Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine crashed into the buildings behind Luffy and Zoro as they knocked them back.
"Damn pests!" Zoro hissed, angrily.
"They're messing with our fight!" Luffy growled.
"They took down two Baroque Works agents, unbelievable." Vivi stammered in shock.
"Shall we continue?" Zoro asked Luffy.
"Yeah!" Luffy shouted. The two roared out as they were about to attack each other.
"STOP!" Nami shouted, furiously, punching Luffy and Zoro hard in their cheeks. The two were sent flying away from each other, falling on the ground.
"Thank you Nami!" Aya grinned, waving at her.
"You two, what the heck do you think you're doing!? It's lucky for you that you've managed to keep the girl safe. You almost lost us all a billion belis, YOU UNDERSTAND?!" She shouted, picking Luffy and Zoro up by the collars of their shirts, like kittens.
"What do you mean? What belis? I don't understand. Why did you save me?" Vivi asked, confused. Luffy and Zoro started to punch at each other. Zoro grabbed Luffy's lips stretching them, while Luffy pushed the swordsman's face away from him, throwing punches.
"About that, I think we need to have a little chat. See you and I have to work out a contract for a reward-"
"What?" Vivi questioned. Luffy and Zoro threw more punches at each other. Nami growled and slammed Luffy and Zoro on the ground, hitting them on their heads.
"KNOCK IT OFF!"
"Why'd you hit me!?" Luffy shouted at her. "You don't know what Zoro and L did!"
"You're an idiot as always!" She hissed at him. Luffy tensed up, going quiet. Nami sighed and began explaining to him on what was going on, that the townspeople were bounty hunters working for a group called Baroque Works, and that they were targeting Vivi because she is princess. Luffy laughed.
"Oh! Why didn't you all say so! I figured that you just beat up all of those guys because they didn't make any of foods you liked!" He grinned.
"WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD THINK THAT?!" Zoro exclaimed.
"What a funny mix up!" Luffy shouted.
"GUYS, SHUT UP!" Nami shouted at the two. Luffy immediately went silent. She turned back to Vivi. "Well, there it is. In exchange for taking you home, I'd like one billion belis. You saw how strong these three guys are, if you ask me it isn't a bad deal."
"No I can't. But I appreciate the help that you've given me so far." Vivi replied.
"Why not? You're a princess after all, so aren't you rich?" Nami asked.
"Do you know much about Alabasta Kingdom?" Vivi asked her.
"No."
"Alabasta is a great nation, a peaceful kingdom. At least it used to be." Vivi spoke.
"Used to be?" Aya questioned. Vivi continued as she started to explain.
"Now, we're in the middle of a civil war. In recent years, signs of discontent began to appear. Finally, the people revolted, and the kingdom fell into utter chaos. The one day I learned of a secret organization called Baroque Works. I found out that our people were being manipulated by this organization. But that was the only information that I could gather about them. I didn't know what to do so I went to Igaram for help. You see, he's kept a close eye on me ever since I was a child."
"Old tube haired man?" Luffy asked.
"Tube? Oh, yes. I asked that if he'll help me to infiltrate Baroque Works so that I could see who was pulling the strings behind the scenes and what exactly they were up to." Vivi said.
"You got some guts considering you're a princess. So, were you able to find out what their plan was?" Zoro asked her. Vivi nodded.
"To create an ideal nation." Nami spoke. Vivi's eyes widened in surprise, looking at her. "Anyway, that's what Igaram said it was. Is that what you found out?"
"It's not. That was only the cover story the boss was using. Some lie to cover their tracks. Their true goal is to take over Alabasta Kingdom! I have to get back somehow to warn everybody, to tell them the truth and stop the fighting!" Vivi bit her lip.
"Okay, I see how it is. I suppose you wouldn't have much money laying around during a civil war." Nami replied.
"So who's the ringleader pulling strings behind all of this?" Aya asked her. Vivi's eyes widen in horror. She quickly shook her head.
"What? The boss's identity!? You shouldn't ask that!" She exclaimed.
"But you know who it is, don't you." Luffy pointed out. Vivi's eyes widened even more, fearfully.
"Asking me anything but that! If I tell you, your lives will be put in danger too!"
"We're already in danger. So what's the harm in knowing?" L asked her. Vivi blinked at him.
"I'll pass. This guy is trying to take over an entire country after all. I really don't want someone like that chasing after me." Nami spoke.
"You don't. I don't care how strong you people are, you wouldn't stand a chance against one of the seven warlords of the seas, Crocodile!" Vivi shouted. Aya smirked.
"Crocodile, huh?" A vulture and otter, no one noticed until now, was sitting above them on the roof, listening in on the conversation, flew off.
"You had to say it." Zoro sighed. Nami grabbed Vivi and began shaking her harshly like a rag doll.
"WHY COULDN'T YOU KEEP YOUR TRAP SHUT!? AND WHERE DID THEY FLY OFF TO?! WHO ARE THEY?!"
"A warlord! That's cool!" Luffy grinned, excitedly.
"Not too bad." Zoro smiled.
"I didn't mean to!" Vivi cried out out. Luffy laughed.
"Being hunted by a warlord in the Grand Line, that's more than I can handle!" Nami cried.
"So, when do we get to see this guy?" L asked.
"He must be strong, considering he's a warlord." Zoro pointed out.
"I wonder what he looks like?" Luffy wondered as well.
"Shut up! You!" Nami growled at him and stormed off. "It's been nice knowing you idiots! Thanks for everything!"
"Where are you going!?" Luffy called out to her.
"Yeah! Don't you want to meet a warlord!?" Aya chuckled as she out to her.
"No, I don't! They don't know what I look like yet! I'm leaving!" Nami shouted. She stopped when she saw the vulture and otter, drawing posters that had Luffy, hers, Aya, L,, and Zoro's faces. "Wow, that's so lifelike!" She replied impressed, clapping her hands together. The two flew away to report them. "No, wait!"
"I'm really sorry." Vivi apologized.
"She'll get over it." Luffy replied.
"Where was she planning on going anyway?" Zoro smirked. "Well then, looks like the five of us is going to be sitting right at the very top of Baroque Works hit list."
"That sounds awesome!" Luffy grinned.
"I do have 5 thousand belis in savings that I could give you." Vivi told Nami, who was crying in a corner, trying to cheer her up.
"You have nothing to fear." Everyone heard a voice call out to them and saw that it was Igaram. He was dressed up in Vivi's outfit, carrying some dummies in his arms. "It's going to be alright, princess. I've come up with a plan."
"Igaram, what are you-"
"That's a really funny outfit, old guy!" Luffy laughed.
"An entire parade of idiots." Nami muttered under her breath.
"Please listen to me carefully. Once Baroque Works intelligence network learns what happens here agents will be sent after you immediately. And since there are aware that you've learned the boss's true identity, you must-"
"Knowing them, they'll send a thousand agents after me." Vivi finished for him. Nami tensed up.
"Thus, my plan. Disguised like this, I will pretend to be you. I put these five dummies on board with me and I will sail a straight course to Alabasta." Igaram explained.
"So, these things are us?" Luffy asked.
"A decoy." Zoro replied.
"While Baroque Works is busy chasing after me, the rest of you will head with Vivi to Alabasta Kingdom following us directly." Igaram told them.
"Hold on just a second! Who said that we were going to take her with us!? We still haven't discussed the matter of payment." Nami spoke.
"What a second, payment for what? Take her where?" Luffy asked.
"Where have you been, Luffy? The old man here wants us to take the princess back home to her kingdom." Zoro told him.
"So that's what's all this yelling's about? Sure thing." Luffy answered.
"Crocodile may already be after us!" Nami shouted at him.
"Then maybe we should get going, huh?" Aya suggested.
"Is this Crocodile guy really that dangerous?" Luffy asked Igaram.
"One of the seven warlords of the seas. He is illegally recognized pirate and because of that fact there's no bounty on his head. However, long ago his bounty was worth $80 million belis." He replied.
"That's a lot." L said.
"$80 MILLION?! THAT'S MORE THAN ARLONG'S BOUNTY! THERE'S NO WAY!" Nami shouted in disbelief.
"Will you do this?" Igaram asked the straw hats.
"Sure, it sounds like it'll be fun." Luffy smiled.
"I'm in." Aya replied.
"Me too." L answered.
The group went with Igaram, seeing that he had the ship ready to sail out as a decoy. He turned back to the straw hats. "We are forever grateful." Igaram spoke and looked at Vivi. "Princess, please give me the eternal pose." Vivi hesitated but pulled it out, revealing an hourglass object and handed it over to him.
"What's an eternal pose?" Nami asked.
"You've never heard of it? You can say it's sort of like a permanent version of the log pose, whereas the log pose will always lead sailors to the next island on the course. An eternal pose will forever remember the magnetic energy of the island that it is stored inside it. So, it will always point to that island and none other and this eternal pose is set to Alabasta Kingdom." He explained.
"And you're going to use this to set your course home." Vivi said, worried.
"Princess Vivi, please take the indirect island out of here to Alabasta. I have never gone that way myself. You should only have to pass two or three islands to follow the log." He told her. "Please take care of the princess in my absence."
"Yeah!" Luffy nodded.
"Igaram." Vivi whispered. He smiled down at her.
"I expect that your journey is going to be difficult one please be careful."
"See you soon." Vivi shook his hand. Igaram stepped on to the ship and sailed off, waving goodbye to them.
"And off he goes. He was such a funny old man!" Luffy grinned.
"He's a very reliable old man." Vivi said.
A loud explosion rang out as everyone watched in horror seeing the ship exploded before their eyes.
"Oh no! They're already after us! That's impossible!" Vivi shouted.
"Nami, the log?!" Zoro shouted.
"We're all set!" She told him.
"Get the girl! Come on, let's go!" Zoro shouted. He ran off, to get the Merry ready. Aya followed behind him.
"We gotta wake up Usopp and Sanji and Ichi!" Luffy shouted, running off ahead. L ran following behind him.
"Vivi! We have to leave! If they get us now, it'll all be for nothing!" Nami ran over to her. Vivi didn't move. Nami hugged her, reassuring her. "Don't worry, we are going to get you home! I know that they don't like much but they're strong! They saved the East Blue! Baroque Works, give me a break! Crocodile? Ha! Those guys are the ones who should be worried!"
Luffy barged into the bar breaking down the door. He saw Usopp and Sanji, still sleeping on the floor.
"Come on!" Luffy shouted, grabbing Ussop by his nose and Sanji by his shirt. He took running dragging the two behind him. L grabbed Ichi by his ear, pulling him along with him.
"Time to wake up!"
"L?!" Ichi cried out in pain. "WHAT'S GOING ON?!"
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, LUFFY!? STOP IT!" Sanji cried out.
Nami and Vivi ran as they headed towards the ship.
"Hurry Vivi!" Nami shouted.
"Coming!" Vivi shouted.
Among the wreckage of the destroyed ship, someone was floating in the water as they sailed towards the island. A tall woman with shoulder length black hair, slightly tanned skin, ocean blue eyes with dark wide pupils, wearing a cowgirl outfit, a purple cleavage exposing corset and matching miniskirt with white ornaments, a gold band on her arm with the initials B.W. on it, a white cowboy hat and white high heeled boots.
"A decoy? That's almost cute." The woman smirked.
"Hey! I got 'em!" Luffy called out to Zoro and Aya as he walked up to the ship. L walked up, dragging Ichi behind him, who was groaning in pain from being dragged around.
"Bring them up! We're ready to go!" Zoro shouted. Luffy looked down at the sniper and cook to find them passed out on the ground.
"They're still asleep?"
"We don't have time to look for him!" Nami shouted.
"I'm not going to just leave him here!" Vivi argued.
"What's the problem?!" Zoro called out to the two.
"Apparently, her duck's gone missing! And now she's refusing to leave without him!" Nami shouted.
"This duck?" the swordsman pointed beside him.
"HE'S HERE?!" the two girls exclaimed in shock.
"Made it here before us." Aya answered.
"There's another route just up the river. If we take it, we'll get out to sea faster." Vivi pointed out, climbing up the rope ladder, getting on the ship. Nami pulled the sails down and the ship began to take off.
"Let's go!" Luffy shouted.
"Hey!" Zoro called out to her. Vivi turned to him.
"Mr. Bushido,"
"How many people do you think that Baroque Works will send after us?" Zoro asked her.
"I'm not sure. I know that there are about two thousand more employees in Baroque Works and I've heard that there are several bases like this one that is set up in the area." Vivi explained.
"They really might send a thousand people?!" Nami exclaimed.
"Huh?!" Sanji sputtered, waking up surprised to see that he was on the Merry. Usopp began to wake up as well.
"Hey! The ship's leaving?!" Usopp cried out, confused as well.
"You're finally awake!" Nami frowned, looking at the two.
"Hold on a second! Can't we just wait one more night!?" Sanji shouted.
"One night!" Usopp insisted.
"This town's full of amazingly, cute girls!" Sanji shouted.
"Who knows if we'll ever have this much fun again!" Usopp shouted.
"Even pirates deserve a vacation!" Sanji shouted.
"We should've just left them behind." Zoro sighed. Nami slammed her fists on Usopp and Sanji's head. "Nami, will you explain it to them."
"I just did!" Nami told him. Usopp and Sanji laid on the deck, groaning in pain.
"Okay, that was fast." Zoro replied.
"I left out the complicated parts." She added. The sun slowly began to rise from the horizon as the ship continued to sail through the canal, leaving the island, passing through the fog.
"We should be reaching the sea soon." Vivi replied.
"Hey, cool! Look at all the fog!" Luffy shouted.
"Finally it's getting light out." Nami smiled.
"I'm just glad that we got away from the people who were chasing us." A woman's voice answered.
"That's for sure." Nami agreed.
"With all this fog, we need to be careful to avoid the rocks." The voice spoke.
"I'll take care of it!" Nami blinked. She turned to Aya. "Wait, did you-" Aya shook her head.
"I didn't say anything."
Everyone turned around, looking behind them to see the dark haired woman in the cow girl outfit, sitting on the banister, looking down at them.
"This ship looks nice." The woman smiled, looking down at the straw hat crew, resting her chin underneath her hand on her lap.
"Who's that?!" Zoro shouted.
"It's you!" Vivi cried out.
"I just happened to run into your dear Mr.8 a little ways back. He didn't look so good." The woman smirked, chuckling.
"So, you killed Igaram." Vivi glared up at her.
"You! What are you doing on my ship?! And how did you get here!? Who are you!?" Luffy shouted, angrily at her as well.
"Answer him! And what are you doing here, Miss All Sunday!" Vivi shouted.
"So, you know who she is? Who is she partnered with?" Nami asked.
"Her partner is Mr. 0, the boss." Vivi answered.
"Crocodile is her partner?!" Nami exclaimed in shock.
"So, she's a bad guy?" Luffy asked.
"She is the only one who knew the boss's identity. That's how we found out who he actually is. By following her back to him." Vivi explained.
"To be accurate I allowed it." Miss All Sunday spoke.
"So, she's a good guy then?" Luffy asked.
"I know you knew that we we're there. You were the one who told the boss, that we knew, weren't you!?" Vivi shouted.
"That's right." The woman replied.
"Alright then she is bad." Luffy grumbled.
"Luffy would you cut it out already!" Zoro hissed at him.
"You still haven't told us what it is that you're doing here!" Vivi shouted at her.
"Alright. You were just so serious about the whole thing that I couldn't help myself. A princess doing whatever it takes to help her country while making herself an enemy of Baroque Works. The idea was just so ridiculous." Miss All Sunday explained. Vivi's eyes widened, glaring at her.
"You bitch! YOU KILLED HIM!" Vivi shouted furiously. Usopp pointed his slingshot at the agent while Sanji aimed at pistol at her.
"Sanji, you do realize what you're doing right?" Usopp asked, nervously.
"Nope, not a clue. I just know that the beautiful Miss Wednesday needs me." Sanji answered.
"I'd really appreciate it if you would stop pointing those at me." Miss All Sunday knocked Usopp and Sanji off of their feet, sending them down to the crew. Then Nami's staff was suddenly smacked out of her hands, along with Zoro's swords.
"Sanji! Usopp!" Aya shouted to them.
"You mean-!" Zoro sputtered.
"She's eaten-!" Nami stammered
"A devil fruit." Zoro frowned.
"But which one!? What's her power!?" Nami exclaimed.
"Wow! Now that I get a look, you're beautiful!" Sanji grinned.
"Now there's no need to get so excited. You can all calm down. I haven't been given any orders to follow you. I have no reason to fight you." A hand appeared, knocking Luffy's hat off his head, floating it up towards the woman. "So, you're the captain? I've heard so much about you, Monkey D. Luffy. And you too, Monkey D. Aya." Miss All Sunday told them.
"GIVE ME MY HAT BACK!? YOU DON'T WANT ME TO COME UP THERE!" Luffy growled.
"You are a bad person! I demand that you leave this instant!" Usopp shouted, hiding behind Aya. The woman placed Luffy's hat on her head.
"Bad luck. A couple of friends at Baroque Works have already made up their minds who to eliminate. Protected by a mere handful of pirates. But your luck gets even worse, because judging by the direction of your log pose, the name of the next island is Little Garden." Miss All Sunday told them, smirking.
"We won't even need to lift a finger. You'll be dead long before you reached Alabasta."
"MY HAT! GIVE IT TO ME!" Luffy demanded.
"I told you to leave now evil doer!" Usopp shouted.
"Evil doer?" Zoro scoffed, looking at him.
"Seriously, don't you think it's a little foolish, allowing yourselves to be wiped out?" Miss All Sunday asked them and she tossed the eternal log pose over to Vivi.
"The Eternal pose?"
"Using that you can skip right past Little Garden without stopping. Straight to an island near Alabasta. The post points to a place known as Nanimonaishima. None of our agents know that course, so you won't be followed." The agent explained.
"So, she's good after all?" Nami questioned.
"Why are you giving this to us!?" Vivi demanded.
"It's gotta be a trap." Zoro frowned.
"Oh, is it?" The woman chuckled.
"Forget your thingy! We don't need it!" Luffy shouted and grabbed the log pose from Vivi and crushed it in his hand, breaking it. Vivi and Nami mouth's dropped in shock. Nami slammed her leg into the straw hat captain's face, knocking him down.
"YOU JERK! SHE JUST WENT OUT OF HER WAY TO SHOW US AN EASIER COURSE TO FOLLOW! MAYBE SHE ACTUALLY IS TRYING TO HELP US GET AWAY!" She shouted, furiously.
"You aren't the one who decides where the ship goes." Luffy spoke, looking at the agent.
"Well, that's too bad." Miss All Sunday replied.
"She blew up that funny old man and he was nice so now I hate her." Luffy said.
"I'm sorry hear that and I'm sorry that you didn't accept my offer. If you survive, I hope that we'll meet again." The agent replied, walking away as she headed towards the side of ship.
"No!" Luffy shouted. The woman chuckled and hopped off. Everyone ran over to the side of the ship to see her landing on top of a large sea creature, riding it.
"What is that thing?!" Zoro shouted.
"It's not a sea king is it? No." Usopp questioned.
"WHOA! A TURTLE!?" Everyone exclaimed.
"Wow! That thing's huge!" Luffy replied in awe.
"That woman. I don't have the slightest idea what's going through her head." Vivi said, slumping down to her knees.
"Then there's no point in thinking about it is there." Nami told her.
"Someone on this boat is just like that." Zoro replied, slightly gesturing over towards the straw hat captain, who was watching the agent and turtle swim away.
"Would somebody explain what's going on? None of this makes sense!" Usopp shouted.
"Miss Wednesday, you've joined our crew?!" Sanji asked, happily.
"Explain already! And who's ostrich is this?!" Usopp demanded. The bird squawked in the sniper's face. Aya walked over and started to explain to Sanji and Usopp on what happened. Usopp's eyes widened in shock.
"Whoa, all of that in one day!?" he exclaimed. Sanji chuckled.
"Sheesh, too bad that I missed out on all of the fun. But there will still be plenty of demand for my skills. No need to worry now that your sleeping prince as awoken, you will be safe." Aya rolled her eyes and Sanji noticed. He spoke, turning to Aya.
"My dear, are you jealous?" He smiled.
"No." Aya replied.
"I'm sorry but is it really alright that I'm on this ship. I'm just causing you all a lot of trouble." Vivi told the straw hats.
"It's a little late for apologies don't you think? If you didn't want to cause us trouble, then you shouldn't have told us who you were!" Nami told her.
"Sorry for that." Vivi replied.
"Isn't that right, Luffy?" Nami asked him.
"Yeah! I'm hungry too!" Luffy shouted.
"At least we know where we're heading to." Zoro replied.
"Little Garden, huh?" Sanji asked.
"I wonder what it's like?" Aya asked.
"Remember, what she said? Are we gonna die?" Usopp said, nervously.
"Who knows! Let's go, pirates!" Luffy shouted.