Hi readers. I tried to fix the confusion at the end, hope it is better now.
Enjoy.
Celebrations in Alabasta and Struggles in Mariejois
Vivi stood still as a tall man emerged from the submarine, he was very thin and had circles under his eyes. He set foot on a platform and looked around, he was being cautious, for years of experience as a pirate taught him to suspect everyone and never let his guard down. He descended the stairs and approached Vivi.
"You were supposed to be alone." He said noticing Igaram and King Cobra disguised as decorative plants.
"My father and guardian follow me everywhere, just pretend you don't see them or you will hurt their feelings." Vivi smiled a little embarrassed. "They want to help Luffy too, after all he saved our kingdom a while ago and we hold him in high regard." She said smiling even more.
"If that's the case…" Law raised his shoulders. "I'm Trafalgar Law, Captain and doctor of the Heart Pirates." He introduced himself.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Princess Nefertari Vivi, an ally of the Straw Hat Pirates" She said blushing. "I consider myself one of them."
"Yea, that's lovely." Law said with his usual stoic expression. "So, are we staying here?" He looked around once again. The place looked like a huge apartment, several doors arranged on a semi-circle led to individual dormitories and the living room was at the center of them, the aquarium decorated the dining room and the kitchen was next to it. The whole place was decorated as a palace, it demonstrated that Alabasta was doing great economically.
"Yes, it is a rushed work but I think it serves its purpose." Vivi explained. "Please stay as much as you want and if you need anything just let me know, this is my snail-phone number." She gave him a piece of paper.
"Thanks." Trafalgar said. "Guys, you can come out." He yelled to his crew, and soon several men with puffy jumpsuits and hats that obscured their faces came out. They all looked pretty much the same, the exceptions were a huge men with a blue shirt and a scary face, a guy with a penguin hat and a polar bear with an orange outfit. "They are my crew, and that one is Fire Fist Ace." He said pointing at the last guy who left the submarine.
"We've met before." Vivi said, remembering their journey in the desert and their small conversation at the bonfire.
"He may not remember." Law looked at Ace. "Something went wrong during his surgery so his memory fails from time to time, in other words he is really confused." The doctor's tone was too serious. "If he tells you something just follow the lie, if not you may cause a great shock on him and his nervous system will collapse." Law stopped talking before Ace arrived so he wouldn't hear him.
"Ace, it is so nice to see you again." Vivi greeted him and could not help to notice how attractive he was, after all she was a 16 year old girl. Ace was tall, really muscular, and very handsome, plus his cool attitude only increased his sex appeal. However, she spotted a huge scar on his abdomen and her attention focused on his health. "It seems painful." She thought and looked at him with sadness.
"It feels good to be home." He said with a smile. "I really missed the desert." He shocked Vivi by how confused he was. "But you are the person I missed the most, my dear." He leaned forward but the princess backed off with wide eyes. Suddenly Igaram and King Cobra yelled the pirate to stay away from the girl.
"It's ok dad and Igaram. I will handle this situation." The blue haired girl took a deep breath, she was not going to play along with that lie but she could not deny it and damage Ace's brain, since she promised her captain she would take care of his brother. "I know what to do, this is fool proof." She thought and pretended to faint.
"Vivi." Ace yelled and caught her. "Is she going to be ok? I didn't think she would take it that hard." He frowned really worried.
"It was your idea to prank the princess." Law raised his shoulders.
Vivi heard him and kicked Ace in his family jewels so he let her go. "It was not funny." She yelled. "Stop chuckling." She told Law.
"Sorry." both pirates said at unison.
"Apology accepted." Vivi smiled and started to walk towards the kitchen. "I forgot to tell you, the casino above the secret base is being rebuilt, and the party to celebrate your arrival starts once Pell and Chaka get here with the food and drinks." She winked and opened a door for two man carrying huge baskets. "That would be right now." She smiled as the pirates cheered.
"I must go back to Alubarna." King Cobra said and walk towards the door. "I want you at least one ocean away from my daughter." He glared at Ace as flames came out of his head, so the young pirate dropped a sweat.
The party went on for a while, the heart pirates were really enjoying themselves. They were celebrating their escaped from the three Admirals, that Luffy and Ace were alive and that they would enter the new world in a matter of time. Vivi saw how merry they were and she started to think of her days with the Straw Hats, the adventures they had, the places they visited, the huge banquet in the palace and their silent farewell. She wondered what happened at Marineford, she knew Luffy fought but the newspapers did not mention the rest of the crew, something horrible must have happened if they did not go to the battle with their captain. So many doubts invaded Vivi's head but her thoughts were interrupted by Luffy's older brother.
"Hey Princess, why aren't you in the party?" Ace smiled as he sat next to her.
"I was just thinking… Mr. Silvers did not mention them in his letter." She sighed, not paying much attention to him. "The Straw Hats would never let Luffy fight alone, so I wonder if they are…" She suppressed a sob and Ace lifted her chin with his fingers.
"I heard the crew was separated at Sabaody Archipelago, but they are ok. They will meet again in two years and head to the New World. They must get stronger or they won't make it." Ace explained trying to cheer Vivi up but the Princess felt that the pirate was getting closer, it could be her paranoia but she decided to follow her instincts.
"The other half of the Grand Line, huh?" She sighed and broke eye contact.
"Do you regret staying here?" Fire Fist asked staring at his glass of beer.
"I love my country and I will always look after it, but sometimes I wonder what kind of adventures I would have had with my friends, if I would have a bounty like everyone, if I would be strong enough to keep up with them." A tear escaped her. "But I don't regret my choice, Alabasta needed me and one day I will see my friends again." She said with resolve.
"They did some pretty crazy stuff." The Whitebeard Pirate smirked and told her every single story of the Straw Hats; Being the only pirates with a dream in Jaya, reaching Skypiea and overthrowing God Enel, losing and winning crew members in a Davy Back Fight, defeating the CP9, declaring war on the World Government and surviving the Buster Call, getting lost in the Florian Triangle and beating up Gekko Moriah, the tragic separation in Sabaody Archipelago, the adventure in Amazon Lily, Breaking in and out of Impel Down, the Pirates' version of the War of the Best, and everything that happened afterwards.
"They are truly amazing." Vivi was really excited, everything she read in the newspapers was a lie or the marines' attempt to cover up the events.
"Luffy told me everything back in Amazon Lily." Ace winked. "What time is it, by the way?" He scratched his head in confusion by the lack of noise.
"It's almost 3:00 am" Law said, he was listening to the whole story along with Chaka and Pell.
"I must go… I forgot to tell you that Pirates have been attacking the coast, so I have to meet the defense squadron and give a speech to encourage them and pray for their safety. Bye, I'll see you tonight. " The princess smiled and left the secret base with the Guardians of Alabasta.
"It would be a shame if we let the soldiers do all the work, don't you think?" Ace smirked at Law, who returned the gesture.
Meanwhile, Mariejois was a complete chaos and Commander-in-Chief Kong had to fix everything. Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the War Hero Garp resigned from the Marines; Luffy's grandfather developed a grudge against the agressor of Ace and Sengoku was disgusted with the new methods of the World Government. Admiral Akainu was willing to take the charge of Fleet Admiral, but Admiral Aokiji surprised everyone when he requested the title, so the only way to decide who would be Sengoku's successor was a battle. The warlords were an important issue too. Jimbei decided to support the enemy, Blackbeard made a fool of the World Government, and Gekko Moriah was simply useless. The others did not represent a problem, several marines saw Boa Hancock fulfill her role properly, Don Quixote Doflamingo killed pirates as he was requested, Bartholomew Kuma is under complete control of the Marines and Dracule Mihawk honored his agreement until the Emperor Shanks arrived. Kong needed to find three powerful pirates to maintain balance. Despite all that, the most prompting issue was the fall of Whitebeard and what would happen to his territories. The marines also needed to find and dispose of Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Fist Ace.
"This is not going anywhere." Kong yelled in frustration. All the paperwork invading his desk was endless. Suddenly his Snail-phone rang. "I want to hear good news Akainu." He yelled.
"We've capture Jewelry Boney." The admiral said.
"That's what I'm talking about, get that troublesome brat over here and make sure she can't escape again. One more thing, head to Punk Hazard immediately, I need a Fleet Admiral by the end of the month." Kong was a little relieved but he had more issues to worry. "Commander Smoker and sergeant Tashigi are to be transferred to the G-5." He signed the document to approve it. "What's next?" He scanned through the papers and saw a request of Akainu to put vigilance on every island related to the Straw Hats and spy on every person suspected of aiding them. "Sakazuki, letting yourself be guided by gossip. What a shame." He shook his head and denied the petition. "I must keep moving."
"Commander-In-Chief… Can I go now?" Kuzan yawned. He had been in the office the whole time and he wanted to start the duel as soon as possible. He was not going to let Akainu take control of the Marines.
"Fight like a men." Kong seemed troubled, he liked both Admirals but he understood that only one could survive and claim Sengoku's position.
"All right, I'm off." Kuzan said and left Kong's office.
"Admiral." Smoker was waiting for him. "Did you read my report on Boa Hancock?" The commander made a request to search for the Straw Hat Pirates in Amazon Lily, based on his fight with the Pirate Empress and her confession of loving Monkey D. Luffy.
"I froze it by accident." Kuzan yawned much to Smoker's dismay.
"You did the same to my report on Princess Nefertari Vivi." The commander sighed. "What is it now?" He asked knowing the Admiral had a perfect excuse, as always. The Alabasta file was destroyed to avoid compromising the Royal Family and because Luffy defeated Crocodile and Zoro saved Smoker from drowning.
"It's because the Snake Princess is beautiful." Aokiji said the first thing on his mind and kept walking. In reality he did not prepare an excuse for ignoring Smoker's report but he had a reason to keep Straw Hat off the hook.
"Don't give me that. What is your true motive?" Smoker was losing his patience. "I will fully support you but I need to know your reasons to protect Straw Hat. You read my report, so you know he is in Amazon Lily."
"Fine, I'll tell you… I'm protecting Luffy because he is my back up plan to kill Akainu. If I die in the duel at Punk Hazard that dammed Sakazuki will become Fleet Admiral, and he is a dangerous man. He will destroy islands and kill innocent people in order to arrest and dispose of pirates." Kuzan explained. "If that happens, Monkey D, Luffy will be the only pirate crazy enough to face him." Aokiji whispered and left Smoker in shock.
To be continued