Author's Note 1: Patience, you guys. Patience! College always comes first and now that I'm doing much better, I'm in greater spirits. Good fanfictions cannot be rushed – otherwise, I'd be writing crappy chapters with crappy twists and you'd be whining. And whose fault would that be? Both. So, no rush, pretty please. Thanks for putting up with me, though.
Chapter Eleven: Alabasta's Last Stand (No Emotion) – Part I
Once he landed on top of another rooftop and stopped on the edge, still stained with the blood he's already spilled, Lelouch took the time to assess his environment. The war may not have started yet, but the tension had definitely settled deep within; the streets of Alubarna were crawling with soldiers and pirates running amok to fortify the defenses, the blind unaware that the enemy had been among them. The navigator could feel this tension deep in his veins, pumping into his blood like rushes of adrenaline, and it felt bloody good. Snapping his blank eyes toward the huge palace, Lelouch scowled, inhaling. Crocodile will need the king to lead him toward the Poneglyph hidden in the Tomb of the Kings of Alabasta, he thought with a snarl.
Before he could launch himself in the air, his Haki picked up Sabertooth's presence close by, along with the twins. His best friend was worried sick for him, Lelouch could feel his emotions affect his reasoning – a lot less than the maelstrom of raging feelings he forced down in his mind by detaching himself from it. After learning of Sphinx's passing from Vergo on the Transponder Snail, he definitely didn't need his mind clouded by emotions. Clicking his tongue in irritation, the navigator soared high in and though the air with great force, propelling himself toward the palace in just six seconds flat.
Lelouch had sensed Chaka's presence and emotions at the fortifications, at the grand staircase leading to the entrance of Alubarna. The head guard was ordering soldiers and pirates around, positioning canons so they could fire at the rebels the second they were spotted. Pell was nowhere to be sensed around and that was a problem, since he remembered that the two of them formed a great team together; where the hell was the falcon at such grave hour? He should be in Alubarna, helping Chaka with the fortifications to welcome the Rebel Army. How could he leave the capital?
Focus, Lelouch. It would seem that king Cobra is our first priority for the time being, so focus on his fear – those Baroque Works pirates must have taken him somewhere the guards wouldn't find him.
Give me a moment, Lelouch thought as he softened his landing, kicking the air with less force so that he could touch the grass of the plaza of the palace without hurting himself. Then he climbed higher like a cat, hooking himself up so he could have an excellent view of Alubarna. The heat of the desertic sun was scorching and familiar on his body, burning down on his neck, but Lelouch found this oddly comforting. If Crocodile were to set off a bomb powerful enough to wipe out the kingdom, he'd put it somewhere the explosion would have the most impact on the capital. Somewhere... high.
There was one place in Alubarna where he could have the perfect view on the capital, and it could also serve as a great hiding spot. Mismatched eyes snapped towards the clocktower, which stood meters away from his position. The tower was big enough to hide anything and he closed his eyes to concentrate; isolating all the noises and barks from the soldiers, Lelouch let his Observation Haki make him alert to everything he needed to be wary of – all the soldiers and pirates, Chaka, Sabertooth, Noctis and Nasse, king Cobra, the strongest Baroque Works agents plus two strange-looking idiots hiding in the clocktower, and – he realised with a tiny flinch that made his heart clench – some of his other childhood friends. Crocodile hadn't arrived yet – had the bastard had a run-in with the Straw Hats and Smoker at Rainbase? If so, then those Straw Hats might be more than just idiots playing pirates.
Then, he perceived it. As assumed, the bomb was massive and could definitely wipe out the whole capital in one huge blast; large and round, it rested at the top of the clocktower and waiting to be triggered. Lelouch even noticed that it was a time bomb, which could be a problem to Vivi if none of them knew how to defuse it on time. The navigator clicked his tongue in anger. Crocodile had everything figured out to win.
"The worst thing that could happen is an unnatural sandstorm created by the Warlord," Lelouch stated, looking back down at the crowded streets. "Everyone would go insane because of the sand... the bomb has to be defused now. Where the hell are the Marines?"
Why don't you ask the Mink to get rid of the bomb? His Electro would do the trick easily and you'd be free to kill the Warlord.
"With pleasure," Lelouch almost purred, a devilish grin slowly appearing on his lips.
He launched himself off the top of the palace, intent on hunting down the king and killing whoever tried to stand in his way, when something suddenly slammed into him in mid-air. Or rather someone: the air was brutally cut off of his lungs at the impact, his eyes wide in disbelief at the pain he felt in his stomach. Both he and Sabertooth rolled down the rounded shape of the cone for a bit until Lelouch tried to stop the fall, planting the blade of his Haki-imbued cane-sword into the concrete wall. He grounded his teeth as he kept sliding down, his best friend hanging on his backpack like the monkey he was. But still blinded by his killing intent and wrath, Lelouch roared in rage and tried to kick him off with well-placed kicks, which Sabertooth dodged easily.
"GET OFF!" he yelled at him, sounding and looking insane and so angry at the same time. "DAMN IT, GET OFF!"
The answer he got was a wild snarl from the Mink, whose long tail constricted around his throat like a boa constrictor. Lelouch gasped in shock from the sudden bottleneck, his eyes wide and wild. While he'd never got on the receiving end of Sabertooth's tail, he had to admit that it had a strong grip; his breathing got weaker by the second and the more he tried to shake off his friend, the more oxygen he lost and the more Sabertooth tightened his tail. His sight eventually started to blur, even though blinking didn't do so much as clear it, so he started to claw at Sabertooth's tail with one hand, holding onto his cane-sword with the other. He let out strangled sounds, desperate to get out of this trap and kill. The tuft on his tail, which was grown and voluminous, was suffocating him.
"Snap out of it, Lelouch!" he shouted, green eyes flashing in cold anger. "Or you'll kill everyone before Crocodile does!"
But he didn't want to snap out of it. Lelouch stubbornly wanted to stay that way until the battle for Alabasta was over; he was somehow aware that this unhealthy state of mind allowed him to push down all of the most disturbing emotions that could distract him – his overwhelming sadness over learning of Sphinx's death from Vergo, for example. He found this helpful, as he'd just be... out of it. The killing intent also served its purpose, without him having to use his Devil Fruit abilities. Lelouch needed to be out of it so he could shed blood as much as he could before breaking down completely. Sabertooth definitely couldn't understand.
And with one last great pull from the Mink, they both fell down, due to Lelouch also letting go of his cane-sword. Before his back made impact, Sabertooth gathered him in his arms in a tight constriction to prevent him from escaping. They crashed down hard, creating a small crater where they landed. Snarling at the slight tingle of pain in his back, the Mink still managed to keep a thrashing and insane Lelouch trapped in his limbs, which were wrapped around him in a tight constriction. If he contorted his way out of here, fighting him on this rooftop would be a nightmare and they'd just die stupidly with Alabasta.
"Let me go, Sabertooth! I'll kill him, him and every last one of Baroque Works!" the navigator raged like a mad man, his voice croaked from the strangulation and the suffocating. He coughed a few times, breathing harshly, then went back to thrashing around. "I need this!"
"NO, YOU DON'T! Can't you see that you're not thinking at all?! Killing blindly while losing yourself to madness just to push down all emotions will eventually drive you to release whatever lethal killing intent you've been nurturing all these years! This way, you'll make everyone fresh meat for your Devil Fruit powers!" The Mink pressed a hand over Lelouch's irate eyes, shielding the murderous gaze as if this gesture could prevent a disaster. Both friends struggled on the ground for a long minute until Sabertooth leaned in the navigator's ear, his expression anguished. "Calm down, Lelouch... it's all right to be enraged and sad at the same time because you're blaming yourself. Don't fight back against grief, for it's a battle you've already lost. And you can't do anything to change Sphinx's death. It's done."
Lelouch didn't want to listen to Sabertooth's words, as he knew it would tone down his mad bloodlust to mere bloodlust, however he couldn't help but just soak into those comforting words his anchor was telling him; Sabertooth, sometimes speaking the truth even when it wasn't needed or wanted, would never let him sink into the 'welcoming' arms of madness even though Lelouch found the idea appealing. Slowly, he began to calm down, to his own misery and anger, and his trashing was soon reduced to a light struggle.
"... it's done, Lulu. He's dead and you can't even make a single difference to this..."
An anguished sob wracked up his body, heartbroken and powerful, but not quite as maddening his breakdown would be once the battle for Alabasta was over. The noises of the capital had long been drowned out, reduced to a faint nuisance in the background, but Lelouch could make out someone laughing; it was a mad laugh he was very familiar with, when he was still Lelouch Lamperouge and had descended into madness – the Wraith was laughing at him. At him, at his goddamn predicament! He shook in his friend's embrace, grinding his jaws and breathing harshly and squeezing his eyes shut.
Sabertooth hugged him tightly, sighing. There were tears in his green eyes, that he was doing his damn best to blink back. "I know... I know that all it takes for you to fall into madness is a little push, as if it was gravity," he croaked with difficulty. "It's been like this for you ever since you ate your Devil Fruit and one bad day is enough to reduce you to a big ball of pure lunacy, that's how far the world has become from where you are, but Lulu... do you remember what I told you before? Three years ago, when you lost it back at G-5 after those pirates barged in..."
"'Train your mind to become stronger than your feelings, or else, you're going to lose yourself'," Lelouch started in a broken, tearful voice. He was finally beginning to calm down at this point and his struggling had fully stopped in the Mink's embrace, but the hot tears had escaped his eyes and were streaming down his warm cheeks.
"'Madness isn't always the emergency exit for you', do you remember? It's clear that, for someone of your caliber, your strongest muscle and worst enemy is your mind altogether. You've trained it, but now that you've bonded with the Wraith, it's split and constantly at risk. Don't let him seduce you so easily, you're far more cunning and smarter than that!" He reached Lelouch's ear. "I'm here, idiot. I'm here to help you, I'm not going anywhere. Tell me what you need."
The emphasis of those words seemed to have been what Lelouch had secretly wanted to hear, for he completely slumped against Sabertooth and let out a loud yell. This was a shout full of pent up rage, dangerous mixed emotions and silent hurt he'd been harbouring for not so long, and all those emotions had kept piling up until he was ready to explode. The fact that Sabertooth had managed to pick that up, understand what Lelouch didn't say out loud and tell him that he was here for him, just this... made him so happy that he had his best friend by his side. So fucking happy. Sabertooth would always be there.
A bitter laugh escaped his sore throat and mixed with his tears as he realised that he almost followed the Wraith's lead without any real resilience from his part – his own madness was very appealing at most times, so he had to give Sabertooth credit for understanding the predicament even years ago, back when he'd started working on his Devil Fruit. Damn, what a stubborn idiot I make sometimes, Lelouch thought with a weak whimper, breathing slowly to regain his bearings. He placed his own hand over Sabertooth's and squeezed it with a strong grip. He sensed his friend's relieved smile before he could even see it.
"Thank you... thank you, Saber," Lelouch said gratefully in a deep sigh, sounding real exhausted. The hand over his eyes was carefully lifted and he opened them, his gaze now clearer and the mad glint that was previously shining in those mismatched orbs completely gone. They both sat up with frustrated sighs, shaking their heads. Lelouch turned towards him, looking grim. "Are you going to be all right? I mean, you landed on your back with me in your arms..."
Sabertooth rolled his green eyes playfully, rolling his broad shoulders. "If you think that a fall such as this one is enough to break me apart, then you should have gone through the same training I went through as a kid back home," he laughed heartily, his eyes crinkling. "Vergo may be a powerhouse and a master of Armament Haki, but we half-Minks are trained to turn our bodies into sturdy, powerful weapons to make up for the strength we lack due to our human side when we turn five, just like the Rokushiki training you mastered. So I'm good."
Lelouch's face was sheepish and a frown marred it, which didn't please Sabertooth at all. Sighing, the Mink flicked his forehead rather hard, making Lelouch curse at him and have fingers nurse over the aching spot.
Sabertooth scoffed, his eyes suddenly hard. "You're such a selfish bastard by trying to keep all that shit to yourself, not even wanting to share with your best friend who's here to help you. But hey," He wound an arm around Lelouch's neck and pulled him into a tight hug, surprising the latter. "I'll always, always, have your back. You're stuck with me."
I see, he's actually this willing to put up with my bullshit and your madness at the same time. Impressive, since your predecessors didn't have that chance back then and couldn't handle me...
The words echoed in Lelouch's mind, spreading a pleasant warmth inside both his body and mind that instantly made him feel... loved. Where Lelouch Lamperouge's dear friendship with Suzaku had downward degraded to the point of hatred throughout his vendetta, the one Canterbury Lelouch shared with Sabertooth could almost be described as a brotherhood; they may not share the same blood but their bond had truly become unique. Knowing this made Lelouch hide his face against Sabertooth's shoulder and wind his arms around his strong back, but he had the feeling that he'd noticed the smile on his lips, judging by the smugness he sensed. That special, happy smile he'd thought he'd never show again.
But it didn't last long, as his Observation Haki suddenly picked up a complexed presence he'd never sensed before; it belonged to someone shrouded by mystery and years of pain and vivid fears, carefully covered by a thick layer of coolness and pretentiousness Lelouch Lamperouge used to mask himself. Mismatched eyes narrowed in the direction of the grand staircase leading to the entrance of Alubarna, with Lelouch now pushing himself up on his feet along with Sabertooth. That very particular aura could only belong to one person he'd wanted to meet.
Nico Robin was here. The Warlord hasn't shown his face yet, but she would do for now. Time to meet the Devil of Ohara.
"That's nice n' all, but the damn clock's still ticking and your country doesn't have much time any more. Where's the bomb?" Sabertooth asked in a cool voice, his hand grabbing Lelouch's shoulder. His green eyes were now cold and laced with seriousness.
Lelouch took a huge gulp of air, just to calm his nerves and regain his cool, and turned around to point at the clock tower. "See that huge clock tower? I've located the bomb at the top, but it's locked from the inside. However, you can access to the top via a secret staircase that Chaka and Pell showed me one day inside. Find it to get to the bomb, but be careful," he hissed at his best friend. "It's actually a time bomb, made to go off no matter what. It's guarded."
The Mink snorted disdainfully. "Looks like the Sandman had everything figured out to a "T", and innocent little princess Vivi wouldn't even have thought that it wouldn't be that easy to win. That foolish girl... Man, you did warn Straw Hat that his foe was a goddamn Dog of the World Government, didn't you?" Sabertooth face-palmed, snarling with an aggravated groan. "The bastard is cunning enough to fool an entire kingdom for three years straight!"
"Looks like I was right not to bet on the Straw Hats, wasn't I?" Lelouch growled, marching over to retrieve his cane-sword that was still embedded deep into the cone of the palace. "In any case, can you please defuse that bomb? You're actually the only one who can thwart Crocodile's plan to destroy Alabasta with a simple shock of Electro, he won't even see it coming." He jumped nimbly and gracefully, like a cat, grabbed his sword and pulled out the blade with a grunt. He landed back deftly, sheathing his sword. "We'll have the element of surprise, but the real problems will start once Crocodile and the Rebel Army get in Alubarna; it's highly possible that he'll mess with his powers to create a massive sandstorm around the capital, which will drive every soldier insane and create an impossible chaos." He blinked, then looked up at his friend in slight alarm. "Are Nasse and Noctis all right?" he then asked quickly.
Sabertooth nodded, determination shining in his eyes. "They'll probably come out to help with the Straw Hats, which will be for the best. Now you go get rid of some trash, without listening to the Wraith bastard, and then you deal with Crocodile. Ok, see you in a bit!" He made a peace sign with a smirk before taking off, jumping high and far towards the clock tower like a monkey.
The navigator stared at his retreating form for a few seconds, chuckling and feeling a bit lighter. However, his mirth was short-lived when his Haki picked up a nasty presence he immediately couldn't stand, with a disgusting aura that nudged his murderous instincts at once. Dark and cold, this particular aura reminded him of Doflamingo – no wonder those two could be considered 'partners in crime' if they actually got along. Schooling his face once again, Lelouch crouched on the edge of the rooftop to peer down with an unreadable expression. His keen eyes spotted the Warlord without any problem; the massive fur coat on his shoulders, the golden hook on his left arm, the swagger in his steps as he walked on the plaza, the cigar in his mouth and the sinister smirk could only belong to Crocodile.
His murderous instincts were tingling, humming through his soul and fueling the Wraith in his mind, who was almost purring with delight at the oncoming carnage. Lelouch could hardly blame him, as he also felt the desperation practically pulsating in the air; terror and dread filled the atmosphere, making it thick with tension and stress from all sides as the inevitable battle was drawing nearer. Soon, some of these people will die because of a Warlord's greed and there wouldn't be a funeral to bury, if the plan wasn't busted.
Following his gaze, Lelouch noticed a tall, slender woman dressed in a white coat, a white cow-girl hat, boots and a rather provocative outfit. Quite the lovely lady. His Haki flared up, humming through his body softly, and he blinked slowly with interest. The blue eyes and the identical mysterious, complex aura he could sense from her instantly gave her away. Hello, Nico Robin, Lelouch thought with a slight frown on his face. Meeting the woman in these conditions may not be ideal, but he hoped they would be able to talk after Crocodile's defeat. He gritted his teeth when he recognized king Cobra being manhandled by the archaeologist's Devil Fruit powers, who brutally pinned him to a wall by planting nails in his arms. The king's cry of pain made him want to intervene, but he stayed rooted. Not now, he chastised himself.
However, he didn't stay focused on them too long, as something much more worrying got his attention and he snapped his gaze towards the entrance of the capital.
"You've got to be bloody joking..." Lelouch slowly muttered, startled.
Eyes widening in disbelief, he could only stare as his Haki picked up all the other presences both inside and outside of Alubarna; excluding the Straw Hats (sans their captain) and princess Vivi that had finally made it to the capital, Lelouch could also sense all those who constituted the Rebel Army that sought to overthrow Nefertari Cobra and, needless to say, he hadn't expected such a large number of rebels. Hundreds of them, riding camels, all of them seething and battle ready. He sensed their emotions, which was a maelstrom of burning rage that will most certainly make them completely deaf to Vivi's cries. That idiot really got everything wrong, Lelouch thought with a snarl. He bet that even the leader of the rebels wouldn't be swayed that easily, unless Crocodile was exposed to him face-to-face so he could find out about the deception. In any case, all those rebels were ready to fight, attempt to overthrow Cobra or die trying.
Vivi couldn't have been more wrong. Her voice won't be heard if they were long past listening.
Start killing, Lelouch. Start killing and feed me, I haven't fed in a long while and Spandine's rotten mind isn't enough. If the Wraith didn't sound so frightening before, he definitely did sound manic right now; that tone he used to speak to him was alluring, almost sweet-talking to his killing intent just to poke it until it took over again. Lelouch shook his head roughly, as if trying to snap out of a daze, and forced down the killing intent once again. The Wraith's irritation bubbled up from within his mind. Stop ignoring your nature, little boy. You're ridiculous.
For the second time, rage filled his mismatched eyes but it was controlled. "In your cage, beast!" Lelouch hissed in a low voice, fighting off the urge to go mad and start rampaging. "For someone who's allegedly hundreds of years older and supposedly more patient than me, you're as impatient as a spoiled child."
Besides, can't you feel that terror from those around us? It's not just the civilians, it's also some of the present Straw Hats and the rebels: they're hiding it well, but feed on that for now. Reaching for his backpack, Lelouch retrieved his half-empty gourd and two of the few stones he'd picked up earlier, when he and Fire Fist had parted ways so he could regroup with the Straw Hats or whatever. They were rather sizeable and would hurt once imbued with Haki, which was the desired result. His rage-filled eyes looked back down at the Warlord, who was conversing with Cobra. You better not overdo it. Prey on the Baroque Works pirates, not the civilians. If you go over the top, take over my mind and body, I'll repress you down to a corner. I swear to the devil I don't believe in, I'll find a way to do it.
There was a small moment of silence during which Lelouch was playing with the two stones in his palm, coating them with Haki. He was scanning Crocodile's body, identifying all those sensible weak spots where he could immobilize the Warlord, all the while awaiting for the Wraith's response. And if he guessed right, the entity wouldn't appreciate going back to a latent state for as long as the navigator wanted – comatose slumber over freedom and the chance of fighting back against those who had him locked until he found another host?
...I feel like this is the beginning of a very interesting partnership, Lelouch.
Just as Lelouch was about to snark another respond, there was the telltale sound of a cannonball being shot in the distance and landing, which had him snap his surprised gaze forward. Smoke filtered up in the air, no doubt from a cannon that had been fired from an undercover Baroque Works agent. Lelouch snarled angrily, seizing one stone between his fingers. Now that the Royal Army had 'fired' first, nothing else would stop the rebels – they were now riled up. And judging from the pounding steps of their mounts now running towards Alubarna, the rage-filled battle cries from those rebels, the final battle for the Desert Kingdom of Alabasta had now started. Alabasta's last stand for freedom and rebirth.
"Toughen up, princess," Lelouch ground out, standing up. Taking a huge gulp of air, he exhaled slowly to repress the sweet, murderous urges that were begging him to give in. His angry gaze soon softened to a serene, detached expression. "Toughen up. For there will be blood..."
A sound soul, with a sound mind, in a sound body.
Ah, he remembered those words quite well. Thirteen years ago, Sphinx taught Lelouch how to close his mind off so he wouldn't let his emotions get in the way of his thinking. It had proven to be quite the challenge just to learn how to detach himself from his feelings, back when he was that young boy learning how to fight. Sphinx's training would have much more impact on him if it wasn't for his madness and his Devil Fruit, as his mind hadn't been sound ever since. And now that he was about to confront the smug bastard who was about to destroy Alabasta for a weapon that wasn't even there, Lelouch felt hesitant.
Well, his Devil Fruit had mentally fucked him up for good, so Sphinx's concept of everything 'sound' didn't apply to him any more. Not that it should hinder him, any way.
He knew how to hit a Logia and hurt one real bad, maybe even kill him if he was being careful and was strategic. The urge to end Crocodile's life was very strong, was vibrating through his nerves and blood with force, and it wasn't even the Wraith's doing – the entity had gone silent, but Lelouch could still feel him watching like a hawk. It would be so easy to just give in and make a mangled mess out of the Warlord, and the World Government lackeys sent after him would just collect him. They'd probably even congratulate him before giving him an invitation to join Cipher Pol Aigis Zero, thus having him become a dog servant to the World Nobles.
The thought made his eye twitch in restrained anger. So, just to calm down, he flicked the first Haki-imbued stone. The reinforced projectile flew smoothly through the air, hit Crocodile square in his right knee-cap hard. Through the gun shots, the battle cries and the fighting, Lelouch somehow heard his bones crack. And it was such a satisfying sound.
"Gah!" the sudden cry that tore out of Crocodile's throat was more of pain than surprise, although the disbelief on his face was particularly pleasant. He crumbled to one knee, clutching at his wounded leg with the most bewildered expression on his scarred face. "W-what?! What was that?"
His outcry alerted Nico Robin and Cobra, who looked his way with a surprised expression. The Oharan's blue eyes widened when she saw her employer on his knee, clutching his kneecap with an expression mixed with utter disbelief and pain. A Logia being hit and injured? Someone like Crocodile? Unheard of.
Taking advantage of the unexpected surprise, Lelouch shot out from his perch and dove in a flash. He drew his arm back, his sword in hand and aiming for the neck. Between the roars from the soldiers and the battle raging all around him, he swore he heard a voice in his head that didn't belong to the Wraith.
"... come down... come down and find me, boy with the soul of the Foul and the Wicked..."
His foot stomped hard on the ground just inches away from the Warlord, shattering the earth at the impact when he should have beheaded a bastard, finished off Crocodile and gone off to Sphinx's grave. Damn it, Lelouch swore with a scowl as he cast an intense glare at Crocodile, murder in his eyes. What the hell was that? Did I imagine it?
The cracks made it to the edges of the plaza, threatening to make the whole thing collapse. He even made a crater, in which both he and the Warlord sank in, but not enough for Lelouch to lose his balance; dropping low on one foot, he stuck out his other Haki-imbued leg and spun expertly on his toes to trip the bastard in another flash. Crocodile fell hard on his back with a grunt, bewildered. Once he was up on his feet, Lelouch contorted his torso backwards once to stab him with his Haki-imbued sword, only missing him by two seconds as the Warlord turned to sand and dispersed in the air. Scoffing in disgust, he contorted back easily and faced Nico Robin and king Cobra, putting the cane-sword back in its sheath.
"It's been a long time since I've last been hurt! Who the hell are you?" Crocodile hissed angrily around him before reforming himself two feet away from the navigator. His busted knee was bleeding and most certainly dislocated, causing the Warlord to limp.
A mocking, nonchalant sneer tugged at Lelouch's lips. "I said I would be back to visit my master one day," he said coldly, ignoring Crocodile while he never let him out of his sight. "I simply didn't expect to come back to such mess. Just like in our games of chess, you still got fooled, king Cobra."
Confusion was etched on everyone's faces, with Nico Robin now staring at him intensely. From the corner of his eye, Lelouch could see Cobra frown for a few seconds. Then there was recognition on his face as his eyes widened in disbelief.
"L-Lelouch? Is that you, child?" he gasped, gaping at the young adult.
Though it wasn't the time for that, the navigator still nodded and tipped his head to king Cobra – the only king he'd acknowledge with the respect he deserved and the only one he'd save by spilling all the blood necessary. He tied his cane-sword back into his sash behind his back.
"It's been a long time, your Majesty. Alas, the circumstances aren't ideal and there's a Warlord we need to get rid of before we can have a proper discussion." Lelouch reached for his dagger – the one that had been gifted by a very skilled blacksmith from Wano. He unsheathed the dagger slowly, his mismatched eyes never straying from Crocodile. "Alabasta won't die. Not today."
The blade gleamed in the harsh sunlight as he took a fighting stance. His eyes were blank and his expression unreadable.
No emotion. Otherwise, you'll make a mistake and most probably die.
Crocodile scowled at him, dangerous eyes staring him down for a full minute, before he glanced at his partner. "Miss All Sunday, where have we heard that name before? It sounds awfully familiar...," he barked at Nico Robin.
"He's Vice-Admiral Vergo's protégé, the "Blood Hound" the Marines and government officials they named him over the years," she said with bated breath, getting Lelouch's attention. "Though some say he's not on a Warlord level yet, you shouldn't underestimate him. The fact that he managed to bust one of your knees when princess Vivi couldn't behead you speaks of his prowess: he will be a problem to our plan."
She knows more. I can practically taste her excitement to have finally met you, Lelouch. We need to speak with that Oharan. If Lelouch could count the times he'd been rendered slightly speechless by someone having so much knowledge about him, he'd have to use the Wraith's hands and toes because his own wouldn't be enough. What were the chances of someone else than Nico Robin having access to his files? He had no doubt that the woman was highly intelligent, having managed to escape the World Government for over two decades all on her own, but this was insane. If she happened to identify his Devil Fruit, he'd have to do something about it. Lelouch wouldn't kill her, she was too precious for that and it wasn't his call. Just...
Crocodile snorted, his features darkening. "The 'prodigy', right? So you might be half-better than that stupid Straw Hat brat I've taken care of earlier, since you managed to hurt me." This time, a sinister smirk played on his lips as he bit on his cigar more leisurely.
Lelouch started moving in circles, his steps silent, confident and precise. "Straw Hat is dead?" he wondered, lifting a brow. "Somehow, I think that's impossible."
"I can testify that he is. The foolish rookie thought he could beat me in the desert," he drawled with a mocking laugh. He also raised his golden hook at the king, an insane glint in his eyes. "and also stop me from having my way with this dying kingdom. So I made a point of showing him why I'm on another level."
But the navigator wasn't swayed. "You could have brought his head here..." At this, Lelouch vanished from sight, startling the Warlord and Nico Robin altogether.
He reappeared in front of Crocodile in less than a second, as if he'd only flickered out of existence and suddenly reappeared inches away from him and entirely coated with Haki. His whole body was, making him shine and stand out in the sunny environment. The Warlord's expression froze in surprise, his eyes going wide in realisation. Lelouch smirked widely at him, his blade gleaming as he held it against the older man's throat.
"... because roaches like him are the hardest to get rid of," he finished, a glint of madness gleaming in his mismatched eyes.
His knee shot up to slam into Crocodile's gut as hard as he could. The Warlord doubled over with a strangled cough, pain coursing his body in intense waves and blood spluttering out of his mouth. Since he'd forgotten about the dagger, it would have slashed at his jugular but the boy merely slid it along the tender skin until he stabbed the back of his shoulder and plunged the blade deep. Crocodile couldn't help the stunned cry of pain that tore out his throat – something that hadn't happened to him in a long time since Whitebeard – and violentely thrashed at Lelouch with his golden hook, but the accursed boy nimbly jumped back about a foot away from him.
Releasing his Haki from most of his body, Lelouch produced another dagger in his hand and watched Crocodile with a calculating gaze. He almost smiled at the rage simmering in the Warlord's eyes, because this action was sure to rile him up enough to snap and make mistakes. And a Logia making mistakes would be both more difficult and more fun to bring down. Lelouch believed this was going to be a good fight until Straw Hat miraculously came back from the dead and found his way to Alubarna for a second round.
But that arm and that golden hook...
Lelouch smiled this time. "Are you all right, Crocodile?" he asked 'innocently'.
The answer came one second later. "DESERT SPADA!" Crocodile roared angrily as he brought his hand down.
The plaza shook greatly, cracks appearing all over the ground as Lelouch and Nico Robin both jumped out of the way to avoid standing on an unstable spot. The navigator was light on his feet, always using his toes to jump around and be nimble so he could avoid Crocodile's sneak attacks. All he needed was to avoid being caught by the Warlord's hand and hook or he was dead. Mismatched eyes closed the second Crocodile disappeared into thin air, shifting into sand, and all senses and Haki were on high alert.
I won't die here, Lelouch thought fiercely with a sneer as his dagger clashed with Crocodile's golden hook. Someone's still waiting for me.
The doors to the clock tower were all of a sudden smashed in as three Baroque Works crashed inside and continued their flight into the wall, crumbling to the floor with pained grunts. Sabertooth stumbled in a second later, sweating and looking like he was about to either explode with anger or collapse – his green eyes were wide and his chest was heaving at each panting breath he took. The sun had finally gotten to his head, because the Mink looked downright insane. He took his gourd from his backpack and took a large gulp, slumping against the nearest wall to catch his breath.
When he managed to regain some clarity, Sabertooth shook his head with a coughing fit. "Ain't got a bitch, Lulu was right when he said that the heat would barbecue me like a sausage from the inside out! It should be a crime to feel this hot when you're from a winter island and this is all your goddamn fault!" he croaked angrily before he stabbed one of the Baroque Works in the gut.
Blood sputtered from the bastard's mouth as he gurgled his screams of pain, trashing on the ground a little before Sabertooth put an end to his misery by snapping his neck with a well-placed kick. The others had no such luck, beheaded just because they were 'part of Baroque Works and they'd forced him to go through the entire desert to get rid of some greedy Warlord with a stupid hook'. After Lelouch paid his respects to his late master, Sabertooth was going to get himself some gold – if there was any, because Alabasta's funds must have drastically dropped for the last three years according to Lelouch. Thank you, Crocodile.
But first, Lelouch was more important. Sabertooth's expression darkened as he wiped some blood off his face. The maelstrom of emotions he was going through would probably cause him to have a blackout at the aftermath, because he was suppressing them for the time being. Get all that shit mixed with his killing intent and you get a shitstorm about to explode. And the issue with the World Government finally making their move on them will need to be discussed. That and their future bounties that will attract some foolish, greedy bounty hunters for sure.
Everything was a goddamn mess.
"Damn it, as if we didn't have our hands full right now with an entire country to save," he snarled before getting rid of his robes. "We'll have to resolve our differences with Vergo one day, bastard's the reason for all this."
After some snooping, he found the way to the staircase and broke the lock on the door that led to the top. Looking up, he saw a staircase that seemed to elevate itself all the way to the top. Sabertooth threw his robes to the side and jumped nimbly on the wooden railing, balancing himself on his feet. He kept his tail at the ready, should he trip somewhere on his way up. He rapidly climbed the staircase by jumping on the railing – the steps would have 'killed' him and this heat had almost barbecued him on the way to the capital. His Haki flared, signalling him of two unwelcome presences at the top and the bomb. Holy Mother of – that's the bomb?!
Sabertooth's green eyes widened in stupefaction as he kept climbing. Lelouch hadn't told him the thing was that massive, as its power could easily wipe out Alubarna in one fell swoop. His Electro definitely could do the trick and cripple Crocodile's plan – anything to protect the Poneglyph that indicated how to find one of the Antique Weapons. The Mink made a face of distaste, finally understanding his best friend's dread. If the king of Alabasta told him about the writing on the Poneglyph, which would be highly unlikely, then Lelouch was putting himself at risk with the Warlord. He better not go berserk on Crocodile, even if that might either make things easier or fuck everything up. The World Government won't appreciate losing one of their Dogs.
When Sabertooth got close to the top of the staircase, he heard whiny, high-pitched voices that instantly grated on his nerves – most certainly the Baroque Works goons who were dispatched to guard the device – and a faint ticking sound.
" … nice vacation somewhere far away from all the trouble this operation can attract from the Marines and the World Government, this shall be my last mission. I'm getting older and older…"
The Mink was as silent as a spider when he crept up at the top. He grimaced in distaste as his keen eyes noticed the ridiculous suits those two freaks were wearing (seriously, what the hell was that? It was worse than the clowns back at that winter island!), and uncoiled his long tail just in case. He was light on his feet, ready to draw his sword.
The male sighed deeply, as if envious or tempted. "What a splendid idea! I just wish Mr.0 could be more comprehensive with us. Not everyone has signed up for death so soon."
"Congratulations, you're just whining bitches," Sabertooth cut in smoothly as he stood between the two freaks.
They only had the time to turn in shock, see bright laughing green eyes and a smile before there was the telltale hissing sound of a blade being drawn. It sang beautifully as the Mink twirled it once between his fingers before he sank his sword into the male's left side of the throat until it came out on the other side, causing horrible gurgling sounds to come out as blood gushed out from the wound. Sabertooth's tail wrapped itself around the woman's throat like a deadly vice, a second before she could scream.
He smiled pleasantly at the woman, though she could see the burning fury in those laughing green eyes. Who the hell was this guy? The Unluckies never brought back pictures of this... hybrid, or the strongest members of Baroque Works would have taken him out!
"Do please say hello to the bastard down there for me," was all Sabertooth said before tightening his tail and stuffing his overgrown tuft in the woman's face.
She began to thrash around while choking on his tail, flailing her arms and attempting to grab ahold of Sabertooth. The muffled choking and bone breaking sounds didn't seem to bother the Mink as he cocked his head to the side, pulling his bloodied blade out of the male's throat with a hissing sound. The body crumbled down with a heavy thud and he turned his attention to the bomb, dragging the dying woman along by her neck as he strolled towards it. Horrible gargles still rose from the wounded throat for a little while until it was quiet, save for the woman's muffled sounds and the faint bone breaking ones. The Mink sheathed his sword after cleaning the blade on the woman's clothes, making sure to get rid of each drop of blood. He crouched in front of the bomb, taking a flash light out of his backpack, then turned towards his victim. Her movements were gradually slowing down and her heartbeat was becoming faint to his keen ears – she was practically dead. Sabertooth's overgrown tuft wriggled once more, muffling the weakening choking sounds, and he readied his tail.
"Right," he drawled nonchalantly, his eyes returning towards the bomb.
The tail tugged hard. There was a sinister crack as the neck gave out and the woman's body suddenly crumbled, the arms falling limp and useless on either side. Sabertooth released her and she fell gracelessly on the floor in a heavy thud, which sounded like music to his ears, and focused his attention on the massive bomb. It was a time bomb all right, with a timer and even a rope to make it seem like it will go off once the spark made it to the explosive content. This way, Alabasta wouldn't have had any chance either way.
Despite knowing it would be cruel to think that, Sabertooth couldn't contain his derisive smirk. "And princess Vivi would have thought that all she'd have to do was to put out the fire to the rope," he chuckled darkly, holding his hand out. Sparks flew and buzzed, illuminating the room. "She really had no idea how outsmarted she was. Poor girl needs a reality check about pirates like Crocodile..."
Sabertooth placed his hand on the device, smiling wide in glee as his Electro messed up the gears inside. The timer went insane, buttons turned on and off for several seconds before the thing short-circuited the system; smoke billowed out of the control device and soon, Sabertooth's nose was assaulted by a strong smell and he recoiled from it, grimacing. He jumped away from the bomb just as it was starting to spew many dangerous sparks and he admired his handiwork from afar with starry eyes. Sabertooth leaned back against the wall with a dark chuckle, cocking his head to the side. It was almost as if he'd lit some fireworks inside the clock tower and to be honest, it looked quite entertaining.
"Well, that might not be gold yet, but this is just as satisfying," he sniggered, his canines visible. "No more bombing an entire country, Lulu will be able to pay his respects to Sphinx as long as he wanted and Crocodile will be held responsible for trying to take over an affiliated country."
His expression fell as he thought about his best friend's ordeal. Thirteen years was a fucking long time to be away from his friends in Alabasta and since he hadn't known that Sphinx died not long after his departure, the pain would only be stronger once he got in front of his grave. Though he'd like to give Lelouch some space, Sabertooth wanted to give him mental support – who knows what the Wraith might be up to? That creature could take advantage of his current mental state and do whatever it wanted with his body.
That and they also needed to get a ship for themselves. If they had to become outlaws to escape the World Government's clutches, they might as well turn to piracy and get themselves a good ship – Sabertooth had heard about Water Seven and the famous Galley-La company, and through his research, he'd found out about Iceberg – one of the legendary Tom's workers. If they could get to this island and get the man to build them a ship from Adam wood, it would be bloody fantastic. But before that, Sabertooth thought with a dark sneer, we need to get even with Vergo.
Vergo, the man who fucked up Lelouch's existence with just a Devil Fruit, was so going to pay for this. One way or another, there was no way Sabertooth and Lelouch would let him get away with this; exposing him as the fraud he was to the head of the Marines could fuck up Doflamingo's plans as well and the Warlord wouldn't like it. The mole would be busted and terminated, Commander Kong would see to it. It would upset Lelouch, Sabertooth was aware of that fact, but they had to cut him off. With a fight.
"Oh yeah," Sabertooth agreed with his mind, a ferocious glint in his eyes. "With a damn fight."
And if Lelouch couldn't bring himself to end Vergo's life, then he'll do it.
Lelouch was grateful for Nico Robin to have dragged king Cobra away from the crumbling plaza, because the man didn't need to witness what kind of monster he'd become over the years. His aura had changed, the killing intent was very strong in practically every battle he was involved in, the look in his eyes was always deceiving for those who haven't spent years with him – Lelouch wasn't the boy the Alabastans used to know any more.
He scanned the area with his Observation Haki, trying to discern Crocodile's presence among all the people fighting around. Lelouch found the Warlord, who had turned into sand about five seconds ago, staggering away from his position. The man was half-dead and it wouldn't take long for him to pass out due to blood loss. Had he not resorted to his elemental body, there was a good chance that Lelouch would have killed him on the spot. It was already incredible that he could still move, use his elemental body to turn into sand and run away from him. After that bloody beating he took from him, one would think that Crocodile would be knocked out. He truly wasn't a Warlord for nothing.
But he wouldn't leave his accessory behind, would he?
Lelouch threw Vivi a sombre and severe look. Why the hell had she come to the plaza, just when the whole thing was starting to come undone and collapse? Saving her hadn't been part of the deal, that was Straw Hat's job since they'd come to Alabasta for Crocodile's head.
"You just had to get in the way, did you?" he drawled at her, causing the princess to stare up at him in muted horror and fascination. Lelouch scowled at her, standing up slowly. He wiped some blood off his eyes and mouth with his free hand. "What? You went undercover in Baroque Works, I ought to assume that you've seen worse than a Warlord having an arm ripped off. Didn't you, princess?"
When he blocked the golden hook, Lelouch struck the tense points he located along the arm with his other fist. The pirate grunted in pain, recoiling from Lelouch for a second before swinging at him with insults from his mouth. He evaded Crocodile's other hand that would have been his doom by doing a split and contorting out of the way, then tripped the Warlord as would a hip-hop dancer. The older man fell flat on his back, unable to move his arm with the golden hook as it has suddenly become numb the second Lelouch struck it. His eyes went wide when the boy performed a rapid handstand to push himself a little high in the air, swung his leg up...
And landed right on the junction between his left arm and his shoulder. Lelouch stomped on it with a cry of rage. Hard.
Now Crocodile has suffered many painful and humiliating injuries in the past, most of them had been inflicted by Whitebeard himself because he'd been foolish enough to think that he'll be the one to get his head. But this boy, this Lelouch – he was or was on the verge of becoming something else. If he'd been trained by Vergo himself for years, Doflamingo's henchman and the first bastard to occupy the Heart Seat, then he was at least almost as powerful as the vice-admiral. And he'd surpass him very soon, especially in the Armament Haki department.
The bone breaking sound that echoed all around the plaza will easily haunt his nightmares, but not as much as the pain that was coursing all of his nerves at once. The pressure from the foot was too strong and kept increasing, intent on smashing the bones to smitherens. Crocodile couldn't keep the cry that tore out his throat, as the pain was too intense to keep quiet. He thrashed around, tried to wrench himself away from the Haki-imbued foot that pressed on the wound and even attempted to drain him with his free hand, but the accursed boy stabbed it with a Haki-imbued dagger. It was also stabbed to the destroyed and unstable ground.
"You don't get to do that, you bastard," Lelouch hissed.
The first punch he got was strong and precise, causing his head to swerve on the side. Crocodile coughed up blood, his head ringing and swallowed by pain. The second punch nearly dislocated his jaw. It's really been a long time since someone with really powerful Haki had got him in such disadvantage, and the last time he'd been humiliated of the sort had cost him a lot of pride and confidence. Was he really going to get beaten up by a kid? Was this really a kid in front of him?
"It was easier when I didn't care about anyone I left behind years ago and that was... that was better. Now you make me come back to this country and everything changes! EVERYTHING!" Lelouch roared angrily at Crocodile's face.
The third punch was followed by a bone cracking sound, to which Crocodile couldn't muffle his grunt of pain. This time, his jaw was definitely dislocated and will have to be reset. Which will hurt like a bitch. Goddamn it, this boy was taught excellently well; the pain was that strong that he could barely focus on his foe. His eyes were steadily getting swollen and he was slowly slipping. The punches had done their damage – Vergo clearly didn't go easy on Lelouch during training. However, what the Warlord saw in those mismatched eyes and what he sensed from the boy made his blood freeze.
This wasn't just a boy. There was something else controlling that body, not just Lelouch. Something... or someone. The boy may be a beast but something else was fuelling his emotions, thus increasing the strength behind his blows. Crocodile couldn't, for the life of him, put a finger on it. The rage, the sickening glee and the killing intent were just too strong to come from the boy, even if he wasn't far behind.
Lelouch grabbed him by his collar, lifting him slightly off the ground as he sneered.
"Why did you have to make me care?!" he shouted at him.
Make him... make him care? What the hell was this beast talking about? Had Vergo and Doflamingo fucked him up that bad? Crocodile had to snort at him, because this sounded just bloody ridiculous and he wasn't making any sense – which was ludicrous because the boy was beating him to death.
Suffice to say, Lelouch might have lost it right here when the Warlord had the gall to laugh at him. Just when he'd reminded himself to not feel any brutal emotion that may cause him to lose his mind. He was past listening anyway. So he hardened his entire body, a snarl on his face, and the punches rained down. Blood splattered in droplets in his face but he kept going – that wasn't going to kill the Warlord. The picture of Vergo beating the shit out of a random pirate in the New World flashed in his mind and at that moment, he found it perfect because Lelouch could see himself in his mentor. Really, Vergo had been an excellent mentor for all these years.
He doesn't matter anymore, not after the lies. Next time you two meet, he dies.
Somehow, Lelouch believed that the Wraith might be right on this one.
"Father! Father, where are you?" a female voice cried out.
Though he didn't recognise the voice right away, it still made Lelouch pause in his bloody beatdown. His bloodied gloved fist stopped inches away from Crocodile's swollen face, as the Warlord coughed up blood and heaved ragged breath after ragged breath. Very slowly, the navigator came back to his senses and blinked several times in an attempt to clear the fog in his mind, thus releasing his Haki. He took huge breaths, not even winded enough, then glanced over his shoulder. Behind him was an older version of princess Vivi, with longer hair and robes to protect her skin from the desert.
For a split second, their eyes met. And in the next second, Lelouch realised his mistake; he wasn't fast enough to dodge Crocodile's right hook to his cheek (damn it, how could he have allowed himself to go insane?) and the strength behind the blow actually sent him flying off the Warlord. Vivi gasped, shocked and caught off guard. Lelouch recovered and flipped himself on all fours to stop sliding on the unstable ground. Once he stopped just at the edge, he raised disbelieving eyes towards Crocodile, who was struggling to lift himself up to his feet with grunts of pain. His left arm was still paralysed, so he was only using his right, and he looked in great pain – the bones in the knees were in very bad shape, after Lelouch had damaged them so he would make it harder for the Warlord to move freely. Even all bloodied and aching from everywhere Lelouch had hit him, Crocodile was still getting back up. Because he wasn't done and he wasn't going to get killed by a kid. He was a veteran.
He was... a Warlord.
Crocodile wheezed painfully, hunched over his knees to keep himself balanced. There was a look of utter disbelief (terror?) etched on his face, extremely unfamiliar and ludicrous beneath the swelling and the blood. It was as if he'd just realised that he'd been close to being killed even before the completion of his plan. That was unnacceptable, wasn't it?
All of a sudden, he ground his teeth in a vicious snarl. "You damn brats...," he heaved in a panting breath. "You think you can just... get in the way of my plans..."
He opened his valid arm wide, his head thrown back to gaze into the sky. He spit more blood, but smiled widely like a deranged maniac. Lelouch inwardly flinched, because Crocodile looked eerily similar to his former self, when the Geass had finally destroyed his mind.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" the Warlord roared angrily, bringing his wounded hand down. "DESERT GIRASOLE!"
Get him now! He's about to bring down the whole plaza!
At this instant, Lelouch understood that he didn't have much time before the Warlord disappeared. He only had small seconds. So he dashed as fast as he could towards him, Armament Haki covering his body and his footsteps light on the fragile ground, and clapped his fingers deep into Crocodile's wound on the junction between the shoulder and the left arm. The bone was reachable, he just had to go deeper. With his other hand he pulled hard at the left arm. The bone breaking sounds and the expletives were music to his ears, despite all the other noises around them.
Crocodile hunched over with a roar of pain, dragging Lelouch with him. "You fucked up brat!" the Warlord screamed, thrashing around in an attempt to throw off the maniac. "Doflamingo's dog clearly fucked you up!"
He had no idea. "That will serve as a nice souvenir!" Lelouch shouted back with a sneer. "This way, you'll remember exactly why I'm perfectly fine being insane and a monster!"
Five seconds, Lelouch.
Fed up with the whole thing, the navigator kicked Crocodile in the back of his right knee to make him fall forcibly, kicked the air to elevate himself a little all the while holding the Warlord's left arm and then, when he was aligned with the junction, fell to stomp right on it with his right foot with as much strength as he could.
This time, Lelouch was rewarded with the most satisfying bone breaking and flesh tearing sounds ever and witnessing the action was even better; clothing gave out, flesh was torn and bones were broken, and the arm was finally ripped off when Lelouch hacked it with a dagger in a smooth cut. Blood splattered and gushed, splashing his face redder than before. The roar of pain Crocodile let out sounded inhuman, more animal-like, and Lelouch would be lying if he said he didn't like it. He absolutely loved it.
He was finally shrugged off when the Warlord pummelled a fist into his hardened stomach. Not that it hurt him, but he had to let go because they were about to fall.
This time, the plaza literally gave out under their feet. The noise was almost terrifying, more so than the sensation of falling from a great height. And the debris – all these debris – were everywhere, making it near impossible for the navigator to distinguish Crocodile. His eyes quickly scanned the area, his senses on high alert, but nothing. The Warlord had used this distraction to scamper away, most probably thinking that Lelouch might be delayed and that the princess would be either crushed by the debris or would snap her neck and spine once her body hit the ground. Vivi's scream was deafening, almost drowning the sounds of fighting below.
If she died, then the Straw Hats would have brought her back for nothing. If she died, then king Cobra would lose a daughter and the most precious thing to him to a greedy Warlord. If she died, Lelouch would most probably lose a 'friend' and he'd never forgive himself.
Cursing under his breath, Lelouch flipped over and used the debris as small platforms to launch himself at great speed towards the falling princess. He zigzaged his way down until he wrapped his free arm around Vivi's waist, then he used the Geppou to get out of the way of some of the debris and slow down their fall only when they weren't in danger of being crushed. Vivi was holding onto him for dear life, breathing harshly in his ear.
To his disbelief, Lelouch crumbled to his knees next to the princess before he could even take one step and hung his head to catch his breath, eyes falling shut as Vivi studied him more closely. It took her a full minute to recognise where she'd met this older boy, because he looked awfully familiar even covered with blood; jet dark hair, both eyes that should have been of the most beautiful violet colour she'd ever seen in her life and an aristocratic air that made him so regal in her eyes... she knew that boy!
She gasped. "Y-you're Sphinx's apprentice," Vivi stammered, eyes wide in utter disbelief. "L-Lelouch... right?"
He raised his head to look at the princess wearily. "Am I to assume that you'll tell me everything he said before... before he died?" he asked Vivi in a softer voice.
Lelouch had to swallow the pain that threatened to overwhelm him, because it wasn't a good time to feel emotions; Sabertooth may have defused the bomb but there was still a Warlord at large. Crocodile was bleeding and missing a limb, which would probably make him more dangerous now that he must view Lelouch more differently than Straw Hat. Sphinx... he'd mourn him once everything was over. Alone.
Vivi's expression grew sympathetic and she nodded. "Yes, everything," she promised.
"I'll need to hear everything, because thirteen years is a long time to be gone and I'm in the dark on so many things. But for now, where's Straw Hat?" Lelouch asked as he shifted into a sitting position, Crocodile's hook on his lap. "Crocodile boasted that he killed your friend before he arrived in Alubarna. Is that true?"
Horror and fear struck the princess at his words about Monkey D. Luffy, who was most certainly her only hope to defeat the Warlord and save Alabasta. Lelouch also sensed, via his powers, that their bond seemed to go beyond a simple friendship; the sheer fear she felt upon his words confirmed it. Vivi leaned towards him and grabbed his shoulders tightly, making Lelouch frown at her.
"No! No, Luffy can't die!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide in despair. "I need him, he has to be alive! Crocodile is lying!"
"Calm yourself, Vivi, I didn't say I believed him when he said that. I said he should have brought his head to show me if what he claimed was the truth but since he didn't, there's a chance that Straw Hat might still be alive. Badly hurt, but alive nonetheless." He shrugged her off lightly and stared at her with unreadable, hard eyes. "Listen very carefully. You have to find a way to put an end to this battle between the rebels and the Royal Army, there's already too many casualties on both sides. Any way. Your father has nothing to do with Alabasta's plight, but they won't listen to him. If you want them to hear you, the rain has to come back."
Vivi gulped loudly. "How? The Dance Powder... it took it away for three years and not one single drop has graced the land ever since, Crocodile made sure of it." She hung her head to shield her face, as if too ashamed to cry in front of him. "Lelouch, there's a bomb hidden somewhere... it's going to destroy everything if we don't... if we don't..." Her voice cracked.
That was when a cheerful voice spoke near them. "The bomb's already been defused and won't be a problem, princess." Lelouch smiled as he turned towards his friend. "All there is left is to defeat Crocodile."
Vivi raised her head, tearful eyes looking towards Sabertooth, who was calmly strolling their way with two unconscious Baroque Works agents masquerading as soldiers of the Royal Army in his arms. The Mink smiled widely at her. "Found it at the top of the clocktower, my Electro definitely did the trick. No explosion, the kingdom will live." When he turned towards Lelouch, he locked eyes with his best friend and the smile faded a little. "Damn, you look messed up. Are you all right, Lulu?"
"Alive. And yes, I'm fine," Lelouch responded with a nod.
As Sabertooth didn't look convinced, the navigator had to smile at him. "Really, I am. You don't have to worry that much."
"OK. Wanna explain why you have that golden hook on your lap?" Sabertooth sounded slightly both incredulous and genuinely curious.
"It's Crocodile's. But later, we have more pressing matters." Lelouch finally got up, still holding onto the arm. He turned towards a bewildered Vivi, then knelt in front of her. "Vivi, if you need the Straw Hats with you to stop this madness, then wait for them. Right now, they might be your best bet for the kingdom's survival but so are Kohza, Pell and Chaka. Find them, tell them the truth about Crocodile and the bomb, then proceed to reason with your people." He stuck his hand for her to take. "You're their princess. They'll listen to you if you manage to grab their attention. But for this to happen, Crocodile must be vanquished. His sand powers must be the last rempart to hold off the rain, so if he's defeated, it should have a tremendous effect on the weather. The rain will come back."
Finally, Lelouch smiled at her.
"You're Alabasta's last stand, Vivi. And its last hope. Tell us what to do."
Almost at the same moment, other voices cried out. "Vivi!"
Probably some of the Straw Hats. If they were alive, then they had a chance to end all this madness and reestablish peace in the kingdom. Alabasta will rise back. The determination that shone in the princess' eyes made Lelouch smile even more, but not more so when she took his hand.