Another chapter for you all at last dear readers, my apologies for the delay!
But before we begin, I would like to clear something up that maybe confusing some of you, that being "Does PEW know where the Pluton ACTUALLY is?" The answer to this question is that PEW does know. The information dealer has travelled around all the Blues and Grand Line a lot gathering knowledge, which INCLUDES the location of ancient things like Pluton and the other weapons.
However, PEW's very careful with information like that, he doesn't keep it on his ship. He hides it away in his secretly hidden library, with all other things he feels that shouldn't be known about, to dangerous people. The only other copies of the information are stored in his mind, but he'll NEVER let on that he knows to the wrong people. If PEW ever IS forced to reveal the information, he'll tell half-truths and lies, his enemy won't know he's tricking them as he's the ONLY proper source of information.
I hope that clear's things up for everyone, NOW we'll see just what PEW has in store for Crocodile huh? Enjoy yourselves!
Once again, I'd like to apologize in advance if anyone in this story is out of character…just remember creating stories and fanfics are a LEARNING experience for everyone after all. Also, I'm going to try and be fair and use the Japanese/English names for things like Devil Fruits etc.
(By the way…all flames and flamers will be ignored thank-you. I will make an exception for CONSTRUCTIVE reviews on what needs an adjustment or suggestions for other chapters/stories, for they are most welcome. Remember if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE is forcing you to! Abuse doesn't tell us writers just what is 'wrong' with the story and why needs adjusting or rethinking, where THOUGHTFUL reviews, ideas and advice DO!)
Disclaimer: I sadly DON'T own anything from One Piece, not the people OR the places (except my OWN characters, places and so on) they all belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, Shueisha, Shonen Jump Manga and that genius Odo Eiichiro.
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PART FIFTEEN:
"PEW," Crocodile said in restrained fury once he had gotten over his shock of the information dealer's interference. "Just what do you think you're doing?! You're breaking your word to help me get what I want, so you can help this traitorous woman?!" he said nodding his head towards the relieved Nico Robin.
"Nothing of the sort," PEW said calmly while still holding onto the Warlord's arm. "I've KEPT my word to you Crocodile for all this time. Firstly," he said holding up his index finger on his other hand so he could list off all his deeds.
"I helped you create Baroque Works, by supplying all of the people you needed for your agents including Robin here. Secondly," he said putting up his middle finger. "I told you where to find all the 'resources' you would need to carry out your plans. Thirdly and finally," he went on putting up his ring finger. "I kept my word to assist you in translating the Poneglyph by helping Nico Robin and confirming her work."
"But you haven't told me where the Pluton is hidden in this country!" Crocodile protested.
"That's because I never agreed to that for you," PEW replied calmly. "So, it's time to renegotiate my services."
"PEW wants to renegotiate his services with Crocodile?" Cobra said in quiet disbelief. "What more could he possibly want off him?"
"Wait and see," Robin said quietly not taking her eyes off Crocodile or PEW for a second.
"As you're so hell-bent on finding the Pluton," PEW said evenly to Crocodile. "I've thought up some new terms to discuss with you, what happens after I list them is all how you take them."
"Very well," Crocodile said with restrained anger. "Just what are your terms PEW? I'm listening."
"First you let Nico Robin and King Cobra go free…COMPLETELY unharmed," PEW informed the Warlord. "Once they're clear of this place and you pay me my fee for this important service, I'll tell you."
"How much will this cost me?" Crocodile asked the hooded information dealer suspiciously as he narrowed his eyes in thought.
"162,000,000 Berries," PEW replied casually.
"162,000,000 BERRIES?!" Crocodile exclaimed in complete disbelief his voice filling the Poneglyph chamber like a clap of thunder, causing PEW to wince in pain as the noise penetrated his head. "Are you INSANE?! Even I don't carry that much money on my person! All my money is locked away in the safe back in my office at the Rain Dinners Casino!"
"There's no need to get so worked up about it," PEW said calmly getting out his aspirins and swallowing a few tablets, which infuriated Crocodile even further. "After you let Robin and Cobra go," he went on putting aspirin bottle away. "We'll go back to Rain Base, to your casino, where you'll give me the money and I tell you what you want to know."
"He can't be serious!" Cobra hissed to Robin. "There is no way that Crocodile will agree to such ridiculous terms like that!"
"I know," Robin replied back so that only Cobra could hear her, while preparing herself to make a move. "PEW is just stalling for time; he's making Crocodile angry so he'll drop his guard on possible attacks."
"You really expect me to let my ex-partner and King Cobra go," Crocodile said going over PEW's terms out loud. "Then escort you back across the desert, to my casino, where after paying you a small fortune of my money…you'll tell me WHERE the Pluton is hidden in this country?"
"Precisely," PEW nodded in confirmation.
"You must be out of your mind if you think I'm going to agree to with terms like that!" Crocodile snapped savagely finally pulling his arm free from PEW's grip. "Now you tell me what I want to know…NOW or you're a dead man!"
"Not if I get you first!"
Hearing Robin's voice Crocodile spun around to see his ex-partner grab a phial of water from her coat pocket. "Working with you for four years I knew you'd try something like this someday, so I'm more than ready!"
"Water?!" Crocodile cried in alarm as Robin threw the phial at him, instinctively he ducked out of the way only for a hand to suddenly emerge from his back neatly catching the phial in mid-air.
"If you get wet," Robin said drawing out a knife out of her other coat pocket. "Then my knife should be able to go right into you!" she yelled running forward as the hand threw the phial.
However, before the water filled container could make contact with his body, Crocodile quickly vanished by turning himself into sand causing the phial to pass harmlessly through him and shatter on the floor.
"Dammit," Robin cursed looking frantically around. "Where'd he go?!"
Just then there was a sudden ripping noise followed by a huge splash of water directly behind her. Spinning around Robin saw that Crocodile had reformed, hook extended with the intention of impaling her with it. But on the end of the Warlord's weapon was PEW's ruptured hydration pack. The hooded information dealer had thrown it right in Crocodile's way just as he had swung his hook, causing the water filled pack to burst open and soak the Warlord from head to toe.
"You know for someone who boasts about how clever he is," PEW said mockingly to the shocked Warlord. "You can be really stupid at time's Crocodile. As I kept my word to you, I'm now free to do what I want. First you refuse my generous new offer to find out where the Pluton is, then you tried to kill Nico Robin, twice, for having a conscience. That is something I can't allow."
"Then you can die first!" Crocodile roared throwing aside the now empty hydration pack off his hook. "I knew that like Nico Robin you'd eventually betray me, but you were clever enough to hide your true intentions from me till the very last moment. Or so you thought!" he smiled suddenly.
"You see I saw the reaction on Cobra's face earlier, the Pluton really does exist! So I don't need the Poneglyph translated, I can find the Pluton all on my own. Once this country becomes mine it's only a matter of time. So that now leaves me free to deal with you!"
'You poor misguided fool,' PEW thought quietly as he prepared to defend himself. 'You'd REALLY blow your stack if I told you that your former bodyguard, the absent Mr Decimal, had been quite right in his findings and you've been wasting your time. The Pluton ISN'T located in Alabasta at all! He's going to find it real amusing when he finds out about your defeat and call's me for the details.'
"Have you finally decided to stop your childish desire to gloat? I thought you said you were going to kill me?"
"I'll show you!" Crocodile snarled charging forward.
The fight was short and savage. The two men came together in a flurry of blows. Robin saw PEW give a cry of "Kami-e!" then his body became extraordinarily flexible, bending and twisting like a piece of paper.
This move caused PEW to dodge Crocodile's attacks with careless ease. PEW's left arm suddenly shot out and his fist caught Crocodile on the cheekbone, then again in the nose. Stung and infuriated by the two painful blows, Crocodile swung his hook at PEW's chin. The Information Dealer dodged it with ease and sank a savage right hook into the Warlord's Solar Plexus. Air whooshed from Crocodile's body, his face went grey and his collapsed like a leaking balloon, slumping slowly to the ground.
"I want you to remember this moment Crocodile," PEW said sternly to the gasping Warlord. "I could have killed you if I wanted to. But I've chosen not to as I don't want to rob Luffy the opportunity of 'kicking your ass' as he put it. Ha!" he went on dusting off his hands in deep satisfaction. "I feel curiously better after doing that."
Just then the Poneglyph chamber and the entire tomb began to violently shake around them.
"What…what's happening?" Crocodile gasped as his breath slowly came back to him. "It's still… too early…for the…. attack…on the…Square!"
"It was me," Cobra said triumphantly leaning weakly against a nearby wall. When Crocodile had attacked PEW, Nico Robin's grip on his arms had been released as she had been busy focusing on their fight. Free from restraint and observation the King had decided it was time to act.
"What…have you…done?" Crocodile demanded to know.
"Given you a little present," Cobra smiled mockingly to the injured Warlord. "It's nothing major…you see," he went on. "This underground temple is built so that disturbing just one small column will destroy the balance of the entire structure causing it to collapse! You'll die down here with me; we'll meet death together. For I am the 12th King of the Nefertari Family," Cobra said proudly. "I will uphold our honor, someone like you Crocodile can never be allowed to rule this desert kingdom!"
"Now that…is really impressive," Crocodile said slowly to Cobra as he carefully got back on his feet. "You truly are a model king, willing to take your own life to try and take me down with you? For your kingdom?!" he said suddenly bursting into mocking laughter.
"You've made a very noble but foolish gesture Cobra," PEW said calmly to the puzzled King as the temple continued to tremble and falls down around them."
"What do you mean?"
"Crocodile's Sand-Sand Fruit abilities allow him to change the rocks falling down around us into sand," Robin explained to him grimly.
"That's right," Crocodile smiled in evil confirmation. "So, I can escape from down here easily! Your death will be in vain Cobra!" the Warlord laughed at the King's now horrified expression. "But you won't die alone," he added sinisterly. "You can have Nico Robin and PEW keep you company as you're buried alive with them. Now with only three minutes left, the bomb in the town square will go off HASTENING the collapse of this due to the tremors! You'll all be buried and everyone will be eliminated in an instant! Then when that moment comes," he laughed in triumph. "This country will become MINE entirely!"
"However," PEW spoke up suddenly. "You're forgetting one very important thing Crocodile."
"What might that be?"
"Him," the Information Dealer said pointing to the wall directly opposite to where they were standing. To Cobra, Robin AND Crocodile's astonishment the wall suddenly burst open to reveal a battered by very determined Monkey D Luffy.
"Straw Hat!" Robin said in dazed amazement.
"He's still alive!" Cobra exclaimed
"Oh, you have GOT to be F***ing SHITTING ME!" Crocodile roared in furious disbelief at his enemy's unexpected and unwelcomed return.
"You can't get away," Luffy said fearlessly to the infuriated Warlord. "You're mine!"
"How are you still alive?!" Crocodile thundered trembling in uncontrolled anger and fury. "No matter how many times I kill you, you keep coming back for more! Well? Answer me brat!"
As this was happening both Nico Robin and PEW worked their way quietly around Crocodile to where King Cobra was watching.
"How did he do it?" Cobra said to himself as he was helped to his feet. "How did he live and come here? Who is this boy?"
"Take it easy PEW," Robin said putting a hand on the Information Dealer's arm as she could see Cobra's ignorance was wearing his nerves down again.
"Tell me," Crocodile snapped to Luffy. "Just how many times do you have to die?!"
"There's something you still need to return Crocodile," Luffy said sternly to the angry Warlord. "And I came here to get it back!"
"Oh really?" Crocodile asked suddenly smirking. "What IS this thing I took? Is it money? Fame? Or people's trust? Their lives? Is it rain?" he asked with a sudden evil laugh. "As I have taken ALL of these things, which one do you want me to give back, Straw Hat?"
"This land," Luffy replied simply.
"The land?" Crocodile said in mock surprise. "Really you should know better than that by now. I have no intention of relinquishing this country! Why would I? When I'm going to become its next king before long!"
"We came to this island to save Vivi's county," Luffy said fiercely to Crocodile. "But then when we got here it was already gone! You stole her country! So, I will defeat you and take this country out of your evil hands! And then Vivi will smile again!"
"Threaten me as much as you like," Crocodile said angrily to the approaching Luffy. "But now that I'm dry again, I have the upper advantage, and without water," he added preparing to defend himself. "You are nothing!"
As the Warlord finished saying this, Luffy jumped up and promptly kicked Crocodile in the face. The force of the impact sent Crocodile flying into the wall with a huge crash.
"Forgive me as I seem to be repeating myself," PEW said calmy to the downed Warlord. "But for someone so smart you REALLY can be stupid at times. "If you took a more detailed look at Luffy, like I have, you'd see that he's bleeding on his arms and legs."
"I get it," Crocodile said picking himself up out of the rubble. "He's using his blood as a water substitute, that's real clever."
"Is he crazy?!" Cobra cried out in alarm at this revelation. "He'll die from blood loss if he keeps that up!"
"Somehow I doubt it," Nico Robin said looking on thoughtfully
"Come on you two," PEW said to Cobra and Robin. "We have to get out of here before this whole place falls in on us."
"PEW," Luffy said grimly not taking his eyes off Crocodile. "When I'm done here, I will be kicking your ass too."
"Glad to see you haven't forgotten that promise you made to me Luffy," PEW smiled. "But I'll have to take a rain check on that, I have places to go and things to do. Like get Nico Robin here and King Cobra outside to safety for a start."
"If you have to leave PEW you don't mind if I stay here to see how this battle turns out? I promise I'll be careful."
"I'm staying too," Cobra added. "I need to see this fight to the end."
"Very well," PEW shrugged. "Here," he said handing Robin a letter. "Read that when Luffy defeated Crocodile…you'll find it very useful," he added with a wink.
"Fu, fu, fu," Robin smiled gently as she took the letter. "Always such a gentleman."
"To you always," PEW said taking Robin's hand and kissing it gently before leaving.
'I think Luffy can handle Crocodile quite nicely,' PEW thought to himself as he quickly made his way back to the surface. 'So, I have time to take a quick power-nap before they finish.'
Retracing his steps through the crumbling tomb and back outside in the fresh air, PEW walked into the shadow of the building sat down against the wall and fell asleep. He'd only been asleep for a minute or two when a huge explosion high in the air above him jerked him awake.
"Ah! That was Crocodile's bomb going off. Luffy's crew must have found it in the town square and somehow got it to explode harmlessly in the air where nobody would get hurt. It'll be interesting to know how they pulled that off…but right now I'm worried about how Luffy's doing."
Just as the hooded information dealer finished speaking the ground in front of him suddenly exploded upwards like an erupting volcano. Out of the hole flew an unconscious Crocodile on the end of an extended hand and arm, which had punched him squarely in the chest.
"Ah-ah!" PEW said thoughtfully as he took off his gloves while he watched Crocodile sore up into the air. "It seems that Luffy defeated Crocodile during my nap, my time here is over. There's just one more thing I need to do first!"
With a cry of "Geppo!" PEW took off into the air after the ascending Crocodile. Once he had caught up with the defeated Warlord, PEW carefully put his hands on Crocodile's head with his thumbs on his eyes. He then closed his own eyes, and gently rubbed his hands and thumbs on Crocodile's head and eyelids. "There," he said quietly to himself after a minute or two. "Now you've forgotten that I know how to read Poneglyph's too."
As PEW took his hands away, Crocodile opened his eyes with a groan and then they widened at the sight of the hooded information dealer. "PEW?!" he exclaimed in astonishment.
"Bye-bye Crocodile!" PEW smiled as he punched the Warlord right in the face knocking him out and causing him to start fall back down to the ground. "No doubt when you recover, you'll put down any memory loss due to your injures fighting Luffy!" he added with a chuckle. "But I'm glad I got in the last punch on you. Now I just have one or two loose ends to tie up here and then I'm finished with Alabasta at last."
As PEW finished speaking the was a sudden rumbling of thunder, looking around high up above him, the hooded information dealer saw that rain clouds were forming.
"That blast cloud from Crocodile's bomb have become rain clouds," he muttered to himself. " I have a feeling that the sudden cloudburst of rain they produce will be the perfect way to end the fighting between the rebel and royal army's like Vivi wanted."
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Sometime later the crew of Mr 2/Bon Clay's ship, (with the exception of Mr 6 and Miss Mother's Day, who were expecting him) got the fright of their lives when PEW suddenly appeared out of nowhere, on the main deck in front of them.
"Relax you lot," Miss Mother's Day said casually not looking up from the card game she was playing with Mr 6. "Its PEW the guy my partner and I work for."
"He's the one who told us to bring your injured boss back here to you," Mr 6 added.
Hearing this a man with black hair styled like the wings of the Baroque Works symbol stepped forward. He was wearing a grey abd black striped shirt and a white scarf with black spots around his neck. He also had a sash tied around his waist like a belt. "PEW," he said giving the information dealer a polite bow. "My name is Akumai, I'm the first mate of this ship. On behalf of the crew and myself we thankyou for having your friends bring our injured boss back to us, when he was so seriously injured."
"It was my pleasure," PEW nodded in acknowledgement. "Bentham, your boss, is a bit of an oddball at times but he's a good guy at heart. Besides…" he went on reaching into his robes and producing a notebook. "He hired me to find information on a person he admirers greatly, so give him this notebook for me as I have to be on my way."
"Sure thing," Akumai said taking the notebook. "Anything else?"
"Just tell him Straw Hat Luffy defeated Crocodile and the Marines have arrested him, so that probably means they'll be removing his Warlord status meaning that Baroque Works is finished too."
"So, I can go back to being called Rudge Wilkins again?" the ex-Mr 6 said putting away his cards and standing up.
"Yes, it does," the ex-Miss Mother's Day said cheerfully. "So that means I'm Camille Flauge again too."
"You bet," PEW nodded in confirmation. "So, we're free for our next job. But I'll tell you what that is when we get back to my ship and we're far out to sea. I don't know about you, but I've had enough of Alabasta and its deserts!"
After saying farewell to Akumai and his crew the trio headed off back to PEW's ship 'The Enlightenment' and their next job.
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And there we go dear readers! PEW's task in Alabasta is now DONE as Luffy and his fellow Straw Hats have taken down Crocodile, and his evil organization. Just what will PEW's NEXT job be? And what of his two associates? What task will he send them off on? But most importantly…what of the absent Mr Decimal? If he is indeed still around somewhere as PEW indicated…what will his stance be on Crocodile's defeat? You'll find out as the story progresses, next chapter we'll focus a bit on what the Straw Hats think about the 'Informed One,' on what they know and what their newest member (no points for guessing who THAT is, is there? *Chuckles) can tell them. So until then don't forget to read and review like always. Good Health, Clear Body, Strong Mind!
Also remember once again, if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE, is forcing you to! Later!