Here I am again dear readers, reviewers, favourites and followers! Once again your patient waiting has FINALLY paid off at last! We're back to focusing on PEW who is a guest of Crocodile at his Rain Dinners Casino. 'What of the people he was talking to on his Den-Den last chapter?' I hear you ask! 'Who ARE they? Are they friends or enemies? What will happen when the Straw Hats arrive at Rain Dinners?' The answers to your questions will be revealed in this chapter! So read on and enjoy yourself! Cheers!
I'd also like to apologize in advance if anyone in this story is out of character…we ALL make mistakes as NOBODY is ever infallible…including me. Also, I'm going to try and be fair and use the Japanese/English names for things like Devil Fruits etc.
(By the way…all flames and flamers will be ignored thank-you. I'll make an exception for CONSTRUCTIVE reviews on what needs an adjustment or suggestions for other chapters/stories, for they are most welcome. Remember if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE is forcing you to! If you want a story you DO like, either write one yourself, or throw ideas and suggestions to writers who'd like to hear some ideas. You never know…the impossible CAN be made POSSIBLE here on this site.)
Disclaimer: I sadly DON'T own anything from One Piece, not the people OR the places (except my OWN characters, places and so on) they all belong to Funimation, Toei Animation, Fuji TV, Shueisha, Shonen Jump Manga and that genius Odo Eiichiro.
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
PART EIGHT:
PEW was sitting at the bar writing in a notebook, when the front doors to Rain Dinners suddenly burst open to reveal a determined Monkey D Luffy dressed in desert robes.
"HEY CROCODILE!" the rubber pirate yelled at the top of his voice. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
"Looks like my two-day holiday is now officially over," the Information Dealer muttered quietly to himself as a brief silence fell on the casino. "Discretion really isn't in Luffy's nature, is it?" he added as the casino patrons turned away from Luffy and got back to their gambling.
"LISTEN!" Luffy yelled into the casino, causing all the patrons to once again pause in their gambling to look at him. "I CROSSED AN OCEAN AND A DESERT SO I COULD KICK YOUR ASS!"
"Oh, Crocodile is so scared of you Luffy!" PEW continued to mutter to himself with a hint of sarcasm. "He's really shaking in his boots over that threat!"
PEW then sighed to himself as the patrons once again returned to their gambling. During the last two days he himself had spent some time on the slot machines and blackjack tables earning himself a small fortune. He had known that there was a good chance Crocodile would not pay him the rest of his money for his services, so he decided to earn it from the casino and now he had more than enough Berries. When he hadn't been gambling, PEW had spent many pleasant hours discussing archaeology, history, theories and legends over dinner and drinks with Miss All Sunday, whenever she had a break between her duties. But with Luffy now here it was time to get back to work.
"CROCODILE!" Luffy yelled out again as the patrons started up their gambling again.
But before the rubber boy could say or do anything else, he was wacked on the back of the head by an angry Nami and Usopp who had silently come up behind him. Like their Captain they too were wearing desert robes.
"Yelling your head off is not going to get him to come out here you loud mouthed dope!" Nami snapped furiously to her Captain.
"Finally, someone who gets the message," PEW sighed happily to himself.
"Don't forget we're dealing with this country's hero!" Usopp added sternly as the desert robed Zoro appeared in the doorway behind the trio scanning the interior of casino carefully. "You want to turn all these customers against us?" he went on indicating all the gambling people around them.
"I don't believe it," PEW chuckled to himself. "Two of Luffy's crew who are more observant than he is!"
"Okay fine," Luffy said to his two friends calming himself down. "So, what do we do?"
"Just hold on," Usopp told him reasonably. "Without Vivi we don't even know what Crocodile looks like."
"Come to mention it," Nami said suddenly looking around the casino worriedly. "Where is Vivi?"
This statement caused the trio to start shouting Vivi and Crocodile's name out loud like Luffy had done before, commanding them to come out much to Zoro's embarrassment.
"Oh brother," PEW groaned to himself rolling his eyes in disbelief at this silly sight. "I take back what I said about those two."
From the corner of his eye at the bar, PEW saw one of the casino's attendant's have a quiet word with Ultraking, who just said something back to the man casually as if it was just a minor inconvenience. "No doubt Ultraking just told that attendant to summon the casino's security," PEW said thoughtfully. "Those guys will be in for a real surprise!"
"Hey," Luffy said to his friends once they decided to stop shouting. "You know what? I think Crocodile and Vivi may not come just because we call."
"I've got you this time Straw Hat!" a familiar voice yelled out determinedly from the street outside.
"Oh no!" Nami said turning around in alarm along with her friends, "Its Smoker!"
"WHAT?!" PEW exclaimed in horrified disbelief. "Smoker followed Luffy all the way here?! Oh no that'll really complicate matters."
"You think you can just stroll in anywhere you like and I won't find you?" Smoker said triumphally as the Straw Hats started running off into the casino with the Marine Captain hot on their heels.
"Oh great!" Usopp cried as they ran. "What's that refugee from an astray doing at a casino at Rain Base?"
"If you ask me," Zoro chuckled as he ran. "I'd say he developed a special liking to Luffy!"
"This building is surrounded by a lake!" Smoker continued to yelled at the Straw Hats. "So there's nowhere to run!"
Just then a pair of Rain Dinner's security guards suddenly appeared in Smoker's way bringing the Marine Captain to a temporal stop.
"Now hold on!" the first security guard said sternly grabbing Smoker by the arm. "That's far enough!"
"Government officials aren't allowed inside!" the second security guard added also grabbing Smoker by his other arm. "You must leave at once!"
"Out of my way!" Smoker yelled impatiently shoving the guards aside with ease. "Marine business!"
"Good old Smoker," PEW chuckled to himself as he finished writing in his notebook tearing out a pair of pages, before putting one page each in some separate envelopes. "Determined to do his job no matter who gets in the way. At least he was nice enough not to hurt those security guards."
A sudden crash caused PEW to look up just in time to see that Luffy, in his haste to escape from Smoker, and his crew had bowled over a trio of the Rain Dinner's best security guards. Two of them were sent crashing headfirst into some nearby slot machines while the third was sent flying onto a nearby roulette table!
"Hey," Luffy asked his friends as if nothing had happened at all. "Did I just hit something?"
The casino patrons were all left dumbstruck by what they had just seen which included Ultraking.
"I don't believe this!" the Assistant Manager exclaimed to himself.
"Somehow I do," Miss All Sunday said appearing behind him with an amused smirk on her face.
"Manager this is terrible!" Ultraking cried to the smirking woman. "Some strange people have forced their way in!"
"Send them to the VIP room," Miss All Sunday said calmly to the surprised Ultraking. "Mr Crocodile's been…expecting them."
Puzzled but obligingly, Ultraking hurried off to carry out his orders, while at the same time indicating to the remaining attendants to clean up the mess.
"Well, you handled that nicely," PEW said appearing next to Miss All Sunday as they watched the Straw Hats and Smoker run towards the VIP room.
"Fu, fu, fu, why thank-you PEW," Miss All Sunday laughed softly as they heard the sound of the Straw Hats and Smoker yelling as they fell down a secretly hidden trapdoor. "Well, that's those pests dealt with," she said in satisfaction.
"What about Smoker?" PEW asked. "If he's here chasing the Straw Hats it's a sure bet that his assistant Tashigi and the rest of their Marines won't be far away."
"They'll be dealt with too," Miss All Sunday reassured him. "Remember Crocodile is a Warlord of the Sea and hero of Alabasta. He'll have a 'plausible excuse' ready for the Marines."
"Well, I guess he's thought of everything," PEW said in impressment.
"Indeed," Miss All Sunday nodded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an errand to run, I'll be right back. When I return, Crocodile will be expecting to see us with his…guests."
"I'll be waiting," PEW said taking Miss All Sunday's hand and kissed it. "But mind out for the Marines."
"Fu, fu, fu, you of all people should have more faith in me dodging Marines," Miss All Sunday smiled as she headed off for her task.
Once he was alone PEW made his way to a poker table where a man and woman were busy playing cards. The man was stout but fit, about 42 years old with slightly tanned skin, hazelnut hair and matching coloured eyes. The man was wearing dark blue shiny shoes with matching pants and blazer, under the blazer he was wearing a light blue buttoned shirt and a red neck tie. Around his waist was a dark red belt with a blue buckle, along with a dark blue hat sitting on the table, which he had taken off while indoors at the casino, that looked similar to a train conductor's hat which completed his appearance.
The woman was about 36 years old with ocean blue eyes, however the rest of her face and body was covered by a dark red hooded cowl and cloak that hid the rest of her body from sight. However she didn't act like she was ashamed of her appearance, or suffering from some deliberating disease, in fact she was enjoying herself like every other female patron at Rain Dinners was ignoring everyone and everything except for the card game she was playing.
"Excuse me Mr 6, Miss Mother's Day," PEW said as he stood at the table between the card playing pair. "The time has come for where I need your help."
"That's good to know," Mr 6 said putting down his cards. "At least someone remembers the top Frontier Agents of Baroque Works."
"What do you need us to do?" Miss Mother's Day asked as she put down her own cards.
"A…problem has arisen in the form of Marine Captain Smoker," PEW told the pair in a matter of fact like voice. "Your boss 'Mr 0' will be expecting me downstairs in a few minutes, he's captured Smoker as well as the Straw Hat Pirates which you probably saw. Anyway…my presence will no doubt cause alot of complications and suspicions for Smoker, so I need you two to hang around Rain Base for me.
"What for?"
"If I know Smoker and the Straw Hats," PEW told them. "Sooner or later they will eventually escape from Mr 0. When he does give this to him," he said handing over his notebook.
"Your notebook?" Mr 6 asked in puzzlement as he took the item out of PEW's hand.
"It contains all information on Baroque Works and Mr 0's activities in regards to it," PEW told him.
"Suppose Smoker doesn't believe us when we find him?" asked Miss Mother's Day.
"Then you give him this letter," PEW said handing an envelope with Smoker's name on it for her. "It will confirm that I sent you and as I wrote and signed it he'll believe it."
"Can I ask what we do if Smoker doesn't escape or we miss him?" Mr 6 asked casually.
"Give the notebook to his assistant Tashigi," PEW told him handing over another envelope with Tashigi's name on it. "This letter is for her and she'll believe it once she reads it."
"Got all your bases covered as usual don't you PEW?" Miss Mother's Day said cheerfully impressed by the Information Dealer's thoughtfulness.
"In such a society so complex, devious and corrupt like ours," PEW told his two associates. "It pays to be organized with everyone, then you have friends everywhere in society high and low."
"That makes sense," Mr 6 said nodding in agreement. "It's why I quit working for the World Government and became my own person. Unlike them I keep my word on things and not make pathetic excuses when doing unforgivable things!"
"It's the reason why we get along so well," PEW nodded in agreement. "Now then," he went on. "Once you two give that notebook to Smoker or Tashigi you're to head to Alabarna, then lay low once you get there. I'll call you when I'm there."
"You got it PEW," Mr 6 said confidently.
"Yeah," Miss Mother's Day said in confirmation. "You can count on us."
"Great," PEW said in satisfaction. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm expecting company so I'll catch you later.
With that PEW went back to the bar while Mr 6 and Miss Mother's Day went back to their card game.
000000000000
"I'm back," Miss All Sunday announced to PEW as she joined him at the bar a little while later.
"Not bad," PEW said getting out a pocket watch and glanced at it, before putting it away again. "You were only gone for six and a half minutes."
"Well it turned out I didn't have to go very far for my errand," Miss All Sunday told him. "I only just stepped outside and found who I was looking for on the street," she indicated the subdued blue haired form of a young girl dressed in blue desert robes standing next to her. "Of course," Miss All Sunday went on. "I had to deal with a large flying pest which was bugging me first."
"You have no right to talk about Pell like that you monster!" the girl snapped to her captor furiously.
"Now, now, now," PEW said in mock severity to the blue haired girl he knew only too well. "That is language someone like you shouldn't be using, you're setting a very bad example for you subjects…Princess Vivi."
"PEW?" Vivi said in slow disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"Didn't I warn you and Igaram three years ago when you both approached me to infiltrate Baroque Works," PEW said sternly to Vivi. "That someone would find you both out?"
"It was you," Vivi said in slow angry realization at PEW's words. "You were the one who told Crocodile we infiltrated his organization, didn't you?!"
"Now there's no need to get so excited in front of all these people," Miss All Sunday said warningly to Vivi indicating the casino patrons around them. "You're causing a scene and we've had enough of those in here already."
"She's right," PEW said getting off his bar seat. "Besides there's little point in me trying to explain things to you up here Princess. So, I suggest we all go see Crocodile, he has all the answers for you."
"Good idea," Miss All Sunday said in agreement.
"Ladies first," PEW said extending his arm out in front of them.
"Fu, fu, fu, such a gentleman," Miss All Sunday laughed gently as she started marching Vivi off in front of her.
"You'll both pay for this!" Vivi said angrily to her captors.
"Save it for Crocodile my dear," PEW said following close behind.
000000000000
When the trio made it down to the basement, Crocodile was sitting down at a long dinning table enjoying a meal. Not far away from him was a sea stone cage containing the imprisoned Straw Hats and Smoker. The Marine Captain was calmly sitting on a bench inside the cage alongside the equally calm Zoro, while Nami had been laying into Luffy and Usopp for their lack of effort in trying to escape.
"You're certainly a high-spirited young lady," Crocodile said observingly as he calmly sipped some wine at the sight before him.
"Whatever," Nami said defiantly to her captive. "You better go ahead and enjoy yourself while you still can, while you still can mister! Because when these fella's get out of here," she said indicating her fellow Straw Hats. "They're going to kick your smug butt up and down the Grand Line like a flabby beach ball! Right Luffy?"
"Yeah!" Luffy cried in loud exaggerated confidence with his arms stretched wide above his head. "You better believe it buddy!"
This little display caused Zoro and Smoker to roll their eyes in disbelief while Usopp cringed next to his friends, terrified at what Crocodile's reaction would be to this act of defiance.
"Your crewmates seem to place a lot of faith in your talent," Crocodile said in the same observant tone to Luffy as he continued to sip his wine. "How foolish," he went on dismissively before giving a sinister chuckle. "I think trust is completely unnecessary."
"Who does he think he is sneering at us like that?!" Nami said angrily annoyed by Crocodile's dismissive attitude towards them.
"Will you knock it off Nami?" Usopp said shakily putting a restraining hand on the navigator's shoulder. "You're just going to make him angry!"
"Crocodile!" Vivi yelled angrily from the top of the basement stairs.
"Vivi!" Luffy, Nami and Usopp cried happily at the unexpected arrival of their missing friend.
"My humble greetings Vivi," Crocodile said grandly opening his arms wide in welcome. "Royal Princess of Alabasta…sorry I mean 'Miss Wednesday," he added with a mocking chuckle. "I compliment you on having avoided my assassins in order to get this far."
"You've no idea what I'd do," Vivi said determinedly to Crocodile preparing herself. "Or how far I would go to see you dead 'Mr 0.' You'll wish you'd died in your cradle you MONSTER!" Vivi suddenly screamed charging forward with her peacock slasher weapons spinning furiously as she charged down the stairs.
"Wait Vivi!" Luffy called out helplessly from his prison. "First get us out of this cage!"
"I really wouldn't do that if I were you Princess," PEW called out warningly
While all this was happening, both he and Miss All Sunday were still standing motionless at the top of the stairs, neither one of them making any move to stop Vivi OR defend Crocodile.
"This country," Vivi said furiously to Crocodile ignoring both PEW and Luffy as she continued her running attack. "Would still be peaceful if it weren't for YOU!"
"I said…'I really wouldn't do that if I were you Princess!'" PEW called out again as Vivi reached the bottom of the stairs.
During this time Crocodile had made no attempt to defend himself, dodge or ask Miss All Sunday for assistance. He just sat casually in his chair, put down his wine glass, then picked up his cigar from an ashtray and puffed calmly on it with his eyes closed smiling confidently to himself.
"Peacock string slasher!" Vivi cried jumping up on the table and striking Crocodile full in the face. The result was extraordinary. The moment Vivi's weapon's struck Crocodile his head disintegrated into fine dry sand causing Vivi's attack to just cut the top off Crocodile's chair instead. This unexpected thing took Vivi, Luffy, Usopp and Nami completely by surprise, making them gape in astonishment at what they had just seen, while Zoro raised an eyebrow.
"That's not going to work," Smoker and PEW said calmly together at the impossible sight while Miss All Sunday gave a gentle "Fu, fu, fu," chuckle.
"Do you feel any better?" Crocodile asked as his now headless body also dissolved into fine dry sand before drifting around and behind the shocked Vivi. "You know," Crocodile went on. "As a native of this country," he continued as he reformed himself behind the Princess gripping her with his good hand. "You must surely know that I have the power of the Suna-Suna no Mi better known to others as the Sand-Sand Fruit," he added as he held Vivi with his hooked arm. Want to become a mummy?" Crocodile asked Vivi mockingly as he finished reforming his head.
"Ahhh!" Usopp exclaimed in terror as what he'd just seen. "He's made of sand!"
"Hey you leave here alone!" Luffy roared furiously to Crocodile in helpless frustration. "I'm warning you right now or I'll kick your ass!"
"Have a seat Princess," Crocodile said pushing the now subdued Vivi into a seat before him as Miss All Sunday and PEW came down the stairs to join them. Once they were standing on either side of Vivi, Miss All Sunday carefully tied the Princess into her seat.
"I trust you'll be comfortable there," Crocodile said to Vivi as he returned to his own seat and sat down. "I must say your timing is perfect," the Warlord went on. "The party is about to begin," he said grandly. "Isn't that right Miss All Sunday?"
"Oh yes," Miss All Sunday nodded in agreement getting out a pocket watch.
"A party?" Nami said in puzzlement.
"Its exactly noon right now," Miss All Sunday said looking at her watch. "Time for Operation Utopia."
"Huh?" Usopp asked in wonderment.
"What's an Operation Utopia?" Luffy asked in equally puzzled wonderment.
Hearing his prisoners puzzled questions caused Crocodile to burst into mocking laughter. "It will mean the demise of the Kingdom of Alabasta," the Warlord announced grandly to everyone present. "I'm going to wipe it off the face of the map like it never was!"
"What?!" Vivi exclaimed in horror at what Crocodile was saying.
"All people great and small," Crocodile told the horrified Princess and his captives. "Will be sucked into eternal darkness as they writhe in agony. So let Operation Utopia begin!"
"Damm you!" Vivi snapped furiously. "Just what is it you're going to do to Alabasta?!"
"Princess," Crocodile chuckled. "Would you like to know what kind of people I despise above all others? Those pious hypocrites who bleat endlessly about 'the happiness of the people.'"
"You plan to kill my father?" Vivi asked angrily. "You'll be dead before you can get close to him!" she screamed at him defiantly.
"You needn't shout," Crocodile replied calmly. "I'm not even going to touch a hair on his head. He's not even worth killing," he said dismissively causing the imprisoned Straw Hats and Smoker to frown. "Instead…I shall let him taste the humiliation that is far cruller than death."
"What's more cruller than death?" Usopp asked in quiet horror at what he's was listening to.
"Being denied death," PEW spoke up. "The agony of King Cobra losing everything he cares about and being able to do nothing to stop it, that would leave him defeated, shattered and broken."
"Hey who the heck are you anyway?" Luffy asked PEW suddenly. "Do you work for Crocodile too?"
"He works for everyone and anyone who can afford him Straw Hat," Smoker suddenly spoke up. "He's PEW…the 'Person Extremely Wanted.' He's also known as 'The Informed One,' the Information Dealer of the Seas."
"Whaaaaaat?!" Luffy and Usopp exclaimed in pure disbelief at this revelation.
"He's telling the true Luffy," Zoro said in confirmation. "Remember Nami and I told you we ran into back at Lougetown."
"He explained to us on why he was working for Arlong and gave back the money he was paid to the Marines so it could be returned to Cocoyasi Village," Nami added.
"I met your Captain back at Lougetown too," PEW said casually as he started to help himself to some of the food on Crocodile's table as he was feeling a bit hungry.
"You did?" everyone in the cage said in surprise, Luffy being the most surprised.
"Yeah," PEW said in confirmation as he chewed on chicken leg. "Luffy here was lost in the alleyways of Lougetown ask for directions to the execution block, I sent him to the 'Gol D. Roger' bar."
"Oh yeah!" Luffy said in sudden remembrance. "You were that strange hooded guy! Why are you helping Crocodile hurt Vivi?!"
"As Smoker said Luffy," PEW reminded him finishing his chicken leg. "I work with anyone and everyone who wants and CAN afford my services."
"He's also the one who helped me create Baroque Works," Crocodile added smugly. "Without PEW, Operation Utopia couldn't be happening now!"
There was dead silence in the basement of Rain Dinners as the Straw Hats, Vivi AND Smoker struggled to take in this staggering piece of information.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Well, there you have it dear readers! Crocodile hired PEW to help him create Baroque Works! The Warlord obviously NEEDED help for people, resources etc. So, who better to go to than PEW?
HOWEVER, experience has shown us that PEW tries to BALANCE things out, it explains his little conversation with Mr 6 and Miss Mother's Day who are obviously associates of his. PEW wants to show Smoker and Tashigi he's NOT a villain. The question is WHEN the time comes WILL the Straw Hats BELIEVE PEW?
In the next chapter all things will be explained, including the meeting between PEW and Crocodile. Vivi's request in asking PEW to help them infiltrate Baroque Works and WHY he let Crocodile know his organization had spies in it.
But until then, you know the drill! Read and review like always! Good Health, Clear Body, Strong Mind!
Also please remember once again, if you don't like my work then don't read or review it! NO-ONE, is forcing you to!