Title: Of Dreams and Desires
Pairings: Smoker x Ace, Sanji x Zoro, and other side pairings
Ratings: T - NC-17
Chapter: 8 of ?
Summary: Intercepted Hints…
Disclaimer: I do not make any profit from this story; all props go to Eiichiro Oda.
Author Note: Sorry for the short chapters, longer ones will come later in the story.
Beta Reader: descriptionsalive21, thank you so much!

Smoker Tensa

Smoker and Tashigi stood before the corpse of their captive, whose name they discovered was Mr. 11. They examined the bullet-hole in the center of his forehead, together determining his cause of death. Smoker flicked the ashes off the two cigars in his mouth and gave an experimental pull, filling his lungs with nicotine.

"Smoker-san?" Tashigi questioned, drawing red eyes over to her direction.

"Get someone to clean this up and set course for Nanohana," Smoker ordered as he walked towards the rear cabin quarters to his office.

He entered into the spacious room and plopped down in his chair, exhaling and watching the small smoke cloud dance out the window. Recent events had been abnormal lately and they were playing over in his mind constantly, but he could not see where the connection to everything was. He had the oddest feeling that something wasn't right, but the real question was exactly what it was that wasn't right. First, there was the call that he intercepted a few days ago. He couldn't make out much of the conversation, but the few words he could understand had peaked his interest.

"Princess Vivi", "Straw Hats", this "Mr. 0 person", and "orders".

Smoker couldn't place a finger on where he'd heard of Princess Vivi before; the orders and Mr. 0 were unfamiliar to him as well, but he knew of the Straw Hats. He also knew that wherever the Straw Hats were, a problem was always on the horizon. He had been following them since they escaped him in Loguetown, refusing to let them out of his grasp again. Smoker butted out his used cigars and pulled a pad of paper out of his desk drawer that had the words "Official Report" in bold lettering on the top of it. Tensa sighed and grabbed a pen, preparing to write a summary of the day's events thus far. But, for a moment, he hesitated – quite frankly, he wasn't too sure as to what to say.

The dead captive?

Yup. Defiantly that guy, can't toss a body without letting the higher ups know the reason.

Smoker tapped his pen against the pad – the possible organized crime ring that could be going on in some unknown city?

No, there wasn't enough information and Smoker hated to turn in half ass reports. Regardless how much he despised paper work, he completed it with precision when he did find the time to do so. Either way, he couldn't help but sense that everything was connected, and that the answers he needed somehow resided in Alabasta. A knock on his office-by-day, sleeping-quarters-by-night door pulled him from his thoughts. Muttering a deep command for the person to enter, his Master Chief Petty Officer, Tashigi, popped into his room.

"Smoker-san, the body has been disposed of and we are on route to Alabasta. Are there any other orders, sir?"

He answered her question with a question. "Tashigi, what are your thoughts on the call we intercepted today?"

Tashigi flustered at the question, she wasn't expecting him to ask her opinion regarding the entire situation. Smoker had been a man with one thought since Loguetown. His sole mission – capture the Straw Hats. She pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "Well, Sir..." she hesitated again before taking a deep breathe. "Honestly, I don't think it's a coincidence that the Mugiwara Pirates are in some way involved with whatever organized ploy that's taking place in Alabasta. Trouble seems to follow them wherever they go."

Smoker raised an eyebrow and he set fire to another couple of cigars. "What about Princess Vivi and this secret organization Mr. 11 was talking about?"

"Talking under the assumption that Mr. 0 also works for the same organization as Mr. 11, and bringing into play that Princess Vivi is the missing heir to the Alabasta throne, I can only speculate that out attention needs to be directed towards Alabasta." Tashigi finished and waited for a response from Smoker, but when none came, she continued curiously, "Sir?"

Smoker looked up at her through the haze of smoke that encompassed him.

"I would like to speak freely, Sir."

The white haired man grunted his approval, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'd like to remind you that we have abandoned our post in Loguetown and have proceed upon this hunt without direct orders."

"Get to your point," he said gruffly, even though he already knew where she was going with this conversation.

Tashigi cleared her throat twice before continuing, "I just want to make sure you are aware of the consequences that can be had if we go into this situation without the official word from HQ."

Smoker leaned back in his chair, regarding his subordinate silently. He took so long to respond that Tashigi begun to shift her weight between her feet, fearing she had spoken out of term. Tensa broke the silence after running a thick hand through his cropped hair. "If you feel you are ill-equipped to follow me and my orders, then take a raft and any sailor who thinks the same as you and return to HQ." He stood from his chair and leaned against the window, tapping his cigars against the sill. "I have a strong feeling about the happenings in Alabasta. Currently, this mission is about more than just the Straw Hats. Either stand with me or stand out of my way."

There was silence as Tashigi mulled over her captain's words and upon making her decision, she stood up a little straighter, saluting. "Captain Smoker, sir, I will stand by you and your conquest!"

Smoker really looked at Tashigi, his lip upturned in a small smirk. "Let me know when we dock in Alabasta. Also, give me a full report on the city and any town in a hundred mile radius of it. I want all information available so we don't go in blind."

Tashigi saluted once more before leaving his office.

Smoker sighed and walked over to his resting area, contemplating sleep as he looked down at the bed desperately, but catching a whiff of himself, he decided on a shower first. He discarded his clothes as he walked to the water closet, grabbing the ashtray that was sitting on his dresser as he passed it. Once in the bathroom, he turned on the water and waited for the shower to get hot how he liked it. He puffed on the cigars then placed them in the ashtray, sitting the tray near the shower.

It had been three days since his last wash, the buildup of the past days resting heavy on his skin. Smoker stepped into the shower and stood under the hot spray for a while, reaching out for his smokes and pulling a long drag from the cigars before setting them back on the ashtray. He lathered his body and hair, wanting to get a good wash in, considering it would probably be days before his next shower and, sadly, other additional activities he didn't indulge in often.

The thought of possible release caused him to look down at his soapy manhood that was quickly swelling by the second. He huffed and rinsed his body and hair of soap before turning off the water and stepping out the shower. The hunter dried himself off and proceeded to his bed, ashtray in hand and cigars now placed back in his mouth. He took one last hit then stamped out the smokes and climbed into bed, willing his arousal away. A few moments later and sleep greeted him into her bosom.

S.T

Smoker rolled over in his bed at the sound of knocking at his door. Peeking his eyes open, he shot a glare at the door, still not moving from his spot. When silence filled the space, and he was satisfied he had defeated his enemy, he settled once more in the bed trying to get back to that wonderful slumber that he didn't often get. However, the knock returned, this time fiercer and more rapid.

Ima kill 'em. Whomever it is on the other side of that door is dead.

Smoker groaned as he pulled himself out of bed, stomping over to the thick wooden door and throwing it open. "What?"

"Ah…" the sailor trailed off, looking his nude captain's well tone pale body up and down, clearing his throat. "Sir, we've arrived at the Nanohana port. Tashigi-sama requested I come get you."

Smoker glared at the man, sending him away and slamming the door closed. He sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he walked over to his jacket that was hanging on the coat rack. He removed two cigars from the sleeve, lit them, and dressed before leaving his quarters with a foul mood. Once on the deck of his ship, Smoker spotted Tashigi walking up the boarding plank, giving commands to subordinates as she made her way to him. He met her half way then stopped with his arms cross over his chest, still irritated about the rude awakening he had just moments ago. "What information have you gathered?"

Tashigi fiddled with the handle of her sword as she looked out to the city of Nanohana. "The Kingdom of Alabasta is currently under a coup d'état. There hasn't been rain for a while now and the town people are placing the blame on the King. There is tension between the Royal Guard and the Rebel Fighters of this Kingdom."

Smoker and Tashigi walked off the ship and into the port, passing a suspicious small single person boat as they continued through the port and into the town of Nanohana. After walking a ways away from the ship, Tashigi claimed there was another lead she wished to check out and moved to part ways with Smoker, but before she left his side, she gave him one last piece of information. "Other than that, sir, there is current news of a newcomer currently suspected of being dead at the Spice Bean right over there. The reasons behind the supposed death are currently unknown. Probably has nothing to do with any pirate activity."

Smoker nodded his head in thanks to Tashigi and they parted ways, his feet leading him towards the Spice Bean restaurant.

Writing Smoker and Tashigi is interesting. She wants to follow him but at the same time she has her own beliefs, really interesting. Hope you all enjoyed, say turned for next chapter: Portgas D. Ace - Huredhiel