The Newest Member of the Royal Guard

When news of the princess' arrival into camp had reached the planning session being conducted in the chief's tent, a member of Pell's company had leaped up from his place on the floor and ran out.

"Ah, youth. I wish I were still that fast," Urgano said politely. Pell had made a quick remark about the need to maintain discipline in the ranks then ordered the rest of the men to find their newest member.

Igaram had believed their story, that they had come to Alabasta because they didn't know what else to do with themselves, but he wouldn't risk the possibility of ulterior motives. If they had any additional scheme, separation would keep them from accomplishing it. So Miss Monday had remained with Igaram and Chaka, while Pell had brought Mr. 9 with him to the nomads.

The plan had never included the princess showing up.

The guards scattered in different directions and Pell threaded himself into the mass of people. The odds favored him finding the runaway recruit first. Chaka sometimes joked about 'eagle eyes' but the Devil Fruit didn't draw a line at form. He saw things that others never did, just like Chaka heard things he never could.

This being as it was, he couldn't help but notice a man drawing back slightly when he brushed by or that while a mother craned to see what was happening at the front of the crowd, her child hid its face in her skirts.

He should have expected as much from a group that made their living telling tales and guarding legends, he thought dismally. The people needed to quit believing their own stories.

"You're alive! You're alive, Mr. 9!" cried a familiar voice.

The nomads fairly threw themselves out of the way when Pell pushed his way to the front of the press of people. He ignored Vivi's astonished exclamation when he appeared at her side. He was intent on one thing, which was getting his aide out of sight. He grasped his charge's arm tightly and made the man wince in pain. Pell said to the princess, "Perhaps our tent would be a better place to reacquaint."

He didn't wait for an answer. Counting on the crowd to give him a path, he led his 'aide' right back into the tent Urgano had presented for their use when they had arrived.

Carue and the princess followed them inside. Pell realized that she had not smiled this frankly for quite a long time. She embraced the man again, wrapping him in her dusty travel cloak. "How did you get here? When did you arrive? Oh, I really don't care. I just missed you so much!"

"Me too."

She pulled away and cried triumphantly. "I knew I saw you in Nanohana!"

He snapped his fingers. "Then that was you who was chasing me! Miss Monday said I was being – "

"Miss Monday is here too?"

"At the palace," Pell said shortly.

"With Igarapp…excuse me. With Igaram. And Terracotta." The man's eyes crinkled with amusement and he mimed removing a hat and placing it over his heart. "Poor Igaram. We knew him well."

Vivi's hand flew to her mouth as she imagined the first meeting between the two women. "Mr. 9 – "

"Do not call him that, Princess Vivi." Pell said sharply. "Not even among friends. Chief Urgano is under the impression that he is my aide."

He felt no need to explain further; even at a young age, the princess had been politically aware. She knew the nomads' ways well enough to realize that they would not welcome a Baroque Works agent, former or otherwise, into the middle of their war camp.

"Aide? Then you're a member of the guard now?" She looked at Pell for confirmation.

'Burden' would have been a more accurate term, but he nodded anyway.

"That's wonderful, Mr. – " She tripped over the old codename. "Who am I congratulating?"

The former Mr. 9 stared at his shoes. His lips may or may not have moved.

"What was that?"

He raised his voice a fraction.

"Your name's Roger?"

"No. Of course not. But I can't use my real name because of previous things. Previous before Baro – Whiskey Peak. You're laughing at me!" he said hotly.

"It's a good name," she reassured.

"Don't lie. It's not," he muttered. "Igaram thought it was a wonderful joke. I think he's getting revenge for me breaking my promise about not coming to Alabasta."

That slip was no accident. Pell shot a sharp look at his charge, but Roger ignored it.

Vivi hadn't missed what he said. "Igaram made you promise not to come to Alabasta?"

Roger nodded mutely.

"When did he – " Vivi's eyes flickered angrily. "I changed my mind. I do care. I want to know. Tell me everything."

==============

Dead people didn't hurt this much. Then he remembered.

"Miss Wednesday!" He struggled to sit up.

"She's gone."

"Mr. 8?"

"Don't call me that. And be quiet. Miss Ma-Ma…" Iggarappoi's stutter turned into a racking cough. When he recovered, he said, "Miss Monday is still asleep."

He told the raging pain in his head that it would have to wait. "Is Miss Wednesday safe? What happened with Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine's Day?"

He didn't believe a word. Those stupid pirates couldn't have defeated the Mr. 5 pair. Iggarappoi couldn't have let Miss Wednesday go with them. And though it was easy to believe what Miss All-Sunday had done to the boat, it was hard to get his head around what happened afterwards - waves with fingers, passing Iggarappoi along until he was brought to the shore.

"Why would Miss All-Sunday try to kill you and then save you?"

He smiled darkly. "This organization thrives on deceit and lies. Who knows what her plans are?"

"Do you think she's – "

"Her motives don't concern me." The man stood up.

"Wait. What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"To find Miss Wednesday?"

"I'm going to stop Mr. 0 from destroying my country."

"I'll go with you!"

"Be quiet, boy." Iggarappoi growled. Miss Monday stirred in her sleep and he waited for her to settle. "No, you won't. I am not waiting for you to heal and she still needs care."

"You can't tell me – " The man loomed over him and his face stopped his brave words. Iggarappoi looked like he could and would.

His boss went towards the door. He watched as the last line in the thread that held his life together walked away.

"Did you ever believe? In Utopia?" he blurted out desperately. Utopia had been a very important part of his life. Knowing that what he was did would aid a greater purpose had made it a little easier to do the very hard things.

"I didn't have to believe," Iggarappoi said. "I already knew where Utopia was."

He grasped at straws, trying to find new meaning. "Please! I want to help Miss Wednesday, too."

The other man paused at the door. "Then stay with Miss Monday until she recovers. After that, leave this island and take advantage of the chance you have. Start a new life and put Miss Wednesday out of your head forever. That is the best way to help her."

His temper flared again. "You're want me to abandon my partner!"

"She was never your 'partner.' She used you and this organization to help the people that really mattered to her." Iggarappoi's voice lowered. "Don't you see? You'll only make it harder on her if you try to stay in her life. Promise me you won't try to see her again."

He slumped back onto his pillow. He was too tired to fight right now. "I promise."

Then Iggarappoi left. He listened until the steps faded away and the room was silent, except for when Miss Monday murmured in her sleep. He stared at the dark ceiling and started making plans.

His conscience hadn't even twinged when he'd lied. After all, Iggarappoi knew what Baroque Works was about and old habits died hard.

===============

"When Miss Monday recovered, we decided to come here. It took us a long time but we made it." He beamed proudly. Vivi didn't smile back though. "What's wrong?"

"Igaram never said a word to me." Carue cooed gently and leaned up against his mistress to ease her agitation. Her hands were wringing the cloth of her cloak in what was probably a good imitation of what she wanted to do to the captain of the guard. "How dare he not tell me you were alive!"

"I understand," Roger said hastily. "He was thinking about you because you're a princess and I'm me and that I might come and screw everything up – "

"That could never happen. You being here is a wonderful thing." She stopped murdering her cloak and took his hand. "My life always has room for friends. No matter who they are or what they've been."

Pell cleared his throat pointedly. "Perhaps, now that we have heard his story, you'd like to tell yours, Princess Vivi?"

The note of accusation in Roger's voice bordered just on insubordination. "Yeah! How come you're here? They said I wouldn't see you until I got back to the palace."

The princess stood up. "Chief Urgano needs to hear it too. Kohza, Eric, and I have discovered some information about Baroque Works and the rebels."

"Sounds like a plan to me! Let's go find the chief," Roger declared. Carue quacked in agreement.

Pell followed, filing away into his mind the look on Roger's face when the princess had mentioned Kohza and Eric.

======

A/N: There may be more fleshing out of the ex - Mr. 9's history in the future. I hope this was palatable for everyone. Blame Oda. It's his fault for making up great characters and then just leaving them around for fans to do whatever they want with.

I forgot to mention that from the previous chapter, the name Alabina comes from the band Alabina and Panchai is the family name of one of the members of Gipsy Kings. It's my silly homage to two musical influences for this story.