KARAI BARI ISLAND: LILITH'S TAVERN, APPROXIMATELY TEN YEARS AGO

Lilith's Tavern was on the outskirts of the main drag of Karai Bari, down by the south port. Indeed, Buggy's ship was docked there. No doubt Buggy's crew had picked it to be out of the way from the main village and discreet as they planned their next moves.

"So they are still here," said Helmeppo, as the two of them sat behind the building, crouched behind several more of the large barrels. "Still going through the liquor too," he added, nodding at the barrels.

"True," muttered Koby. The barrels smelled strongly of seawater as opposed to alcohol. Koby surmised they were being soaked and cleaned now that Buggy's crew had drank their way through them.

"How many?" asked Helmeppo.

"Fifty, sixty maybe?" said Koby, his eyes closed, probing the voices and souls of the many people swarming the tavern.

"That's not bad at all," said Helmeppo. "I imagine a lot of their fleet could still be out at sea, as this is just their base, and like the townsfolk said. And they just lost a lot of numbers."

He looked very seriously at Koby.

"What about her ? Is she is there?"

Koby truthfully did not know what Alvida's aura felt like. He hardly had had any sense of Observation Haki when on her ship, and it had been years since he had been near her.

He gently reached his haki into the tavern, trying to focus for some quiet thread of familiarly, something, someone known to him and only him.

There was a woman at the bar. There was a felt sense in her...something Koby knew ...

His Observation flared as did his emotions, and he willed himself back to calm, and groundedness. He felt her hands, flitting over something on the bar. He felt her laughter, haughty and guarded. He felt her essence, and a thread of old familiarity that tugged at his soul.

Koby felt his breath catch in his chest.

"She's in there?" said Helmeppo.

Koby nodded.

"Right," said Helmeppo, his hand on the hilt of his kukri knives. "We're going to plan this out. We're going to do this right."

"Helmeppo," said Koby quietly. "She's not doing anything."

"Right," said Helmeppo. "Now is ideal."

"No," said Koby tentatively. "I mean, they're just talking in there. She's just sitting there. She's not doing anything wrong . The people on this island didn't even have anything bad to say really about Buggy's crew."

"Koby, you're going to let the woman who abused you for two years just go because she's not doing anything right now?" said Helmeppo, dubiously. "That's like saying, 'oh, we won't arrest a murderer, he's not murdering anyone right now."

Koby was silent.

Helmeppo sighed, and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I'm here to support you no matter what," he said. "If this isn't a scab you want to pick, we can go home. We'll be going home empty-handed to Garp, and he might be less willing to let us try something like this again. I don't want you to pass up a chance you might not get again, but I'm fine with us leaving. But if you're going to have regrets, we need to see this out. This is your scab, not mine."

Koby nodded, resolutely.

"Seems like you're of two minds on this?" said Helmeppo with a bit of a chuckle.

"Heh," said Koby, with a rueful smile of his own. "When am I not?"

Logical Koby, who had meticulously planned every word he would say to Garp those few days ago, Logical Koby who was calculating the professional risk of not fulfilling at least some part what he'd asked Garp to do, who was aware of every single soul in the tavern and was rapidly calculating power levels, movement and strategy for both himself and Helmeppo…

And Emotional Koby, who was rapidly spiraling, and right now felt the timid little cabin boy he used to be and wanted nothing more than to run away and never ever bother Alvida because she felt so terrifying and he never wanted to feel that way again, and Alvida would definitely be mad when she realized who she was, and if she realized who he was, and he knew from experience what Alvida was like when she was mad, and-

And it was at that point that Logical Koby joined Emotion Koby at the middle path - as calculation and assessment met crisis. Alvida had information on him.

And that information needed to be contained, for his safety and his career.

And if he left now, he would regret it.

"We'll have to go in," said Koby.

"Right," said Helmeppo, folding his arms. "So again I ask - what is the plan?"

Koby took a deep breath.

"One minute," he said. "That's what Buggy and the rest of them get. One minute to get out. We make it clear we're there for her and only her. One minute, and then we call the squad on your den den mushi."

"You think that's going to be enough time to ascertain the situation?"

Koby nodded. "If she doesn't know who I am, we call in backup after the one minute. If she does , we keep it contained. The squad stays outside. We force as many of them outside as possible into the squad, we keep her inside."

"And what's our strategy if this turns into a serious fight?" said Helmeppo. "I know you and I are more than a match for Buggy's goons, but I'm thinking more in regards to what we've read about her devil fruit powers."

"Garp has been training me in Armament!" said Koby brightly.

"What?!" said Helmeppo. "Since when?! That's not fair!"

"Hey now, I'm not very good at it yet," said Koby sheepishly. "I can't use it consistently!"

"Why are you always ahead of me?! So help me you'll have Conqueror's Haki next for all I know -"

"I just said, I'm not very good at it, Helmeppo!" said Koby. "All I'm saying is that we're not helpless here. We've faced so much worse. Marineford. Rocky Port. If we can separate her from Buggy, we're fine."

"We're giving Buggy the chance to leave. Hopefully that's enough incentive for him," said Helmeppo. "If not, I'll take him."

Koby nodded. "We go in, we make it clear what we're there for. Call the squad if needed. Contain what we can. It's not like we've never done something like this before. And Alvida is, as far as the Marines are concerned, not much of a threat at all."

"Right, but something tells me Emotion Koby is seeing her a whole lot differently than Logical Koby," said Helmeppo.

Koby chuckled, weakly. "Oh yeah, I'm terrified! Emotion Koby is losing it! But, Logical Koby is reminding me of the facts. She's a nobody from the East Blue who barely has a bounty. We've faced worse; we've faced stronger foes. So now I'm in the middle. I can be scared and be ready to do this. It's both, and !"

"Oh no, not the dialect talk…"

"Dialectics , Helmeppo!" said Koby, jovially. "Both, and ! You can be two opposites at the same time! Scared, and ready to fight!" He raised his fists, a determined grin on his face.

"That's the part I wanted to hear," said Helmeppo. "Ready to fight. Alright then, gung-ho defender of justice, Koby." He put his hand on Koby's shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

The two of them stood up, and headed for the tavern doors.

It looked as though the crew's numbers had dwindled since Buggy had lost status. No doubt those who were chasing a guaranteed paycheck or had crews of their own had long since flown the coup.

But Buggy clearly had no shortage of followers - the bar was full of his circus ilk. Acrobats lounged on the floor, the smell of beer and alcohol mingled with greasepaint. The infamous lion was asleep in the corner, two drunken clowns asleep on top of him.

That thread that Koby had felt before gave his Observation a tug, and he turned his eyes to the bar.

He suddenly felt as though his body was suddenly made of air. His strength, his grounding, his focus, seemed to evaporate on the spot.

She had her back to them and was perched on a bar stool. Had she always been so tall ? Koby suddenly felt tiny, as though he hadn't grown an inch since he left her ship.

Her coat was a luxurious dyed violet, velvet and lined with buttons and spangles that Koby suspected were solid gold. Braided epaulettes lined each shoulder, and a gaudy rose-patterned shawl hung lazily about her arms. Her hat was broad and lavished with large red plumes. Heavy bracelets and jewelry hung at her hands and throat, rings sparkled on each of her fingers, diamonds, opals, an emerald- she was impeccably adorned.

"Her outfit is more than my salary," hissed Helmeppo.

She was sitting at the bar, playing what looked like a board game with a man in a ruffled shirt and his hair twisted into a number three. (Koby was far too focused on her to even fully register that the man's hair was also on fire). She took a long drink from the bottle of wine she was holding, tossing her jetty black curls.

Every bit a warlord's right hand and pirate. She wore her status like her jewels.

Koby felt his fingertips go very cold.

"I win," she laughed, moving a piece across the board with a flourish.

"You cheated!" said the man, standing up.

She laughed and took another sip of wine. "You can't cheat at backgammon."

"Your dice are loaded!"

"Galdino, you're a sore loser."

She folded the small wooden box and tucked it into her coat.

"Oi! What the hell are you doing in here?"

Koby ducked, his Observation sensing just in time the fist that was about to collide with his skull. He dropped and swung his leg into his attacker's ankles, toppling him to the floor. Helmeppo drew his kukuri knives.

"Shit, they're Marines!" shouted heavily tattooed acrobat.

"We can take them, there's only two of them," laughed painted woman in pigtails and a leotard.

"So much for surprise," muttered Helmeppo.

"We're not here for all of you!" shouted Koby. "Please! Hear us out!"

"What the flashy hell is going on?"

Buggy himself had sauntered out. He was in one of his rather ridiculous getups which allowed him to stretch his limbs across large amounts of fabric to appear expansive and daunting. He looked rather like a wide orange pillow with tiny hands, and was wearing a coat that would have clearly been much too big for him at his normal size.

"Ehhh? Have the Marines come for my head already?!" he squawked. "Alright boys, let's show 'em what Buggy pirates do best! I might not be a warlord anymore, but we can still raise some flashy hell! Yesterday, a warlord, tomorrow an EMPEROR!"

"FOR ROGER'S SAKE, LISTEN!" yelled Koby. "We're not here for all of you!"

"You've come fo just my head, then, Marine?" laughed Buggy, a handful of knives suddenly appearing in my levitating hands. "You think you can defeat the great Buggy-sama?!"

"WE'LL DEFEND OUR GREAT SAVIOR BUGGY-SAMA UNTIL THE GRAVE!" cried a heavily tattooed main, swinging a pair of swords."YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH US FIRST!"

"PRAISE BE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR BUGGY-SAMA!"

"BUGGY-SAMA KNOWS THAT WE-"

"WHAT ABOUT MY NOSE?!"

"AHHH! FORGIVE ME BUGGY-SAMA!"

Koby glanced quickly at Alvida. She had not even turned around to look at them. She seemed quite honestly more annoyed by the situation than anything and was pouring more wine.

Koby activated Soru and ducked quickly to avoid a cutlass being swung at him, which Helmeppo shattered with one of his knives.

He was very close to her.

The closest he had been since he was her cabin boy.

She still had neither moved nor acknowledged him or Helmeppo, who downed another attacker and dashed to cover him at the bar. Koby swung his leg into the jaw of an acrobat who had lunged for them.

"Listen!" yelled Koby. "All of you have exactly sixty seconds to leave! We are only here for her ." He pointed at Alvida. "That goes for all of you! Buggy the Clown and the rest of your crew, you have one minute to leave this tavern. If there are any of you still in here after one minute, there is a full squad on call waiting for you." He held up the den den mushi.

Buggy looked perplexed.

Alvida didn't move. She yawned broadly and took another sip of wine.

"Captain Alvida," said Koby. "You are under arrest for kidnapping, piracy, false imprisonment and abuse of the warlord charter against the World Government."

"You government bastards have some nerve," snarled a surly looking pirate in facepaint, holding a long whip. "You -"

He and two others dropped at Helmeppo's feet, the kukuri knives bloodied.

Several pirates stood up and booked it from the tavern.

Alvida's gaze did not blink. She was not even looking at him.

She's not afraid, Koby felt in his haki. Between her powers and Buggy's crew.

"What is all this about, Marine?' Alvida said coolly, regarding her reflection in her glass of wine."Forgive me if this feels a touch - personal."

Several more pirates left.

"Forty seconds," barked Helmeppo. "Times ticking, unless you want to face a full Marine squadron."

"Buggy's a bigger prize than I am," said Alvida. "Why are you willing to let him walk and not me? Enlighten me, boy. This feels like a... vendetta . Did I kill your little brother in a battle? Leave you sad and broken after a one-night stand?"

A handful more pirates swiftly excited.

Koby could feel the energy of the rest of the crewmates. The situation was perturbing them. They knew this was something bigger, something external to them, and that they weren't going to get themselves arrested over something that didn't concern them. If the government was going to let them walk, then walk.

Buggy was looking from Alvida to Koby, clearly confused.

"I'm a rather disappointed by this reaction," said Alvida. "This boy walks in and starts making announcements, and half your crew flees, Buggy. The worst of Impel Down can't take a pair of Marine children? For shame."

"What the devil is going on here?" Buggy growled at Koby. "What the hell are you after Alvida for?"

"Alvida, if you come quietly, we are willing to spare Buggy and your crew," said Koby.

Alvida turned around in her seat, took a delicate sip of from the bottle of wine, and stared Koby full in the face.

"That is the stupidest proposal I have ever heard," she said.

Koby felt his Emotion self surge into overdrive, feeling her emotions against his haki. She was no longer mildly annoyed. He knew that look from back on her ship, and the cabin boy inside him was was quaking in terror.

"Why are you making this about me, child?" she said, her voice very deep. "I'll say it again, Buggy is a bigger prize than me. So why are you here for me ?"

"That is government business," said Helmeppo. "We're not here for Buggy. As for the rest of you, twenty seconds."

Several other crewmates fled.

"Where have I seen you, boy?" said Alvida, raising an eyebrow. "You look familiar."

Koby's heart pounded. He felt Emotion Koby want to shrink into that tiny, useless cabin boy, quaking under her gaze, and he willed himself back to control.

"What a minute, aren't you that boy from Marineford?" said the man with his hair on fire. "The one Akainu nearly killed. We saw him Buggy! What the hell is he doing here?"

"What?" said Buggy, twirling the knives in his disembodied hands. "What's this? Here to capture those of us who evaded Marine clutches all those years ago?! Well the great Buggy-sama -!"

"This isn't about you ," said Koby, almost desperately. "Please!"

"You have fifteen seconds to leave, or you'll be taken into custody as well," said Helmeppo. "Buggy, we're giving you a chance. Take it."

"Captain, this isn't worth it!"

A new voice cut across the tavern. A tall man with long black hair and a scarf had stood up, his hands clenched.

"Captain, she ditched you at Impel Down!" he said, pointing a finger at Alvida, rigidly. "She made us do it! She's not loyal to you - she's only here for herself! If they're willing to let us go - then leave her! She left you !"

The shot made Koby jump, as the man dropped, clutching his stomach.

"CABAJI!" screamed Buggy.

Alvida had drawn a pistol so fast Koby hadn't even known she was in possession of one. She took another drink of wine, her hand clenched against the neck of the bottle. Koby felt pure, intense rage from her, nauseating. Again, the small cabin boy inside of him trembled against a feeling that was all too familiar.

"Captain, please..." the man gasped. A second bullet sent him back to the floor.

"I will not abide mutiny, Buggy," Alvida said, coolly over her smoking pistol. But Buggy was looking at her with a very different expression now.

"Alvida, is this true?"

"Shut up, Buggy."

"Alvida, drop the gun," said Koby, in a desperate attempt to regain control of the situation. His Observation was swimming madly between the rapidly escalating emotions in the room.

"Captain, I know that boy too!" said Cabaji, weakly from the floor. " We saw him too, Captain...when we were all watching you…watching you fight at Marineford. That's Marine Captain Koby…"

Alvida dropped the wine bottle. It shattered on the floor, wine splashing just short of Koby's feet. Her composed, disdainful expression suddenly stark white as she stared at him.

"Who are you?" she said, very slowly.

She was staring at Koby now, her face awash incredulity.

And Koby felt it.

She knew .

She reached a hand slowly behind the bar.

"Freeze!" shouted Koby.

Alvida did not freeze. She lifted, single-handedly, the iron mace from behind the bar, her eyes locked with his.

"My god," whispered Helmeppo.

She knew now.

There was no going back.


Oops I forgot i'm supposed to be fully cross-posting the fic again...