It took them way too long to get to the castle. Vivi's mane of blue hair made her a beacon in the capital, and everyone nearby noticed her. Guards from all over followed their procession through the streets, cheering and crying for her return. At first she put on a face and thanked everyone, but soon it got annoying to deal with. Surely they realised they weren't out of this yet, right?
After what felt like an eternity, they finally made it to the castle. They entered, and allowed themselves to be guided through the halls to the Throne Room. The Captain sent to fetch her threw the doors open, revealing the inside. It looked the same as Vivi remembered it, which made her feel for the first time she was really home. The only thing that looked different was the long, rectangular table in the center of the room with a map of Alubarna on it. Standing beside it, turning at the sound of the door open, was Chaka. When he caught site of her, his eyes and smile widened.
"Princess!" He shouted happily, making her smile as he rushed to her and hugged her. "You've returned safely.
"Mm," she mumbled as she hugged him back, allowing herself to feel vulnerable for a moment. "I am."
"I hate to cut this short," Koza said, "but we have no time right now for teary reunions. We need to talk strategy." Chaka made a dissatisfied sound, but separated from her all the same and turned to Koza.
"As you say," he said, "but first, I need to give you thanks, Koza."
"Why's that?" Koza demanded. Chaka gave him a stern bow.
"I must thank you for calling of the rebels," he said, "had you not, I fear the war would have truly started." Koza made a sound at this and elbowed Vivi.
"You should be thanking the Princess," he said. "If she hadn't risked life and limb to get to me and tell me the truth, I would've come to Alubarna much differently." Vivi scoffed at this.
"You should be thanking them," she said, gesturing to Nojiko, Yosaku and Usopp. "Without the help of them and their crew, I wouldn't have made it back here alive."
"Ah," Chaka said, "you must be the Princess' hired help. Which of you is in charge?"
"I guess I am," Nojiko said, stepping forward. "Name is Nojiko, Quartermaster of the Straw Hat Pirates." Chaka watched her warily.
"Quartermaster, huh?" He asked, "where's your Captain?"
"Rainbase," Nojiko answered, "alive, hopefully. But we don't have time to wait for him. What's the plan?"
"Right, of course." Chaka said. He turned and walked back to the table, everyone else following him. "So far, the plan has been pretty generic. We've spent all our time fortifying our defences outside in case of an invading force. But, as I'm sure you've guessed, we're pretty vulnerable to an attack from within."
"We already know there are agents in the rebels," Koza said with a grim expression, "I wouldn't be surprised if some have already told Crocodile about the situation."
"So we should expect the fighting to happen in the streets," Vivi said as she pointed at the sections of the map closest to the castle. "We need to fortify these clocks here. If Crocodile wants something in the castle, he'll get in as close as he can."
"Uh, I have an idea," Usopp said, speaking up. Everyone turned to him, making him pale. He shakily pointed down at the map, saying, "These buildings are all pretty tall. He could put scouts in the upper floors to keep an eye on everything. Who knows, they may see something."
"That's a good idea," Koza said to back him up, we'll get some soldiers in the buildings."
"Indeed," Chaka said. "We should also-"
"Oh!" Usopp said, speaking up again. "Chaka, sir, do we have a ton of stored liquid around?"
"Liquid..?" Chaka asked, "Um, well, there is a candy shop nearby that uses honey and syrup for candies."
"Good!" Usopp said, leaning forward and pointing at the stairs that led into the city. "All the major ways in are these stairways, right? We should use the honey and syrup to coat the stairs! That way, any invading force from there can be stopped! From there, they can be picked off by our guys!"
"That's...A good idea," Chaka admitted. "Good idea, kid. Hey, you!" He shouted at the guard by the door. "Take some men and go to the candy shop! Take all the honey and syrup and poor in down the stairs!"
"Yes sir!" The guard shouting, leaving.
"Where did you get that idea, Big Bro?" Yosaku asked. Usopp blushed.
"Uh, well, something similar happened before," he admitted. "You guys weren't around. I guess we never told you that story." Nojiko laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Good idea, Usopp," she said.
"We still have to contend with the fact that we can't surprise our enemy," Koza said. "Crocodile's spies will inform him of what happens."
"Well if we can't do it, let's stop wasting time thinking about it," Nojiko advised. "We'll just talk ourselves in circles."
"Agreed," Chaka said, "we can't waste our time talking about spies. We know they're here, but we can't do much about it."
"We still need to fortify the castle," Vivi said, gesturing to the maps reconstruction of the castle walls. "Get men on on every entrance way. Keep the high ground, and fight in tight alleyways. We don't know if we have the numbers advantage, but given Crocodile's strength, we're probably weaker. We need to play to our strengths. Koza, do you know how long it will take the rest of your rebels to get here?"
"A few more hours, at least," Koza replied, running a hand through his hair. "So they might not even get here until the fighting ends."
"Not good," Chaka said. "Even with the men you brought with you, our numbers are only around two thousand."
"So we do what Vivi said," Nojiko replied. "Play to our strengths, don't let the enemy overwhelm us."
"Uh, I have a question," Yosaku said. Everyone looked at him, making him look unsure, but he still spoke up. "What about the number agents?" Silence came upon the group as they realised they had not account for the higher ups of Baroque Works.
"Yosaku has a point," Usopp said, "what do we do when they show up? They can probably cut through our soldiers easily."
"It might come down to us," Vivi said, trying to remain calm.
"S-Say what?" Yosaku asked.
"The numbers agents are strong," Vivi explained, "the average soldier wouldn't be able to stop them. But...We might be able to stop them. Like we did before."
"I don't know if you've noticed, Vivi," Usopp said weakly. "B-But we sent the strongest fighters after Crocodile!"
"Well they aren't here!" Vivi shouted, her facade shattering. "And we have no idea if they'll show up at all! So what do we do, exactly?!" More silence came over them, Vivi taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for shouting, but we can't...We can't expect them to show up. Especially if Crocodile does."
"Vivi is right," Koza said, "we can't just expect more backup if it might not come. We fight under the impression we're alone."
"I hope that isn't the case," Yosaku murmured, "or we may be in trouble."
Just outside of Alurbarna there was a mountain of dark brown rock, which watched the city's chaos without a word. Of course, as a rock couldn't speak. The people on it could, though.
"So our only advantage is we have the King," Mr. 1 said. "This is a shitshow."
"It wouldn't have been if Mr. 2 hadn't messed it all up," Ms. Doublefinger said, hands on her hips. "How is it you didn't see the Princess aboard that ship?"
"There was a lot of them!" Mr. 2 shouted, stopping mid-pirouette to complain. "And she was hiding!"
"How is it that you're number 2?" Ms. Merry Christmas, a stout loud woman, complained. "You're more useless than that guy!" She jabbed her thumb at her own partner, Mr. 4. He looked at her slowly, his large, pudgy face pretty vacant.
"I...Am...Not..." He started, speaking slowly.
"Don't talk, you slow down the conversation!" Ms. Merry Christmas shouted. "Where the hell is Mr. Zero, anyway?! Enough waiting around!" King Cobra Nefertari watched the chaos quietly, trying to figure out a plan for himself.
"Watch your tongue, Ms . Merry Christmas," a new, deep voice said. "Lest I cut it from your fat, always open mouth." Looking up with the agents, Cobra saw the last person he wanted to see.
Crocodile was standing above them on a peak on the mountain, Ms. All Sunday with him. He looked a little roughed up, but otherwise just annoyed. As for Ms. All Sunday, she had an empty smile plastered on her face.
"You're here," Mr. 1 said as he descended from the peak. "About time."
"I will not be judged by a group of people who have done nothing but disappoint me," Crocodile snapped. "If your help wasn't useful, I'd be done with all of you."
"He's just mad the Straw Hats gave him a hard time," Ms. All Sunday said.
"Shut your mouth, Nico Robin," Crocodile hissed. This made Cobra's eyes widen.
Nico Robin?! The Devil Child?! Why is she working with Crocodile? What does she hope to gain?
"So what's the plan?" Ms. Doublefinger asked.
"Simple," Crocodile replied. "The lot of you, and I, are going to storm Alubarna. In the time it took me to get here, I coordinated with our subordinates to get into position. As it stands, the billions and millions are in underground tunnels leading to the capital. On my orders, I'll open up the tunnels for them to flood into the city. We will head straight to the castle. With any luck, I'll cut off the Princess' head myself."
"Anything else?" Mr. 1 asked.
"Yes," he said, "Ms. All Sunday, you'll be heading into the tombs with the King. After we use him as our leverage, of course." Cobra's eyes widened at this, all eyes now on him.
"What?" He asked, confused.
"Don't play dumb, your majesty," Crocodile said sarcastically. "My friend here has an interest in the treasure you have hidden down there. You know the one; large, square, carved in rock..." Cobra's eyes widened even more at this.
"What do you want with some old rock?" He tried to lie, making Crocodile laugh.
"I just said don't play dumb," he replied. "You know damn well that old rock is more important than that. Will you be fine, Nico Robin?"
"Do you think I can't handle myself against some old man?" Robin asked. Crocodile gave no answer.
"Are we ready?" Crocodile asked. Everyone gave a curt nod. "Then let's take this country for ourselves."
Vivi watched the soldiers rushing across Alubarna quietly, her mind racing to come up with any other openings that needed to be covered. She couldn't think of any, and in turn this annoyed her. There had to be something they weren't accounting for, right? Something.
"Vivi," a voice said. Turning, the princess saw Nojiko standing there with a hand on her hip, smiling.
"Think of any more ideas?" She asked. Vivi shook her head quietly.
"No," she replied, "but I know I can come up with something."
"I think we're as covered as we can be given the situation," the woman replied with a snort. "Seen the others yet?"
"No," Vivi said, "and I'm getting more worried the more time they take."
"I'm sure they're fine," Nojiko said. Looking over, Vivi saw that the girl was clutching the railing so hard her knuckles were turning white. Of course she was worried, Nami was with the others.
"She'll be fine," Vivi said reassuringly, making Nojiko smile weakly.
"Yeah," she said. "She'll be fine." As the girls stared out at the city, Vivi had a quick feeling of hope. Maybe they'd be okay. Things would be fine!
She regretted saying that two seconds later.
The ground beneath her feet began to shutter, forcing her to grab the railing harder to prevent falling over. Nojiko almost fell over the railing, gritting her teeth at the shuddering. Soon it stopped, but neither of them let go of the rail for fear it would begin again.
"What the hell was that?" Nojiko demanded.
"I don't know, but it didn't sound-" Vivi was cut off by a roar beneath her, followed by gunfire and explosions. Looking over the city, Vivi watched in horror as battle erupted all over the city, Baroque Works agents appearing out of thin air.
"Where the hell did they come from?!" She demanded angrily, not able to believe they'd come from nowhere.
"Stay out of the fight!" Nojiko said, already barking orders. "I'll find Yosaku and Usopp, and we'll help stop them!"
"I can help!" Vivi replied.
"No!" Nojiko said, "you're on Crocodile's hit list! Stay out of the fight!" With this the Quartermaster ran off, leaving Vivi alone by the window. Gritting her teeth, she turned back and looked out the window again. Where the hell had they come from? It didn't-
Her train of thought was cut off when she saw sinkholes in the ground outside the palace. Crocodile had gotten them into the city, hadn't he? Using his Devil Fruit power.
Damn it all! Now Usopp's idea isn't going to work! Not only that, but we're disorganised! Luffy, where the hell are you guys?!
Deciding she could watch no longer, she turned and ran down the hall in the direction of the throne room where Chaka was. Reaching her destination, she barged inside to see Chaka sweating over the table with the map.
"Vivi!" He shouted as he saw her come in, "thank goodness you're safe!"
"What's the plan?!" Vivi asked, "they came in through sinkholes!"
"No doubt thanks to Crocodile," Chaka said with a grimace. "But it's good you came to me, Vivi. We have to flee." Vivi stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.
"What?!" She yelled, "we can't leave! We just planned our defences and-!"
"Princess, Crocodile will probably come right for the palace!" He shouted back, interrupting him. "He has no reason to fight soldiers! We need too-!"
"You're as smart as they say, Chaka the Jackal." An eerie voice said. Turning, Vivi's eyes widened as a tall, scarred man walked into the room, a familiar woman beside him.
"Ms. All Sunday," she squeaked. The woman smiled at her.
"Hello again, Princess," she said.
"Princess, behind me!" Chaka shouted. Vivi turned to run behind the man, seeing him turn into his hybrid-form. After all, Chaka had eaten the Jackal Devil Fruit. She didn't have the time to think of it's original name.
"Ah ah ah," Crocodile said, a smirk on his face. The Warlord gestured, and Ms. All Sunday raised her hands.
Vivi's heart nearly stopped when er father was rolled in by hands sprouting out of the floor, then being hoisted up by Crocodile.
"One wrong move," Crocodile warned as he pressed his claw to her fathers throat, "and King Cobra goes goodbye." Vivi grit her teeth, nearly cracking them as Jackal returned to his human form. "That's a good dog. Now, Nico Robin, you know what to do." Smiling, Ms. All Sunday raised her hands again.
The appendages sprouted from Chaka this time, and Vivi gasped as the limbs forced him into a painful looking choke hold.
"P-Princess-!" Chaka hissed through the pain, "R-Run away-!"
"She'll be running nowhere if she values her fathers life," Crocodile said. "Which I'm sure she does, right Princess?" Vivi clenched her fists angrily. She wanted to whip out her peacock spinners and separate Crocodile's head from his body, but she knew it wouldn't work. If he'd managed to get by Luffy and the others...
The others.
"What did you do to my friends?" She croaked out weakly. Crocodile laughed.
"Those flimsy Straw Hats?" He asked, "They're far underneath the sands of Rainbase by now. You have more important things to worry about right now, don't you?" She did, but Vivi didn't want to accept what she was hearing. Luffy and the others were gone? Dead? She didn't believe it. She cast her eyes towards Ms. All Sunday, but her gaze was inscrutable. She'd get nothing from staring at her.
"So...What do you want?" She managed.
"Vivi don't-!" Chaka hissed before the hands on him tightened their grip.
"What I want?" Crocodile asked. "That's easy. Firstly, you will walk across this room and come to me. Got that?" Vivi gulped, weighing her options. She realised quick she had none. Crocodile had outsmarted them. He was too strong. Gritting her teeth, she began to walk across the room. Her body tried to fight her at every step, but there was no point. She could do nothing on her own. This was it.
"That's a good girl," Crocodile said as she stood in front of them. "Now, Nico Robin, I believe you have a place to be."
"That I do," Ms. All Sunday said. Hands sprouted from her father once more, forcing him into an uncomfortable position as well.
"Father!" Vivi shouted in panic, hearing a nasty crack. Her father groaned.
"I swear, Crocodile-!" He hissed under his breath, "if you lay a hand on my daughter-!"
"I won't, so long as you do as Nico Robin asks of you," Crocodile replied. "Now go on. Show her what you know we want." Ms. All Sunday, Vivi supposed her name was Nico Robin, walked away towards another end of the palace. This left Crocodile and Vivi alone with Chaka, who was nearly unconsciousness from the hands choking him.
"Walk, kid," Crocodile ordered, "towards the balcony." Shaking badly, Vivi did as she was ordered. She and Crocodile slowly walked over to the balcony and stepped out onto it.
Chaos reigned outside,
Baroque Works agents poured out of the holes in the city like ants, overflowing into the city and fighting the royal army and rebels. Gunshots rang out. Steel on steel clashed, and screams of pain followed. It was anarchy.
"This was the only end, you know." Crocodile said as her shaking. "You were a fool to think a bunch of children could fight me. People without Haki can't take me out." Haki? What was that?
"It's not over," Vivi hissed weakly. Crocodile laughed.
"How do you figure?" He asked, gesturing to the city. "Your capital is in chaos. I have taken you and your father, and soon Nico Robin will deliver what I want. In what way have I lost?"
"It's not over yet," she hissed, "not as long as Alabastans resist you." Crocodile snorted.
"Soon this country will be all mine," he said. "No one who resists me will even live here. You've failed, Princess. It's okay to admit it. I've failed before too. It hurts, feels like your stomach wants to empty out of your body, I get it. But this is what happens when you mess with the higher powers. You gambled, and you lost. Now, I believe you and I have a date with destiny." Vivi gasped as Crocodile lifted her up by grabbing her clothes with his claw, lifting her up into the sky.
"Y-You said you weren't going to hurt me..." She said, trying to free herself from the claw.
"I lied," Crocodile answered simply. "I can't let you live, you understand. That would let revels rally around you. I'd have to deal with you later anyway. Take one last look at your home, Princess Vivi. It in chaos will be the last thing you ever see." Vivi's eyes were inevitably drawn to the city she loved. She watched as people cut each other down, unable to do a thing. She hadn't been able to stop the bloodshed. Her people were still dying. Because she hadn't succeeded.
This was it.
Rain began to pelt her face, mixing with the tears that began to fall.
Wait, rain?
Vivi looked up at the sky, and found that the sky over Alubarna had grown dark with storm clouds. Now of all times it rained? What poetic irony. But something was wrong. As she looked, outside the city was bright and sunny still. A storm localised inside of Alubarna's borders? That was odd. Crocodile too had paused, looking up in confusion.
"What is this?" He demanded. They both remained still for a moment, staring at the sky, before a flash appeared overhead. To Vivi it looked like a bird had flown overhead, but it had disappeared and left a blip in the sky. A blip that was falling towards them quickly. As it got closer, her eyes widened.
"No way..." She breathed.
"There's no way," Crocodile hissed, "I killed him, I know I did! All of them should be-!"
"Gum Gum Pistol!" Luffy exclaimed angrily, fist slamming into Crocodile's face. The force of the impact threw the Warlord over the balcony, tumbling down into the palace courtyard below. Luffy landed before her, a scowl on his face.
"Sorry we're late, Vivi." He said, fixing the Straw Hat on his head, "but he had a bumpy ride here."
"H-He said he killed you," Vivi said, trying to stay on her feet.
"And yet here I am," Luffy replied. "Go and stay safe, Vivi. Nami and I will take down Crocodile.
"Nami?" Vivi asked, looking up. She could see the bird now, circling the palace. "Is that Pell?! What is happening?!" Luffy smirked.
"We're winning round two!" He shouted, pumping his fists into the air, "Don't worry Vivi, I won't let Croc take this country for himself!" With this, Luffy jumped off the balcony down to Crocodile, leaving her in the rain listening to the sounds of combat. Finally, after a few seconds, she smiled.
"These pirates are unbelievable," she said with a laugh.