This is the 40th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
Rainbase, the City of Dreams!
In three years, not a drop of rain has fallen in the desert kingdom of Alabasta, the Land of Oasis. Desperate for rain and prodded by outside forces, the kingdoms people have taken up weapons. The land is at the brink of war. With nowhere else to turn, the people are turning on each other instead. Anxious to prevent the coming battle between the rebel and royal armies, Princess Vivi rushes through the desert in search of the rebels. However...
'Right now, all I want to do is kick Crocodile's ass, you understand?! Maybe we can keep the people from starting rebellion, but that won't stop Crocodile.'
'Well, you can at least try putting all of our lives on the line together! Aren't we friends, huh?!'
'Now tell me, where can I find Crocodile?'
...And it was at this moment that Vivi made up her mind.
Somewhere in Alabasta
After Luffy convinced Vivi and given her a hard discussion about Crocodile and the rebellion, she's now in a very serious situation. Now, Vivi is thinking long and hard of what Luffy have told her when the Straw Hat pirates gathered around her, waiting for her to make a decision. Vivi turned to them and spoke.
"You all..." Vivi muttered when the Straw Hat pirates give her a serious look. "Luffy...Luffy was right, I've made up my mind now. Change of plans, we're going to find Crocodile."
"Yeah." Luffy agrees with a nod.
"That does seem like the quickest way of stopping the fighting from happening." Nami states as Luffy approaches his crew.
"And we can quit wandering around in the desert, too." Zoro adds, crossed his arms. "It was beginning to get old."
"So, where is he anyway? This damn Crocodile guy." Sanji questions as Vivi took out the map.
"Let's see." Vivi said, opens the map as they look through it. "This is the capital city, Alubarna, where my father rules. And the rebel army has camped here, getting ready to invade Alubarna."
"So, we just need to get to Crocodile before the rebels can get to Alubarna?" Anna inquires.
"This is where Crocodile lives." Vivi explains, points Rainbase. "Over here, Rainbase."
"Rainbase?" Usopp repeats.
"It's a city a bit to the north of us, about a days journey from here." Vivi explains.
After few minutes discussion of Crocodiles location, they journey through the desert to get to Rainbase. Chopper is now walking with the others while trying not to pass out, but Luffy and Usopp are still holding their sticks to hold the balance while sticking their tongues out, begging for either water or a ride on a camel. Nami then turn her head to the two as she spoke.
"Okay, did I or did I not tell the two you to quit with that pathetic moaning all the time?" Nami asks with annoyance.
Unfortunately, neither Luffy nor Usopp are listening to what Nami was asking, still whining about riding the camel and water. It causes both Anna and Ventus to bonk their heads with annoyance.
"Hey Chopper, you manage to make it all day without collapsing." Zoro states with an impressed smirk.
"Yeah, I'm trying hard not to." Chopper confirms, leaving Sanji and Ventus smirked. "Vivi, does this Rainbase city have a water supply?"
"Oh yeah, no shortage there." Vivi confirms, turns to the crew. "It's a gambling town, almost completely isolated from all the fighting."
"Ah! Gambling!" Nami said excitedly, rubbing her hands.
"No way, Nami! We're not going there to gamble!" Zoro told her with annoyance.
"I guess people need some places to relax, even here in Alabasta." Sanji states.
"Yeah, but Nami mostly wanted to go there, betting on money and use the 'get rich quick' scheme." Ventus said, causing Ace, Anna, Ivan, and Shanise to snicker and earned a glare from Nami.
"At least Zoro won't have to worry about her and her money grubbing methods on him." Anna adds, causing Zoro to snicker a bit.
"HEY! I'M NOT THAT GREEDY!?" Nami yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"Gum-Gum: No Way" Luffy stretches his arms to stop Usopp from stealing the small keg of water which it got their attention. Usopp keeps begging him while tried to get the water, but Luffy just won't let him. "Gum-Gum: Leave me alone!"
"Come on, Luffy! Just give me one sip of it! Please!" Usopp whines in teary eyes. "Isn't that why he gave it to us?"
"The old guy from the sandstorm place gave it to me." Luffy corrects him. "He had to dig all night, just to get this much of it. We can't just go drinking it like it was regular water or something. So, no way!"
"Wow, you can restrain yourself sometimes." Nami said surprisingly.
"But not very often sine he kept begging water from Ven." Ace states.
"Hey, that was a rude thing to say!" Luffy retorts.
"Well, it's true." Ventus told him, agreeing to Ace. "You kept begging me for water when we're in the desert and I kept telling you to drink a small sip, not a whole barrel. Also, we're dangerously low on supplies of food. And I wonder who's fault that is?"
That got Luffy speechless which both Ventus and Ace were making some valid points, not going to say anything.
"Uh-huh, if there's anyone to blame, it's only yourself." Ventus told him.
"He's right, because of your ravenous appetite, you gotta start restraining yourself for begging." Shanise adds.
Usopp then collapse down to his knees, panting heavily with exhaustion.
"Anyway, how long until we get to Rainbase?" Shanise questions, changing the subject.
"Not too long, we should be there in a few hours." Vivi answered, got off the camel and turns to Luffy. "Hey Luffy, thanks a lot, I never would've been able to make this decision on my own."
"Okay, then give me food." Luffy suggests with his tongue sticking out, leaving Vivi confused. "After I beat up Crocodile, give me food. I'll eat until I explode."
"I promise, I will." Vivi replied with a chuckle.
Alabasta, Katorea
At Katorea, the rebels are gathering weapons and supplies for the upcoming fight against the royal army in Alubarna. Though, they didn't have many weapons and they have more rebels, but they're still determine to fight. But there is a boy who wanted to join the rebels to fight against the royal army.
"Please, Koza! Just let me join you in the rebels!"
"I will now." Koza refused.
"And why not? Don't have I every right to be a part of the rebel army too?! I hate the King and the Royal Army, just let me fight with you so I prove it!"
"Faracie, shot the kid." Koza ordered.
A man named Faracie walk towards the kid, pulling the cloak and showing him that he not only lost his hand, also lost his right shoulder during the fight which it got the kid scared.
"He got that wound, tried to protect me in the middle of the battle." Koza told him. "Would you like to see the medical tends and the gravesites too? It isn't pretty."
Though, the rebels didn't want the boy joining them because many of the rebels died in the middle of the fight and many were wounded. The boy is scared of what he has saw and what Koza have told him, but he won't give in.
"I'm not scared! You can't scare me! This city is dried up and a lot of people have died because the King stole all the rain from everyone! My friends got sick because there wasn't enough water! It's all the Kings fault!? I only want the chance! Just let me fight! I'm not scared! Or getting injured! Or even dying!"
"That's where your difference from us and why I can't let you join our ranks. We're all afraid, and none of us want to fight." Koza told him.
"Well, why do you fight then, Koza?!"
"We don't do it because we want to, we do it because we have to. Because that's what our country needs us to do." Koza explains. "Whether you understand that or not makes a little difference. So, just leave!"
Even though, Koza does make a harsh but valid point, but the boy just won't which it got the rebel leader even furious.
"Dammit! I told you leave now!" Koza growled, stood up. "Battle is no place for a child, you do hear me?!"
The boy is now even more frightened of Koza, getting the message loud and clear as he ran out of camp. Koza then went inside of the tent when one of the rebels spoke.
"What's wrong? Huh? It's not like you to rant and rave like that, especially at a kid."
"It was like looking at myself when I was his age, it made me angry." Koza told him with a sigh, leans against the table and remembered of his childhood days. "And the worse part is I haven't changed a bit since then. Have we gathered all the weapons we've required?"
"No, it's proven quite difficult."
"We to begin contacting all the other towns." Koza suggests. "As soon as we have all the weapons, we will begin our final all-out attack on Alubarna."
Alabasta, Alubarna
At the palace of Alubarna, Chaka and Pell were in the throne room, informing King Cobra about the rebel army planning for the final attack. They barely holding against the rebels ever since the Dance Powder incident because of Crocodile and the Baroque Works agents. And the people of Alabasta are dying because the water is all dried up and they're getting angry.
"Sire, it's only a matter of time now before the rebel army attacks Alubarna." Chaka told the King. "We must take action against the rebels quickly before it's too late."
"I said no! We'll not attack them!" Cobra shouts, refuse to strike against the rebel army. "This is not some little quarrel, we strike first then we'll strike back."
"Sire, we are barely clinging to power right now as it is." Chaka told him.
"That does not matter, I don't care about my ruling at the moment. Ever since the Dance Powder incident, it's been clear that someone is trying to tear up at our country." Cobra states, causing Chaka and Pell to glare. "Are you suggesting that we attack out citizens before we determined who's behind all this? Because that would be the true destruction of our kingdom! Don't you know, our country is its people!"
"But sir, whoever is behind this hasn't shown himself so far." Chaka told him. "We can't sit back and wait for this unknown force to divide us! We must act! Can't you see?!"
"Please understand, I can't." Cobra refuses.
And then, Chaka and Pell left the throne room and walk at the hallway with frustration. With King Cobra not wanted to fight against the rebels without knowing who's responsible for the Dance Powder incident, the royal army and the people of Alabasta were on edge since years of drought, causing them to turn on each other and the land is at the brink of war.
"The King will not allow us to take the offensive now." Pell points out. "We can barely even keep our own soldiers happy at this point. I would feel much better if we had Igaram with us at a time like this."
The two even remembered Igaram have left them a note, telling them that he and Vivi are heading toward the next island for a while, but not knowing the reason why they left Alabasta.
"Even as we speak, he and Princess Vivi are still out there somewhere, trying hard to figure out who's behind this." Pell continues. "I hope they can."
Until, one of the royal guards' rushes towards the two at the hallway and in a hurry.
"Chaka! Pell! Come quickly!"
"What is it?" Chaka inquires, not in the mood for the news.
"It's Carue! He's returned to the palace!"
"Carue's back?" Chaka and Pell said surprisingly.
And the royal guard is right, Carue is inside of King Cobra's room, drinking the big barrels of water after a long journey to Alubarna to deliver a message to the King. King Cobra read the message and it got him completely stunned of what has transpired of his daughter. Both Chaka and Pell rushed inside of the room.
"We heard, your majesty." Chaka said. "Who sent that letter?"
With no respond, King Cobra extends the letter to them as Pell grabs it and he and Chaka reads the message. King Cobra then spoke while his body trembled.
"There's no mistaking it, it's my Vivi's handwriting." Cobra told them.
"So, your majesty, it means..."
"Carue brought news from Vivi." Pell finished his sentence, stood up. "What does it say?"
Again no respond, Cobra continues to read the message as it recites.
Father,
Everything I've written here is true beyond a doubt, please read this letter carefully. I've discovered the identity of the person who's trying to destroy Alabasta Kingdom, it is the Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile. Because of Crocodile, Igaram is dead. He died as he lived, a hero to this country.
"It's Crocodile...I stupidly thought he was loyal to the World Government." Cobra growled. "I never even wonder if he was the one behind all of this!?"
"How could he be dead?" Pell questions sadly, trembled down to his knees.
"He died as he would've wanted, protecting Princess Vivi and Alabasta." Chaka told him.
King Cobra then continued to read the message.
But now father, I have joined forces with an amazing group of people. They have given me great confidence and power. If I continue to work beside them, I believe we will be able to make a difference in this country. We have reason to hope now. Alabasta can and will be saved. Please have faith, father, we can do this.
Vivi
Soon as he finished reading the message, King Cobra sighed with relief that his daughter is safe and working besides the Straw Hat pirates. Chaka turns to Carue as he spoke, which the duck drank too much water.
"Vivi's letter mentions that you fought very valiantly as well, Carue. You served her well." Chaka praises the duck, causing it to quack when he noticed the bandage on its wing. "Oh, it looks like you've been hurt. Let me see."
Just as Chaka was about to look at the bandage, Carue just smacked his hand with a quack. Carue even remembered Luffy told him and the rest of his crew, motions his wings to not touch it.
"Chaka!" Cobra called him, earned his attention when he look towards the window. "We know the enemies identity, prepare the soldiers to moveout! Vivi's courage and Igaram's death won't be in vain! We're going to take action now and head for Rainbase! And Crocodile!"
"Please, do not be so hasty, your majesty. Rainbase is far away and there are many preparations to be made." Pell points out.
"What's more, Crocodile has many of the citizens firmly on his side, even more of them than you do, sire." Chaka adds. "With all due respect."
"If we send forces to Rainbase now, your majesty, the rebels will use out absence to attack and they will take the palace easily." Pell warns the King. "In which case-"
"It doesn't matter if the rebel army does destroy this palace completely, it is only a building." Cobra interrupts with a serious scowl, turns to the two. "I've told you before, a country is its people. Even if our royal army does fall in the end, if we can just defeat Crocodile, this country can still be reborn as long as its people are safe and whole! If we battle the rebel army instead, then that will change! In that situation, Crocodile is the victor! Understand?!"
It got both Chaka and Pull stunned, looking at King Cobra, who's determined to defeat Crocodile after what Vivi have told him in the message.
"Majesty..." Pell muttered.
"Yes, I see." Chaka replied.
"For right now, we do not need to be focusing the rebel army, we just need to take out Crocodile." Cobra suggests, turned to the window. "This is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea that we're fighting. He's strong and cunning, there will be many casualties, but we must accept that and battle onward. Chaka, we need to hold the war council, assemble the officers! Pell, scout ahead and conduct reconnaissance."
"Right." Pell complies.
'Forgive me for having to underestimated you, your majesty. You were a true man of your country.' Chaka mentally apologizes to the King.
"We head for battle tomorrow morning." Cobra suggests which Chaka and Pell accepts. "All soldiers are head to Rainbase!"
Alabasta, Rainbase
While outside of Rainbase, the Straw Hat pirates continued to journey through the desert which they're close to the city. Both Usopp and Luffy are still using their long sticks to keep their balance while whine, Chopper is getting to feel exhausted because of the desert heat which he's still not use to it, Ventus uses the Dragon Sight to look further when he notices Rainbase.
"There." Vivi muttered when the Straw Hat pirates were looking at Rainbase.
"So, is that the city?" Chopper asks hopefully.
"Without a doubt." Ventus answered. "We're close."
"That's it?" Nami muttered.
"Yes, the city where it's isolated and away from war in Alabasta." Anna confirms.
"Oh, are we here?" Luffy asks.
"Seems like it." Ace answered with a smirk.
'Crocodile!?' Vivi mentally growled, bit her lower lip.
"YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAH! TIME TO BEAT CROCODILE'S ASS!?" Luffy yelled excitedly, raise his fists in the air which it got Ventus and Shanise slams him down to the ground with annoyance.
Soon as Luffy got his head out of the ground, they continued to make their way to Rainbase.
"That's Rainbase, huh?" Luffy inquires.
"So, after all that's happen, are we operating of the assumption that Baroque Works knows that we're here on the island with them?" Zoro questions seriously.
"It seems likely." Nami answered. "We did run into Mr. 2. So, I think it safe to assume that they have at least some idea that we were heading to Alabasta."
"You forget, the Unluckies were able to find us back at Whiskey Peak." Ivan points out. "It's to assume the Baroque Works already knew what we're up to as well along with Mr. 2 and Mr. 3."
"Who cares about that." Luffy said without care.
"They know exactly what we look like, so we won't be able to do much of anything while we're at Rainbase. Just lay low." Usopp suggests.
"And why is that?" Luffy questions with annoyance.
"Because if we get spotted before we can find Crocodile, I'm sure he probably come up with all sorts of nasty ways of taking care of us." Usopp answered.
"Assassination is kind of their area of expertise." Zoro states.
"With all the people at Rainbase, it's best to assume they'll be on low profile and looking for us." Ventus adds.
"That does sound like the Baroque Works, find us first and kill us second." Ace agrees.
"But lucky for us, we have Ventus and Anna, they're able to track the Baroque Works without problems." Ivan states with a smirk.
"And there's no doubt the Baroque Works are waiting for us." Ventus said, sniffing the air. "With many people, we might be able to blend in."
"LAYING LOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! BUT WE'RE COMING FOR YOU, CROCODILE!" Luffy yelled.
"You weren't even listening, were you?" Usopp asks with annoyance, showing his white eyes and shark-like teeth, bonked his head.
"Well no matter what happens, I will take it upon myself to protect Nami, Vivi, and Anna from any harm." Sanji said with a smirk, thrust his thumb to himself. "I'm always happy to play Prince Charming, for a lady."
"Smooth one." Zoro said sarcastically.
"Smoother than you are, Zoro!" Sanji retorted with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
'Oh brother.' Ventus mentally thought with annoyance, rolled his eyes.
"I need...water." Usopp and Chopper groans.
"There is none, let it go!" Zoro shouts in annoyance, but Usopp kept whining.
"I'M GOIIIIIINNNNNG!" Luffy yelled, ran towards Rainbase.
"Wait for me, Luffy!" Usopp shouts, follows Luffy.
"Hey, you may want to take some money along!" Nami shouts with a suggestion, but Luffy and Usopp just kept running.
Ventus then noticed something is wrong as he uses his nose to sniff the air, leaving the Straw Hat pirates turn to the young Dragoon.
"Ven, something wrong?" Ace questions with his raised eyebrow. "Do you smell something?"
"Marines." Ventus answered, get a familiar scent. "And something tells me Smoker and Tashigi are here."
That got the Straw Hat pirates shocked, didn't realize that the Marines manage to be here in Rainbase. Though, Ventus, Anna, Shanise, Ivan, Zoro, and Ace have a pretty good idea of why they're here and knew that Smoker was able to figure it out of why the Straw Hat pirates are after Crocodile and why Vivi is with them.
Inside of the Sand Cafe, both Smoker and Tashigi were having a discussion while waiting for the Straw Hat pirates.
"Captain Smoker, why do you think that they'll be here?" Tashigi questions, turns to him. "What reason will the Straw Hats have for coming to Rainbase?"
"Let's just call it a hunch." Smoker answered simply.
Until, Luffy and Usopp went inside while heading to the table to get some water.
"I can't put my finger on it, but something stinks." Smoker states when Luffy and Usopp sat next them without knowing. "I'd just feel like there's something big lurking in the shadows."
Luffy and Usopp then repeatedly beating the table while asking a manager for five barrels of water with their big grin on their faces.
"So then, you really do believe what there's sort of a connection between the Baroque Works crime organization and the Straw Hats crew?" Tashigi inquires.
It really annoys the manager when she placed two big barrels of water to them, causing Luffy and Usopp to drink big gulps of water.
"The only thing I know for sure is that Straw Hat is out to get Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea." Smoker states, but turns slightly when he noticed Usopp and Luffy.
Then, Luffy and Usopp turned their heads, noticed Smoker and Tashigi are next to them. It got their eyes budged and spits water at them.
Meanwhile outside of the cafe, the rest of the crew were waiting for Luffy and Usopp to get back with water. Zoro keeps poking at the camel with the tree branch which it annoys the camel. Ventus, Ace, Shanise, and Anna were keeping an eye on the area in case if either the Baroque Works or the Marines are coming.
"I'm gonna go use the little boys room." Chopper told them, heading towards the bathroom.
"Do you really think we can count on them for staying out of trouble?" Sanji questions.
"I think you're asking the wrong question." Shanise points out. "I mean, this is Luffy and Usopp."
"She's right about that, they do manage to screw something up many times when they're with us." Anna adds. "Even I have to help Ventus keep Luffy in line."
"But still, they can handle a little errands okay." Nami protests.
"I don't know, but I have to agree with them. And I bet they'll manage to screw something up, it is Usopp and Luffy." Zoro told her, poking the camel with the tree branch. "I'd start getting ready to run if I were you."
While inside of the Sand Cafe...
"RUN AWAY!" Luffy yelled.
"Yeah!" Usopp agrees as he and Luffy ran out of the Sand Cafe while carrying the water barrels.
"Protect the water!" Luffy ordered.
"Right." Usopp agrees.
"Dammit! We're going after them." Smoker growled, wiping the water out of his face with a scowl. "Get the Marines, Tashigi!"
"Sir!" Tashigi complies, but turns to the manager. "Alright, how much do I owe you?"
"If you know those brats, you better have all the water they took to your tab."
"Of course, I'm so sorry." Tashigi apologizes, pays the money to the manager.
"What are those damn Marines doing here?!" Luffy shouts when he and Usopp ran while the Marines pursues after them.
"How should I know that?! Let's just keep running for now!" Usopp shouts in teary eyes.
Soon as Sanji turned his head towards them, he, Ventus, Shanise, Anna, and Ace noticed both Luffy and Usopp were being chased by the Mairnes.
"You win, looks like the Marines are chasing them." Sanji said with a groan and a sweat drop.
"No way!" Nami exclaims in disbelief. "So why are those idiots running this way?!"
"I'll admit, Luffy and Usopp does have talent for running into trouble." Ace states with a smirk.
"Yeah, and we still got scars to prove it." Ventus retorted with annoyance. "We better move."
"Hey, Tony hasn't made his way back here yet!" Vivi protests.
"He'll be fine, Chopper can manage on his own." Zoro states.
"And he can track us down by following our scent." Anna adds.
"HEY YOU GUYS! I THINK THE MARINES ARE HERE!" Luffy yelled.
"Yeah, thank you, we hadn't noticed that, Luffy!" Ventus and Zoro yelled in annoyance with white eyes.
"Hurry it up! We can't lose them this time, men!"
Usopp then screams for his life while he and the rest of the Straw Hat pirates kept running. Smoker is catching up with his men while chasing after the Straw Hat pirates.
'Those idiots sure can run, I'll give them that anyway.' Smoker mentally thought.
"This is bad!" Usopp exclaims. "The Baroque Works will see us! If we run through this city!"
Then, Zoro, Ventus, Ace, Anna, Shanise, and Ivan noticed the Baroque Works agents were hiding from between the alley, inside of the buildings, and the stairs, and kept on low profile while gathered the information which they know where they are.
"I think it's a little too late, Usopp." Zoro told him.
"The Baroque Works knows since we've made a huge racket here." Ventus adds.
"Well, this is getting interesting." Ace states with a smirk.
"Then it's decided! Let's go!" Luffy suggests, earned Vivi's attention. "To wherever Crocodile is! How about it?! Ready?"
Vivi then turns her head to the building called Rain Dinners as she points her finger at the huge building that has the golden crocodile figurehead on top and structure that shaped as a pyramid.
"Do you see that building up ahead with that alligator on its roof?" Vivi inquires. "That's the Casino that Crocodile runs, it's called Rain Dinners!"
"I see it! So that's where Crocodile is." Luffy said.
"It'll be better if we split up now." Sanji suggests, after looking at the Marines.
"Yeah, it's looking that way." Zoro agrees.
"Right! See you later!" Luffy shouts with a smirk.
And with that, the Straw Hat pirates splits up while Luffy leaps up at the top of the building.
"Don't die!" Luffy shouts, bounces up higher when the Marines noticed the pirates have splitting up.
"They split up!"
"Don't lose them!"
"Hey, Smokey!" Luffy taunts, sticking his tongue out.
"You've got some real nerve there, Straw Hat!" Smoker shouts as the Marines splits up, going after the Straw Hat pirates while he goes after Luffy. "But don't think you can run forever!"
"White Vine" Smoker then turns himself into a spiraling column on smoke and goes after Luffy, traps him.
"Gum-Gum: Balloon" Luffy manage to come up with the situation by inflating himself into a balloon, causing Smoker to let go of him and fell off at the stables which it got the horses spooked. Luffy floats down to the ground and deflates into his normal form. "Too close!"
Luffy then flees while Smoker turns himself back into a human form.
"Damn!" Smoker curses.
Meanwhile, Chopper felt relieved while heading back with the others which he didn't know that the Straw Hat pirates left without him because a certain two idiots causes a racket after screwed up a small errand.
"Ah, I really do feel a lot better now." Chopper said with a sigh when he stops, noticed they're not here. "Where are they?"
Chopper then sniffs the air, caught the scent.
"Luffy smells that way." Chopper states, follow the scent which it was mixed. "And that's Zoro's smell! Sanji goes this way!"
Chopper then stops at the intersection, looks around to find them, but didn't find them.
"What's going on?" Chopper questions.
Until, the Marines ran over him while chasing after the Straw Hat pirates, sent him flying and crashed against the ground in a daze.
Zoro, Vivi, and Ivan kept running, but stopped when they noticed the Baroque Works in front of them.
"Dammit!" Zoro cursed.
"Oh no! Look! Over there!" Vivi warned them, causing Zoro and Ivan to look at the Baroque Works agents.
"It's them alright!"
"No doubt! Kill 'em!"
"It would appear the Baroque Works 'Millions' manage to find us." Ivan states, readied his baseball bats. "This'll be fun."
"Well, then I guess we're stuck. Which mean a rock at a hard place, huh?" Zoro said with a smirk, pushes Vivi on the right. "Go on without me. Hurry!"
"Okay." Vivi replied, running while Zoro and Ivan fight against the Baroque Works agents.
Meanwhile, Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and Shanise were running from the Marine which the two stops.
"Hey, Usopp!" Sanji called him, earned his attention. "You look after Nami!"
"Why?" Usopp inquires, confused.
"Just do it, Shanise and I will take care of the Marines." Sanji suggests when the Marines are coming.
"Okay, I'm on it." Usopp replied.
"But, Sanji-"
"Just go!" Sanji shouts as Nami and Usopp ran, leaving him and Shanise alone. "Without that smoke freak around, they should be easy to handle."
"That's fine. Because I'm itching for a fight anyway." Shanise said with a smirk, readied her axe. "And I'm getting tired of running."
Sanji and Shanise then make a quick work out of those Marines by knocking them out.
Vivi kept running, turned her head and feel worried for Zoro and Ivan, hoping they're alright.
However, both Zoro and Ivan were able to fight against the Baroque Works agents and knocking them out. The Baroque Works agents were now scared of the two when they failed to realize how strong they are.
"Is that all, really?" Zoro questions with disappointed tone. "Pathetic."
"You 'Millions' are not even worth a kill." Ivan adds. "Neither of you agents were eligible to beat me."
The Baroque Works agents flinched and backed away with fright. Until, Tashigi and the Marines manage to find Zoro and Ivan.
"Roronoa Zoro, I knew we meet again." Tashigi shouts, causing Zoro to flinch.
"That voice." Zoro groans, turned his head to her and flinched.
"Do you know her?" Ivan asks curiously.
"I've been looking for you. What do you think you're doing carelessly cutting down civilians like that?" Tashigi questions with a scowl. "That's low even for you!"
'That Marine isn't very bright at all.' Ivan thought with a sweat drop.
"Look, I have my own reasons for doing it, alright?!" Zoro retorted, placed his swords back on the scabbards. "Besides, I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to fight you again. We settled our dispute fine in Loguetown!"
"We did not!" Tashigi remarked, readied her sword. "I'm not through, I haven't even dealt you a single blow."
'Ugh, she looked way too much like her!' Zoro mentally groaned. "And put that damn face of yours away, will you?!"
"What did you say? You're insulting me?!" Tashigi snarled in anger, feeling insulted. "That's a really pathetic tactic! I'll make you pay!"
"Uh-uh! She's the one person I can't handle." Zoro groans as he and Ivan flees.
"Hold it!" Tashigi shouts, chasing after them.
Meanwhile, the Baroque Works agents were chasing after Nami and Usopp in the alley. Anna then readied her arrow, aiming a little high.
"Incendiary Trap Arrow" Anna then fires the arrow as it descends down to the Baroque Works agents, burning them and causing them to scream in pain.
"T-Thanks Anna." Usopp thanked her.
"Don't thank me yet, we have to meet up with the others at Rain Dinners." Anna suggests as she, Usopp, and Nami made their way to Rain Dinners.
"Look, up ahead, it's the entrance to Rain Dinners and it looks like it's in the middle of the lake." Nami states.
Just as they made it at the entrance of Rain Dinners, Anna readied her twin swords when the Baroque Works were about to fire at them.
"Vortex Slash" Anna then swings her swords in wide arc, cutting the rifles and the Baroque Works agents.
"Gotta admit, I'm impressed." Zoro said with a smirk, earned their attention.
"Wait, hold on! I thought Vivi was supposed to be with you and Ivan." Nami told him.
"She was, but we've gotten separated while we were fighting against the Baroque Works and running from the Marines." Ivan told her.
"Are you saying she's not here?" Zoro questions.
"Not yet, but maybe she just went inside already." Usopp states.
"Yeah, let's go in too." Nami suggests when they heard Luffy screaming as she, Anna, and Usopp turned their heads to them.
"Get back here!" Smoker yelled, causing Usopp, Anna, and Nami to sweat drop.
"It's that Smoker guy." Zoro said.
"HEY YOU GUYS, LET'S GO! WE HAVE TO RUN INSIDE NOW!" Luffy yelled with an order.
Though, they would rather have Luffy ran the other way, but they have no other choice, running towards Rain Dinners. Anna has other plans as she turns the other direction to find Vivi, Shanise, Sanji, Ventus, and Ace while fight against the Baroque Works agents.
"So, he's in there!? Then I guess that's where I'm going!?" Luffy shouts with determination.
While in the underwater base, Ms. All-Sunday spoke to Crocodile since the Baroque Works agents have informed her.
"Oh, Vivi and the pirates are in town paying us a visit?" Crocodile questions with a smirk.
"Yes, we just receive word from the 'Millions' that they've arrived." Ms. All-Sunday informed him.
Crocodile then looked at the photos of the Straw Hat pirates, mostly Luffy with a chuckle.
"Let's be sure to welcome them, very warmly." Crocodile suggests.
"Yes." Ms. All-Sunday complied.
While at the entrance of Rain Dinners, Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Zoro were running from Smoker while try to make their way inside.
"LISTEN UP, CROCODILE, I'M COMING FOR YOU! AND I'M ABOUT TO KICK YOUR SANDY ASS! GET READY!?"
That's it for the 40th chapter.