Greetings dear readers, as you can see the next chapter is here for you all at last! In this chapter, we will see just what the Straw Hats make of PEW after all the excitement that happened in Alabasta. Is he a good guy or not? Just what is his deal with someone like Nico Robin and how is he allowed to do what he does, without trouble from the World Government? Read on and enjoy!

Also as usual, I'd like to apologize in advance if anyone in this story is out of character…just remember I'm only human, humans make mistakes as no-one outside being a robot is infallible. Also, I'm going to try to 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! Why waste your time on abusing us writers? If you can write something better then by all means, DO so!)

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 JumpManga and that genius Odo Eiichiro.

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PART SIXTEEN:

After several days in the company of a grateful Princess Vivi and her father King Cobra, as their honoured guests and heroes of Alabasta, the Straw Hat Pirates were back on board their ship 'The Going Merry.' However, their trip back to their ship and the open sea had not been easy.

Due to Smoker and Tashigi informing their superiors of Crocodile's activities in deliberately provoking a civil war, the Marines had come down on Alabasta like a tonne of bricks. The defeated Crocodile had ended up being arrested, stripped of his status of a Warlord of the Sea, with all members of Baroque Works along with any other rouges were to be arrested as well. This order included the Straw Hat Pirates, despite the fact that Smoker and Tashigi had told their superiors they were the ones who actually helped stop Crocodile in the first place.

Not wanting to get Cobra or Vivi into trouble with the Marines and World Government, the Straw Hats all decided to leave Alabasta as quickly as possible. The former Mr 2/Bon Clay and his crew aided their escape from the desert kingdom. This was due to the fact the Straw Hats had saved the former Baroque Works Agent, when they had been making their way to Alabasta, from drowning in the sea when he had accidently fallen off his ship. It turned out that Mr 2/Bon Clay wasn't really a bad person and he had befriended his rescuers, despite being enemies at the time as they were blissfully unaware of it.

Therefore, when the Straw Hats attempted to get past a Marine blockade surrounding Alabasta, Mr 2/Bon Clay and his crew disguised themselves as the actual Straw Hats, which drew the Marines away allowing their real targets to escape to the open sea. Unfortunately, Mr 2/Bon Clay's noble act had resulted in having his ship sunk, while the former Baroque Works agent along his crew were arrested by the Marines, which saddened the Straw Hats to no end.

However, what really saddened the Straw Hats was having to say goodbye to Vivi who had travelled with them for so long. As much as the blue haired girl had wanted to go with her pirate friends, she reminded them she was a Princess of Alabasta who had responsibilities to her kingdom. After all, there was a lot of work to do in repairing the damage done by Crocodile and Baroque Works. So while giving a speech to the people of Alabasta, Vivi had been bidding the Straw Hats a fond farewell. That had happened several hours ago now the 'Merry' was well on its way to its next destination.

"Looks like the Marines have finally stopped following us," Zoro said thoughtfully as he surveyed the now vacant sea all around the 'Merry.'

"Hmmmmm…" came the mournful reply from his fellow Straw Hats.

"That's good news you know," the swordsman pointed out to his depressed friends. "It means we've shaken them off."

"Hmmmmm…"

"Will you all stop that!" Zoro snapped irritably to his gloomy shipmates who were leaning on the railing from the deck just above him like a bunch of wet rags. "What is with those pathetic groans?"

"We miss Vivi!" Luffy and the others all cried together miserably.

"Oh will you quit it with the whining!" Zoro said in annoyance at how immature his friends were all acting. "If you really wanted Vivi to join us that badly," he pointed out to them. "Then you shouldn't have let her leave!"

From her hiding place in the 'Merry's' galley, Nico Robin, who had changed her former Baroque Works outfit for a long sleeved purple buttoned up shirt along with matching mini skirt and shoes, smiled quietly to herself at what she was hearing. She had been hiding on 'The Going Merry' ever since Luffy's defeat of Crocodile.

As Robin had told PEW before they had parted ways, she had wanted to stay and see Crocodile's defeat in person. She was so glad that she did, as during their fight, Crocodile had used his secretly poisoned hook on Luffy. But despite being injured by the poisoned weapon, much to Robin's surprise, Luffy had managed to fight on not only defeating Crocodile but also rescued her and King Cobra from the collapsing tomb in the process. To express her gratitude Robin had given Luffy the antidote to Crocodile's poison before leaving him and Cobra behind. When she had a moment alone to herself Robin, too the time to read the letter PEW had given her.

'My dear Robin,' she read. 'If you're reading this letter than no doubt Luffy has defeated Crocodile and you're now free of any danger from him. Sadly however you are back to being a fugitive from the Marines and World Government. However, if I'm right, our little talks back at Rain Base have inspired you to take my advice and join the Straw Hat Pirates. I suspected as much when you told me someone had gave Luffy a 'helping hand' after he first fought Crocodile. My suspicions were confirmed when you decided to stay behind to observe Luffy's battle underground. I did tell you that he is a good person and so are the rest of the Straw Hats. Their ship 'The Going Merry' is docked at the mouth of the Sandora River, I suggest you hide yourself there to avoid the Marines.

When Luffy and his crew return they can get you back to the open sea, heck I will bet they can outrun ANY Marine blockade that will be set around Alabasta. What happens next is all up to you. If you chose to reveal yourself to the Straw Hats, do not be at all surprised if they are suspicious of you. After all,…we both know that trust is easy to destroy…it is very hard to gain in this world. So just be your honest self around them. I have no doubt when we meet again you'll be a member of the crew. Take care of yourself like always, PEW.'

Having read the letter with PEW's last bit of advice, Robin was ready to take her chance. Preparing herself, Robin calmly opened up the galley door and stepped out onto the deck. "It looks as though we finally escaped the firing squad," she said airily as she emerged.

"Oh yeah," Zoro said absently not really registering who he was talking to yet.

"Excellent work," Robin went on as the green haired swordsman suddenly did an alarmed double take at who was actually talking to him. The rest of the Straw Hats also jumped up in alarm bumping their heads on the railing as they did so

"What are you doing here?!" Zoro said glaring angrily at the former Baroque Works member his swords partially drawn to defend himself. "Going to avenge your friends? Just you try it!"

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Nami exclaimed in terror. "You are alone aren't you?"

"Warning! Warning!" Usopp yelled frantically from behind the main mast through a megaphone while Chopper ran around in a screaming panic.

As this was happening, Robin mentally sighed to herself as she remembered the last bit of PEW's letter.

P.S: WHEN you reveal yourself, you will probably notice that Luffy and his crew tend to 'overreact' on things. But you can't blame them for being weary of you, now can you? *Chuckles* You'll get used to it eventually. In the meantime I suggest you appeal to their 'better nature's' and you will be fine.'

"Who is she?" Chopper asked Sanji once he and the rest of his friends had calmed down from their shock, before surrounding their unexpected guest cautiously.

"I don't know," Sanji replied dreamily while a love struck look on his face. "But she's so dammed beautiful!"

As they were talking Robin calmly walked up to Zoro who drew his swords out in alarm, but he suddenly dropped them on the deck as she used her Devil Fruit powers to disarm not only him, but Nami as well. "Didn't I tell you people before," she said to them mildly. "That I don't like people pointing such dangerous objects at me? Are you always so slow?"

"How long have you been on our ship?!" Nami demanded to know. "And where's PEW? Hiding somewhere nearby no doubt?"

"I have been here on your ship for quite a while," Robin replied casually to Nami's question as she grabbed herself a deck chair and slowly unfolded it. "As for where PEW is at the moment, I couldn't tell you. Knowing him, he is probably miles away by now. By the way," she went on absently. "Sorry about your clothes," she said indicating herself. "I'm just borrowing them for a while."

"Now just a minute here lady!" Nami snapped angrily at Robin's attitude towards her. "Just who the hell do you think you are?!"

"Well Monkey D Luffy," Robin said addressing the young rubber man totally ignoring Nami's remarks. "It hasn't been so long that you forgotten what you did to me, has it?"

Hearing this Sanji suddenly grabbed Luffy by his collar and began furiously shaking him like a rag doll. "Luffy! What did you do to that beautiful woman you lousy bastard?!"

Ignoring the chaos she had created, Robin calmly picked up her deck chair before walking past the arguing Luffy and Sanji. She also passed the half-hidden Usopp who was still blaring 'warnings' from his megaphone, before setting it up and sitting down in it.

"Hey," Luffy called to Robin once Sanji had paused in his shakings. "Stop lying, you know I didn't do anything to you!"

"Wrong," Robin replied calmly as she placed her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. "What you did to me was unbearable. So go ahead, admit it and take some responsibility."

This statement caused Sanji to start yelling and shaking Luffy all over again, as well as Usopp to go back yelling threats from his megaphone.

'Just who is this woman?' Chopper wondered to himself while holding onto the mast partly hiding himself.

"You're not making any sense!" Luffy said weakly once Sanji had paused in his shaking once again. "What do you want me to do?!"

"I want…," Robin said with a confidant smile. "To join your crew."

"You want to WHAT?!" the Straw Hats all exclaimed in astonished disbelief at what they had just heard.

"My obligation to Crocodile is finished," Robin told them honestly. "There's no place for me to go, or return to. So I decided to join you."

"Why didn't you go with PEW?" Zoro asked her suspiciously. "I noticed that he and you seemed to get on really well when we were Crocodile's prisoners."

"Believe it or not," Robin said leaning her chin on the palm of her hand. "It was PEW who suggested to me that I go with you, he had discussed it with me when he was staying at Rain Dinners. He told me to trust his advice along with my instincts, and here I am."

"Oh," Luffy said in slow understanding. "I see your problem, I guess there's no other choice, welcome aboard."

"LUFFY!" all the other Straw Hats yelled out in frustrated disbelief at their captain's decision, as it didn't involve consulting them first.

"There's nothing to worry about," Luffy told his crew confidently. "Trust me when I say she isn't a bad person.

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A little while later Usopp was sitting at a table he had set up so he could 'interrogate' their newest crew member.

While this was happening, Robin used her abilities to produce a hand and arm from the deck in front of an amazed Luffy and Chopper. The two of them watched with childlike wonder as the limb started swaying backwards and forwards, like a small tree in a breeze.

They were so focused on the swaying limb they failed to see another hand suddenly emerge from Luffy's shoulder. This new limb gave Luffy a playful push causing him to stumble into Chopper and they both tumbled down onto the deck, where they both started laughing like crazy at how easily they had been fooled.

However whenever Robin gazed over towards Luffy and Chopper, the little reindeer doctor quickly hid behind his captain, as there was something about Robin's calm gaze that tended to unnerve him.

"Ok pay attention!" Usopp said to Robin in the best 'tough guy' voice he could manage. "I want some straight up and honest answers! I'll ask you one more time. What's your name?! I'm Usopp," he said breaking character just to be polite. "Nice to meet you."

"My name is Nico Robin."

"Okay then," Usopp said writing down the answer he got on a note pad. "Nico Robin. "What's your occupation?"

"I'm an Archaeologist," Robin answered back promptly.

"Are you serious?" Usopp asked in amazement.

"Archaeology runs in my blood," Robin said proudly. "I come from a long line of archaeologists," she went on.

"I see," Usopp said adding this fact to his note pad. "So you family has a scientific background."

"I can't believe Usopp is DOING this!" Zoro muttered to himself while staying in careful listening distance, like he noticed Nami was doing too.

"When I was eight years old," Robin explained to Usopp knowing perfectly well the other Straw Hats were listening in on them. "I had decided to pursue archaeology as my career. But shortly thereafter," she went on. "I found myself wanted by the World Government. Since then I've spent the past 20 years hiding from the world."

"You've been alone?" Usopp said in amazed disbelief. "Ever since you were eight?"

"Then one day," Robin said going on with her story. "I heard the calling of the sea, but there was no way a child can survive alone on the water. The only option I found that could ensure my protection and achieve my goal, was I chose to work for various rouges. Not the most ideal solution," she admitted with a casual shrug. "But it got me this far, and here we are."

"So I'm guessing," Usopp said thoughtfully. "That you incorporated Crocodile into your gallery of rouges?"

"Of course," Robin replied calmly. "I used him in order to get close to the Poneglyph. I'm good at manoeuvring through obstacles to achieve a goal, well," she said with a smirk. "Actually PEW taught me a few tricks that have helped me out."

"Just what is your deal with PEW anyway?" Usopp asked leaning forward curiously. "Back in Alabasta I saw that you and he got along real well, he didn't look or sound like a rouge you were using to me."

"Fu, fu, fu, PEW is the one exception to most of the people I have met in my life," Robin smiled gently. "When I'm with him, I see the type of person I could have been rather than who I am," she went on mysteriously.

'What the heck is that supposed to mean?" both Nami and Zoro thought to themselves as the continued to listen in on the conversation.

"Tell me," Robin said suddenly addressing not only Usopp but Nami and Zoro too. "What do you make of PEW? If you tell me what you think, I'll tell you what I know of him."

"Well I've only heard of him," Usopp said admittedly. "He's the 'Person Extremely Wanted' aka 'The Informed One' the Information Dealer of the Seas. He travels around everywhere providing information to everyone regardless of who they are be they pirate, marines, criminals, civilians and so on. I only saw him when we were Crocodile's prisoners, he seemed real…mysterious to me," Usopp told her honestly.

"The way he dressed, talked and how he was always…prepared I guess. I still can't believe he actually lied to Crocodile about Sanji and Chopper. Smoker said PEW deliberately lied to Crocodile to give us a chance without breaking his own personal rules, as he was still working with the guy."

"That's right," Robin nodded in confirmation. "PEW prides himself on keeping his word to his clients no matter who they are. But if they're people he dislikes he carefully creates 'loopholes' so he's done what he said but to a point."

"So he a cunning strategist as well as an honourable man," Zoro said quietly upon hearing this information. "That explains why he gave back the money he got off Arlong to Tashigi. He'd been planning to give it back to Cocoyasi Village the entire time, to think I doubted the guy. He had been telling me the truth, and I was still suspicious."

"That sounds like PEW alright," Robin smiled. "If any fee he gets is an ill gotten gain, he almost always tries to give it back to the original owner or owners."

"Wow!" Usopp said in amazement before turning to Luffy and Chopper. "You two hear that?"

Luffy and Chopper couldn't answer the marksman, they were rolling around on the deck laughing like crazy as Robin had now produced several hands to playfully tickle the two of them.

"Are you seriously letting her do that to you?" Nami said scornfully to the still laughing Luffy and Chopper.

"You guys are pathetic! Until recently this woman was the vice president of a crime syndicate! Do you really think that such a woman should join us? You may have fooled these idiots," Nami said warningly to Robin indicating her fellow Straw Hats. "But you don't fool me! If you pull anything, I'll personally kick you out!"

"I'll keep that in mind then," Robin said thoughtfully. "Oh by the way," she went on reaching under the table and placing a small bag in front of her. "I just remember I brought along some of Crocodile's jewels with me, as a peace offering."

Hearing this Nami was beside the seated Robin in flash with bright stars in her eyes. "Wow! I LOVE you sister!" she cried in happy delight. "You're the best!"

"Oh boy," Zoro sighed rolling his eyes in disbelief at what he was seeing. "Here we go."

"Yeah," Usopp said in agreement. "Nami's been had."

"This woman is bad news," Zoro went on as they watched Robin let Nami eagerly examine the contents of her jewel bag.

"No kidding," Usopp replied dryly. "She's got Nami following her lead like some kind of pet."

Just then a heart eyed Sanji suddenly turned, up with a slice of cake on a plate in one hand, along with a cup of tea on a saucer in the other.

"Ah, love…floating love" the blonde haired chef said dreamily to Robin as he twirled around towards her like a leaf in a breeze. "The likes of which I've never seen," he went on happily. "I was a piece of driftwood floating in the sea until I was struck by the lightening that was you! Care for a snack?" he asked presenting his load to their guest.

"Fu, fu, fu, thank-you," Robin smiled gently accepting Sanji's tea and cake gratefully.

"Will you look at that idiot falling all over himself for her?" Zoro said to Usopp in in undisguised annoyance.

"Yeah…" Usopp replied back slowly at what he was seeing. "But Sanji was a lost cause from the start, with any girl or woman we meet."

"Well," Zoro went on determinedly to the long nosed marksman. "It looks like you and I are the last two hold outs on this ship of fools."

"We shouldn't really blame the others," Usopp told him. "Their simple minds can't resist her charms."

"Hey Usopp!" Luffy suddenly called out

Turning around, Usopp and Zoro saw that Robin had now used her abilities to make a pair of hands come out of the side of Luffy's hat, like a pair of antlers.

"I'm Chopper!" Luffy said opening his eyes wide and giving them a gentle smile like the real Chopper normally did.

This silly sight was too much for Usopp, he burst into hysterical laughter alongside the real Chopper.

"Oh I don't believe this!" Zoro groaned angrily to himself before walking off in a huff from his laughing friends.

"So tell me," the still love struck Sanji asked Robin. "What should I call you?" Just 'Robin,' or something else that declares my love?"

"Tell you what," Robin said after a quick think. "Why don't you tell me what you think of PEW and I'll give you an answer."

"You know PEW?" Sanji asked in surprise. "Well I him pretty well, he was a customer at the 'Baratie' floating restaurant, a place I used to work at in the East Blue. He paid me for his meals with information I asked him to find, in regards to the location of the All Blue. He struck me as a man of mystery but when he gives his word on things, he MEANS it and I find that real respectable."

"That's certainly PEW's way," Robin mused to herself.

"But he never mentioned he knew such a beautiful woman like you before!" Sanji went on dreamily.

"It probably never crossed your mind to ask him huh?" Robin said as she suddenly got up off her chair.

"Hey where are you going?" Sanji asked as he watched the dark haired woman walk off to where Zoro was standing alone away from everyone. "You didn't say what I could call you!"

"Just relax," Robin smiled gently to the blonde haired chef. "We have plenty of time to discuss that."

Leaving Sanji to his romantic daydreaming, Robin made her way to the front of the 'Merry' pausing beside Zoro. "PEW was right when he told me that this ship is full of charm," she said to him. "Tell me," she went on turning to face him. "Is it always this lively?"

"Yeah…" Zoro replied cautiously. "It usually is. Now look," he went on in the same cautious tone. "It's obvious that PEW told you about us, and as an information dealer I get that's his job. But what I want to know is, HOW does the World Government and the Marines allow him to work with guys like Crocodile, other pirates along with everyone else be they important or not? I would have thought that they'd only allow PEW to work for THEM, to 'keep the world safe' or something like that."

"Fu, fu, fu, you wonder about that too huh? You know I once asked PEW that very same question and do you know what he told me?"

"What?"

"PEW said that he and the World Government have a 'special understanding' as long as they don't do anything to bother him, he doesn't do anything to bother them."

"An understanding?" Zoro asked in puzzlement.

"When Crocodile asked me that question when I first joined him, he used his status as a Warlord of the Sea to find out what that meant."

"Did he find anything?"

"Just a vague rumour," Robin said mysteriously. "That PEW is a member or leader, of a mysterious organization that has people everywhere. But they're so secret you don't know who they actually are."

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At that very moment PEW was sitting in dark room somewhere at the head of a conference table, the table itself had several people sitting around it but all in the shadows.

"Before we begin this meeting," PEW said handing out several folders filled with notes, photographs and numerous other documents. "I would like to all thank-you for being able to attend. Once again my faith in your determination and honesty has paid off, which as you all know is a very rare thing in this world. So I declare this meeting of the 'Global Hegemony of Secret Truths' aka 'GHOST' to be open!"

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Well how about THAT for a chapter ending dear readers? Not only has Nico Robin joint the Straw Hats, and got them to talk about what they think of PEW. But it seems that there is more to PEW than meets the eye! He has a little HELP in his work, no doubt the people he is talking to at that meeting, are part of the Informed One's little 'special understanding' with the World Government and the Marines. Just WHO works for GHOST and on how many levels does it go? We shall find out as the story progresses! So see you next chapter, but in the meantime 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! Cheers!