Coco: Heyo, and welcome to the latest chapter of Monster Within. I thought this would be the last chapter of the Alabasta Arc, but it's not going to be. There are still somethings that need to be wrapped up, which will happen in the next chapter. Then it'll be done XD

After that, I think I'm going to write the small filler with the goat man Zenny XD I didn't really like writing about the Rainbow Mist last time. In fact, I don't like most of the fillers. However, Zenny's filler comes with cute goats. That and the island he's on is pretty well deserted, so I thought it'd be the perfect place to add in more fae interaction with the Straw Hats. Nami didn't get the chance to enjoy them on Magus after all.

If there are any fillers, you think I should write in the future or maybe would like me to write, let me know. You can even suggest some of the movies if you like. Not sure if I'll write all of them. And as for the movies, I'm not sure if I'll add them to the story line, but I can do a shot series over them if any of you are interested. Just let me know, kay?

Now, are we ready to dive into the chapter?


"I have to say I wasn't expecting this," Law said as he spoke with Wren through the den-den mushi.

Wren, who gave a small chuckle, grinned as she sat on the roof of the palace. She had already sent York to join the others and they were all now waiting just outside of Alabasta's boarding waters for her answer. Either they left without her, or they returned to pick her up.

"Nor was I." Wren said. "Though I haven't made my decision yet."

It grew silent between the pair for a moment as Wren looked up at the clear skies above the capital.

"They could become collateral or a threat in the end," Law pointed out.

"Yes, they could," Wren agreed. "I don't wish for them to be hurt because of me. Though more than that, I don't want to take the chance of them being used to hurt us. I would never forgive myself if something like that happened."

Keeping Law safe was her top priority. Even more than taking down Doflamingo. He was the most important person in her life now. Even more than her father or her comrades or the family she had left behind. Which is why, if he thinks it's a bad decision, she will leave the Straw Hats behind. Though she knew it would be painful to do so.

"Now, you're making me feel bad," Law gripped then sighed. "Wren, you don't take orders from me. You're a big girl. You've been making your own decisions for a while now, haven't you? Do what you want."

Wren's brows rose in surprise at his words since that wasn't what she was expecting him to say.

"I don't if I'd trust these pirates," Law continued. "But I trust you. Besides, your friend York has a point, you really don't have anywhere else to go since you refuse to come and join my crew."

He sounded annoyed as he said this last part, which brought a small, amused smile from Wren.

"They want you to join anyway, don't they?" Law said. "And from how you describe him that Straw Hat is stubborn to say the least."

Wren didn't reply as she looked down at her lap. She wanted to join them. However, whenever she got close to people…she tended to lose them in one way or another.

"Wren," Law spoke up after she continued to remain silent. "…Cora-san didn't do what he did for us, so you could isolate yourself from people. What did he want for you?"

'He wanted me to go out and meet people,' Wren thought. 'Meet humans who weren't bad. Make friends…and be free. But…'

Wren let out a sigh as a certain feather-wearing Shichibukai entered her mind.

"I won't be free until Doflamingo falls," Wren said.

"He will fall," Law said firmly. "However, between now and then, there's no reason for you to be miserable. If you're miserable, I'll have to deal with listening to you whine. Stop being stubborn, idiot. Do something that will make you happy for a change."

Despite the fact he just called her an idiot, Wren smiled as she looked up from her lap.

"It looks like I might not be the only one going soft," Wren commented. "Big brother, I never knew you could be so sweet."

Her smile grew ever so slightly as the den-den mushi reflected Law's glare at her. Though the smile soon fell to be replaced with a somber.

"You know, if I do decide to join them, I want them to know what they could possibly be getting themselves into," Wren said.

"…yeah…I figured you'd say that," Law replied. "Like I said, it's your decision. Just make it already."


Sanji stared pensively out the window after the group had returned to their room after dinner and bathing. All of them were quiet. Even Luffy who had a frown on his face.

"…There's still no sign of her…" Chopper broke the silence in a small voice.

Nami, who was sat curled up on her bed, pulled her knees even closer to her chest. Her expression reflecting the same sadness that was in Chopper's tone.

"We can't keep waiting for her," Zoro said. "It's been three days. She's most likely already gone with those friends of hers. She did say she'd leave once everything was over."

His words brought the mood down even lower and brought anger to Sanji who whirled around.

"Maybe she wouldn't have left if you hadn't treated her like she was a threat, Marimo!" Sanji growled. "You had no right to question her after everything she's done for us!"

He marched up to Zoro who was quick to get to his feet. Both of them squaring off. Chopper and Vivi looked between the two in concern as things were quickly becoming heated.

"Don't give me that crap!" Zoro shouted at Sanji. "She was keeping secrets! We know nothing about her!"

"Who cares if she was keeping secrets?!" Sanji retorted. "A woman's secrets on her own and it's not our place to force them out of her! She did nothing to even suggest she'd try and hurt us!"

Zoro went to retort again, but Nami, who had enough of their shouting and stood up, smacked the both of them. Their heads snapped to the side in shock. They were stunned for a moment before slowly turning to look at the navigator who had tears in her eyes.

"That's enough," Nami said. "Arguing about it isn't making things better. I wanted her to join too...I still do. We might not know a lot about her, but she took care of me when I was sick. She had no reason to. Just like she had no reason to step in front of me and shield me from Crocodile's attack. I don't need to know her past. She's a good person and you know it, Zoro."

Zoro frowned though didn't reply as he looked away from the navigator's gaze. Sanji, who was still angry, gritted his teeth together, but turned away from Zoro to return to his spot by the window.

"Wren helped us all of us…protected all of us," Usopp said. "More than she had to."

"Yeah," Chopper agreed. "She even made sure we made it to the palace after we were injured, right, Vivi?"

He looked to Vivi, who was sitting to the side with Karoo, and the princess nodded.

"I can't think of who else it could have been." Vivi said. "It wasn't any of the guards or rebels."

The group then went quiet again before looking to Luffy who stood up from where he had been sitting.

"We can't stay here any longer," Luffy said. "But we're not giving up on Wren either. She's a member of this crew."

"How many times I have told you that I haven't agreed to that?"

The group stiffened before whirling around to see Wren in the doorway to their room.

"Wren!" Chopper, Usopp, and Nami cried at the sight of her.

Chopper gave a watery laugh as he launched himself at Wren who caught him. He hugged her tightly around the neck with tears running down his furry cheeks.

"You came back!" He said happily. "I thought you left us."

Wren gave him a gentle look as she stroked his back in a soothing manner and held him close.

"I'm here too," Havel, who had finally left Wren's shadow, huffed as he padded in through the door as well.

He was ignored though, which had him grumbling as he sat himself at Wren's feet. Wren gave the feline a sympathetic look as she continued to hold the sniffling Chopper.

"I apologize for causing you so much stress," Wren apologized to Chopper. "I didn't mean to. I just had a lot to think about…I do wish to join all of you if the offer still stands."

Her words brought a lot of happy smiles from most of the crew. Though Zoro's expression remained guarded.

"Really, Wren?" Luffy asked with a big grin.

"Yes," Wren said. "However, before things become official, I want to give you the chance to rescind your invitation."

Luffy frowned in confusion at her words because he didn't understand why he'd do that.

"As Zoro has pointed out, I have been keeping a lot from you all," Wren said. "And as I've said, knowing me alone can get you all into a lot of trouble."

Sanji stepped up as she spoke while placing his hands on her shoulders to give them a gentle squeeze.

"You don't have to tell us anything over something the stupid Marimo said, Wren-chan," Sanji assured her. "Especially, if it's something you want to keep to yourself."

While Wren appreciated the kind gesture, she shook her head then moved to sit down on one of the beds. Havel followed her while hopping up to lay down at her side.

"While I cannot tell you everything, you need to at least know that allowing me on the crew can very well paint targets on your backs." Wren said. "As you know, I was once a pirate before meeting all of you. Though I suppose I still am one as it hasn't been that long since I ran away from my former crew."

"Ran away from?" Usopp repeated.

Wren nodded her head as she kept one arm around Chopper while the other moved around Havel so that she could stroke his fur.

"I spent the last decade devoting myself to taking down one man," Wren said. "My former captain…Donquixote Doflamingo. Though it was hell to do so, I stayed at his side…did whatever he needed or wanted of me to gain his trust. Recently, he found out about my plans to take down his empire, and to survive, I had to flee for my life. Those injuries that Dr. Kureha mentioned to you, Luffy, were the result of my fight to escape his clutches."

Luffy's brow furrowed. He remembered Dr. Kureha mentioning Wren's injuries. How they had been quite serious and how everything she had went through to get them to the top of the mountain had worsened them greatly.

"So, as I'm sure you can guess, he's very angry with me right now," Wren continued. "And to get to me, he might very well try to hurt one of you. So, while I would never harm one of you myself, Zoro's right to worry that calamity might befall you if I stick around."

Zoro, who had moved to sit against the wall, frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"And what does this have to do with those buddies of yours and that name…Corazon?" Zoro questioned. "Crocodile and Smoker both knew it but not your face."

"I cannot disclose too much information on that, I'm sorry." Wren said. "It would put those people who helped us during the battle at risk and I cannot take that chance. Not after all they've done for the cause of taking down Doflamingo. Though I will tell you that the name Corazon is the name I went by for the last four years and that I hid my true face and true name from the world to carry out missions for Doflamingo but also as a counter measure, so I could move freely as Wren without people connecting me to him and the crew. As Corazon I've made quite the impression in the Underworld and world of piracy. And as a former member of a Shichibukai's crew, I did complete missions for the government when asked."

Zoro's brow quirked though he guessed that explained how both Crocodile and Smoker knew her. She's infamous in many different social circles.

"And if the truth comes out that Corazon and I are the same person, well, more than Doflamingo will come for me," Wren warned the pirates. "Though I doubt Doflamingo will make such an announcement as he wouldn't want people knowing he's down a commander. Let alone because the commander was working to take him down and he hadn't been wise to it until recently. It would make him look weak."

In fact, she wouldn't be surprised if he found someone to masquerade as her until he could finally get his hands on her. He'd most likely want a public execution of her in Dressrosa to set an example.

"Why are you trying to take out your old captain, Wren?" Nami asked curiously. "Why even join his crew at all if you hate him so much?"

Wren sighed as she looked off to the side with a troubled look on her face. Sanji looked at her in concern when he noticed her jaw tense. He stepped forward while kneeling in front of the woman. He reached out to place his hand over the one she had resting on Havel's back.

"It's okay, Wren, my dear," he said when she looked at him. "Take your time."

Wren looked at him gratefully as he gently tightened his hold on her hand to give her come encouragement.

"I…I didn't hate Doffy in the beginning." Wren said. "In fact, I loved him very much. He was family to me. However, he was only using me and is the core cause to every horrible thing that's ever happened to me and those I care about. It's because of him that I lost two very important people in my life…my mother and the man who saved me so that I could be free."

Just thinking about everything he's done made her anger boil. She clenched her jaw tightly as the blonde man's face entered her mind.

"It's a very long story that I don't want to talk about." Wren said. "However, do know that Doffy is a monster. If you thought Crocodile was the worst of the worst, you are badly mistaken. Doffy is the personification of evil, and I swore on the grave of the man who saved me that I wouldn't let him continue to run amuck. So, while I do wish to join you crew, I cannot give up on my cause, Luffy. Meaning that even while sailing with you, I will have duties I must fulfill if remaining with all of you puts those duties at risk, I will have to leave. So let me ask again, are you certain after hearing everything that I just told you, that you still wish for me to join your crew?"

Everyone looked to the young captain as the boy's head was tilted down, so that his hat was casting a shadow over his face. After a few seconds of silence, the boy looked up with his jaw set stubbornly.

"I don't care about any of that," Luffy said bluntly.

Wren's eyes widened slightly in surprise at his words. Though she soon chuckled guessing coming from Luffy it wasn't that surprising at all.

"Luffy, you bastard, this is all obviously important to Wren-chan, so you better show some damn empathy!" Sanji snapped as he went to kick Luffy in the face.

The boy went sailing backwards into the wall causing it to crack. Vivi sweat-dropped at the damage while sure Igaram was going to throw a fit.

"Ow, what was that for, Sanji?!" Luffy demanded as he sat up. "Who cares about that Mingo guy, huh?! If he comes after Wren, I'll just kick his ass like I did Crocodile!"

"That's not what I'm getting at, Moron!" Sanji snapped. "Of course, we'll protect Wren-chan! But that bastard obviously did something to her, so don't be so callous about how she feels!"

As the two continued shouting at each other, Nami moved over to where Wren was sitting to plop down next to her. Wren looked to the younger girl as Nami wrapped her arms around one of Wren's. She grinned up at Wren.

"I guess it's official then," Nami said. "Welcome to the crew."

"Yeah," Usopp added with a grin of his own. "It'll be reassuring to have a powerhouse like you on the crew. You can protect us from all the scary stuff."

"Yeah!" Chopper agreed as he looked up at Wren.

Wren found herself smiling at their words though her smile dropped as she turned her gaze to Zoro who was remaining quiet.

"And do you have any objections, Zoro?" Wren asked him.

Everyone got quiet—even the duo who had been fighting only seconds ago—as they also turned to look at the swordsman. For a moment he said nothing as he kept his gaze firmly on Wren. However, he then sighed as he looked to the side.

"No," Zoro said. "Even if I did, it's not like Luffy would listen to me anyway, right, Luffy?"

His stern expression relaxed into a miniscule grin as he spoke as he turned to look at the rubber boy.

"Heh, that's right!" Luffy said with a big grin.

Wren relaxed when hearing that because she didn't wish to join if it would cause trouble amongst the crew.

"Well, now that Wren's here, we better get ready to leave," Nami said as she stood.

Though before they could do that a palace guard came into the room with a den-den mushi in hand.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but your crew has received a call," The guard said.

"Snail communication," Nami murmured. "From who?"

Wren tilted her head. It couldn't be for her. York or Cabellero would have used the mirrors to contact her.

"I don't know," The guard replied. "He called himself Bon."

"Just Bon?" Sanji inquired. "That's it?"

"Never heard of the guy," Usopp added.

"That's strange," The guard said. "He insists you're all friends."

Sanji frowned in confusion as he stepped over to the den-den mushi, so to pick up the receiver.

"Hello, hello," A familiar voice came through the den-den mushi. "Hey, old friends, it's me!"

Bon Clay then went on the laugh as Wren narrowed her gaze. He was supposed to be long gone by now.

"I bet you never thought you'd hear from me again, did you?" Bon Clay asked.

Sanji made a face while quickly hanging up on the man. However, the snail immediately started ringing loudly and annoyingly to boot.

"You freak, shut up!" Sanji snapped.

He then blinked when Wren walked over and picked the receiver up to answer the call.

"Bon Clay, you have five seconds to explain to me why you're calling and what happened to Lorelei," Wren said. "You were supposed to be very far away from here and taking her with you."

"Oh, is that you, Cora-chan?" Bon Clay spoke up.

Wren's brow twitched at being addressed so casually by this man considering they didn't know each other well enough. Not only that, but she didn't even allow those close to her to address her in such a way.

"It's good to hear your voice, and you needn't worry about our sweet Lei-chan," Bon Clay continued. "She's over here sulking in a corner as we speak."

"Just because you know my true name now doesn't mean you can give me such a ridiculous nickname, Bonbon!" Came Lorelei's irate voice over the snail.

The snail even reflected her angry expression before switching back to smiling as Bon Clay spoke up.

"See? She's perfectly fine," Bon Clay said to Wren.

"Yes, she seems to be in good spirits," Wren said losing the edge to her tone. "Thank you for taking care of her."

Bon Clay told her she was welcome as the Straw Hats sweat-dropped at the casual exchange. It was like the two weren't just enemies a few days before.

"Don't you two ignore me!" Lorelei hissed.

The snail was then taken from Wren by Luffy who had stretched his arms out to nab it. He had a frown on his face as if he was looking at Bon Clay that very moment.

"So, you escaped, Mr. 2," Luffy said. "What do you want?"

"Straw-chan," Bon Clay greeted the captain. "I'd recognize that voice anywhere. You're right, I escaped. And I want to keep it that way, so don't call me Mr. 2. If the marines intercept this call, they'll be able to ascertain the location both my partner and I and you."

Chopper, who was still in Wren's hold, jumped down onto the bed that Havel was still occupying with a frown on his face.

"Thanks a lot, you jerk!" Chopper snapped.

"Tell us, what you want," Zoro demanded.

"Oh, it's not what I want," Bon Clay said. "It's what I have. Your ship!"

As the others snapped at him in denial, Wren had to wonder why he chose the Straw Hats' ship of all places to go. He had his own ship, and if he had left during all the chaos like Wren had told him too, he should have been able to slip away with Lorelei and his crew before the backup for the marines showed up.

"I'm going to kick your butt for saying that!" Usopp growled. "Where are you?!"

"On your ship the Going Merry," Bon Clay told him.

"I should have kicked him harder," Sanji said as he held up his fist.

He obviously hadn't finished him off enough like he had thought he done. That was his mistake.

"Hey, calm down," Bon Clay said. "Please, I mean, we are friends, right? Right!"

He proceeded to laugh after that before cutting off with a gasp. The sound of someone falling came through the receiver, before Lorelei's voice replaced his.

"Let's cut to the chase," Lorelei said. "We moved your ship to the upper part of the Sandora River. We moved it before the marines could take it, so you're welcome. Now, if you want it come and pick it up. This idiot with me wants to escape with all of you. You don't owe us anything, but I hope you'll help him. You need to hurry because it won't be long before escape from this country will be impossible."

"You won't be there when we arrive," Wren said.

Lorelei didn't reply at first, but she soon sighed as the snail mimicked the frown on her face.

"That's right," Lorelei said. "I can get out of this country on my own. I'll be returning to the family posthaste…Big sis, to show my gratitude for all you did to help raise me, I won't tell Doffy-sama about your connection the Straw Hats. However, next time we meet, I will be stronger, and I won't lose to you. I will succeed in taking you down."

The others looked to Wren expecting to see her upset. However, they were surprised when they saw her smile.

"I see," Wren said. "Well, you can try. Though don't think I will make it easy for you. Just try not to hold it over me when you fail."

"Tch," Lorelei scoffed before disconnecting the call.

It was silent for a moment before Wren turned to look to the others while clapping her hands together once.

"I suppose we better prepare to leave then," Wren said. "Best not to keep the Going Merry waiting. Besides, Bon Clay is an eccentric man, and there is no telling what he might do to our poor ship while he's unsupervised."

"No kidding," Usopp grumbled as the others got into busy to collect their things. "We're not really going to help him escape, are we?"

"Well, he helped Wren's friend, right?" Luffy questioned. "So, he can't be all bad."

Usopp frowned not so sure about that. As the others got ready to leave, Sanji stepped up beside Wren while placing his hand on her shoulder. She looked up at the blonde as he smiled down at her.

"Thank you, my dear," he said. "For coming back to us."

Wren brushed her hair back behind her ear as she gave the blonde cook a small smile.

"Well, I suppose you rookies have grown on me," Wren said. "I'd hate to have to miss you all."

Sanji's smile widened while happy to see her more relaxed. He's hoping with time that all the walls she's put up comes down, so she can be truly herself with them.

"Now, I suppose we should help the others get ready," Wren said. "If we hurry, perhaps we can leave without too much of a fuss."


Coco: And that brings this chapter to an end. Next chapter will cover the Straw Hats' escape from Alabasta and Robin joining their crew.

Be looking forward to seeing you all then. Now, remember, stay safe and keep being your beautiful selves!