Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. I only own my OC, Aurora and Kai.


Chapter 31

"This is the oasis called "Rainbase", which is where Crocodile is. Straight to the North of Yuba." Vivi indicated the location on the map. "It will take a whole day to walk through the desert."

"Will there be water there?" Chopper panted.

"Yes, it will be safe. It's a gambling town, separate from all the fighting."

Nami's eyes lit up. "Ooh, gambling?!"

"Oh no, what are you thinking?" Zoro groaned.

"She's probably thinking of ways to cheat people out of their money…" Aurora sighed.

"Definitely sounds like her…"

"I guess there are towns like that even in Alabasta." Sanji mused.

"Gomu Gomu No Way!" Luffy shouted, stretching his arms away from his body.

"Huh?"

"Are they still at it?"

"All you have to do is give me one sip…" Usopp pleaded. "He gave us that water to use…!"

"No way."

"Gimme."

"No way. Gomu Gomu No Way!"

"Gimme!"

"Old Mr. Sandy-Guy gave us this water, after digging all night long! We can't just drink it right away, you moron!"

"So you really can restrain yourself when you need to." Nami was impressed.

Luffy took offense. "Of course I can, how rude! How rude!"

"All right already, let's just go." Zoro turned to leave.

"Um, Zoro… North is this way." Aurora called out to the swordsman, pointing in the opposite direction.

He said nothing, merely following after the group.


"Aaaaaaaaaahh…"

"Aaaaaaaaaahh…"

"I thought I told you two to stop doing that!" Nami scolded Luffy and Usopp.

"Shut up, you're riding on the camel!"

"Yeah, let us ride too!"

"Camel-woman."

"Nami-camel."

"SHUT UP!"

Aurora sweatdropped. "Is it too much to ask that we get along?"

"Stay out of this, Aurora!"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

"You aren't all wiped out today, Chopper." Zoro remarked, glancing over at the reindeer.

"Nope. I'm sticking out today."

"Heh." Sanji grinned at this, lighting a cigarette.

"Luffy…" Vivi got the boy's attention.

"Uh?"

"Thank you. I never could have made that decision without you…"

"Rewwy?" Luffy choked out. "Then feed me."

"What?"

"Once I whoop Crocodile, you gotta feed me until I explode."

Vivi smiled. "Okay. I promise!"

Aurora eyed the princess unsurely. "You do realize what you just agreed to… right? It's gonna take a lot of food to make him "explode". You might wanna rethink that promise."

"… No, I don't need to."

"Don't say I didn't warn you."


The sun sinks and rises again… time left until "Plan Utopia": 1 hour…

"I see it! That's Rainbase!"

"We made it?!"

"YESSS! CROCODILE, YOUR ASS IS GRASS!"

"Shut up already…" Zoro grumbled.

Aurora chuckled at Luffy's antics. "Just let him get it out. The less excess energy he has, the better."

"I guess…"

"Waduhhhhh!" Usopp and Chopper moaned.

Vivi gazed upon the city. "Crocodile…!"

"Oh yeah, Usopp." Nami glanced at the sniper. "How is it coming along? Did you finish?"

"It?" Sanji was curious as to what that meant.

"Yeah… I finished it." Usopp pulled three rods out. "Look! This is your new weapon! Clima Tact!"

"Clima Tact?"

"Yeah… at first it looks like your old ones, but these are totally different! The attack changes based on how you put them together."

"Wow!" Nami was amazed.

"First…"

"I see…"

Sanji piped up as the sniper showed Nami how her new weapon worked. "Hey, don't give Nami any dangerous weapons, Usopp! Nami, Aurora and Vivi don't need to fight… cause I'll protect them! Just call me "Prince"! Hahaha!"

"Prince."

Sanji turned on Zoro. "SHUT THE HELL UP, DAMMIT!"

"Hey." The swordsman turned to Vivi. "Do you think Baroque Works knows we're here in this country?"

"Probably…" the princess answered. "We met Mr. 2, and we know Mr. 3 is here… so I think we should assume they know we're here."

"So what?" Luffy didn't see what the problem was.

"They know our faces, Luffy." Aurora pointed out.

"Yeah, so no more random actions." Usopp added.

"How come?!"

"We have no idea where Baroque Works fighters could be hiding." Usopp explained. "There's no way we can get to Crocodile if we're caught first!"

"Assassination is their specialty…!" Zoro was quick to join the conversation.

"Okay!" Luffy nodded. "Crocodile, your ass is grass!"

Usopp punched him. "Were you listening to me?!"

Aurora clamped a hand down on Luffy's mouth. "Are you trying to announce to Baroque Works that we're here?! You need to be more quiet!"

"But Usopp…" Vivi piped up. "I… I agree with Luffy! Everything is about to happen now. We don't have time to think."

"Usopp, are you scared?" Nami asked from atop Eyelashes.

"I know I'm not!" Chopper chimed.

"Shut up…"


Rainbase, Town of Dreams…

"I'm gonna go take a whiz."

"Should we really have let them do it?" Sanji was unsure about sending Luffy and Usopp to run errands.

"It's only an errand." Nami didn't seem concerned. "They can do it."

"Vwo!"

"I wonder…" Zoro poked Eyelashes with a twig. "You don't think they'll come back with trouble? Maybe we should be prepared for that."

"Zoro has a point." Aurora agreed. "Remember what happened in Nanohana? Luffy managed to run into the Marines and brought them our way. We almost got caught."

"Crap!" Sanji swore, having caught sight of something. "The Marines are chasing them!"

"Are you kidding?!" Nami held her head. "Why are they running over here, then?!"

Aurora blinked. "Wow… this is turning out exactly like Nanohana."

"Wait!" Vivi shouted, noticing how the others were getting ready to flee. "Chopper isn't back yet!"

"Leave him, he'll be fine!"

"But…!" Aurora began to protest, yelping when the swordsman yanked her along.

"HEY, GUYS!" Luffy and Usopp stampeded towards them. "THE MARINES ARE COMING!"

"YOU BROUGHT THEM OVER HERE!"

"Make sure you catch them this time!"

"They're all fast little buggers…" Smoker huffed, continuing the chase.

"This isn't good, people!" Sanji shouted. "Running around like this will help Baroque Works spot us!"

Zoro spotted a group of men sitting nearby, each of them gazing at sheets of paper. "I think it's too late."

"Let's go then!"

"Wha…" Vivi looked back at Luffy.

"To where Crocodile is, Vivi!"

"… Okay." The princess pointed to a large, pyramid shaped building in the middle of the town. "Over there! Can you see the building with the crocodile on top?! That's the casino that Crocodile owns, Rain Dinners!"

"We should scatter." Sanji advised.

"Yeah."

"Okay!" Luffy was in agreement. "We'll meet back up… at the Croc's House!"

"They split up!"

"Don't let them get away!"

Luffy propelled himself over top a building. He turned in mid-air to face the Marines. "Come and get me, Smokey!"

"That little punk…!" Smoker growled. "Don't think you can run away forever! White Vine!"

Smoker transformed into a spiraling column of smoke, managing to grab hold of an airborne Luffy. The rubber-boy was not to be deterred though. He acted quickly.

"Gomu Gomu… BALLOON!" Luffy's body expanded, Smoker losing his grip on the boy. The marine was sent crashing down into a horse stable below.

"Damn…"


Elsewhere…

"Hah… Hah…" Vivi continued to run, glancing back through the crowd. "I hope Mr. Bushido is all right…!"

"Zoro is more than capable of handling himself." Aurora reassured the girl, the swordsman having told the two to run on ahead while he held off the Marines. "Now just keep running. We can't allow ourselves to get caught."

"Right!"


"Vivi and the pirates… are in this town…?!"

"Yes…" Miss Sunday replied. "I've just got word from the millions."

"Kuhahaha." Crocodile began to laugh. "HAHAHAHAHAH! Bring those insignificant rats in to see me…!"

"Sure."

Kai suddenly appeared. "Hey, boss. There's a ruckus going on in the casino." The fallen angel smirked. "Four of the Straw Hats are here."

Crocodile grinned evilly. "Perfect. Have them brought to our "VIP Room"."

"You got it."

"And Kai…"

"Hmm?"

"Once that's been done, help Miss Sunday retrieve Vivi and whoever else is still out there."

"By my count, that just leaves the angel…" Kai grinned. "Sounds like a perfect plan to me. We'll finally get to meet!"

"Then we better not keep them waiting." Miss Sunday ascended the staircase, heading up to the casino. The fallen angel was not far behind.

The assistant manager came up to them. "Forgive me, managers! Someone has…"

Miss Sunday didn't miss a beat. "Bring them into the VIP Room."

"Uh…"

"Crocodile's orders."

The assistant manager found the request strange, but if Crocodile had ordered it… who was he to question it?


"You gave us quite a bit of trouble, Princess. No wonder you were a frontier agent. But too bad! Hahaha!"

Aurora and Vivi were exhausted, having run into Baroque Works agents on their way to Rain Dinners. The two girls fought valiantly, but they had been overtaken by the millions. There were just too many of them! It'd be a different matter if the whole crew was there…

'I can't die here!' Vivi thought determinedly. 'I have to get to Rain Dinners…!'

"GYAA!" the millions were suddenly attacked, a figure flying through the group and striking them down. "GUAAAH!"

"What the-?! A bird…?!"

"A falcon?!"

Vivi was ecstatic, recognizing who it was instantly.

"Where did that bird get those gatling guns?! It's huge!"

"Crap! Shoot it!"

The giant falcon was coming back their way. Vivi turned to Aurora. "When he swoops back down, grab hold of him!"

"W-Wait, what?!"

"Just trust me! He's on our side!"

Aurora sucked in a breath, steeling herself. "Okay… I trust you."

"AAAAAAAAAAHH!"

The falcon had swooped back down, taking out members of the millions as he headed straight for Vivi and Aurora. When he was close enough, the two girls grabbed hold, being taken to safety on a nearby rooftop.

"Damn! The princess!"

The falcon changed forms, a man now standing before them. He was tall with a purple line under each eye that ran down the sides of his face, making him resemble the falcon he could transform into. He wore a long white robe with brown star-like motifs and a matching hat. He had a big orange necklace around his neck, and sported striped socks under a pair of normal shoes. He also carried a sword on his right hip.

"Nice to see you again, Princess." He greeted.

"PELL!"

"Please wait here a moment…!"

"Pell…?!" the millions realized just who they were dealing with.

"Was that "Pell the Falcon"…?!"

"The strongest warrior in all of Alabasta!"

Pell began to change back into falcon form. "The Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Falcon. One of the only five types of "flying powers" ever discovered…" The falcon-man hybrid suddenly disappeared.

"I can't see him!"

"Shoot him! Shoot him dead!"

Pell flew threw the large group of Baroque Works members, attacking them with his talons. "TOBIZUME!"

Aurora watched on, amazed by the man's power. She turned to the princess next to her. "Vivi, who is that?!"

"Pell. He's one of the commanders in the Royal Guard."

"So… he's one of your protectors."

Vivi nodded. "Ever since I was little."

Aurora sighed in relief. "It's good that he found us when he did. Now we can get to the others."

Vivi perked up. "That's right. Pell!" the princess leaned over the edge. "You saved us…! Now, we must hurry to where everyone else is…!"

"Yes. Exactly what I was thinking."

Aurora and Vivi spun around. "Miss All Sunday!"

"Vice… president…!"

"Who?"

"How magnificent…" the woman drolled. "The first time I've ever seen a human that could fly."

"Oi!" a man's voice rang out, a dark figure dropping down next to Miss Sunday. "What about me?"

She turned to her companion. "Last I checked, you weren't human."

"… Fine. I'll give you that."

The hairs on the back of Aurora's neck stood up, a chill spreading throughout her body. There was so much darkness… she was practically choking on it! The berry-haired girl could only stare at the man in horror. "Y… You're a…!"

"I believe the words you're looking for are "fallen angel"." Kai quipped, an evil grin crossing his features. "So… we finally meet… true angel."

"Princess Vivi…" Pell spoke up. "Are these the people you were talking about? The ones who are threatening to destroy our country…?!"

"Now I can't use them anymore…" Miss Sunday pouted. "My precious employees…"

Kai waved her off. "There's more where they came from. Now, bird-boy, if you don't mind, we'd like to take the princess and angel to our mansion and introduce them to our friends."

"What do you think?" Miss Sunday asked.

"Cut the crap already. That's out of the question."

"STOP SCREWING AROUND!" Vivi took a shot at Miss Sunday.

The woman halted the attack, keeping a tight grip on the girl's wrist. "Oh my. Princesses shouldn't be so un-ladylike, Miss Wednesday."

"How dare you do that to Igaram…!"

"Igaram…?"

"I think she means Mr. 8." Kai chirped, keeping an eye on a still frozen Aurora.

"You did something to Igaram…?!" Pell was furious.

"What are you so angry about? How is that different from what you just did to my employees?"

"Ah…" Vivi was whipped to stand in front of Miss Sunday, the woman still keeping a tight grip on the princess.

"What a joke…!"

What happened next was something Aurora never saw coming. Vivi's body mostly blocked her view, but it appeared that Miss Sunday's hand has gone straight through the girl's body. She'd impaled her!

"A… Hah…!"

"PRINCESS VIVI!"

"VIVI!" Aurora shrieked, rage now coursing through her body. The angel lunged at Miss Sunday, but was quickly halted in her tracks. Kai swiftly intercepted the angel, hand wrapping around her throat.

Aurora dangled several inches off the ground, clawing at the hand wrapped around her neck. "B-Bastard!"

Kai tsked. "Such language coming from a true angel. What would your friends think?"

Aurora merely growled, glaring heatedly at the man.

"DAMN YOUUU!" Pell changed forms, charging straight at Miss Sunday.

"Ahahahahaha!" she laughed, throwing Vivi aside.

"I'LL TURN YOU INTO ALABASTAN SAND!"

Miss Sunday crossed her arms in front of her body. "Tres Fleur."

Three arms sprouted out of Pell's body. Two of them locked around his wings, whilst the third grabbed his sword, preventing him from unsheathing it. The falcon-man hybrid crashed down onto the rooftop, reverting back to normal.

"Pell!" Vivi coughed, struggling to sit up.

"Nice one, Sunday." Kai complimented, taking his eyes off his prey.

That was all Aurora needed.

The angel dug her nails into the man's hand, garnering his attention once more. Kai swung his head back in her direction. Aurora jerked hers forward, skull bashing against the fallen angel's. He howled in pain, releasing his grip on the girl to clutch at his forehead. Blood began to pool underneath his palms. Aurora stumbled, blood also dripping down her brow, but the wound healed in a matter of seconds.

Kai grit his teeth, glaring. "Why you-!"

The true angel held a hand to her throat as she panted, glaring back at the dark-haired man.

"You're gonna pay for that, you bitch!" Kai lunged.

Aurora threw off her coat and shroud, wings sprouting from her back. The true angel took to the air not a moment too soon. Kai stumbled to a stop at the spot Aurora had been standing. He glanced up at the hovering angel, eyes still set in a glare.

"You think you can escape from me that way?!" Kai threw off his vest, black wings sprouting out of his back.

He flew up at Aurora, his nails sharpening to a point as he swiped at the girl. She dodged, the fallen angel only managing to slice through some strands of her hair. It floated harmlessly to the ground below. From there, it became a dance of sorts. Kai would swipe at Aurora with his sharpened nails. She would dodge every attempt.

"Screw this!" Kai flung his hand back, acting as if he were going to swipe at the true angel again. But when he brought his hand forward, a glowing ball of red energy had begun to form.

Aurora flew back several feet, throwing up a shield. The red energy hit. The attack was powerful, more powerful than she'd been expecting. Cracks began to form in the shield. Aurora abruptly released her protection, flying up so as to avoid the aftershock.

"PELL!" Vivi's distressed voice reached her ears. "NO!"

Aurora's gaze fell on the unconscious man, Pell having been taken down by Miss Sunday mere moments ago.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to turn your back on your opponent?" Kai whispered in her ear, having maneuvered behind the true angel.

Aurora stiffened, her eyes wide in alarm. She swung around, fist raised in the air. Kai caught her by the wrist. He applied a great amount of pressure and Aurora could feel the bone begin to crack. She winced in pain, but refused to make any noise. She wouldn't give the fallen angel that pleasure.

Kai chuckled. "Stubborn little thing, aren't you? I'll have to rectify that."

He held out his free hand, energy forming in his palm. Aurora began to struggle when she saw this, but couldn't break free from the man's grip. In a last ditch effort, she began to channeled her holy power to her hand, attempting to fight back. But she wasn't quick enough.

Kai thrust his hand at her chest, the dark energy exploding upon impact. The giant flash of light caught Vivi's attention, the princess's head snapping up.

Her eyes grew wide in horror. "AURORA!"

At the last second, Kai had released his grip on the true angel, letting his dark powers do their job. The strength and closeness of the attack knocked Aurora out, her body plummeting to the rooftop below. She landed with a sickening thud! right in front of Vivi.

The princess crawled over to her friend. "Aurora!"

The angel was out cold. Blood remained smeared across her forehead from when she head-butted Kai earlier. Her right wrist was bent at an odd angle, Kai having managed to break the bone, and the skin of her chest was slightly burnt from the dark power inflicted upon her.

Kai touched down on the rooftop, slipping his long vest back on. "Now that that's taken care of… shall we go?"

"This can't be happening…!" Vivi was in disbelief.

"The boss is waiting for you, along with your friends…" Miss Sunday chimed. "At Rain Dinners… in a cage…"


"Sanji impression." Luffy mimicked the cook, pretending to hold a cigarette to his lips. "Hey, did you eat all the meat?!"

Usopp laughed hysterically.

"BE SERIOUS PRISONERS!" Nami hit the two. "HOW CAN YOU BE LIKE THAT IN THIS SERIOUS SITUATION…?!"

"Jeez, we can't get out. It's not like we have anything better to do."

"IT'S SERIOUS BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET OUT! WE MIGHT BE KILLED LIKE THIS!" Nami turned to Zoro, punching him. "AND WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING?!"

The swordsman sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What, is it morning?"

"IT'S BEEN MORNING ALREADY!"

"You're quite a feisty young girl…" Crocodile quipped from his place at the table.

"What…?! You'd better take this time to compose yourself…! Once these guys get out of this cage, they'll knock your worthless hid above the clouds! Isn't that right, Luffy?!"

"Yeah, get ready, punk!"

"You are a captain with great trust placed in you, Straw-Hat Luffy… Trust… Hahahaha." Crocodile began to laugh. "The most useless thing in the entire world."

Nami was ticked off. "How dare he make fun of us?!"

"Q-Quit it, or you'll get him mad."

"CROCODILE!"

Luffy peered out of the cage. "VIVI!"

Usopp did the same. "VIVI?!"

"Don't forget her holiness!" Kai strode up next to Miss Sunday, a bundled up figure draped over his shoulder. He hefted the person into his arms, chucking them high up in the air.

"Aurora!" Vivi cried out in horror. The princess stumbled down the staircase, barely managing to reach the girl in time. She thrust her arms out, she and the unconscious angel landing in a heap. Vivi cradled her gently in her arms.

"What the hell happened?!" Nami pressed herself against the bars of the cage, attempting to get a better view. She gasped when Vivi peeled the overcoat from the angel's form, the damage Kai had left being revealed.

Luffy began to rage. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SCOUT?!"

Usopp merely stared in shock.

Zoro stood up, eyes narrowed in a glare. "Which one of you bastards hurt her?"

"That would be me." Kai raised his hand. "I wouldn't have had to if she'd just behaved like a good little angel. But alas… she chose to fight back." The fallen angel rolled his eyes. "Stupid true angels and their sense of justice."

Nami's brow furrowed. "True angel?"

Kai smirked. "So… she really hasn't told you her little secret. And yet…" he glanced down at Vivi. "The princess here doesn't seem surprised at all. Seems to me like she was more willing to confide in a stranger than you, her crew."

The navigator turned to the blue-haired girl. "Vivi, what is he talking about?"

"I-"

Kai cut her off. "Enough chit-chat. I believe the boss wanted to speak with you, princess. Floor's all yours, Boss."

"Thank you." Crocodile nodded, spreading his arms out in greeting. "Welcome, Princess Vivi of Alabasta. No, Miss Wednesday. You have done an admirable job of avoiding my assassins on the way here."

"Of course I'd come…!" she declared, gently leaning Aurora up against the stair railing before standing. "I'd come from anywhere…! As long as it means I can watch you die…! Mr. 0!"

Crocodile smirked. "It's your worthless country that's going to die… Miss Wednesday."

Vivi charged at the man, peacock slashers twirling. "If you weren't here, Alabasta would be in peace!"

"Wait, Vivi!" Luffy called. "Open this door! Let us out!"

"Vivi!"

"Peacock String Slasher!"

Crocodile was unfazed, the disc slashing through his neck and cutting off the top of his chair. But the Shichibukai was ultimately unharmed, his body dispersing into grains of sand.

The Straw Hats gaped. "WHUH?!"

Smoker sighed, having mostly been silent during the confrontation. "Nope…"

"Are you satisfied… Miss Wednesday?" Crocodile was suddenly behind Vivi, the man clamping a hand around her mouth and his hook wrapped around her wrist. "If you live in this country, then you should know… about my power from the Suna Suna no Mi. Shall I turn you into a mummy?"

"S… Sand-man…!" Usopp quivered in fear.

Luffy began to pound against the cage bars. "Hey, let go of Vivi, dammit! I'll kill you!"

Vivi was shoved into a chair. "Ugh…"

"Sit… and stop glaring at me. It's just about time… for the party to begin. Am I wrong, Miss All Sunday…?"

The woman pulled out a pocket watch. "You are correct… it's past 7."

Baroque Works "Plan: Utopia" starts now, and a very long day begins…

"Kuhahahahahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!"

"So it's begun." Zoro grunted.

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Nami glared. "What an evil plan…!"

"What do you think, Miss Wednesday? The plan that you helped set up is blooming… if you listen carefully, I bet you could hear the shouting all over Alabasta!"

Kai breathed in deeply, soaking in the darkness and chaos that loomed over the kingdom. Off to the side, a still unconscious Aurora whimpered, her holy powers roiling in protest.

"And what do you supposed all of them believe? That we will protect them…!"

"STOP IT!" Vivi shrieked. "HOW CAN YOU BE SO AWFUL…?!"

"Hahahaha!" Crocodile cackled. "Isn't that a tearjerker? Love for one's country is what will destroy it in the end…!"

Zoro frowned. "I think this guy fits the definition of "depraved" to the letter."

Luffy huffed angrily. "That bastard! If only this cage weren't here…!"

"Haha… I can remember all the hassle I had to go through to get this far…! Collecting up members, scraping up money to buy the silver necessary to produce the dance powder…"

"Stirring up towns on the brink of destruction…" Kai thought back, having played a hand in some of those actions.

"Teaching my employees how to carry out false acts of army corruption…"

"Slowly eroding the people's trust in their king and increasing their frustration…" the fallen angel grinned, that part being his specialty.

Crocodile turned to face the tied up princess. "Do you know why I want to control your country so badly, Miss Wednesday?"

"HOW COULD I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN YOUR ROTTED HEAD?!"

"Hmm… a foul-mouthed princess."

Vivi rocked the chair she sat in, knocking it onto its side. Hands tied behind her back, she began to crawl away. "Damn…!"

"Whoa there. What do you think you're doing, Miss Wednesday?"

"WE CAN STOP YOU!" Vivi declared. "WE CAN STILL MAKE IT IN TIME…!"

"Vivi!"

"IF WE JUST GO TO ALUBARNA DIRECTLY EAST OF HERE…!" Vivi kept going. "IF WE CAN GET TO ALUBARNA BEFORE THE REBELLION DOES…! THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE COULD STOP THEM!"

"Ooh… isn't that odd?" Crocodile hummed. "We were just going to go there as well. Straight to Alubarna. To ask you daddy one little question…!"

Vivi whipped around to face the man. "What…? Now what are you going to do to my father…?!"

"Huh? Which is more important to you, the people or your father, Miss Wednesday?" Crocodile held up a key. "Haha…! If you want to come with us, then go right ahead…"

"A key…?! Is that…"

"A KEY?! FOR THIS CAGE?!" Luffy realized just what the man was holding. "GIMME THAT, DAMMIT!"

Crocodile tossed it down the trapdoor.

"AAAAH?!"

"Wha…?! A pit!"

"Go and get it… Miss Wednesday." Crocodile said. "Of course the clash between the army and the rebellion can be avoided. There are about 8 hours left until the killing begins… but I don't think you have the time… it would still take longer than that to get to Alubarna from here. If you want to stop them, you'll have to leave right now, Miss Wednesday. Or else… haha…! Hundreds of thousands will die…!"

"It's up to you whether or not you save these idiots." Kai jerked his thumb in the pirates direction.

"You can go ahead and open the cage." Crocodile offered. "Ooops… too bad I dropped the key through that hole in the floor, though."

"Into the Bananawani lair?!"

"You could call it that…"

"Bananawani?" Luffy didn't know what that was. Something outside the window caught his attention. "Whoa! Whoa, look at that! There's a crocodile growing out of that banana!"

"Th… Those crocodiles are enormous!"

"Wha…?! This room is underwater?!"

"Weird bananas."

"Look at them, you dumbass. The bananas are growing out of the crocodiles. They're weirdo crocodiles."

"Aah!" Vivi froze. "A crocodile just…!"

"What's wrong, Vivi?!"

"One of the bananawani… just swallowed the key!"

"Whaaat?! Chase it down, make it spit the key back up, and get us outta here, Vivi!"

"I can't do that! Bananawani are ferocious! They eat sea kings, you know?! It'll eat me up the second I get close to it!"

"Ohhhh… I'm very sorry…" Crocodile drawled. "Those guys think that anything I drop in there is food…! And besides, now you can't tell which one ate it."

"WHAT?!"

"That jerk!" Nami growled.

"Damn…" Zoro cursed. "Even if we get out of this cage, we still have to deal with those reptiles…!"

"Jeez, Zoro… we can't get out cause it ate the key, dummy!"

"I KNOW THAT!"

"Well then…" Crocodile, Miss Sunday and Kai turned to go. "We're just going to take our leave now… also, this room will automatically destroy itself in one hour. I have no use for this Baroque Works secret base anymore. Water will flood into this room and turn it into part of the Rainbase Lake."

Nearby, Aurora's body twitched.

"One million innocent civilians… or five worthless pirates with no future ahead of them? Chances of saving just one of the two is slim. The "bet" here is your feelings, Miss Wednesday. Do you like gambling? Kuhahahaha!" Crocodile laughed. "Even a princess is powerless in these circumstances. It was too easy to do my work here. There are so many idiots… especially those young rebels and a certain old hole-digging man…!"

"What?! You mean Mr. Sandy-Guy?!"

Crocodile stroked his chin. "So… you know him? What a stupid old geezer… he keeps digging up an oasis that died long before… hahaha… it's hilarious, isn't it? And he thinks he can overcome the sandstorms, over and over…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"Tell me, Straw-Hat Luffy." Crocodile began. "Do you think sandstorms can attack a town successfully so many times?"

"What does that mean…?!"

"He didn't…" Nami muttered.

"Oh… he did!" Kai confirmed their suspicions.

Sand swirled in Crocodile's hand. "Hahahahahaha…"

"YOU DID THAT…?!" Luffy was enraged. "I'LL KILL YOU…"

"Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!" Crocodile laughed, he and his partners exiting the room.

"Oh no!" Usopp cried. "The water's coming up through the floor! The room's going to get flooded up to the top! Vivi, do something, save us! I don't want this to be the last hour of my life!"

Zoro sighed in annoyance. "Just shut up, would you…?"

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?! Do you know what happens if we don't do anything? We die!"

Vivi was having an internal battle. 'The country… or my friends…?! But he's not going to give me anything back, anyways! He's going to have me killed before I can get to Alubarna! I know that nothing will be stopped unless I kill you…! And you don't know anything…! You don't know anything about the history of the people or the way that they live…!' The princess picked up her peacock slasher, angrily beginning to spin it.

The crew looked on. Aurora's body twitched once more, the angel slowly beginning to rouse.

"Urgh…" Vivi suddenly gave up, her peacock slasher falling to the floor.

"VIVI!" Luffy shouted. "DO SOMETHING! GET US OUTTA HERE!"

"Luffy…!"

"Kuhaha! Are you begging for your life already, Straw-Hat Luffy?! I guess everyone is afraid of dying…"

"IF WE DIE HERE… WHO'S GOING TO STOP HIM?!"

Crocodile glanced at Luffy over his shoulder, smirking. "Don't get too conceited… little man…"

"No." Luffy disagreed. "That's you… YOU'RE THE LITTLE ONE!"

Nami and Usopp were freaking out. "That's one of the Shichibukai, you fool!"

"Come."

"Grrrr!" a bananawani emerged from a hole in one of the nearby tunnels.

"If you're going to abandon them, now's the time to do it, Miss Wednesday. You want to stop the rebellion, right? Haha…"

Vivi froze, the bananawani now standing mere feet from her. "It's enormous…"

"Beat it up, Vivi!" Luff cheered her on.

"Don't be ridiculous, it's too big!" Usopp dissuaded. "Run away Vivi, you can't fight it! B-But save us, too…!"

"You're the one being ridiculous!"

"Hey, look out the window! They're all lining up!"

"Waiting their turn for food…" Crocodile mused. "So you want to fight… fine. Kill all of them, and the key will be in one of their stomachs."

The Bananawani opened its gaping maw. "Grrrrr!"

Vivi began to twirl her weapons. "Peacock string…"

A figure darted towards her, hauling the princess out of the way. The Bananawani lunged, its teeth biting through the stone of the staircase.

Usopp's eyes popped out of his head. "It's… so fast! It crushed the stone staircase in one bite! Those jaws must be insanely powerful!"

The Bananawani swung its tail. The Straw Hats called out to the princess in warning. She was abruptly shoved off to the side, the figure from before beginning to glow bright yellow.

Vivi sat up, eyes wide. "Aurora!"

"What?!" Nami peered through the bars of the cage in alarm.

Aurora was awake. The angel had saved Vivi from the Bananawani's earlier attack, and now she took the brunt of the second one. The berry-haired girl's arms were visibly shaking from the strain of keeping a shield up. This only served to further anger the Bananawani, who continued to attack the angel. Cracks began to form, the shield breaking with one final hit of the Bananawani's tail. It soared towards Aurora, soundly smacking the angel across her midsection.

"GAAAAAHCK!" Aurora crashed down next to Vivi, coughing up blood. The princess scrambled to the angel's side, looking her over.

"The tail!" Luffy screeched.

Usopp held his head. "Dammit! That monster's unbeatable!"

"Run, Vivi, Aurora!"

"Get up!"

"It'll eat you!"

Rrring! Rrring!

The sound caught the Bananawani's attention.

Rrring! Rrring!

"Phone call…" Miss Sunday pulled out a Baby Den Den Mushi and held it in her palm.

Rrring! Click!

"What?"

"Hello?"

The Straw Hats perked up, each recognizing the voice that came over the communication device.

"Hello?"

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes, I can." Miss Sunday answered. "You're "millions", aren't you?"

"Hey, is this getting through? I ain't never used one of these baby den den mushi… hello?"

"What is it…?" Miss Sunday was getting impatient.

"Oh. Okay, I'll just talk like this."

"Hey! Spit it out already!" Crocodile had enough of this foolishness. "What happened?!"

"Oh, that voice… I've heard that voice before… Welcome, sir… this is the Shitty Restaurant."

"Shitty Restaurant…?!"

"Nice… you remembered. I'm so happy…"

Crocodile thought back, remembering the conversation he'd had on the Den Den Mushi with whom he'd assumed was Mr. 3. But… it hadn't been him. The Shichibukai grit his teeth. 'All five of the Straw Hat Pirates should be locked up in that cage…! Does this mean there are others…?!'

"Hey, did you hear that…?!" Usopp piped up.

Nami was relieved. "Shitty Restaurant sounds like…!"

"SANJ-"

Usopp quickly covered Luffy's mouth. "Wait, Luffy! Maybe he doesn't know about him…"

Vivi shifted to her knees, Aurora sitting up beside her. 'Sanji… that's right. Sanji and Chopper are still outside…!"

Miss Sunday glanced over at Crocodile, a small smirk on the woman's face. Kai noticed this, eyes narrowing in confusion. The fallen angel had a feeling that the woman knew more than she was letting on… like just who exactly was on the other end of the Baby Den Den Mushi.

"Who the hell are you…?!"

"Me…? I am… Mr. Prince."

"I see, Mr. Prince. And where are you?"

"Can't tell ya. If I do, you'll come to kill me, won't you?"

Aurora closed her eyes, feeling for Sanji's aura. They abruptly snapped open, the angel leaning to whisper in Vivi's ear. "He's right outside."

"Eh?!"

"Well, whether you can or not remains to be seen. I give out lots of "info" easily… and I'm not an idiot… unlike you, Mr. 0."

"PRINCE! SAVE US! WE'VE BEEN CAPTURED! WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT!"

"Hahaha… know who that sounds like? My crew… very well, I'll just be…"

Blaaamm!

"GWAAH!"

Fwump!

"HUH?!"

Click!

"Hahh… hahhh… pesky bastard…" a new voice panted. "Hello?! Hahh… hahh… what should we do with this weirdo? Rrgh…!"

Vivi looked on in despair. "Sanji?! No…"

Aurora's eyes narrowed in suspicion, Sanji's aura still burning brightly just outside Rain Dinners. 'What is he up to…?'

"Where are you? Spit it out…" Crocodile commanded.

"Yes, sir… at the front gate of the casino called "Rain Dinners", in Rainbase."

"That useless idiot!" Zoro growled. "He better still be alive!"

"SANJIIIIII!"

"GYAAAAAAAAH! GYAAAAAAAAH!" Usopp screeched.

Tears streamed down Nami's face, hands clasped in front of her. "Our only hope…!"

Smoker just sat silently.

Beep! Beep!

"Kuhaha… Hahaha… Hahaha…" Crocodile began to laugh. "Fine… let's go to the front gate."

"Are you sure?" Miss Sunday asked. "The Millions still don't know who their boss is."

"I'm not going to go as their boss. We haven't shown ourselves to anyone other than the number agents."

Kai grinned. "Oh, I get it! You're going as Crocodile, the casino owner."

"Exactly. What's so odd about me coming up to the front door to see what in the world is going on?"

"Damn…!" Vivi cursed, sprinting up the remains of the stairs. The action caught the Bananawani's attention. It reacted, chomping at the staircase once more.

"VIVI!"

Aurora hovered over the staircase, Vivi dangling from her arms. She'd managed to fly to the girl in time, keeping her out of the Bananawani's reach. The angel gently lowered the princess down.

"What are you trying to do, Vivi?!"

"We still have some time until this room fills with water! I'm going outside to call for help!"

"That's right…" Usopp contemplated. "Maybe that didn't really kill Sanji! If Vivi can free Sanji somehow…!"

"And Chopper's still outside." Nami realized. "He might be able to do something!"

Crocodile came up from behind, using his Suna Suna powers to launch his hook at Vivi.

"HEY! LOOK OUT!"

Aurora went to intercept, but a hand wrapped around her throat. The angel struggled against Kai's grasp, watching helplessly as the hook wrapped around Vivi's neck.

"VIVI!" Luffy cried out.

"AAAAH!" the princess screamed.

Crocodile had an evil grin on his face. "CUT THAT BULLSHIT OUT!" he whipped the princess into the ground, Vivi now lying in a heap at his feet.

Water continued to flood the room. The Bananawani set its sights on Vivi once more.

"VIVI, OPEN YOUR EYES!"

"THE CROC IS COMING!"

Aurora thrashed in Kai's grasp, the fallen angel spinning her around and pinning her to his body. He leaned in, his breath tickling her ear as he grasped Aurora's chin in his hand, forcing her to gaze upon the downed princess. "Take it all in, sweetheart. This is the end of the line for you and your friends." Kai chuckled. "It's kinda sad, actually. I was expecting more of a challenge. But you're just a pathetic little girl who can't even save her friends, let alone yourself."

Kai thrust the angel away from him. Aurora caught herself, rapidly turning to face the fallen angel. Her hand was raised, holy power rising to her fingertips. Kai abruptly appeared in front of the girl, ramming his fist into her stomach.

She choked.

"AURORA!"

"YOU BASTARD!"

Kai smirked, raising his free hand. "I'd say it was a pleasure… but then I'd be lying." He blasted the angel with his dark power, Aurora sent careening to the ground. Kai flew back up to where Crocodile and Miss Sunday awaited.

"If you love your friends so much, then you can die here with them." Crocodile told Vivi. "The water's already filled the crocodile feeding room and is now going to flood this room. I think I'll bring that punk "Mr. Prince" here, too… as a corpse, that is…! Hahaha!"

The door slammed shut, signaling the trio's departure.

Luffy grit his teeth, his body shaking with unbridle rage. "DAMMIT!"


"Ah…" the assistant manager perked up. "S… Sir Crocodile! H-Have you heard the news from Nanohana?!"

"Huh? Yes, I have."

"The army and rebels have finally met head-on… the entire town, no… the entire country is in an uproar…!"

"Hmm… well, our king is the kind to look the other way when pirates attack a town…" Crocodile mused. "I'm not surprised that this happened at all…"

"Look, it's Crocodile…" the customers began to take notice of his arrival.

"It is! Wow! How handsome!"

"He never even shows his face in here…!"

"Sir Crocodile!"

"As popular as ever…" Miss Sunday chortled, she and Kai bringing up the rear.

"Bah…"


"VIVI! AURORA!"

"GRAAARRRRR!" the Bananawani growled, preparing to lunge at the two injured girls.

Vivi struggled to sit up. 'I've been saved by others this entire time! I can't just abandon them to their deaths now!'

The Bananawani attacked, attempting to bite into its prey. It reared back in pain, having cut its tongue on the rubble. "Gapeh! Gapeh!"

Vivi yanked Aurora along, the two girls using the Bananawani as a stepping-stone to reach what was left of the staircase.

"Yes!" Namil breathed in relief. "They got away!"

"Must hurry…!" Vivi began to run up the steps, Aurora not far behind. "Wha…"

The Bananawani lunged once more. "GRAAARRL!"

"KYAAA!"

More of the staircase was destroyed, a nearby window busted open as well. Water gushed into the room, filling it up at an even faster rate.

"No! It broke the window! More water's pouring in! Now we don't have more than 20 minutes left!"

"Are Vivi and Aurora okay?!"

"Listen, everyone!" Vivi called out. "Just hang on a little longer! I'm going to find help! I will not let you all die!"

"Go, Vivi, go!" Luffy and Usopp cheered.

"Vivi…"

Aurora shifted, taking a stand before the princess. "Go! I'll keep the big guy distracted!"

"Are you sure?" Vivi glanced at the angel in concern. "That man, Kai… he did quite a number on you…"

"Nothing I haven't had done to me before…" the angel muttered.

"What on earth are you talking about…?"

Aurora shook her head, pushing the memories back. "Doesn't matter. You need to go… NOW!"


"What the hell… just happened here…?!"

Miss Sunday gazed upon the fallen men. "With this added to what Pell the Falcon did… all of our Millions in town have been wiped out…"

Kai snorted. "They were pretty worthless anyway…"

"What happened…? HEY!"

"This guy…" one of the men was still conscious. "Called himself Mr. Prince…!"

Kai frowned. "You mean you didn't capture him?"

"Where did he go?!" Crocodile demanded.

"He just left… towards the south, through town…"

"Just now?!" Crocodile glanced up and saw a figure running off into town. "HIM…!" The man was agitated, sand beginning to swirl around his frame. "Piece of shit… don't think you can get away from me…"

"Why don't you let him go?" Miss Sunday questioned.

"Be silent… he killed all of my employees." Crocodile took off. "I will not be humiliated like this…!"

Seconds later, the ground shook, a thunderous boom! coming from the direction of the casino.

"Oh no! The bridge to Rain Dinners has sunk!"

"Why?!"

"What caused it to fall?!"

Kai and Miss Sunday glanced back, a crowd forming around them.

The fallen angel sent his companion a look. "Should I fly back over?"

"… No. Not yet. Let's wait and see what the boss wants to do."

"Whatever you say… Nico."


"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH, THE WATER!" Luffy screamed.

Usopp joined him. "GYAAAAAAAH! I'M GONNA DIE! GYAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

Aurora continued to dodge the Bananawani's attacks, the boys' screams serving to distract her. She ducked, barely managing to avoid getting swiped by the creature's tail. The angel proceeded to retaliate, throwing a ball of holy power into the beast's mouth when it tried to eat her. It choked, the holy power exploding in its throat. But the Bananawani wasn't deterred.

"Once this cage gets filled, we're done for!"

"It's up to my knee! To my knee!"

Nami rattled the cage. "Gimme your best shot, you stupid croc!"

"Aaah! What are you doing, Nami?!"

"I'm getting it angry so it chomps this cage open!" the navigator explained her plan.

"I see, good idea!"

"Bring it on, you dumbass banana!" Luffy shouted.

"No, that's wrong! See, it's originally a crocodile, the banana is growing from its head…" Usopp began to explain. "For instance, take the monkey dance. The monkey is an animal, but the monkey dance is a dance…"

"Bananas and crocodiles are both food."

While the two boys bickered, Aurora flew in front of the cage, flagging the Bananawani down. "HEY! OVER HERE!"

The Bananawani turned, its gaze fixed on the angel.

"HERE IT COMES!" Nami alerted the boys.

Zoro noticed the angel hadn't moved. "Aurora! Get out of the way!"

"Not yet!" she stood her ground, the Bananawani headed their way.

"Don't be stupid, woman! Move!"

"Not yet!" Aurora glared at the creature, daring it to make a move. The Bananawani lunged, Aurora barely managing to fly out of the way. The large crocodile bit into the cage.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"KYAAAA!"

The Bananawani reeled back, roaring in pain.

Aurora's eyes were wide in shock. "What?!"

"It didn't work!"

"Will this cage ever open?!"

"Hurry up, Vivi!"

Aurora flinched when the Bananawani turned to her once more. The angel flew around the expanse of the room, dodging any and all attacks the creature attempted. The crocodile lunged at her with its teeth, Aurora flying off to the side to avoid getting eaten.

That was a mistake.

The Bananawani swung its tail around, catching Aurora in her midsection. The angel fell out of the air, landing heavily in the water that continued to pool in the room. She forced herself up, throwing her hands out in front of her to form a shield. The Bananwani growled in anger.

Aurora flinched, her shield slowly beginning to crack from the continuous assault. 'I don't know how much longer I can hold this! Vivi, please hurry!'


Inside the cage…

"Hey…" Smoker spoke up, having been silent the entire time.

"How can you be so damn calm?!"

"Think of something to do!"

He ignored the two boys. "How much do you know… of Crocodile's targets…?!"

"!?"

"That woman with Crocodile… is an outlaw whose been on the run from the World Government for 20 years. The price on her head is more than 70 million beli…!"

"Se-! 70 million?!" Usopp choked out. "Uh… S-So what?!"

"Almost as much as Crocodile's…" Nami couldn't believe her ears.

"With the two of them joining forces, along with that fallen angel, this is no longer just the takeover of a nation anymore. If we don't do something now, this will develop into a disaster that will envelop the entire world."

Nami started. "The entire world?! What do you mean?!"

"That's a little too much to swallow…"

Luffy crossed his arms. "What are you guys talking about? Since when do we need a reason… TO KICK HIS WORTHLESS ASS?!"

Smoker eyed the boy. "… Fine. So how are you getting out of here?"

"AAAAH, IT'S UP TO MY THIGHS!" Luffy finally noticed how much water had poured into the room.

"Gyaaaaaaah! I'm gonna die! Gyaaaaaaaaahhh!" Usopp wailed.

"Nooooooooooooo!"

Luffy began to go limp. "Ugggh, I feel faint."

Usopp grabbed him. "No! Nooo! Hang in there! That's what Vivi said, right?!"

"Vivi! It must be so hard for her…" Nami huffed. "She doesn't have any time!"

Zoro grit his teeth. 'Damn…! If only I were stronger, I could cut this cage open…!'


Outside the cage…

Aurora's shield finally broke, the angel now defenseless against the Bananawani. She screwed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable blow.

"Make sure never to make noise when eating your meal."

Aurora froze, her eyes snapping open at the sound of the familiar voice. 'Could it be…?!'

"ANTI-MANNER KICK COURSE!"

The Bananawani nearly bent in half from the force of the attack. Its eyes were wide in shock and pain, tail flung high up into the air. The shockwave from the attack propelled water at the group trapped inside the cage. The chunks of staircase that the Bananawani had previously eaten flew out of its mouth. It crashed heavily to the ground.

In the middle of it all stood Sanji, the others gaping at him in shock and awe.

The cook held out his arm, cigarette dangling from his hand. "Pheww… Hey." He greeted. "Did I keep you waiting?"

"PRINCE!" Luffy and Usopp cheered.

"Stop screwing around and find the key!" Zoro growled at the man.

"Oh, thank you…!" Nami breathed.

Sanji began to dance happily, a love struck expression on his face. "Nami~! D… Do you love me~?"

The navigator sweatdropped. "Yes, yes, I love you. Now open the door!"

"Okaaay~!"

Zoro sweatdropped as well. "His eternal stupidity knows no bounds."

"VIVI!" Luffy gave the princess a thumbs up. "GOOD JOB!"

She returned it. "Thanks!"

"Grrrr!"

"Grr!"

Bananawani began to swarm the room. Aurora moved closer to Sanji, eyeing the large creatures warily. The cook subtly shifted in front of the angel, acting as a barrier between her and the Bananawani. It was times like these that Aurora appreciated the cook's protective nature concerning women.

"Damn!" Sanji whistled. "Look at all of them…!"

"Grrrr!"

"Go, Sanji! Kill all of 'em!"

He raised his leg. "Bring on as many as you want, you goddamn bananas. I have to knock all the table manners I know into assholes that would harm a lady…!"

"We don't have time, Sanji, kill them in seconds!" Usopp shouted. "Kill them in an instant!"

"No!" Aurora disagreed. "We don't have time to take them all down! We need to figure out which is the one that swallowed the key!"

"The angel's right." Smoker agreed. "Get the third one that just entered the room."

"Huh?" Luffy turned to face the man. "What?! How can you tell?"

"Are those ears just for decoration? That growl just now is the same as the one that ate the key."

"WHOAA!"


Hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.

"He sunk the bridge to buy them time. And there are still several more of them out there…!"

"Bet they did it to sneak past us so they could get to the room!" Kai grumbled.

"Probably…" Crocodile replied. "But it won't work! Even if they get the same croc that ate the key, the cage will not open…" he held a key up. "Because the real key is right here. I hope that caused them some trouble…"

Miss Sunday chuckled. "You are an evil man."

Crocodile slammed the doors open. "I'm fed up with those little runts…! Time to ill all of them myself…!" The Shichibukai froze. "What the…"

The room was flooded with water, unconscious Bananawani littering every inch of the room. The door to the cage was open, none of the pirates or Smoker inside. Mr. 3's body floated towards them, a note pinned to the unconscious man's chest.

See you later, you "croc" of shit.

Mr. Prince

The key dropped to the floor.