Alex was out of it for a great deal of time, only coming out of it finally to the boom of either fireworks or cannons, he blinking before he got up and looked, finding himself on the Merry and staring up to the sky that was filled with pink, the color of sakura pedals, before he frowned. "You mean that I missed all of Drum Island, what the freak!" He shook his head in disbelief before he breathed with figuring out what had happened before he blacked out.

'Okay, we had just left Little Garden, we had gotten the Eternal Log to Alabasta from Three's cabin, and we had established that none of us were bitten or sick, so what happened...?' He shifted in thinking about it, having been put in the men's cabin with a view to Drum and somehow the Drum Rockies, with crossing his arms in thinking about it before leaning back, freezing with glancing to the side to a lovely woman with long blonde hair and a royal dress with a ghostly feature to her, actually mending one of Sanji's suits with a practiced hand before he spoke. "Sora... Vinsmoke...?"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance as well, Alex." Sora answered with another stitch to the suit before putting it down and picking up her son's dress shirt and giving it a once-over. "Melody has been a dear with taking care of you, despite the cold weather..." Alex grimaced as, no doubt the Devil Fruit was also affecting Melody as snakes dislike the cold as it put them in a early sleep, how Melody had managed to troop on was something else altogether." Sora put the shirt down as her eyes or just eye as she had the tuff over her right, a dark shade of blue, stared to meet Alex's. "Since you have been out for a while, on account of getting Roger's pressure beamed directly through your Fruit's protective shell, I will give you the telling."

Alex sat up as he listened, also taking into the fact that Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, had busted through his Devil Fruit's shell that prevented any harm being done to the user, resulting in the slight headaches he had gotten when Bell-mere and Kuina had appeared, with enough to interact with the physical world for a short time, so that explained why he fainted, from a broken blood vessel and a searing headache that felt more like his head splitting in two when Roger popped up (What a jerk!) which meant that not only had Roger appeared, he had appeared with all of his presence in tow. For some reason, the crew hadn't asked him for any visits of family or friends that they had lost, even Sanji was hesitant to ask, and he was more needing to hear it if he had just asked, in the grace periods they had.

Sora was precise in her tale, the crew moved for Drum Island to both find Chopper and get Alex back up to snuff, encountering the despot Wapol who TRIED to take a bite out of the Merry when the crew refused to give over their treasure and had stated that they didn't have a Log Pose to Drum Island in the first place. The reason he failed was Usopp as, in a burst of sheer bravery and courage, he slammed his '5-ton' hammer into Wapol's face, calling upon hidden reserves of Armament to smash Wapol right off the ship, and it worked with a soaring Wapol with blood gushing out and he skipping across the water before his men moved to save him and vowed vengeance upon the Straw Hats, their departure even faster with Usopp growling that the Merry was NOT food for despots.

The crew made it and the usual played out as the village had been attacked by Blackbeard and they were unwilling at first to let the pirates onto the land, but they yielded and directed them to where to go as they came looking for a doctor. Sora, though she was still a ghost, but given the ability to follow the crew with Kuina running as 'messenger' if need be, followed them to the sheer climb of Luffy's will against Drum Island's Drum Rockies to help get Sanji to the mad doctor Kureha as the local Lapahn were protective, but Luffy earned their loyalty for aiding a few from the avalanche that they caused when the Straw Hats caused too much trouble to them.

As apparent, most of the crew, excluding Zoro who thought the BRIGHT idea of swimming in tundra waters with poor Carue the victim of trying to keep Zoro intact and alive getting chilled while Zoro was none the colder before he fought Wapol's men, met with the 'elder' Doctor and her adopted son, Chopper, and while Usopp was surprise, Luffy's was genuine awe and amaze as he watched Chopper do his thing and saw how Chopper held life above everything else.

But all good things came to an end with Wapol who 'finally' found his way 'home' and attempted to retake it for his childish wants, but sad as it is, there were actual pirates on the island and those pirates held up to the promise of freedom and vow, the good quark's flag still flew from the castle top and Wapol was evicted right out of the country, where Chopper got a hand to finally find his dream and refine his skills by the voice of Monkey D. Luffy, the King to come.

"...Now, unless I missed something along the lines..." Sora answered while Alex found Melody and cradled her to warm her up in the cabins while Sora spoke and they resumed in the cabins. "The Straw Hats should be returning and Chopper can have a look at you." Alex nodded with touching his nose and it coming away with... a bit of blood and he sighing as he cleaned it up with a nearby clean cloth.

"Here's hoping that Roger doesn't make it a thing to just bust through the guard and pound me with that intense pressure again." Alex grumbled as they waited and, as the ship headed out, did the crew check in on him, followed by a small reindeer with a blue nose, a pink top hat nestled on his head with a pair of antlers keeping it there as Alex blinked. "Huh..." That small reaction seemed have weighed the air as Chopper stammered.

"Y-You don't like me?" Alex blinked before he spoke in clearing the air.

"Just the first time seeing a blue-nosed reindeer on two legs, usually you see reindeers on fours with brown or black noses, today is the first for me, seeing you." He blinked before he turned to the others that came in, Nami and Sanji for the moment. "Hold up! Why was I sleeping on the ship, instead of getting pack-muled up Drum!?" Both blinked before rubbing the backs of their heads as Nami spoke with a slight chuckle.

"Funny story..."

"Not funny enough, considering I missed handing that despot his butt when he made land." Alex pointed out as Chopper got to work and nodded to just a simple blood vessel that popped when a shift change had happened, like changes in humidity and environment which didn't make sense to be frank as Alex was doing great before Roger popped up, and fixed it up with a simple interest to take it easy. "I could have slugged it out of him, even if I was just suffering from a nose bleed, that is not-"

"It was... something that Luffy heard that had him tell us to keep you on the ship." Sanji answered and Alex stopped his rant to look at the swirly-brow cook. "It was idle, sure, but the moment he heard about someone without a shirt and a orange hat stopping by to drop off a message, he took off with conversing and, when he came back, he told us to keep you on the ship for a bit while he went to grab the reindeer doctor." Alex blinked at hearing this, Luffy stopped to get the details about Ace in Nanohina, and changed the plan to bring Chopper aboard and head there quick, that is different than just going ham in bringing Alex to the Rockies and endangering the lot of them in the process, though Sanji was hurt, it was minor with the fledging Armament that Alex showed them...

Now he was hating himself for not actually putting a training plan together in-between his own stabilizing his body to One Piece's abnormal levels of human durability. Chris didn't get that, but he still trained to make sure that he was matching up and Melody also did the same as him as he blinked again. "Huh... good to know." They nodded with leaving before Sanji paused, turned back to look about and blinking, Nami noticing as she turned and asked.

"Sanji?"

"Everything's okay... just want to make sure Metal Arm doesn't strain himself too much beforehand." Nami frowned before she looked as well, pausing at Sanji's... neat clothing and giving Sanji space as she backstepped.

"Okay, we should be arriving to Alabasta in a few days, so you know... we are going to have to stretch out our time at sea, even with my navigation skills."

"OF COURSE, NAMI-SWAM!" Nami rolled her eyes, a playful glee in them, as she left the two alone with pulling Chopper along, the cook dropping it as he turned back, his eye widening at the sorrowful look that he got from Sora who reappeared in the cabin and, forgetting his age, he rushed in pulling her into a hug, tears falling from his face as he sobbed to her embrace.

"I-I thought... I thought I'd never...!"

"It's okay, Sanji, things were not great, but I love you all the same..." She huffed as she continued. "Now, if only I can actually say the same for Ichiji, Niji, or Yonji, but Judge, prideful and obsessed as he is, had them molded into perfect little soldiers for his ambitions." She shook her head as she grumbled. "Honestly, the only ones actually likable are you and Reiju because you, at least, found a real calling and Reiju has some amazing medical knowledge." Sanji nodded as they separated and a silence followed over them before Sora gripped her dress. "Sanji... do you hate me?"

"I..." Sanji hummed before he rose his head again. "I can't... you were my reason to pursue cooking, to be human, I could never hate you."

"Good... that is good, because... I failed..." He blinked as she turned to Alex. "I take it you are aware of the Vinsmokes?" Alex hummed as he folded his arms in thinking before he spoke.

"North Blue mercenary family raised to 'noble' status and had worked with the likes of Vegapunk to uncover a method of superhuman abilities, the WG shutting it down, but Judge getting off with his own research into the Lineage Factor, turning humans into enhanced versions of themselves." He opened his eyes in thinking deeply on it. "Judge succeeded and moved on to raise an army of cloned soldiers to serve his 'Germa Kingdom', but couldn't lead it alone, so he had his children surgically modified before they even were born as the Princess Reiju's modifications were only slightly affecting." Sora nodded as Sanji smoked with a grimace on his face. "With this in mind, you are talking about your attempt to keep your children clean from the modifications."

"And it poisoned me in such a way that I was often bedridden, but it failed in Sanji's brothers, I had thought that only Sanji hadn't been affected by the modifications and would allow him to live a normal life." She turned back to her son as she spoke. "But, in truth, I did one better, despite everything that was pinned on Judge's desires, my attempt had destroyed the obedience imposed upon you, but gave you the Exoskeleton like your siblings, but it is... delayed on account of my act." Alex hummed with Sanji taking it all in as Sora spoke. "I know that is not what you want to hear at all, but..."

"Got the enhancements... but none of the mental control, I can still be Sanji, but I can prove I am better than before..." The Straw-Hat cook ran a hand through his hair in breathing. "It's... a bit to take in, but... I am grateful, now I know and I am not going to be blindsided if they come looking." Both nodded before Alex briefly coughed and Sora started to falter as Sanji nearly got up before Sora held up a hand.

"Don't... we will have time later, but for now, you need to tend to the crew, Alex will be fine..." Sanji gripped his hands before he released and lightly took one of her hands to kiss her knuckle as he spoke.

"You deserve this simple gesture of love, I am Sanji, son of Sora Vinsmoke and a sea-faring chef traveling the world for the All-Blue." Sora chuckled as she faded away.

"You are quite the handsome young man, but as your mother, I would ask you find your All-Blue above the callings of the 'great' Germa." And with that, Alex fell to slumber, cutting the link and Sora's hand disappearing as Sanji gripped his hand tight before he resolved to activate his Exoskeleton and use it for the betterment of the crew, he owned it to them for saving him and for giving him a real home, much like the Baratie...

Chris blinked to what had happened from the helm, the reason being that their journey to Alabasta had brought Mr. Two to their ship and he had quickly used that to copy MOST of their faces, without Sanji, Melody, Alex, the former Agents, and him being a part of it before the Okama headed back out in his very unique way.

Thankfully, that was all for the good of it as Alex recovered in getting up and got the story from his Mink of a brother as they continued on their journey to Nanohana. Vivi had the town first on the list before she headed for Yuba, where she believed the Rebel Army was located, but it was here that Luffy would find his brother, Alex winced to the sound of shattering wood and huffed as he found the site of ruin and puffed as he pulled out some Beris, still running off on looting the places that he had been to and yielding a SIZABLE profit, on the counter to the shocked patrons as Luffy beamed in getting food. "Sorry for the mess, I can hardly go anywhere with this rubber skull without him causing some form of damage, I hope this pays for the sheer destruction."

"Uh... no problem... but he better run..." Alex stared as Luffy stuffed his face in the tender thumbing down the shattered passage, both looking and Alex nodding as he spoke.

"A Marine Captain and a Whitebeard Pirate, got it." Both slipped back into the seats as Alex turned to Luffy. "Did you just charge in without knowing or did you actually know who you just rammed into?"

Luffy, for his part, gulped down his mouth full before he spoke, manners being truly seen from him which was nice, meaning that he picked up something from Makino. "Nope, I was hungry! Though it did feel like the first guy was a dense plume while the other that was on the other side was like a burning fire, why?"

"Do you recall that plume correctly?" Luffy hummed in thinking before he snapped.

"Oh! That must have been Smokey!" A few moments went by before he lowered his hand and paled. "Smokey is here... he followed us... how the Goda did he leave Loguetown...!?"

"Cowboy justice..." Alex answered with paying for a cool glass of water and drinking it a bit. "That's the only thing I can think of that could be the answer there." Alex breathed as he looked again. "Well, they're not down for long, here they come..." They looked down the passage again and Luffy beamed to the first to arrive, probably getting knocked over, but not launched.

"Ace!"

"Luff-"

"STRAW HAT!" Both pirates watched as Smoker sped right toward them while delivering a slam to Ace in gripping the back of his head and slamming him into the ground. Both staring before looking back up to the gruff face of the chain-smoking Marine in front of them. "Finally caught up with you, and now I am taking you in." Luffy just munched a bit more as Alex shook his head in drinking more water as a tick developed on Smoker's head as he exclaimed, his cigars still in his mouth. "STOP DISREGARDING ME WITH EATING!"

"Honestly, Captain, we just got into town." Alex huffed as he just slushed his drink a bit more. "We just came from Sakura Kingdom, we just recruited a doctor, and we finally got here at the behest of a compassionate, yet naïve princess, so if you could just walk away, Captain, that would be great." Alex made to drink again before the mug was actually smacked out of his hand and he huffed in facing Smoker. "Alright, if it is going to be that way..." His eyes sharpened and he disappeared from his seat, Smoker barely having the time to realize it before his ribs were kicked in, sending him toward the shelf before his back was crushed with a similar kick, launching him toward the door before Alex reappeared with a heel drop, planting Smoker into the floor as he spoke with his foot on the unconscious Smoker's head as blood pooled out. "A thing you should know, we don't waste food, we take the idea of starvation very serious and, if you are still kicking, understand that we, without giving too much, are doing what any true and decent Marine would."

He removed his foot and tapped on Luffy's shoulder. "We should start heading out, maybe the shopping spree is done and we can get a move on to the Princess's whim."

"I got it..." Luffy huffed in gulping down the last of the food. "But, man, I thought that Ace was stronger."

"He is, he just dropped his guard, being too lax from the looks of it." Alex answered with the rubber captain following behind, silence falling over the tavern before a shift from Ace's spot was heard and Ace got up before he rubbed his head.

"Agh... the heck, I just got to see my brother and this happens." He glanced up and his eyes caught fire as he exclaimed. "And he didn't even stay to help me up or anything!? LUFFY!" He bolted over as the owner sweat dropped, with a bag of Beri in hand, but still so confused as to what just happened, along with the other patrons.

It took Luffy a minute to realize something as he exclaimed with clapping his face in surprise. "AHHH! WE LEFT ACE BEHIND!"

"If we did, I would have turned us around and picked him up." Alex answered with leading Lucky through the alleyways in town. "As it so happens, I am counting on him finding us and he will do so." Alex took a breath as he ran a hand through his hair. "With that said, I got something to say, something that is private and shouldn't be heard in normal circles." They stopped as Luffy blinked before he slowly nodded.

"So... you got a secret you want to tell, but couldn't around other people?" Alex nodded as Luffy scratched his head as he asked. "But why here and is it just me...?"

"Not just you, we are waiting here for Ace to find us before I open my mouth, it is... life-changing and I want to make sure that this doesn't turn for the worse." He leaned against the sandstone wall and voiced. "I got the message back on Conomi, a visitor of sorts, and it is of grave importance that you both listen." Ace, on que, arrived in a burst of fire and stood up as he beamed.

"Found you! Now..." He stopped before taking in the tension atmosphere there and asked. "What's going on...?" Alex looked up to meet both of their eyes before he spoke a phrase that would either ensure his death by cremation or an intense rubber strike.

"An old... friend of mine met me on Conomi Island, at the site of Arlong Park and told me that Sabo is alive..."