SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 44 out, this is Chapter 45 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors, myself included, sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Ace/Sasha, familial Luffy/Sasha, patriotic Law/Sasha (Might end up as a Law/Sasha pairing later if I end up killing Ace at Marineford and if reviewers don't mind the age gap)

Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichirō-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC.

Chapter 45: Arc 4: The Trap of Certain Defeat! Storming Raindinners!

"Crocodile!" Luffy roared once they entered the casino. "Come out! I came all this way to kick your ass!"

"That's not gonna make him come out here!" Nami snapped, both her and Usopp slapping their Captain upside the head.

"We're dealing with the country's hero." Usopp reminded. "Are you trying to make the patrons our enemy too?"

"What do we do then?" Luffy asked.

"Hold on." Usopp stated. "Without Vivi, we won't know who Crocodile is."

"Speaking of which, where is Vivi?" Nami wondered.

"Vivi! Crocodile!" the three shouted. "Where are you?"

"Oi!" Zoro twitched.

"It's times like this, I'm so glad we're the mature ones." Sasha muttered.

"I've got you now, Straw Hat!" Smoker finally caught up.

"Smoker!" Nami recognized the Navy Captain.

"You think you can just scurry all over the place." Smoker growled.

"It's Smokey!" Luffy panicked and led his crew off.

"What's that smoke freak doing here in Rainbase?" Usopp wondered.

"I'd say he's taken quite a liking to Luffy." Zoro joked.

"The path splits!" Luffy noted, after they were led through a corridor to the VIP suite.

"VIPs go to the left." Usopp read the sign.

"And it says pirates go that way." Nami added.

"Pirates go this way!" Luffy turned.

"Huh?" the group blinked when they met a dead end, only to have the ground open underneath them.

"What in the world is going on?" Smoker asked.

"I can't believe we fell for this trick." Zoro muttered.

"A trapdoor!" Luffy realized.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, aniki." Sasha rolled her eyes.

"A clever trap." Luffy admitted, the group now found themselves in a Sea Prism Stone cage.

"It wasn't our fault." Usopp agreed.

"We could have avoided it!" Nami snapped. "You did exactly what the enemy wanted! I can't believe how stupid you are!"

"Anyways, I'm suddenly out of strength..." Luffy muttered.

"Are you hungry or something?" Usopp asked.

"I have no strength..." Luffy moaned, Smoker having suddenly attacked him with his jitte, the tip of the weapon was poked into Luffy's chest. "Just like when I fell in water..."

"I see," Sasha realized. "Sea Prism Stone."

"That's right." Smoker confirmed. "At the tip of this jitte is a material called Sea Prism Stone. A strange type of stone that supposedly only existed in one certain sea. Not much is known about it, but it basically gives off the same energy as the ocean. You can think of it as the sea in solid form."

"So it makes Luffy weak?" Zoro concluded.

"All Navy HQ prison cells are made of it." Smoker added. "To prevent criminals with Devil Fruit powers from escaping."

"In other words, this prison is also made of the same thing." Sasha looked at the cage. "No wonder I sensed the same resonance from it as the ocean."

"If it weren't, I'd be long gone by now." Smoker remarked. "After making it none of you take to the seas again."

"That's right." Crocodile droned. "Give it up. You're all going to die together, so why not get along first?"

"Crocodile!" Smoker recognized the Warlord's voice.

At that, Crocodile turned his swerve chair around and faced his captives.

"So he's one of the Seven Warlords?" Zoro growled.

"Looks as despicable as I thought." Smoker snorted.

"You're really the wild dog I've heard about, Smoker-kun." Crocodile taunted. "It seems you never once believed I was on your side. But yes, you're correct. Smoker, I think I'll have you die an 'accidental' death. I'll inform the government that you fought well against the lowly 'Straw Hat' pirate. I don't know why you're come to this country, but I assume you are on your own. The government would never have sent you here. Because everyone trusts me, as a Warlord of the Sea."

"So you're Crocodile?" Luffy hissed.

"Straw Hat Luffy." Crocodile looked disdainfully at the younger pirate. "You've done well to come this far. I promise to get rid of you, so wait a little more." our guest of honor has yet to arrive. I just sent my partner to pick her up."

"Crocodile!" Vivi roared, after Robin led her to the basement.

"Welcome Vivi, Princess of Alabasta." Crocodile declared. "No, Miss Wednesday. I'm impressed you managed to evade our assassins to come this far."

"I would go as far as it takes!" Vivi snapped. "Because I want you to die, Mr. 0! If only you didn't come to this country...!" drawing out her yoyos, she charged at the Warlord. "Alabasta would've remained peaceful! Peacock String Slasher!" she sent her string weapon straight at Crocodile, who then turned into sand, rendering the attack ineffective.

"It's no use." Smoker remarked.

"Satisfied?" Crocodile dissolved into sand and reappeared behind Vivi. "As a citizen of this country, you surely know that I have the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit."

"A sand person?" Usopp gaped.

"Now I understand why rain has not visited Alabasta for the last three years." Sasha stated. "Water and sand do not mix." she gave Crocodile a stern look. "That is why to make sure your abilities worked at all times, you prevented the rain from falling."

"Very clever." Crocodile mocked. "But that won't help you in this case. Sit." he forced Vivi on a chair. "Perfect, the party is just starting."

"It just turned noon." Robin reported. "Operation Utopia is beginning."

"It will be this pathetic little kingdom that dies, Miss Wednesday." Crocodile laughed. "I'm going to wipe out Alabasta from the face of the earth! All people, big and small, will be sucked into eternal darkness as they writhe in pain. Let Operation Utopia commence!"

SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.