Chapter 6: Arriving in Alabasta

April 30, 801 WG

Luffy turned to face the huge whale after the ships were clear of the side entrance. It was still amazing that they could sail out of the whale without going back up its throat. Law and his crew were looking over the Polar Tang as they tried to determine how much damage the stomach acid had done to its more delicate parts. They were still a ways off the coast of Alabasta still. It didn't seem wise to have Laboon swim all the way up to the island. At some point it was going to be too shallow for him and the waves he kicked up might scare the locals.

"Laboon," Luffy called. The island whale gave the small captain his full attention. "Stay out here and keep watch for that ship. We're counting on you to let us know when it gets close and to help keep it out of range of Alabasta."

Laboon practically beamed with pride at being given such an important task. He nodded his great head then submerged causing their ships to sway violently as the ocean first pushed away then rushed to fill in the space where the whale had been.

"So now what?" asked Lance. "We need to warn this princess of yours, but I can't imagine it's going to be easy to reach her."

"It may be easier than you think," said Nami with a grin. "We can sail up the main river in Alabasta, so our ships won't be visible to anyone monitoring the coast. This will also put us closer to the capital and we can walk the rest of the way."

"Why didn't we do that the first time again?" asked Usopp.

"Because we were trying to head off the rebel army that we thought were in Yuba then changed our goal when we realized we were wrong and went straight for Crocodile. We had to cross the river to reach the capital from Yuba," answered Nami.

"At least we aren't having to cross the full desert like before," said Sanji.

Law hopped onto Thousand Sunny with a grumpy look on his face. "The propellers are shot. The acid caused the metal to fuse. They need to be replaced and we can't do that at sea."

"Then we better tie a line to your ship so we can tow you to Alabasta. I'm sure they have a dry dock we can work with," said Luffy.

"If they are willing to let us use it," grumped Law.

"Don't worry! We'll have it all repaired by the time Pluton arrives," said Luffy as he patted the other man on the back in his familiar cavalier manner.

Law sighed then turned to Lance. "Any word from Dragon about the ship's position?" Luffy stiffened. It was more in Law nature to stay attuned to the more serious details of a situation. That didn't stop Luffy from feeling he should have been more on top of that. Pluton was not something he should be shrugging his way through.

"Not a word," replied Lance as he held up his Den Den Mushi. "I'm worried things might have gone badly for him after he lost the ship. The Marines probably went on the attack once Pluton was safely away."

Everyone was silent as they contemplated what that meant. The Revolutionary Army may have committed a large number of their forces to trying to stop Pluton which meant the Marines could have taken advantage of that to try to wipe them out once Pluton's safety was no longer concerned. It probably meant they were on their own and having Laboon scouting for the ship was the best chance they had of spotting it before it could harm the kingdom.

"Let's get to shore and find Vivi," said Luffy in a tone none had ever heard him use before.

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When the princess of Alabasta got wind that the Straw Hats had been spotted entering the river, she was ecstatic. She immediately grabbed her friend, Karoo, the super spot-billed duck, and raced out to meet Luffy and the others. It had been so long since they had been together. Newspaper articles were just not the same.

Her falcon guardian, Pell, flew above as she rode toward the river, to make sure no one accosted her while she rushed to meet her friends. Also, he wanted to see them too. He had never gotten a chance to thank them for helping Vivi back then.

She knew they had gotten a new ship, pictures and the newspaper had reported the larger and more capable craft, but none had reported what had become of the Going Merry. So she didn't flinch at the sight of larger craft with the head of a smiling lion on its bow that now carried the Straw Hat mark on its sail. She would have to ask about the Going Merry. She knew the ship had meant a lot to them, particularly Usopp, and she couldn't see them trading her in just to get a bigger ship.

She also had to ask about everything they had been doing, and if they were here now, did that mean Luffy had succeeded in his quest? Had they traveled the entire Grandline?

She hesitated a moment, though, when saw it wasn't the only ship pulling up to shore. She didn't recognize the other ship the Straw Hats were towing, a large metal submarine that held a six spoked smiley face instead of the skull and crossbones of other pirates. Then the crews started coming ashore from both ships and she spied a man she recognized from the newspaper.

Trafalgar Law, the captain of the Hearts Pirates and one-time ally of the Straw Hats when they were in New World. Why was he here? She thought they had ended that alliance. Isn't that what the papers had said? More questions to pepper them with once everyone was relaxing back in the palace. She trusted Luffy not to bring her someone dangerous. At least to her and her people.

Then she spied the small, spindly young man in the straw hat. His crew had grown as reported but the main gang from her time aboard the Merry was still there. Including Miss All Sundays, the woman that had been Crocodile's partner in Baroque Works. She trusted Luffy but she did want to know how Miss All Sundays had ended up on his crew. Not as a critique but out of simple curiosity. She wanted to know how all the new members had joined, too.

Luffy turned and smiled at her, raising a hand to wave, and she forgot all her questions and just threw herself at him.

"I've missed you guys so much!" she squealed as she crushed him. Luffy patted her on the back gently at first but then it took on an air of urgency as he tapped her shoulders again with a little more force. Vivi sat back and Luffy gasped his blue face recovering its natural beige and pink hue. Had she actually managed to almost suffocate him? How? He was rubber, he was immune to crushing.

"I'm glad to see you, too," he coughed, giving her another smile despite the heaving of his lungs. His hat had been knocked back and was now hanging off his neck by its string. She blinked. A single white lock of hair flopped on his forehead.

"How'd you get this, Luffy?" she asked while playfully flipping it.

Luffy looked up, a first confused before his eyes glared at the lock in annoyance. Everyone else grew silent and fidgeted. Vivi wondered if she just asked a sensitive question. Nami stepped forward and scowled at the hair while placing a hand on Luffy's head.

"Oh man, that dye doesn't work for beans. How could it have washed out already?" the Straw Hat navigator groaned.

"It doesn't seem to be noticeable when he's wearing his hat, but the dye burnt off when he got upset earlier. It probably would be best to accept this is going to be a daily ritual if you want to keep it hidden," said a man that Vivi had never seen before. He looked like a warrior out of a fantasy book with armor, cloak and the large weapon on his back.

"Why didn't you say something sooner?" snapped Nami. Vivi was a tad stunned by the protective stance her friend was taking in regard to her captain. Nami had always been annoyed with Luffy before, now she hovered over him like a fussy mother… or a wife. Hmmm…

Luffy picked himself off the ground where Vivi's enthusiastic hug had knocked him. He didn't spring up, instead, rising like several things hurt. Luffy wasn't even twenty yet so why was he moving like an old man.

"I thought that whole thing was being done for the bluff and you were no longer concerned about it," replied the man. Luffy pulled at the snow-white lock again and Vivi noticed Law shifting and looking uncomfortable, maybe even guilty.

Vivi realized her friends had even more to tell than the newspapers had let on and that they may be in the middle of something right now. Everyone was tense and the princess grew concerned. This wasn't a social call.

"What's going on?" asked Vivi. Pell landed, having allowed the princess her private reunion, and changed back to his human form. Karoo emphasized her question with a few angry quacks.

Luffy opened his mouth to answer when the man put his hand out and said instead, "The matter concerns Alabasta's safety and I think a more formal venue is in order to share what is going to be very disturbing news. I hadn't anticipated your speedy appearance."

"Why are we waiting?" said Luffy glaring at the man.

"Because we'll need more than just the princess here to know and take action and I don't want us to have to repeat this information more than necessary," said Law. "Especially since this is going to result in a lot of questions. Some of which you may not feel comfortable answering so best to do it just once."

Luffy sighed and agreed. The matter was serious, deadly serious if her friends' expressions were any judge. She trusted Luffy wasn't about to pull something on her and her kingdom. So the matter wasn't something that could be laughed off.

"Then let's head back to Alubarna now," said Vivi. "I know a route that will prevent anyone from seeing you arrive. The ships should be safe here."

"My ship is in need of repairs that require a drydock," said the captain of the Hearts Pirates. "Do you have one that I could use that won't be a burden to you?"

Vivi looked to Luffy, still unsure of this former ally. Luffy smiled at her. "It would make me really happy if you helped Law, Vivi."

The princess smiled and nodded. "Okay, I trust you, Luffy. We do have a drydock that is nearby. The calm water of the river is more ideal for ship repairs after all. But I will have to alert our people, so they don't panic when they see you. Alabasta hasn't been overly friendly toward pirates since Crocodile's plot was revealed."

"I appreciate it," said Law.

"I'll go ahead and alert your father to their arrival and that a serious matter is going to be raised," said Pell. Vivi nodded and Pell turned and took flight as a large falcon once more.

The captain of the Hearts Pirates turned and walked toward Luffy's ship. "Now that that settled… Lami! Come! We're going to be leaving the ships for a while."

To Vivi's surprise a small head topped with fawn hair peeked over the railing of the Straw Hats' ship. "Onii-chan? Where are we going?"

Onii-chan? If her big brother was the captain of the Hearts Pirates, what was she doing on Luffy's ship?

"We're going to the palace with the princess here," replied Law.

"She's a princess?" asked the little girl staring wide-eyed at Vivi in awe.

Vivi smiled back. "Yes, I am, and I am going to show you where I live. It'll be fun!"

Lami smiled back and started for the gangway. She paused at the top and looked back in confusion. "Come on, Ann, we're going to the princess's palace."

Ann?

Luffy frowned and walked over to the gangway. "What's wrong?"

Lami glanced at Luffy and said, "Ann is hiding behind the railing and doesn't want to move." Lami looked back as a door slammed then reported, "She just ran back to the girls' room."

"What the…! Why did she…!" Luffy ran his hands through his hair in apparent confusion and frustration. Vivi was confused as well. Was this Ann just that shy? And who was Ann anyway?

"We don't have time for this," muttered Zoro looking annoyed. "Luffy just go up there and drag her out."

"She's only three!" snapped Nami at the swordsman, slapping him.

"And she spent the first couple years of her life being hidden from the world," added Miss All Sundays. "We probably can't judge her ability to accept new places by how she behaved in Mendora."

"She wasn't like this at all in Mendora," muttered Luffy. Lami looked between the gathering and the door on the ship that Ann had disappeared through. Law motioned his sister to come to him and she finally ran down the gangway, hugging her brother's legs when she reached them. She was so young looking, were they really brother and sister?

"That's because she was with you, when she went ashore," said the armored man. "You're probably going to have to hold her hand if not flat out carry her until she is certain this place isn't a threat."

"Me?!" whined Luffy. "Why does it have to be me? Can't it me Nami or Robin?"

"Well, you are her uncle," the man replied. Then he grabbed Luffy and tossed him up onto the ship as if he weighed nothing. "So, go be a sanctuary of safety and strength to your darling little niece already."

Luffy's face reappeared over the railing a moment later, fury twisting it. "Damn it! Don't throw me, you know I don't bounce back from that anymore!"

The man grinned wolfishly at the young captain and said, "Your landings have improved. You didn't break your nose that time."

Before Luffy could fire back another retort. Sanji yelled up, "Stop wasting time and get Ann-chan. We need to go!"

Luffy huffed and puffed but vanished from sight as he moved toward the door where the child had disappeared. Vivi hadn't thought it possible, but somehow, she was now even more confused and looked over to Nami. The sun could have dropped from the sky to perform a tea ceremony and it would have made more sense that the little skit that had just played out now.

"Nami? What was that about?"