction in slow motion – and that was exactly what Lelouch was seeing, thus it was easy for him to avoid being hit. That Devil Fruit was rather intriguing; was Monkey D. Luffy a... rubber-man? Because his arms seemed to stretch loosely and quite far, which was slightly fascinating. He side-stepped gracefully and swiftly, from side to side, never allowing one fist close to his face or stomach. Slowly, he inched closer towards Straw Hat, contorting his way between the fists and arms however he liked.
"The difference between you and Crocodile, Straw Hat Luffy," Lelouch said as he performed a somersault to land gracefully on the pirate's shoulders. He managed to balance himself perfectly on that young man, built like a string-bean, who swayed dangerously because of the sudden weight. "is that he can easily kill you without even trying. Sure, your Devil Fruit powers are definitely intriguing, but if you can't even touch him, it's annoyingly useless. But what's more important than dying by his hands?" He sat on Luffy's shoulders, locking his legs all around his lanky body in a tight constriction despite the struggling, and bent his torso forward until he was staring right at his bewildered face. Upside down, Lelouch looked like a devil with his mismatched eyes. He even grabbed Luffy by the cheeks to keep his attention on him, inducing a barely noticeable amount of Haki to maintain his hold on all that rubber.
The smirk was gone from Lelouch's face, replaced by this cold, serious expression he's always had whenever he had to speak out and make sure that everyone's attention didn't stray from him. That hyperactive dolt won't change that, especially when Alabasta's fate seemed to rest in his damn hands due to Vivi counting on those pirates to help her in her foolish quest to stop the rebel army.
"I think you will lose, Straw Hat," he said bluntly.
The silence that welcomed his statement seemed to make everything and everyone freeze, especially the Straw Hats. Luffy's expression became gradually blank in less than three seconds and his body went limp as he just stared at the older man, not even fighting him anymore. If anything, what he just said just kept echoing in his head, loud and clear: 'I think you will lose, Straw Hat.' Monkey D. Luffy must have been told many times, in his first days as a pirate, that he'd lose to someone who was in an entirely different league, but this time, chances that he'd win against one of the seven Warlords were really slim. Chances that he'd die in Crocodile's hands were high and this rookie here didn't even know a damn thing about Haki and how it worked, he'd be toyed with as if he was still a little kid – which he actually was – that needed to be put in his place before he got too cocky for his own good.
I think you will lose, Straw Hat.
No. Just no. Even if his life depended on it, Lelouch won't bet on Monkey D. Luffy, a rookie who must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time when he and his crew stumbled upon Vivi, to save Alabasta from Crocodile, a veteran from the New World who would tear him apart without even trying and a care in the world. He'd just think that he was just a rookie pirate stupid enough to get involved in a war that wasn't his to begin with – Monkey D. Luffy was a pirate, for God's sake! What business did he actually have with Crocodile to get involved in Alabasta's battle for life? What the hell was Vivi thinking, involving pirates who still could choose to drop her like a hot potato and let her fight her own battle if her plan about stopping the rebel army from assaulting the capital and her father didn't work? A pirate fighting another pirate to save the country?
I think you will lose, Straw Hat.
No. Lelouch won't take that chance: that inexperienced idiot would get himself killed in the stupidest way possible in the desert – if they chose to fight in the desert, his playground, the place where Crocodile would have the ultimate leverage. This stupid boy was most probably walking toward his own death.
His eyes narrowed dangerously on Luffy, and he gritted his teeth. "Vivi might actually believe that you'd crush Crocodile for her and the sake of Alabasta, but please Straw Hat, be a little more realistic: Crocodile didn't become one of the seven Warlords for nothing and by being an amateur, he's an adept fighter who will trample you in seconds – minutes, if you're agile enough to evade his Devil Fruit powers, should he decide to let you strike first just to kill time for a few moments. He'll toy with you, just like he's been toying with Alabasta for three whole years, fooling everyone who believed he was their personal savior from pirate scumbags. Obviously, he's someone cunning enough to even make people turn their backs on their own king, painting him as the real culprit behind whatever is ailing their country. This, Straw Hat, is your enemy. This is the Warlord you'll face. And you want to take him down? As if you actually knew you stood a chance against him!" He pulled at Luffy's face to force the younger boy to look up at him, his fingers still infused with Haki, and snarled angrily as he straightened his back on the boy's shoulders. "Betting on you to save Alabasta isn't safe and Vivi is getting desperate for a miracle. You're a joke for the time being, Straw Hat, and I don't particularly like the idea of you running around thinking that you'll defeat someone of Crocodile's caliber. Should you even manage to beat him – let's say, if that actually happens before you could die stupidly for being too reckless, predictable and inexperienced –, it will just be out of pure luck."
The flinch he felt from the boy, when the last words were hissed, was mildly satisfying. There wasn't any tears welling up in his eyes, no fear creeping from him but pure rage; it slowly transformed his whole expression as the muscles in his face contracted to form that enraged face Lelouch wanted to see. It clashed heavily with his youthful features and the innocent face he had, meaning that this boy could actually fight and think; Luffy's reaction to his spiteful, albeit truthful words, showed that there was some clarity behind that obvious stupidity. There were some working brain cells in that brain of his. Good. But that anger alone was still no match against Crocodile.
Monkey D. Luffy was still no match. He'd still die if he wasn't careful enough with the Sand-Sand Fruit. And that didn't sit well with Lelouch, because that wasn't his fight – it was Alabasta's.
A spike of fear alerted the genius long before he heard the menacing and angry growl of the reindeer, who seemed torn between lunging or staying by his friend's side to tend to him. Lelouch glanced sharply at him, narrowing his mismatched eyes at the different form of Tony Tony Chopper – bulky and taller, he could easily tower over him, but did that mean he was strong enough to hold his own against him? He sounded so much like a young child...
The reindeer snarled at him, trying to look as menacing as possible. "G-Get off my captain, you creep!" he squeaked, stuttering just a little. Still young and easily intimidated. Poor little tanuki.
Slowly, a smirk crept its way on the navigator's face. "But of course," Lelouch drawled.
"I won't lose."
He paused, looking back down at Straw Hat with a quirked brow. Luffy was staring up at him, some of his anger having left his face as if he'd been thinking at lightning speed – after all, Lelouch's words spoke too much truth to just be ignored and brushed off as angry words.
"I won't lose," he repeated in this same determined voice. Lelouch frowned. "I promised Vivi that I would free this country from Crocodile's clutches, no matter what. She's our friend and she needs help. So I definitely can't allow myself to lose."
"Hn. Where is this determination coming from, pray tell?" Mismatched eyes glared darkly at the boy, who glared back. If anything, Lelouch was somehow intrigued he hadn't flinched under his stare; most Marine soldiers and scumbags, who didn't have any knowledge of his Devil Fruit, were all on edge whenever he was irritated. "Just because you promised Vivi that you'd defeat Crocodile doesn't mean that you'd actually win, determination or not. Courage and guts won't be enough to save you or this country!"
Now, Straw Hat was getting heated as he struggled even more against Lelouch's constriction. The anger was back into those obsidian eyes, fueling his erratic movements, but the older adult wouldn't budge and tightened his hold even more. He deftly caught the stretching hands that were definitely reaching for his neck, made an intricate knot of the limbs despite Luffy's protestations.
"How can you even know that? You don't know me, mismatched-eyed freak!"
Lelouch scoffed, barely offended by the insult. He heard worse. Frustrated, Sabertooth approached with his hands in view to show he was no apparent or disguised threat. Slow steps meant that he wouldn't try to hurt anyone here. "Really, it's not that difficult to understand that the chances of you dying for a country you have no ties to are high," he said, surveying the Straw Hats with a critical eye. His green eyes narrowed at Tony Tony Chopper, who flinched visibly and recoiled. "Whether you're doing this for princess Vivi out of friendship or not, you should have known that you're no match against a Warlord the second you've found out that Crocodile was the leader of Baroque Works. At least, not right now. So Lelouch is absolutely right, Straw Hats: should your captain win against Crocodile, it will really be out of pure luck. You've just begun your journey and you're already involved in a war you've got no interest in. As pirates, you could just ditch the princess and tell her to fight her own battle alone – all it would take is say 'Screw you, Vivi' and you'd leave her and Alabasta to their fate. That's all. You would be done. You could say that it's out of loyalty, honor and frienship all you like, your nature won't change."
Sabertooth shook his head solemnly.
"A pirate, no matter whom he befriends, remains a pirate and could still betray if his life and interest are ten thousand times worth more than any friendship."
The words were harsh enough to make Straw Hat and his friends flinch once again, because that was something they could do; now that they've been informed that the leader of the criminal organization responsible for Alabasta's woes was one of the Seven Warlords, they could decide whether they should go along with Vivi and stop the rebel army or tell to shove off and resume their journey. The choice was theirs, since they hadn't pledged to the princess to defend the crumbling country. Loyal friends they were, but they always had to remind themselves and everyone they were goddamn pirates. At the end of the day, they will still be pirates. Loyalty between them was either fickle or just didn't exist, but would it always be the opposite with friends when it was a matter of life and death? Would it be worth dying before even getting to the New World and have a shot at finding the One Piece and challenge the Four Emperors for their title?
For the second time, Lelouch was glad he didn't become a pirate; whoever Monkey D. Luffy was or whatever kind of pirate he was, he might just be some of those who would have a significant impact on this world. After all, if he was Garp's grandson, then he was bound to become something fearful one day – fearful and annoying. But not now.
"We don't care if you choose not to heed our words and warnings," Lelouch continued as he shifted on top of Luffy, flipping them off so he could slam the young pirate on the ground. He stood up gracefully, brushing off his clothes, and looked down at the infuriated boy. "but let them sink into you: it would be a shame for you to die before you could even have a chance to experience more in this world, Monkey D. Luffy."
Because you seem to have the potential to become something greater. Something Lelouch would probably come to respect one day.
Luffy was absolutely livid as he jumped to his feet, still glaring at the direction this Lelouch guy and his friends went with that giant crab. "Who was this jerk?!" he shouted, fuming. Steam was already puffing out of his nose, a clear sign of his anger. And gods, his cheeks hurt like hell – as if his Grandpa had grabbed him by one of his cheeks back when he was still a child! And – and – his damn limbs!
Needless to say, everything he said stung. From their involvement in the conflict of Alabasta to him losing to Crocodile; there was no doubt that Luffy was aware he'd always be told he was no match against a much more powerful foe, but when his friends were in dire need of help, how could he just say no? Strong or weak, Luffy would always come to help. That was in his nature and the words of a mismatched-eyed freak weren't going to change a damn thing.
And what's up with his eyes, anyway? "I don't know, but he sounded very knowledgeable about the situation and the fact that we came here to fight Crocodile," Zoro grunted irritably, his expression dark and angry. Even he was still upset by his ridiculous 'defeat' at the hands of that stranger. His other hand was killing him and he had a headache. And that monkey who avoided his attack as if he had sensed it coming... his hand tightened around his Wado Ichimonji. "If he's really a native of Alabasta, then he's just as stressed and frustrated as Vivi, even though he's damn good at hiding it. He wants to save his country, but..."
But the killing intent I felt from him was so strong even I couldn't bear it, Zoro thought uneasily as he stared off in the distance, his expression carefully blank. That Lelouch guy gave off a very powerful and disturbing aura he couldn't understand and ignore, because it was all over the place; just like Mihawk, he seemed to be in an entirely different league of his own – all he had to do was remember how Lelouch easily took him down with just two strikes. Two very powerful strikes that could have prematuraly ended his career as a swordsman and destroyed his dream to beat Dracule Mihawk. He even made him bleed without trying hard, which was an accomplishment. What was actually worse was the feeling his aura made him feel.
Fear. Sheer, pure fear. And it wasn't easy to scare Roronoa Zoro, so this Lelouch guy had to be some kind of monster to make him uneasy – him, of all people. Should he face Crocodile, Zoro dreaded the worse; he wouldn't just beat the Warlord if he could actually fight him, he would make sure he died from his hands. Happily. Gritting his teeth, the swordsman made fists of his hands to calm down and turned towards his friends.
"OK, we've lost enough time already! Let's find Nami and the others!" he ordered, starting to walk away.
"Zoro, that's the wrong direction!" Chopper cried out, arms flailing. "Nami, Sanji, Usopp and Vivi are headed in the opposite direction! Even though I can't sense Ace for the time being..."
I think you will lose.
His fists were trembling. From anger or fear? Maybe a little bit of both, since Lelouch had actually managed to both scare and anger him. He had wanted to cut the little bastard in pieces for disrespecting their choice about helping Vivi, but got literally trashed with two fucking strikes. And his wrist hurt like hell, since the bones were cracked (damn, the bastard could have endangered or terminated his career as a swordsman, had he hit the nerves almost as hard as he hit his bones). He still didn't know about the monkey, but his aura was just as strong as Lelouch's – the other two were definitely average, so they wouldn't cause a problem. And the fact that the mismatched-eyed freak had managed to evade every punch from Luffy's Gatling Gun was freaking him out. How in the hell did he manage to do that? Evading just one punch was one thing, but all of them when they were literally blurred because of the speed? Those two were something else, and definitely closer to Mihawk's level than Zoro was, not even Luffy would last three minutes with them with their current level. They were too dangerous for now, which meant that they would literally wipe the floor with their corpses – much like how Mihawk would have after having finished him off, had he not seen his resolve and sensed his strong determination.
I think you will lose.
Zoro snarled quietly, trying his best to ignore those words and that piercing gaze. Whoever he was, Zoro wanted nothing more than meet this Lelouch guy once again and give him a reason to think that the Straw Hats would be, one day, as feared and strong as he was. Just to give him a reason to think that they were worth it. And to start earning their respect, Luffy needed to beat Crocodile and prove his worth first – then, the World Government would start to view their crew as a threat.
That bastard with the freak eyes would have to acknowledge their merit someday. Just like Mihawk.
Just you wait, Zoro thought darkly as he unconsciously strayed from everyone's path. Eventually, he had to backtrack upon hearing Chopper call for him and grunted in annoyance and brewing anger.
The bastard even made him stray from the path he was supposed to follow.
"You didn't have to be that rough and tactless on them, Lelouch," Noctis quipped as he flopped on his back once they've set camp for the night, a few hours later. He was enjoying the warm fire their navigator had started, lying as close as he could. Nasse was lying beside him, her head on his stomach and looking very sleepy. Noctis' golden eyes stared at the dark sky, counting the noticeable stars with a slightly forlorn expression. "Supposing they could lose to Crocodile, you can't berate them for wanting to help a friend in need. Wouldn't you have done the same for Sabertooth? Let's just say they have their heart in the right place?"
Lelouch, who was writing in the Log Book nearby, glanced at the younger boy with an unreadable expression. "Rhetorical questions, Noctis," he replied airily. "You know very well that I would have destroyed whoever threatened Sabertooth or his family with every ounce of power I possess, but that's not the reason I've snapped."
"Oh? And what's the real reason, pray tell?"
The genius grew silent for a moment, his eyes cast downward on his Log Book. Noctis noticed this but waited patiently, his golden eyes still watching the stars. Not far away from their position, Sabertooth was sharpening his sword carefully, sitting on a rock. He was enjoying the evening chill, welcoming it with open arms and a bare chest showing his muscles. He didn't give any indication that he was listening to their conversation, but both boys knew without a doubt that he was.
"I'm worried," Lelouch admitted in such a low voice that Noctis almost didn't hear him, and when he turned his head towards his captain and navigator, his eyes widened in shock when he saw the facade finally break a little; so many emotions flashed in those strange eyes of his and he recognized some – worry, conflict, frustration, fear. It was almost amazing to witness the living embodiment of terror express the very feeling he always made others feel. "This wasn't how I imagined my return to Alabasta: the country I grew up in is on the verge of a war, bound to destroy everything I've grown to love and burnt it to the ground, all this because a cursed Warlord is looking for something that might or might not be hidden there. And Vivi is hoping to stop the rebel army. For what?"
"The way I see it, she might be putting her faith on the Straw Hats and their stupid captain – a crew of nobodies that just passed Reverse Mountain and is debuting on the Grand Line – to stop this oncoming war. The rebels? Can't she figure out that they might just be part of Crocodile's scheme to involve them as pawns?" At this point, he was clutching his knee very tightly and looked on the verge of exploding with anger. "Crocodile is playing everyone and the Straw Hats are just as clueless as Vivi is, and this is crazy. My problem with the Straw Hats and Monkey D. Luffy?" His eyes darted towards Noctis and Sabertooth, cold and wild. "I won't bet on them. I won't. No, that's just asking for Alabasta's death sentence right here and there's no way I'm going to let this country go up in flames. Vivi can place her last hopes on Straw Hat's shoulders if she wants, but I believe she's mistaken; even though this lot has potential to grow stronger and mature, this battle between Crocodile and Alabasta could definitely be their downfall if their captain died here."
Silence followed Lelouch's rant, during which both Sabertooth and Noctis glanced at each other with knowing looks in their eyes. It wasn't just that he was worried sick about what could happen to this country, it was the fact that some young rookies were the princess' choice as her 'champions' and not veterans who could already have a plan to overthrow Crocodile with knowledge of his powers. What was worse was the fact that Monkey D. Luffy might not even be aware of how the Warlord's powers actually worked – if he didn't know why he brought Dance Powder to Alabasta, then his chances of dying were still high. And from what they've seen, the boy seemed to be the kind to want to have fun most of the time.
Monkey D. Luffy couldn't be taken seriously. And with Smoker and his unit here to arrest his crew, things would go crazy in a short matter of time while the country would implode from within because of the oncoming war about to break out. Vivi could be making a goddamn mistake for betting on Straw Hat. What if involving another pirate in the equation wasn't the solution? If Straw Hat wasn't strong enough to defeat Crocodile, even with knowledge of his weaknesses (be it water or Haki), then who would save Alabasta from falling to its ruin and death?
Sabertooth put down his sword and tools for the moment being, then got up to scoop some food from their fire. "Does that mean you'll confront Crocodile directly or will you first search the city for any eventual bomb?" he asked carefully, sitting down beside his best friend. "Because if he's indeed looking for something highly dangerous – dangerous enough to wipe out a whole kingdom and one of the founding families of the World Government, then he should be dealt with. Immediately." The flames danced in his shiny green eyes, giving the half-Mink an unearthly appearance. Sabertooth's mouth twisted in a grimace and he took a big bite of his lizard meat. "If you can't bet on Monkey D. Luffy, then take the matter into your hands and beat Crocodile. I'll take care of the bomb."
"If there's indeed one," Noctis remarked dryly, stroking his sister's hair tenderly.
Lelouch's gaze hardened slightly. "There has to be one," he said confidently. "This bastard wouldn't put up an entire organization and create chaos and confusion in Alabasta just for some random fun. He has got to be after something buried in the capital – which has to be the grand finale of his plan. If the Nefertaris have been hiding a weapon that... that..."
He trailed off, his expression slowly fading into one of realization, then pure horror shook his whole body. Noctis and Sabertootoh looked at him, waiting for him to continue, but frowned when they noticed his ashen, horrified expression.
"Lelouch?" Sabertooth called softly, yet firmly, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Please tell us that things aren't going from critical to world-class horror right now, because that would be seriously enough to get the bastard higher-ups from the World Government to act."
It might be a wild guess, and maybe he was just too stressed about this whole situation but then again, it might also be Crocodile's secret goal... Lelouch just remembered that Sphinx once told him something about a Poneglyph that was hidden in the sacred tombstone of the previous kings of Alabasta, protected by the Nefertari family for centuries. He'd been in the secret by king Cobra himself, since he was a friend of the royal family, and he had told Lelouch too in his second year of training. The inscriptions couldn't be read, but only one person in this world could – which was very bad, because she happened to be Crocodile's partner in Baroque Works.
Miss All Sunday, a.k.a Nico Robin – the last Oharan who could read Poneglyphs.
But what almost made Lelouch fall into panic was what the Poneglyph said: if what Sphinx and the king told him was actually true, then this stone would reveal to Nico Robin where to find the Pluto – one of the Three Antique weapons that were hidden in the Grand Line, three weapons of immense power that could destroy this world if fallen into the wrong hands. Lelouch's hands were shaking so bad that his Log Book and his pen had fallen on the sandy ground with a soft crunch, finally sending his two friends into a frenzy. Even Nasse, who had been slumbering peacefully, had fully woken up to crawl next to Lelouch, shocked by the horror they could read on his face.
Sabertooth. Noctis. Nasse. Sphinx. Pharaoh. Adma. Ali. Baala. And old Rê. No one was safe if Crocodile was after the Pluto, Alabasta wasn't going to live another day if the Antique weapon was really hidden here. Everyone was going to die. Everyone he loved. For a goddamn Antique weapon powerful enough to send the Five Elders of the World Government into sheer panic. No. No, no, no, no, this wasn't going to happen. If Nico Robin had any common sense left, she wouldn't give Crocodile the Pluto – was she mad? The Warlord wouldn't even know how to handle such power, the Antique weapons could be very much like the Dyna Rocks when used insanely.
Lelouch swallowed slowly, eyes wide. Then, a broken chuckle broke out of his throat as he stared ahead. His mind had settled on one thing that should leave his beloved country peaceful and able to recover from whatever strife that bastard put them through.
"Crocodile must die," he said with a crazy look in his mismatched eyes. "Crocodile. Must. Die."
That was one look Sabertooh understood, and if he wanted his best friend to be spared from all the horror he was going to subject himself to, he was going to act.
"Alright then," the marksman smiled in a bloodthirsty way, mimicking a gun with his hands. "If that's your wish, Lelouch, then we'll grant it."