A Fruitless Start
One Piece belongs to Oda.
Chapter 16- A Princess Quest
…..
Sorting out the wounded was easy, those that woke up after the beating could carry the unconscious ones while the more hurt were treated but Zoro was nice, not a single death, "Not worth it," he says his back to the wall of the house the crew was using previously.
All weapons were in it to make sure that nobody was going to try anything funny while Vivi manages to coordinate the bounty hunters to stop agressions with a simple argument: we can't win. And promptly directed the defeated to other homes around the place but most insisted on staying close to watch the proceedings.
After a few minutes, Mr.8 was rescued from the rest of the house that Zoro dropped on him, the man was bleeding out, he was standing by himself and refused to leave the proximity of the pirates and rest. His partner, Ms. Friday also stayed close with her arms crossed but only Usopp looked intimidated by her while Mr.9 had a broken arm but refused to leave because he was also an officer.
"I am sorry everyone," Vivi started looking at Igaram and the rest, "I surrendered and-" Ms. Friday interrupted her.
"It is fine, we lost completely."
"Yes, Ms. Wednesday," Mr. 9 was swinging his arm from one side to another while trying to cheer her up, "If you hadn't asked for parley who knows what those pirates would have done."
They managed to find the man's crow but it almost fell from his head only for Igaram to pick it before it had fallen and place it back. "Mamama, what happened happened, nothing we can do about it. Let's try to minimize any extra damage." He said with a small smile which earned a nod from her.
"We are betting on the hope they are merciful then?" Asked Vivi, even after calling for the parley there was fear in her tone and no one could blame her.
But they could do nothing. There was little to no chance of them winning and the only thing that was left for them to do was to wait for what the pirates wanted and give it to them in hopes that it was nothing too outrageous.
….
"I think they have nothing we would want." Nami said from the get go. "I mean, we haven't seen anyone with jewelry or anything of value."
"Their weapons also suck," Zoro added, "most of them are basic and, to be frank, not very well cared for. I don't know much about guns but the rest is more or less like that."
"The guns are more well maintained then," Usopp followed up, "but that is expected. If a sword breaks you will notice right then and there, if a gun gets jammed you may not notice until you need to take a shot."
"Nami where were you?" Luffy asks.
"I didn't know about the Baroque Works deal." Nami crosses her arms and lets out a smug smile. "But a town that welcomes strangers is one thing. Strangers and pirates on top of that? As if!"
Luffy nods, not understanding or caring in reality but just accepting what his friends were saying. "So... do we need anything?" As the captain he felt that he was the one that needed to remind the crew of one thing. "We don't need to demand anything if they don't have it, we can just go."
"After they attacked us?" Usopp didn't shout but he was confused, Luffy just gave a shrug.
"They are bounty hunters, we are pirates."
When Luffy said that Usopp had a revelation, maybe because of how he said completely nonchalantly or maybe the fact that nobody disagreed with him. They are pirates, most days they can expect apathy, ignorance or even anger, good days are going to be on the margins of the society, away from the government or in places like Loguetown without any real law to hunt them.
"Are you regretting it?" Luffy asks and Usopp looks him right in the eyes. "Becoming a pirate, I mean, are you regretting it?"
"Nah, don't worry about it." Usopp tried to sound confident but no one was believing in him.
"We can find a way to send you back." Nami said with sympathy. "You could live a quiet life with Kaya, I doubt she would think less of you for it."
"Is this the time to have this conversation?" Zoro asked.
"No it is not." Usopp kept looking at Luffy and said. "I am where I belong, besides I still need to get some stories to tell her when we pass by Syrup village one of these days am I right?"
"Sure thing Usopp!" Luffy gave him a huge smile and placed an arm on his shoulder.
"If we had our moment already I thought of something we may need." Sanji decided to talk, he had no intention of interrupting that conversation but they needed to focus on the situation. Everyone looked at him and he knew that what he was about to say was going to be unpleasant, he didn't want to say it but the crew needed to know their status. "We are short on food."
That snapped everyone to attention. "Wait, we are?"
"Sanji what happened?"
"Please tell me this is a joke!"
He raised his hand silencing Luffy, Nami and Usopp before he pulled out a cigarette and took a deep drag on it and replied. "We didn't get any food in Loguetown in reality, we- I gave most of it. I thought we could fish here on the Grand Line but if it is going to be as random as it was yesterday then maybe not." Smoking a bit more he continued. "They can give us food or information of how far the next island is… if it is not close we may have troubles."
"How much do we have?" Asked Zoro.
"Enough for a few weeks? Two at most with rations." He checked the math three times on the way to the Reverse Mountain but he really underestimated some factors. The Grand Line itself is the main factor by a mile.
"Good news is that when we are close on island fishing is not a problem. The climate becomes more stable and there should be merchants." Nami started to think for a bit before complementing. "That would explain why they needed the whale meat so much. They have no other jobs here besides bounty hunter. Damn! Probably the only reason the food was good was the practice they have of luring pirates."
"So… they have nothing right?" Luffy asked.
"Maps. We need maps from the area for me and if they have something on the next island." Nami reported.
"But doesn't the Log Pose help?" Usopp asks with a raised eyebrow.
"It is like a compass, yes we can follow it to the next island and use it as a point of reference to navigation but having maps is still useful in many ways." She turns to look at the officers of the organization, they were bundled together, waiting for the pirates to make a decision. "They must have some to be able to go to a marine base and come back, either that or a really good navigator… and that I doubt it very much."
"Why?" Luffy was curious but Nami gave him a 'are you kidding?' kind of look and said.
"All these guys know is fighting… even the food was only good by the quantity and even then they waste a lot to make pirates lower their guard."
"Anyway, all we want is maps." Zoro puts the conversation on track before it gets really out of topic. "We ask and Nami checks then we leave, right?"
He was asking Luffy who gave a nod and without disagreements they moved to talk with the officers, Mr. 8 steps forward and lowers his head. "What have you decided?" The man sounded resigned.
"We want your maps." Luffy was direct on what they needed and said nothing else. The crew stayed quiet and after a few minutes the bounty hunters realized…
"That is it?" Mr.9 was the one to ask only to get an elbow on his side to shut him up from Ms. Wednesday.
"While my companion was a bit… blunt in how he asked: is that really all you want? Some maps?" Mr. 8's face showed his confusion..
"Sure! You guys don't have much food right?" After a nod for an answer from a lot of people there that were hearing the talk Luffy continued. "Then we just need some maps, if you don't have many our navigator will make a copy- AH! Also how far is the closest island? We need to buy food."
At that the agents looked at each other shocked by the turn of events. "You really want nothing else?" Mr.8 asked again to make sure.
"Do you have anything else?"
"Well… no but, you are a pirate! We have some food here and you could let us starve!"
"But I don't want that." The simple answer came and Ms. Monday stepped forward.
"The closest island from here can be reached by the Log Pose. We never had to go there so I don't know how close it is but the marine base we go to get bounties is only a few days away from here."
"She is right, mamama! The next island is pointed by the Log Pose and is the next on a sequence that is connected to each other, it must be closer by default than the ones that we frequent." Mr. 8 then stops for a few seconds before giving a look of determination. "Give me a few minutes to find out if we have any records of what the next island is. One way or another we will give some maps of the area in front of the Red Line."
"That will absolutely help!" Nami jumped forward, accepting the offer, the maps from other islands would help her to make her own when they eventually go there themselves.
"That won't be a problem then… but I must ask… aren't you mad?" When no one understood the question he decided to clarify. "We tricked you and tried to have you arrested for bounties and steal your good… aren't you upset?"
"Why would we be?" Luffy was not one to hold grudges but for him there was nothing to be mad about this. "You gave us food, will give us maps and was nice besides the 'bounty hunter thingy'. Besides you guys gave Zoro some exercise and if you managed to stop us here I was not worthy of being pirate king."
Nami facepalms. "Just roll with it." She said to Mr. 8. "Trust me on this, he is not upset, we will get the maps and go."
"You are the strangest pirates I ever met… are you sure you are pirates?"
"What?" Now Luffy felt insulted. "We have a jolly roger and everything! We just aren't bad pirates!"
From behind Luffy Nami was making gestures to try stop the man from talking, a silent 'shh', a hand 'slicing' her neck, a panic look on her face. Luffy didn't have a bounty yet and if he gets the idea that the only way he could be truly considered a pirate was to get one then she needs to stop the thought from even forming. She didn't want to end invading a country or something like that.
Fortunately the man received the signs. "MAMAMA! You are unusual pirates indeed!" She gave him a thumbs up and after seeing it he gave her a small nod and turned to his men. "SOMEONE GO GET OUR MAPS! THAT IS THE PRICE FOR OUR ISLAND!"
The sighs of relief and cheers of joy came from the other bounty hunters, the tension left them and many fell on the ground, grateful that the fighting was officially done.
"They really were afraid of us weren't they?" It was Luffy who asked the surprise of a few but his face had no sadness or joy, to be more precise, he didn't care for their feelings.
The only reason that there was a fight in the first place was because the bounty hunters started it, they pretended to be nice just to attack at night. But Luffy doesn't care, it had happened but none of his friends were hurt and there were no deaths.
Looking to the moon, the straw hat captain wonders if the next island is going to be better than this one. Maybe they would have a proper adventure? Yes… a new place to explore! The people of Whisky Peak had never gone there, they didn't know what was there and his smile started to grow when he started to think about the possibilities.
"HEY! WHO IS THAT?" One of the bounty hunter's shouted pointing his finger to a figure, no two that were approaching from the other side of the island. A man and a woman, approaching at a small leisure pace.
The man used a coat with a five while the woman had a hat, dress and umbrella. He looked serious while she had a playful smile. The straw hats didn't know what was happening but Mr.8 started to sweat more.
"Officers Agents?" He whispered and Luffy tilted his head.
"Aren't you guys officers?"
"Only on technicality, we are the leaders here but we are just frontier agents." Mr. 8 whispered back but the straw hat didn't really understand what was happening. But these are new people and if they wanted to fight…
"Want to call off the parley?" It would be his choice and if there was going to be a fight Luffy wanted it to give everyone a fair warning.
"That… won't be necessary, I hope. Let me talk to them. I don't know why they are here but if we can avoid any new fights then everything should be alright." Mr.8 then clears his throat and moves to the new duo. "Greetings my friends, we were just negotiating with these fine explorers to help with their departure! What can I do for you today?"
"You are the commander of this island?" The man asked directly, not caring for who listens to him. Worse, he called Mr.8 commander instead of mayor completely ignoring any possible disguise.
"I… Yes I am the MAYOR of the island! What can I help you with?" The older man was trying to avoid any further fights and just the fact that the pirates knew about the Baroque Works meant that it would be inevitable.
Unfortunately for him he failed or better yet he couldn't succeed in this instance, his two superiors didn't care for their own reasons. "KYAHAHAHA! Look at them Mr.5(10,000,000 belly dead or alive)! They are still trying to keep their cover!" The woman opens her parasol and starts to play with it. "LISTEN HERE WEAKLINGS! WE ARE HERE WITH ORDERS FROM THE TOP!"
"Ms. Valentine(7,500,000 belly dead or alive), with all due respect-"
She places a finger on her lips. "Shhhh. We have a job to do and so do you! AGENTS OF BAROQUE WORKS!"
Every citizen of Whisky Peak present stood to attention and Mr.8 looked really nervous about something, to the side there was movement and the blue haired woman started to approach her duck at a slow pace. Everyone was unarmed now but if they received orders they would have to do as commanded regardless of what it was.
The efficiency of the organization called Baroque Works comes from its competitiveness and the fact that if you fail you can die, that was the usual punishment and these were superior agents with direct orders from the administration, this was about to become a do or die situation.
The man puts a hand on his coat and pulls out a picture, he shows it to Mr. 8 who looks in shock by the image. "This picture is our target, a young princess who disappeared two years ago from her kingdom!" He starts to move his arm to show it to all present, it takes some effort but the full moon facilitates for those with good eyes.
It was the picture of a young woman or an older girl ready to enter womanhood. She was dressed in fine clothes that exposed skin but were dignified, she had a gentle smile, blue hair and looked extremely familiar to many present.
The time that took Mr.5 to land his eyes on the one called Ms. Wednesday was the same that took for Mr.8 to place his hand on his necktie and pull. "IGARAPPAPA!" Shots are fired from the curls of his hair and explode in contact with Mr.5 "PRINCESS VIVI! YOU MUST RUN!"
Everyone looked confused by the succession of events but Ms. Wednesday or Vivi jumped on her duck but stopped from moving when she noticed that she was surrounded, even if the ones surrounding her were confused about what was happening but didn't take any direct action while the straw hats were shocked by the man's actions and didn't made any moves except Luffy who tilts his head and looks at Vivi.
"So her name is Vivi?" He looked at the woman and saw fear in her eyes but she was not looking at her, she was looking at the smokescreen where an arm reached out and grabbed Igaram by the face.
"KYAHAHAHAHA! Mr.5 five ate a devil fruit, the Bomu-Bomu no mi, any explosive is worthless against him." Her comment came from the air where it surprised many who look up and see her floating.
"IS SHE FLYING?" "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" "ANOTHER DEVIL FRUIT?" "IS SHE AN ANGEL?" "NOT THE TIME SANJI!"
"Target acquired!" She says and suddenly she starts falling in Vivi's direction. "10,000 KILO PRESS!"
The revealed princess saw the woman coming. "KAROO!" At the call of the duck's name it starts to run and jump avoiding the ones on the ground and trying to get distance while the still shocked bounty hunters were still frozen from the events.
Thanks to her fast decision and Karoo speed she managed to dodge the worst of the impact but it still happened and those around the area suffered. The impact was enough to make a crater and to throw Vivi from her saddle and harm many who had looks of betrayal visible on their faces.
"MS. VALENTINE! WHY?" One of the bounty hunters asked and the woman got up laughing.
"KYAHAHAHA! YOUR FAULT FOR NOT GETTING OUT OF THE WAY!" She points at Vivi on the floor. "IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO LIVE! KILL HER! SHE IS AN ENEMY OF THE BAROQUE WORKS!"
There was a loud explosion on the side and turning to look all everyone could see was Mr.8 body falling to the ground, smoke escaping his form that was imobile. "IGARAM!" Came the shout from the blue haired girl while her friend laid in the ground.
"You all heard Ms. Valentine! Kill these spies!" Ordered Mr.5 while placing a foot on Igaram taking the air out of his lungs.
"They infiltrated our organization and dared to challenge Mr.0's authority!" The woman played with her parasol while passing some corpses. Vivi was getting up and while unarmed there was no fear in her eyes.
But she didn't stand alone, her partner Mr.9 stands in front of her looking at Ms. Valentine. "How did they infiltrate?"
"Doesn't matter." Ms. Valentine shrugged her shoulders. "If you are a Baroque Works agent you know that orders are orders and you can only do then or die.
Mr.9's hand was shaking and Vivi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Get away from here!" She screams. "ALL OF YOU GET AWAY! THESE TWO ARE NOT LIKE ANY OF YOU! THEY ARE NOT BOUNTY HUNTERS BUT ASSASSINS!"
All of those from Whisky Peak understood that and some were already running away but there were still at least twenty on the place, surrounding Vivi from all sides. She frowned but also couldn't blame them, they were a part of the organization and probably didn't care for the most unsavory parts of it.
Ms. Monday places a hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Why did you do it?" She asked the revealed princess. "Why pretend to be one of us?"
"I had NO CHOICE!" She looked about to cry but refused. "THE BAROQUE WORKS IS RUINING MY COUNTRY! WEAPONS ARE BEING SMUGGLED! CRIME IS RISING! MY FATHER'S IS LOSING CONTROL AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A CIVIL WAR!" There was anger and sadness in her voice. "I didn't want to trick anyone… I just want to help my people!"
The bigger woman took a hard look at Vivi and then gave a nod. "They messed up a lot on your country huh?" She then steps forward, covering Vivi with her form while staring at everyone around them, finishing by looking directly at Ms. Valentine. "If you want to get her you will have to go through me!"
At that moment some panicked but what stopped the hysteria was Mr.9 standing at Ms. Monday side giving his friends a nod before glaring at Ms. Valentine. Vivi was shocked and surprised by the turn of events and got even more stunned when more and more people moved to her side.
All bounty hunters present were now protecting Vivi, they chose the friend that lived with them, shared the good and the bad times with them and even asked them to run. "We may be bounty hunters but we are not monsters!" Said Mr.9.
Bounty hunting is a dangerous profession, anyone can die either by the hands of a pirate or by just not getting enough money to put food on the table. Joining an organization helped a lot, having someone to watch your back, extra money for when times are tough or just someone to talk to.
But that was not because of the organization itself but the people in it, the rules of Baroque Works were cruel but in Whisky Peak… they didn't happen. Most of the time when someone fails is when they make a mistake in the middle of getting a bounty or attacking wrong and harming an ally when facing pirates.
Even small mistakes should be punished by the rules of the organization and many of those there should be dead. Logic dictates that the spies should have secured as many failures as possible to diminish the numbers of opponents or the ones that could have caught them in the act.
They didn't. Mr.8 or Igaram was always a fair leader that tried to avoid, pretty successfully, the use of the worst punishment when there was a fair reason for the failure and even then he gave a chance to the person to explain themselves.
There were still times that there was no choice but if he truly saw them as an enemy he could have had half of them dead and no one would be able to even disagree with the sentences.
The woman didn't know or cared about all that and just laughed "KYAHAHA! Idiots! If you want to die so much then I will be happy to-" Then someone hitted her on the back of her head, knocking her out and shutting her up.
"God! Her laugh was annoying!" Behind Ms. Valentine was Nami and she was cleaning her hands after a job well done. "Okay! Problem solved! You guys are welcomed!" She said to the bounty hunters and many of them couldn't help but shout the question.
"WHAT?"
"NICE JOB NAMI-SWAN!" From the straw hat crew Sanji was ectatic for Nami's easy win.
"Nothing much really." Nami got to say while some people started to snap out the shock and cheer for her. "I mean, she just stood there… bragging. To be fair most people can't hear me sneaking on them but even then she should have paid more attention!"
"That idiot! She let her guard down!" Mr.5 complained. He had the attention of every pirate in the vicinity now, the last treat and he knew it. "Tsk. I will have a lot of work to do now." He starts to pick his nose.
"That is disgusting!" Someone said in the crowd but Mr.5 didn't care, he flicked his finger and sent the small ball to the bounty hunters.
Luffy didn't stand still at that and rushed forward, raising his arm to stop it having it explode on him instead with a powerful blast.
"LUFFY!" Usopp shouts and some were afraid, both for the man that saved their lives and from the ability of Mr.5.
"Ha! Died for nothing! There are many more where- WHAT THE FUCK!" After the smoak dissipated a bit all could see Luffy standing there, unharmed.
"OI! LUFFY! I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST THESE GUYS!" Zoro lets out a complaint.
"YES! BUT NOW IS MY TURN!" The captain declared.
"WOULDN'T THIS BE TECHNICALLY USOPP'S TURN SINCE HE NEVER HAD A PROPER FIGHT!" Sanji commented with a grin.
"NOPE! NONONONONONO! DON'T PUT ME ON THAT!" The sniper said in a panic.
"HEY USOPP! CAN I HAVE YOUR TURN?"
"YES LUFFY YOU CAN!" Usopp felt the relief wash over him while Zoro scowled.
"The strong guys finally show up and I don't get to fight them!"
Approaching the rest of the pirates Vivi asks. "Are you guys really just pirates?"
"Yes my princess!" Sanji places himself on his knee and holds Vivi's hand. "We are pirates! And you don't need to worry about anything! While I am here you are safe from any danger!"
"Eh…" Vivi was absolutely confused by what was happening but Nami gave her a side hug and asked.
"You are really a princess right?" After a nod Nami lets out a huge smile. "Great! After Luffy deals with that guy we can discuss payments!"
"'Payments'?"
"More like rewards for saving your life! I am thinking 1,000,000,000 belly, with the right to scout you to your country! What do you say?"
"Witch! Please wait for the captain before you start to extort people… again!" Zoro says knowing that if Luffy wasn't there to keep Nami in check then she will end up asking too much or have them doing a job that they shouldn't.
Meanwhile Mr.5 was folding the sleeve of his coat to give his arms more freedom to use his ability. "Looks like to kill you I will need a bigger boom!"
Luffy prepared to charge but before he did anything else he took out his hat. "A minute please." He then turns around, confusing Mr.5 while the pirate had gone to his crew.
Many were confused but Luffy just walked to the closest member, Zoro, and gave him his hat. "Good call, that power could damage your hat." Luffy gave a nod and moved back to the same position he was before.
Mr.5 didn't attack, he figured that he was going to need to make some effort to take out the pirate, maybe the others too by the skill they showed so far. But there was no reason to reveal all the cards he had yet. Looking to his feet he noticed that the traitor was still breathing.
For a second he thought about using him as a hostage only to be interrupted by a punch and the ground he became intimate with. Getting up he noticed his sunglasses had broken. "MOTHERFUCKER! I LIKED THESE-" Only to be hit on the stomach.
Luffy followed up with a kick on the side of his head that Mr.5 managed to roll a bit off and punch the ground he made a blast to take some distance. Then he took some time to breathe some air and try to look at his opponent.
Luffy was picking up the fallen Igaram and rushing him back to the bounty hunters, many who were happy with his actions but not Mr.5 who understood that those attacks had the goal of keeping him away from the hostage.
But that also gave him time, the guy had covered a good distance on a single leap, that meant that the pirate was fast. That punch also hurted like being hit by a mountain and he didn't want to be hit again.
Picking a gun from his coat he opened the chamber. There was not a single bullet on them but that was the point, his devil fruit allows him to turn anything of his body into a bomb, including his breath.
Luffy had left Igaram with the others and started to race to his opponent. He saw the gun and prepared his arm to block the shot with Haki flowing in it to make sure that there would be no damage, he was confident that he could see when the bullets were coming.
He saw the man aiming, he saw the trigger being pulled and it was only his instincts screaming that managed to allow him to block the six shots that came, all small explosions in highsight but they still hurted because he didn't manage to cover enough.
"LUFFY!" "WHAT THE HELL!" "WASN'T ONLY HIS BODY! HE CAN MAKE STUFF EXPLODE TOO?"
Mr.5 smiled at the comments and shouts, the first one was down and soon he will- He couldn't finish the train of thoughts again, Luffy was rushing out of the smoke, a bit burned but not really hurt and ready to make Mr.5 part of the ground.
There was no time to think, he lets go of his gun and with a shout does his own charge getting only a few seconds to make his whole body into a bomb to take out the pirate.
Luffy figured out what he needed about the other man's ability, he was going to take the guy out without hesitation, there was nothing else stopping him and he was putting a lot of Haki on his right side.
1 second.
"TURTLE-
2 seconds.
"SHELL!"
On the third the fight's biggest explosion came, blinding the spectators and marking the end of the fight.
After a few seconds the winner was visible, Luffy was walking out of the leftovers of the explosion, his vest was destroyed but he had not a single scratch on him from the last attack.
"That is insane." Ms. Monday says, loud enough that many could hear. "He-he just ignored an explosion! THAT SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM!"
"Ignore huh?" Zoro comments.
"Not their fault, they can't see." Nami justifies.
"See… what?" Usopp asked.
"Did no one explained Haki to you?" Nami had a raised eyebrow on the question.
"Hakli?" Usopp tilts his head, doubts across her face and sees that Nami turns to Zoro.
"What?"
"You are the one with the most experience teaching… Why aren't you teaching him?" Her voice implied that the reason should be good or else.
"He didn't want training, remember?"
"But at least give him the basics." Nami calmed down, recognizing that Zoro had a point; she let the situation go but not before looking at Usopp and saying. "I will explain later… Maybe you will want to learn, maybe not but at least you should know."
"Think of it this way," Sanji analysed the situation and found an opportunity for a good exemple. "It is the reason why Luffy is not hurt from that." He points his cigarette to the captain and the blast.
Indeed the blast was by no means small, that part of the street is now home for a crater bigger than the one made by Ms. Valentine, the size of a house. The smoke was already dissipating completely and everyone could see the damage, how many of the actual houses around the area were falling apart.
For the uninitiated It looked like Luffy just took an explosion to the face but walked out without any damage on himself except for his clothes, his jacket, a present from his mother was a bit scorched but nothing that Nami or Usopp couldn't fix.
But those that knew about Haki and were proficient enough could see that Luffy had to use a lot of it to protect himself and his mother's gift, the right side of his body was completely covered with the stuff even if it was receding now.
Such a maneuver also costs a lot of energy, just the concentration alone was ridiculous to the point that only Luffy could cover that much of his body at the same time and he always focused on his jacket or hat first. He was now pulling it all back to save any energy, if he hadn't used it on the last second he would be on the ground exhausted.
But his timing was perfect, he managed to take most of the blast and knock the guy out easily.
The bounty hunters of Whiskey Peak were still processing the turn of events. "Did…" one tried to say something but he found no words.
"The numbers are indicators of strength right? So…"
"How strong is that guy?"
They were lost, it was easy to defend a friend but now they didn't know what to do. Were they still part of the Baroque Works? Some were starting to doubt their actions now that the consequences were clear of what could happen.
None of that passed by the head of the princess as she made a fuss checking on Igaram's condition. "I told you, I am fine, princess."
"YOU EXPLODED!" She keeps going around trying to find anything she could use before Ms. Monday stops her.
"Calm down Ms. Wednesday… or should I call you Vivi now?" The commentary of the woman snapped Vivi out of her panic as he looked down to the ground. "Is the Baroque Works really ruining your country?" Vivi gives a small nod and at that the bigger woman than asks. "Is this the real you?"
The princess was stunned by the question and almost said something but before she did her hands moved to her hair. She positions it to make it seem more relaxed, the ponytail was lower and her hair gained more freedom on the front.
"I never told you a single lie. My father is a good man who raised me right, I prefer the heat to the cold." She chuckles a bit. "I hate dried squid." Ms. Monday smiled at that but she frowned a bit before extending her hand.
"Nice to meet you Vivi… and you can still call me Monday. Believe or not that is my name." Vivi lets out a laugh before shaking her friends hand.
"While I am happy you two are still mates." Mr.9 says. "We have a few… A LOT of problems right now."
"You sure do." Nami announced her presence, together with the rest of the pirate crew with Luffy still dragging the defeated Mr.5, placing him on the ground next to Igaram.
"Why didn't you kill him?" Asked Monday noticing that Sanji had gone and came back carrying a knocked out Ms. Valentine as one would carry a bride. "Why not kill any of them?"
"Kill someone that can't defend themselves?" Zoro asked with a raised eyebrow. "You guys may be used to this but we don't like it." Monday looked down in shame at that but Mr.9 placed a hand on her shoulder and said.
"They are dangerous to us! If the organization figures out our betrayal then we are DEAD!" That was obvious to him and many bounty hunters but the reality was a single one.
"They are our prisoners." Zoro stared at the residents of Whisky Peak. "If any of you want to get to them it will be through us until our captain decides what he wants to do with them."
At that comment everyone turned to Luffy who had his hat on his head again and was looking at the sky or the top of a building.
"Well…" Mr.9 moved to approach the pirate captain but held back. "What will it be? Us or them?"
Once again the bounty hunters were ready for a fight, this time it would be do or die anyway but they still were waiting for the captain's judgment. If the pirate didn't give them a good reason, they would jump in and try to kill the agents.
Even if the pirates reacted, even if they were unarmed, even if they got hurt or even died it was still better than if the agents lived and got the chance of counter attacking. The bounty hunters were not dumb and they knew that there was no winning in any situation, the only reason to try anything now instead of later was because the pirates were more merciful then the two defeated agents would be.
"Now hold on a moment!" Usopp moved to stand in front of the bounty hunters and Zoro. "There is no need to fight anymore. Just give us a minute! Luffy! Please say something!"
"Hey… is she one of you?" Luffy asked, pointing to the building he was looking at.
Many turned to look and there was a figure sitting on the rooftop and they saw them, many didn't recognize who the person was but Vivi did and she paled, her eyes almost jumping out of her eye sockets.
"Oh! Please, don't mind me." The woman on the rooftop said tilting her head and hat in greeting. She sat there and many of the men and even some women couldn't couldn't help but admire her for she was dressed to provoke and her smile promised the most sweet of things.
But there was one person that upon looking at this woman bathed by the moon didn't see a vision of dreams but a nightmare and that nightmare had a name. "Miss All Sunday!" Once she said the name it was almost as if a wave of despair had passed by all present who could understand the implication.
In the Baroque Works there was one name that stood together with Mr.0 as the administrator, the boss, of the organization and that person was his partner following the same model all number agents had to follow with only one exception.
"Who is she?" Luffy asked, even his crew understood the implication of that woman's presence there but he had no idea.
"Oh! I am their boss per say." She said with a smile. "Well… technically I am just their superior. Nice to meet you Monkey D. Luffy."
"AH! Good night." Luffy greets back, years being taught by Makino and his own time in power engraving here the basics of manners. "What can I help you with?"
"Oi Luffy! Is that a good idea to ask for one of our enemies?" Usopp was terrified, Mr.5 and Ms. Valentine both had devil fruits and there was a good chance that the newcomer also had one being their superior.
"But we are not enemies yet Longnose-san." She said in the most calm way in the world.
"We aren't?" Usopp didn't believe her.
"Why, of course not." She changed her position to cross her arms, still smiling. "You did nothing to me personally, I have no reason to be your enemy then do I?"
"OF COURSE NOT!" Sanji screamed only for Zoro to hit him on the back of his neck. "WHAT IS THE IDEA HERE MARIMO?"
"CAN YOU THINK WITH YOUR HEAD FOR ONCE!"
"I ALWAYS THINK WITH MY HEART!" The two were about to start a small fight only for Nami to hit them both.
"NOT NOW YOUR IDIOTS!"
"Fufufufufu. What a fun crew you have, his majesty has good company." The amusement was obvious on her voice.
"What are you doing here Ms. All Sunday?" Vivi demanded to know, technically speaking they were still under the pirate's protection through parley but the administrator was a cunning and dangerous woman.
"Oh. I just came to check how your little spying was going. If I gave you enough to try and stop Mr.0."
"'Gave'?" The wording confused her but Ms. All Sunday just found it all more funny.
"Yes, you didn't think that I didn't noticed you following me all the way back to Alabasta didn't you?" At the princess's silence the older woman let out a soft laugh. "My dear, I took you to Mr.0 out of my own volition and then I promptly told him about my suspicion about you and your bodyguard. The princess Nefertari Vivi and the Royal Guard Commander Igaram infiltrating his organization made him… quite upset."
Vivi's face said it all for what she was thinking, the despair, the incredulity, from the very beginning she was being played. The whole time she was being played.
"Since when… did you know?"
"Igaram don't try to get up!" Vivi tried to stop him from moving but he made it stop her with his hand, eyes never leaving the woman that was the number two of the organization.
"Want to guess?" She asked him playfully and many were afraid of her. To be in her position on the organization it meant that the only ones that maybe have a chance against her were the pirates.
Igaram silence was telling, he couldn't figure out when she figured out their disguise and from Vivi's face it was obvious that she also had no clue.
"When I knew… I saw you guys trying to tail me almost a year ago. That got me curious!" She leans forward, hand on her chin to pretend she was thinking because no one that was once from the Baroque Works was falling for her act. "Then I decided to do my own investigation and it was painfully easy since Mr.0 had spies to take pictures of the royal family years ago."
From the very beginning they had been caught, the implications of such revelations were frighthing and by Igaram's frown he was not feeling any better.
"Wait a minute! Then why didn't you get rid of them earlier?" It was Nami who asked.
"Would you believe if I said that it was because I found their attempts amusing?"
Yes, many of them would but what she did was still a form of betrayal on itself, "Why now?" Nami was not liking the situation one bit.
"It is their fault for racing back here and Mr.0 figuring out that they discovered his identity." Ms. All Sunday then leans back, relaxing more while the spy duo of Alabasta started to get even more nervous. "Maybe he also knew that they had infiltrated his organization, I doubt that but either way that was never the problem. Figuring out the boss' real identity however? That was a huge problem for him."
"You were the one who told him!" Igaram was tired of the woman's game.
"Yes, that was only fair, right?"
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why did you guide us to him?"
"Who knows? Maybe I just liked a good story,'the princess who fought so much to try and save her country and her faithful guard who refused to let her do it alone'. Wouldn't that make a great book?" Ms. All Sunday lost her smile then. "Or maybe i felt pity or I was in the mood to shake things up a bit."
"So it is true?" Monday asked. "We are really ruining her country? Ruining the lives of innocents?"
"Now, now don't be like that. You technically did nothing, it is just the more… cruel elements of the organization that are in charge of pushing the more shady aspects of the agenda." She was, for whatever reason, trying to reassure the bigger woman. It didn't work.
"EVEN THEN YOU WOULD HAVE US KILL HER! I WON'T ALLOW IT!" Said the now, officially former agent and her declaration was followed by the shouts of practically all bounty hunters of Whisky Peak.
At such a declaration the administrator let out a sad smile. "You found true friends Nefertari Vivi." Then her eyes turned resolute and she looked at Luffy. "I would like to ask for parley and the right to negotiate hostages."
"Sure." Luffy accepts immediately.
"WHAT?" The bounty hunters in general disagreed with it.
"ALL OF YOU! QUIET!" Zoro ordered. "Looks like you all forgot but you here are the defeated and they," pointing to the defeated agents, "are our prisoners!"
"Thank you!" The woman shows her appreciation before turning to Luffy. "Before we begin I suppose I should ask, are you planning to help the princess?"
"Why? She needs help?" Now it was a testament of the woman's control when all she did was smile while many others just gaped or started to complain to him for his lack of attention enough so that he turned back and asked. "What? She didn't ask for my help."
The administrator chuckled at that. "Rumors were right, you truly are a simple man." There was no malice in the comment but amusement and curiosity. "Then let's negotiate! I want the two hostages that you have and-"
"NO WAY IN HELL WE ARE GIVING YOU THOSE MONSTERS!" Someone protested and others followed after. Soon there were those that tried to go for their weapons in the small house for only a giant bull to get in front of them and throw some to the ground with the side of her horns.
"NEXT ONE TO TRY ANYTHING FUNNY I WILL STOMP THEM!" The sudden transformation scared most in submission, the rest was terrified by one simple reality.
"SHE IS AN USER TOO!" "We… we had no chance from the beginning, did we?"
"Please don't give them to her." Vivi asked of Luffy but the straw hat just let out a sigh.
"Look we aren't giving anything. We are trading." The captain wondered if that wasn't obvious. "She may have some food and we kinda need it to go."
"Unfortunately I don't have any food." If anyone was going to give the woman credit for anything was her ability to keep her composure with the events and even the conversation that happened so far. "I was planning to offer something a little less… tangible is the word."
Luffy looks back, "What does tangible mean." Before anyone could complain Nami just said.
"Doesn't matter right now!" She then turns to look at the administrator. "Just say what you want to trade!"
"Two things for two people," with a wave of her hand a bag falls from a different rooftop, it was open enough to let everyone see the contents, two animals, an otter and a vulture with sunglasses and apparently asleep.
"Didn't you say you didn't have any fo-" "THE UNLUCKIES!"
Vivi's scream of surprise interrupted Luffy's question but she confirmed what some of the ex-members of the Baroque Works already knew or suspected.
"The unluckies? SHIT! WE ARE FUCKED!" Mr.9 started to panic.
"What? Are those animals important or something?" Usopp asked, afraid of more stuff pilling up on them for the man with a crow to turn to him, grab him by his jumpsuit and start to shake him up while he explained.
"THEY ARE THE MAIN SPIES OF THE ORGANIZATION! THE ONES THAT WATCH OVER US! THAT AT THE SIGN OF ANY DECENT OR INSUBORDINATION THEY GO AND WARN THE BOSS! DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE ANIMALS! MORE THAN ONE PERSON DIED BECAUSE OF THEM! WAY MORE THAN ONE!"
"He is correct." Ms. All Sunday without any troubles. "This two there are absolutely loyal to Mr.0 but they are easier to catch if you have the right set of skills. On the other hand if let loose they will absolutely manage to communicate all that happened here."
"And you won't?" Zoro felt he was right to be skeptical about all of this.
"Not if it doesn't benefit me." She didn't bother to lie. "I am completely willing to forget that all of this happened. As far as I know Mr.5 and Ms. Valentine came to the island but missed the princess here who had already escaped."
"If that is the official report then every reason we had to fight becomes null." Sanji felt the need to explain, anything to help a lady. "The two of them were never here so technically speaking this place is still a frontier base, better yet, if anything happens to the main organization it will remain unaffected because of distance and plausible deniability."
"That is correct, with this there would be no need for the Baroque Works to come back here ever again." That sounded too good to be true and there were plenty of people who hesitated.
"Okay." Luffy didn't care about that and just accepted the deal.
"Why do you trust her?" Vivi couldn't help but ask.
"What? Is that a bad deal?"
"Well, no but…" The princess had no idea what to say.
"It is a good deal Luffy." Nami turned back to her human form and decided to clarify what was happening for him. "But they have no reason to trust her. Damn! Neither do we!" The navigator turns to the woman. "How do we know you are telling the truth."
"I have my own reasons but If you want 'proof of trust'." She crosses her arms with her hand open. "Cien Fleur!" With her call, arms started to sprout on the shoulders and arms of many bounty hunters who could barely react as they locked themselves on their heads or necks. "If you want I could kill all of them. I don't need help or to call more agents to get rid of 'traitors'."
Then she lowered her arms and the hands disappeared. Petals of flowers were left behind but the message was clear, she could do what they feared by herself and that she had her own power, a devil fruit, with skill enough to use it to take out at least fifty people with little problem.
"Well…?" She asked with the same tranquility as she always had, almost as if she didn't just threaten to kill a lot of people to just prove a point. "What will it be?"
"I already said that I would give them." Luffy explained, not caring for the succession of events since for him she didn't do anything wrong yet. "You can take them already. Oh, do you need help to carry them?"
Now no one was willing to challenge that, the woman proved that the lives of the other agents were irrelevant in the situation. If she wanted them, the reality was, the bounty hunters couldn't do a thing again, only the pirates could.
Hands and arms sprout from the ground and start to carry the unconscious agents, all the while the woman kept a face of neutrality while she did her work, the pirates didn't stop her, the bounty hunters were afraid and Vivi was frustrated.
In the princess point of view this was the best scenario… if they can trust Ms. All Sunday but that is by itself strange. Why was she doing this? They managed to investigate her quite a bit as well and even found out her true name but that was worthless in reality, she was already a criminal and her name means nothing unless that they could get her Mr.0 caught together and even then there was no guarantee that the man wouldn't just kill her to avoid suspicion.
"My, my! Princess you should stop scowling, it is going to ruin your beautiful face." The worst part of all this, besides the uncertainty, was the attitude of the woman that Vivi would find easy to admit it was getting on her nerves.
"THEN TELL ME WHAT IS YOUR GAME!" She demanded, letting all her frustration go. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? YOU ARE THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE BAROQUE WORKS! YET HERE YOU ARE DOING THIS! WHY?"
She voiced the thoughts of many there but the woman just lets out a sigh and gets up. "Princess, a smart person doesn't brag unless their agenda is already fulfilled. For now let me tell you just this," she turns around, walking away. "I am just hedging my bets. I suggest you do the same."
Then she was gone into the night, back to wherever she came and Vivi fell on her knees when reality finally asserted itself. She lost, the power of the Baroque Works was bigger than she expected with not only their boss being a monster but everyone from Mr.5 to Ms. All Sunday being as powerful or maybe even worse.
To make the matters worse and more realistic, if she used Mr.5 as a bar to judge the other agents then the odds were that Alabasta could fend for itself were close to zero. She needs to race back and warn her father, call the Word Government and hope for an admiral… if they can get there in time.
"Hey, you alright?" She looked up to see the pirate captain looking at her, his face was too close but there were no ill intentions, he truly looked concerned.
"I…" She didn't know what to say but there was one thing she was happy about. "I am happy that no one died."
"Yes! That is great, right?" Luffy was genuinely happy for it but even he could tell that something is wrong.
"Sure it is… it just doesn't help with my problem!"
"Princess." Igaram stopped her from saying anything else but Luffy didn't let it go.
"And what is your problem?"
"Oh, you know something normal!" At that moment she was not really thinking about what she was saying. "It is just one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea or Shichibukai whatever people want to call them is trying to destroy my country… that kind of problem!"
"Vivi!"
"Princess!"
Monday and Igaram let out a small scream to try and stop her from continuing.
"Right! Sorry!" She said to them before turning to Luffy again. "I am sorry that I talked like that. I am just frustrated."
"Nah! It is fine." Luffy extends a hand which she took to help her get up.
"No it is not." Vivi said, taking a deep breath. "I mean, even if she let us go for now there is no doubt that things would only get worse if you guys knew that Crocodile was the leader of the Baroque Works."
"Croc who?"
"Sir Crocodile! The warlord!" Vivi told him again and there was silence in the area.
Some people's face start to change to pure horror, others start to panic and tremble in fear, there was a bounty hunter that hyperventilated so much that he ended up passing out while Vivi's face started to make the impression of a scream, a silent one for she lost her voice when she realized what she had done.
Mr.9 acts fast and races to the bag where the Unluckies were tied up and lets out a breath since both were still knocked out. That lasted until all present, with some exceptions in Luffy's, Zoro and Igaram, screamed in either panic(most of them) and surprise.
"EEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"WHY DID YOU TOLD US THAT!" Usopp complained in rage.
"I AM SO SORRY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME!" Vivi was terrified for what she had done, as were many people there.
"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPPPPPP!" Ordered Luffy and, in that moment, everything had gone quiet. Once the captain was sure that no one was going to talk he looked at Nami. "Who is the guy?"
The navigator was not surprised by the question, what surprised her was that Zoro was the one who answered. "He is one of the warlords, pirates that work for the government. They are all in general powerful pirates that were considered dangerous enough that the World Government itself decided that they should be better on their side then against them. Sir Crocodile, devil fruit user of the Suna-Suna No Mi, or sand-sand fruit, former bounty 81,000,000 belly was a really dangerous pirate who managed to get to the middle point of the Grand Line and then got destroyed by Whitebeard himself years ago. Even after that defeat he was offered the title and has been on the ranks ever since."
Those that didn't know Zoro accepted the explanation with the same easeness that Luffy did where he nodded at every other word and had his eyes focused on all the information(even if he won't remember most later), those that did know Zoro were shocked.
"Why do you know all this?" Sanji's expression said everything and Nami was not far behind, both thought the last minute was just unbelievable. "Why do YOU know all this?"
"Mihawk is a part of the warlords." Zoro answered easily, crossing his arms with a smug smile. "Know your enemy and while we worked back in the East I got the chance to get all the information I could in all the warlords, once I realized 'Hawk-Eye' was one of them I sat down to learn as much as I could."
"HOW?" Sanji was getting paranoid.
"We worked for a king!" Zoro said "Do you think the World Government would hide any information about pirates to their members if they had any?"
"WAIT! THEY DON'T?" It was Igaram asking that. "So in my position of captain of the royal guard…"
"They would have told you easily at any marine base!" Zoro said with a shrug.
"AH HA!" Nami exclaimed in realization. "TASHIGI TOLD YOU ALL THAT! THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE THAT MEMORIZED!"
"And?" He had no reason to feel shame. He asked a friend for some information, she told him and he listened… that was all.
"I AM AN IDIOT!" Igaram shouted after realizing that the government had nor real reason to hide information about pirates to them. "EVEN IF THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE BAROQUE WORKS THEY KNOW HIS POWER! THEY MAY EVEN HAVE A WEAKNESS! I AM AN IDIOT!" He then started to hit his head hard on the ground.
"PLEASE IGARAM! STOP! YOU ARE HURTING YOURSELF MORE!" The princess plea managed to snap the man out of his funk but he still felt depressed about his lack of highsight.
"What difference does that make?" Usopp asked. "I mean, there is no reason why we should mess with such a strong guy right? Leader of an organization, backed by the government, we should steer far away from him."
"Yes, there isn't." Luffy then looked at Vivi. "Is there?"
The princess realized that the pirate was giving her a choice, she can ask for his help trusting that he was not a classic pirate that had a hidden agenda or she could say no and try to reach Alabasta to call for help for her father with just Igaram… she could ask the bounty hunters of Whisky Peak for help but that would be just suicide.
They barely could fight against someone like Mr.5 and if the information of the swordsman is correct then Crocodile has an insurable powerful devil fruit, especially in Alabasta where if there was a thing her country had plenty it was sand and she doesn't feel comfortable thinking about that.
Can she do it? Can she trust this pirate? Will he really help?
She gets on her feet and looks him straight in the eye, he looked younger than her, more immature too but the way his crew saw him spoke a lot of respect. "Princess." Igaram tried to get up again but he hadn't recovered yet and was unable, giving her enough time to make a decision.
She bows to her waist, and makes her request. "Please! Take me to Alabasta! Help me save my country! You are my only hope!"
"Sure." With the same ease as he accepted the parleys, the same tone of voice, the same tranquility he accepts her request.
"EI! LUFFY! DO YOU GET WHAT SHE IS ASKING!" Usopp was almost breaking down in tears.
"Yep! We are going to take her to her country then I will kick this croc's ass!" Luffy was beaming at the possibility leaving many confused.
"BUT WHY?" Insisted to know the sniper.
"Why not?"
And with that the decision had been made, Vivi decided to say her piece. "Thank you but if we are leaving we need to go as fast as we can! Preferably now if we could!"
"Wait! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MS.- I MEAN PRINCESS VIV?" Asked Mr.9 in the place of many there. "WE NEED TO PREPARE TO GO! JUST GIVE US SOME TIME AND-"
"And then you go to die?" Zoro asked, getting the glares of everyone there as the answer. "What? None of you were able to get me to draw a single sword! A single ONE! I fight with three and if that Mr.5 shows up again then you are all dead!"
"THEN WHY YOUR CAPTAIN LET THEM GO?" Monday was furious with that commentary but Luffy was the one who explained.
"Because that lady could have killed you all." Luffy pointed out.
"And do any of you think you could defeat the guy Luffy fought?" Nami raised an eyebrow, waiting for a challenge to her question. She was confident that facing the guy she could knock him out fast but the bounty hunters had nothing.
There were no challengers, many turn around or avoid the eyes of others to not comment or show shame. That was fine for many but Usopp, he was trying to think of something to say but Sanji places a hand on his shoulder and whispers.
"We are pirates, we are always on the move. If they come with us and the organization is still standing they will either have to become pirates themselves to avoid assasination or fight for the rest of their lives on a shadow's war."
There is a reason why pirates were hard to catch, the oceans were huge and finding one pirate was practically a battle on its own if there was no intel where they would attack or where they were going and that was perfect to evade authorities.
But it was a hard life with no real place to settle for the most part which was one of the reasons why the most powerful pirates tried to establish bases or similar spots always in secrecy to be able a better rest.
What most of the straw hats realized and even Vivi could to an extent was that the bounty hunters of Whisky Peak were there for being the most tame members of the Baroque Works, only focusing in getting pirates, money and guarding a pass to make sure no unknown elements enter the Grand Line.
Now the reality was setting in once again that some understood that if they followed Vivi their way of lives would be irreparably changed even if they won there would be plenty in the Baroque Works. even if the organization fell. would look for vengeance and staying on their island would make them an easy target.
"At least," Igaram finally stands with his own strength, "give me some time to prepare a boat. I will serve as bait and try to sail directly to Alabasta and if they are patrolling they will focus on me."
"Do we have enough food to even split our resources like that?" At Nami's question everyone remembered that Whisky Peak didn't have that much on them. "Thought so. Look, give any food you have to this island and we will get more in one of the islands on the way."
"BUT WE CAN'T WASTE TIME-"
"Deal!"
"BUT PRINCESS!"
"IGARAM!" Her scream silenced him. "You are right that we don't have time but I refuse to make things worse for the people here!" Turning to the bounty hunters Vivi sees the faces she had lived with for years, friends, allies and then she bowed her head again, lower than she did for Luffy. "THANK YOU! FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS! I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE SURVIVED WITHOUT ANY OF YOU!"
There were tears, screaming and hugs but time was running out for the kingdom of Alabasta and the pirates departed to the next island for supplies and then, using Igaram's Eternal Pose, they would race to the country with only another stop if possible.
So the Straw Hat Pirates set sail plus three other passengers, a princess, her bodyguard and her duck. First stop the closest island that the Log Pose points to for supplies then, if all goes well, Drum Island.
…..
The seat on Bunchi's, a giant turtle able to cross both seas and deserts, was comfortable but gave her little space to have other… guests on her pet. Kneeling before her were the two agents that she had just saved, Mr.5 and Ms. Valentine.
"I hope you two understand," she was pleased with the events that happened, it is always pleasant when things happen to your benefit and all is needed is the seizing of opportunities, "how much trouble you two are in."
They flinched but didn't dare to challenge her. How could they? She both saved their lives and also had, at least in their minds, got in, fought off the ones that defeated them and got out.
Combine that with her position as the 2nd in command or vice-president of the organization that the only way to climb is killing and that meant that one way or another they were in her hands and once she introduced herself, watching they realize their predicament was amusing for her.
Even if they didn't know her position was not about power at all, at least not in the traditional term.
But that was not relevant to the pair, they failed a mission. Worse, they failed a mission that was one of the 'boss' direct orders. Mr.0 was not a patient or kind man to any stretch of imagination and anything that displeases him finds a very unpleasant end, she would know having seen him work with his power in some pirates. Suffice to say she didn't want to end in the man's hand.
"Now we have a problematic situation. I was not able to take out the princess, she now has too many guards carrying a considerable power." Ms. All Sunday never lost her smile during the explanation. "But that was not MY mission was it?"
They were afraid of her, of what she would do. Not their fault and what she was going to do was cruel in a way but in another it is still a better fate than death. Is it wrong that she is getting some pleasure from their fear?
"No excuses?" After giving a few seconds for the pair to say anything Ms. All Sunday rolls her eyes and decides to give them a bone before they did anything stupid. "Since you aren't going to ask why I saved you I will tell you, I see potential in you two."
That made their heads snap up to look at her like puppies, they even had expressions that begged for her to say anything with their full attention, waiting for a promised treat.
"It was not your fault that there was such a pirate around to tip the scales against you. Such an opponent could probably defeat even Mr.3 or 2 at minimum." Hearing such comments helped to bring relief to the agents.
"So…" Mr.5 was nervous still but he mustered courage to ask what she already knew what he would. "What do we do now?"
"Now?" These moments were the real perks of her position. "Now you two sit there and wait until we get to Alabasta. Dear Bunchi here will get us there really fast." The giant turtle turns it's head to nod at her but the duo still needed reassurance. "About tonight's little scuffle… I won't tell the boss if you won't."
Her tone was playful enough to let the pair lower their guard, Mr.5 relaxing his shoulders and Ms. Valentine letting out a sigh of relief, both more calm that their lives were not in danger. A big part of her wants to finish with a small 'for now' just to watch them squirm some more but she needs them focused.
"Listen closely," they lost the relaxed posturing and now their focus was absolute in her words, "if we don't get this story straight the boss will kill us." More likely just them since he needed her but sympathy can go a long way to acquire loyalty. "This is how it happened: When you two got to the island the princess had already left with a marine crew that recognized her and wanted to take them to Alabasta."
"Marines ma'am?" question was a valid one.
"Because if they were pirates the bounty hunters would try and cache in on anything, their heads or any money they carried and that meant…" She made a small wave for them to finish the statement which Mr.5 obliged.
"The princess would still be there or the bounty hunters would have killed them for us." The idea that the princess left with marines made some of her plans more viable. "What about the Unluckies?"
Easy lie for her. "Did you see them?" After the pair shook their heads she made a show to shrug her shoulders. "Neither did I. Lucky you."
The two smiled and even hugged each other, finally they felt safe. Now they were indebted to her, she has their loyalty in a way that the Unluckies never would give, the animal pair being absolutely loyal to Crocodile first.
"Did you two understand the story?" After affirmations she continued. "Good, with the princess rushing to Alabasta in a 'marine' ship we need to reinforce our defenses. Once you two realized that you rushed to the kingdom itself calling a special den den mushi which was my own and yes you would know that latter. Then I will report to Mr.0 and you two will be a part of his plan."
"YES MA'AM!" They both saluted and she found amusing how they didn't realize they were betraying their boss.
Now she needs to focus on the next part of her plans, she was not sure if the Straw Hats would get an Eternal Pose to Alabasta but knowing the former captain of the royal guard of the kingdom was with them it was practically a guarantee.
It didn't mean she couldn't help them a bit and recall the other numbered agents on the closest islands to Alabasta a little earlier or at least convince Crocodile that they needed the extra protection with the 'marines' entering in the fray. It also will help that the billions, the more advanced soldiers of the organization, won't be looking for a pirate ship.
That was her small gamble, if all goes as planned, once the 'pirate captain' hears about a kingdom with problems he will bring out his full force or even call the marines. While the Baroque Works is in the middle of the conflict with the kingdom of Alabasta, railed by their princess, the marines and the Strongest Man in the East she is going to be safe enough to find what she wants and get out.
But for all that to happen she needs more chaos, more actors for the play. Once the princess' plight is heard by the man there is no doubt that as a fellow good monarch he will shed away his façade as a pirate and rush to call for help against a real menace in Crocodile.
Soon she will have it, the Poneglyph, all her research indicates that it is present in Alabasta. She didn't care about Crocodile's ambitions or his wish for the 'ancient weapons', all she wants is the true history and she will have it.
She is the Devil Child Nico Robin(79,000,000 belly dead or alive) after all and what kind of devil doesn't scheme in the background?
…..
Hello once again to another finished chapter, did you guys liked it? I already expressed how I am changing some stuff and there was plenty implied here how stuff is different, most of all in this case Robin's has a plan.
Now I believe she is a good person… doesn't mean that she won't do certain things to reach her goals, in the original she is actually giving a chance for Vivi to get and stop Crocodile, most likely to stall him and give her enough time for her to get to the Poneglyph and that may be the reason why she saves Luffy.
Now Luffy was a king and she as a researcher knows it, in her position she would be looking for every scrap of information of the know players in the world and poring over the newspapers of all the seas to get an advantage or a sign of a Poneglyph, reading about a powerful king and then seeing him as a pirate she can speculate he was just playing around or something and that she can manipulate him to get an army and stall Crocodile more.
Because she chooses to challenge Crocodile instead of giving him Pluton it is assured that she doesn't want people to die, doesn't mean that she won't do what she judges necessary. This is a really good chance to explore the mind of Nico Robin and try to imagine what she had to do to survive to adulthood.
For the record, in case no one noticed she is arguably one of if not the most important person in One Piece, the fact she is the only one that can crow the Pirate King means that the only reason why Kaido and Big Mom hadn't got to Laugh Tale makes her a King Maker.
Better yet, if you consider that she prefers to die than surrender then Luffy became the King Of The Pirates in the moment he didn't gave up on her, being true to himself to make the rescue and that unless that it is Luffy getting the One Piece she won't be giving it to anyone of her own will.
On another note, I think Blackbeard is waiting for Luffy to show him the way so he can rip the rewards. Just a theory and why I will need to wait for the final of the main story to finish this one… One of the reasons, I have many, many questions.
Vivi here is shown to have more urgency because Luffy was more patient and also Igaram is now on the ship… also I am skipping Little Garden… I will give a brief explanation about what happens there in the next chapter but in general is the same of what happens in the manga with a huge difference that really changes nothing of the story of the place.
Now about comments… I made a mistake last chapter and wrote Laboon wrong(Labom) I forgot to check the write spelling and didn't noticed it was wrong but when someone, omegazeroinfi thank you for the comment, made a mention of it I got really frustrated with that mistake and I am sorry if that took anyone out of the story. If it happens again feel free to point it out, I thought about fixing the that but I decided to let that be a lesson for me, mistakes happen but that one has no real excuse other than that I need to pace myself better.
Ani-Me Fanboy 123: Easier than you think, I already gave some clues how but I bet you can figure it out.
Question? Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment even if just to motivate me or to criticize.
Next Chapter: The Doctors of Drum.