Disclaimer I do not own the rights to Mario characters or One Piece characters
Chapter 16: The Princess Returns
Back in Crocodile's secret base
Robin found herself surrounded by darkness. This feeling was similar to when Mario possessed her, but she could feel something else in this mindscape. Something ancient and sinister was watching her from the shadows, eyeing her like some kind of prize. And, unfortunately, that was correct. Crocodile had offered her up as some sort of bargaining chip to Cursa for power to defeat Mario. And to make things worse Robin had achieved her goal only for her hopes to be shattered. In accordance to their deal, Cursa had used Robin's body and knowledge to read the ponyglyph under Alabasta. But sadly, it did not contain the information Robin was looking for. It only held the location of a ancient weapon called Pluton, nothing about the lost history Robin was seeking. And to make things worse there was nothing Robin could do about her situation. She had planned to end her life if this was another dead end, either by Crocodile's hands or her own. But now, she can't, she is forced to live as a tool, a puppet for Cursa. All she could do is curse her misfortune, until she heard a sinister laugh echo all around her.
"Now now dear child, no need to fret. Do not worry about lost history, it's in the past and worthless. Let us make our own history, together we will make an age of darkness to cover not only this planet, but the universe!" Cursa shouted in the mindscape. Upon hearing this Robin just curled up in the middle of the mindscape, trying to ignore Cursa. "Resist me all you want child. It's meaningless, you can do nothing. So just accept your fate. It will be much easier for you." Cursa stated with finality as her laughter dissipated leaving Robin alone in the dark.
"Please... Someone... Anyone... Mario... Please save me..." Robin whispered to herself as tears began to role down her face.
Back outside the mindscape Cursa was making a fresh batch of soldiers from the Baroque Works agents when Crocodile had formed in the room.
"So? How was it? Was this power all you had hoped for?" Cursa asked not taking her attention off the soldiers she made.
"Yes it was! I was invincible! Nothing can hurt me, not haki as proven by our two prisoners, not my devil fruits natural enemy, not even sea stone! This "Darkmess" is truly a blessing even greater than the power star!" Crocodile exclaimed with glee.
"Glad to see you are enjoying my gift Crocodile." Cursa replied turning to face the warlord. "But do not get complacent! I can already feel that Mario's friends have arrived with the sparks. So continue to grow stronger with the power of Darkmess! The sparks may give Mario and his friends a chance, but they do not guarantee their victory." Crocodile's grin turned back into his usual expression upon hearing Cursa's words.
"Right, not to worry Cursa. Before receiving your gift I was already a Warlord of the Sea, a pirate whose strength was feared across the seas. I won't let some upstarts like the Straw-Hats get the better of me."
"It is not the pirates I am worried about. It's the star child!"
"Well he shouldn't be a problem for much longer, provided the agent we had infiltrate the Straw-Hats does his job. We already have Mario's brother Luigi. If our spy is successful then Mario will be captured just as easily." Crocodile stated a sinister grin returning to his face.
Back at the Coastline of Alabasta
The Straw-Hat pirates were sailing around the edge of Alabasta. Everyone in silent thought to what they had just witnessed. Mario did warn them about Cursa's power, but after seeing how even the grunts of an army can be made to be invincible to all forms of damage except these "spark" powers. Well, to say that their spirits were crushed would be an understatement. That is when Nami marched up to Mario.
"Hey Mario! Are you sure there is no other way to destroy this "Darkmess" stuff without the sparks? What about the power star you have? Can't you use that?"
"The power star could damage and destroy Darkmess true, but it would drain all it's power while only making a small dent in Cursa's power." Mario explained causing Nami to grow even more frustrated.
"But I thought the power stars could create universes if someone knew how to."
"Yes, but Cursa has defeated and possessed someone who can already create universes and created the power stars as well. She is just too strong for one power star to work against, not to mention she probably has the power star Crocodile possessed. Giving her just as much of an advantage, we need to wait for the sparks and my weapons."
"Yeah, about that." Usopp interrupted. "Can't you call your friends or something? You know, to see if they are here already and to find us."
"Unfortunately no, unless you all have some way to contact a space ship." Usopp and Chopper instantly rushed Mario with stars in their eyes.
"DID YOU SAY SPACE SHIP!" They yelled in unison.
"Umm yeah, can't really get around the galaxy without one." Mario explained while backing up from the excited duo.
"SO COOL!" They yelled in unison again. That is when everyone turned to Luffy who was off to the side keeping to himself.
"Hey Luffy! You okay?" Zoro asked.
"Huh, oh yeah I'm good." Luffy replied while picking his nose.
"You sure? Because you would normally be just as excited as a kid in a candy store right now."
"Oh, well, you see, I'm just... Thinking about that Crocodile guy and his weird powers!" Luffy quickly explained.
"Really? Wow. Well it is weird to see you so serious like this, but I kind of like it."
"Well I don't." Sanji said as he took in a puff from his cigarette. "It's too weird for my taste. I mean, I'm glad you've been able to focus on that instead of emptying our food stores. But it's too different."
"Well we are in a bad situation right now." Luffy clarified.
"Agreed." Zoro replied. "And it's nice to see him act like a captain for once instead of acting like a child you shitty cook."
Sanji just gave Zoro an angry glare while walking into the kitchen. But then three battle ships came around the corner and began to aim their canons at the Merry.
"Identify yourselves or we will sink you to the bottom of the sea!" The leader of the ships shouted. Everyone began to panic as Mario, Zoro, and Luffy got ready to fight.
"Are those Baroque Works ships!" Usopp screamed in terror.
"I don't know! They don't appear to have any of the Darkmess on them." Vivi said while her and Nami tried to steer the ship away. Usopp then got a closer look at the ships.
"Hey! Those ships have your face on their sails Vivi!" Usopp shouted while pointing towards the enemy ships. Upon closer inspection Usopp was right, the main sails of each ship had a side portrait of Vivi( like the stained glassed windows in princess peach's castle except instead of Peach it's Vivi).
"You're right Usopp." Vivi confirmed. Upon seeing Vivi the leader started yelling commands to her men.
"It's Princess Vivi! Lower your weapons!"
As the ships got closer it was revealed that the leader was Miss Monday, the former member of Baroque Works.
"Miss Monday it's you! You're alive!" Vivi exclaimed while jumping up to hug Miss Monday.
"Yes, thanks to Mario. And I'm no longer a member of Baroque Works, my name is Mande." She clarified while waving to the rest of the Straw Hats.
"Mande what happened? Why are you leading a bunch of soldiers while flying my face?" Vivi asked. Mande's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Let us head back to our home base first. There is a lot we need to discuss Straw Hats."
With that said, Mande led the Straw Hats to a secluded cave nearby. As they sailed in the Straw Hats saw what looked like members of both the royal and rebel army working together. Prepping weapons, going over battle strategies and tending to any wounds some of the men have.
"This isn't right." Vivi said drawing everyone's attention. "These look like soldiers from both the rebels and the royal army, but there are so few."
"You can thank Crocodile and his new darkness power for that." Mande clarified drawing the attention of the Straw Hats. "Ever since he got that power he's been taking Alabasta piece by piece. The rebel forces and the royal army have put aside their differences to fight him and his new army off, but it's a losing war. We can't seem to hurt the bastards. And the more men we lose the more he gains."
"Yep, that's Darkmess for ya. It's a corruptive power that can turn the host into something they're not." Mario explained getting Mande's attention.
"You seem to know about this "Darkmess"."
"Yeah, it's a power from an old enemy of mine named Cursa. She's made a deal with Crocodile so he can get this power."
"Then you need to speak with our leader and tell us everything you know about this "Darkmess" and "Cursa"." Mande said while turning forward again.
Finally reaching the shore inside the cave the Straw Hats follow Mande to the current leader of the remaining forces. A young man with tan skin and blonde hair wearing a brown coat and black pants along with a blue scarf and beige sash. He was going over a battle plan with Igaram and Mister Nine when Mande made her and the Straw Hats presence known with a cough.
"Princess Vivi!" Igaram shouted with joy with Mister Nine and the rebel leader following behind him. "Thank goodness you're safe! I was so worried when we arrived and you hadn't I had begun to assume the worst had happened." Igaram pulled Vivi into a big hug.
"Yes, thanks to the Straw Hats assisting me in getting back home." Vivi stated while Igaram put her down. "Now can someone tell me what's going on? Why do the ships here have my face on them?"
"It's because you are our last hope." The rebel leader said while walking up to Vivi. "It's been awhile Vivi."
"Wait, Koza! Are you really Koza?"
"Yes Vivi, I was the leader of the rebel army, but now I lead what's left of those who are still willing to fight Crocodile while protecting those who can't. As you can see we are not doing so well." He gestured towards the outside where we see soldiers taking count of what little weapons they have left and others trying to ration out what little food they have to the people who fled from their homes.
"I see, but that doesn't explain why you all fly my face."
"Because Vivi, these people need something to believe in. You were the one who saw through Crocodile's plan and fled Alabasta to get help."
"But that's not..."
"It doesn't matter if it's not completely true!" Koza shouted as he grasped Vivi's hands. "The point is while we were bickering amongst ourselves you saw the real threat and took action. The people believe that you will lead us to salvation."
Vivi felt the weight of Koza's words and the realization of the burden that had just been placed upon her began to set in. She was shocked to say the least and was going to speak until she felt someone place a hand on her back. It was Mario.
"Vivi, I know it may be sudden, but as this kingdom's princess you do have a responsibility to the people here. And besides you are not alone, we're here to help." Mario finished with the rest of the Straw Hats giving Vivi a reassuring smile.
"Thanks Mario and everyone, your support means a lot to me." Vivi said with renewed confidence.
"Now, don't you have a responsibility to tell us what exactly we're facing here?" Mande interrupted prompting everyone to turn to Mario.
"Of course, I can tell you all about Crocodile's new power and how we can beat it." Everyone gasped at Mario's revelation. Soon we find Koza, Igaram, Mister Nine(who clarified his name is Nain), Mande and the rest of the Straw Hats along with some generals from the rag tag army around a conference table waiting for more information from Mario.
"Well, to begin with this power isn't Crocodile's. It was given to him by an old enemy of mine named Cursa."
"And who exactly is this Cursa?" Koza asked.
"She is a dark celestial being that represents the power of corruption and darkness. As you can see that black goop she makes can corrupt almost anyone who touches it and it can't be destroyed by normal means."
"And how do you know so much about this Cursa mister Mario?"
"Because I am from..."
"Because he is from an ancient tribe of people from the New World called star children." Vivi interrupted. "Just go along with it Mario, I'll explain later." She whispered to Mario.
"From the New World, no wonder you're so strong." Igaram stated with Mande and Nain agreeing with him.
"I see, and how can we defeat Cursa and her darkness if she can't be beaten by normal means?" Koza asked.
"With the power of the sparks and special weapons made to harness their power." Mario answered drawing confused stares from everyone. "Okay let me explain, sparks contain the power of life and light the polar opposite of Cursa. With their power we have a chance of destroying her and her Darkmess tentacles."
"And how do we get these "sparks" Mario?"
"I have already let my friends back home know of her return. They are on their way here with the sparks and some weapons to help. But until then, we need to hold off Crocodile's and Cursa's army."
"And how are we supposed to do that?" Mande asked. "If they can't be defeated by normal means how are we suppose to hold them off?"
"With these." Mario pulled out the power star. "We can use this to hold them back until help arrives. Crocodile also has one, I would like to steal it to increase our chances."
"If Crocodile had it then it would be here." Koza said pointing to a spot on the map. "His rain base, it was his privately owned casino in the capital of Alabasta. Heh, now it makes sense that the capital would fall first."
"But it's heavily guarded by those darkness infused soldiers. How are you going to sneak in." Mande asked.
"Hmm... If you and your men could cause a diversion to distract most of the soldiers guarding the capital, making it easier to sneak in."
"That would be a suicide mission. We would lose so many men in that battle."
"Not necessarily." Mario walked over to a barrel that was half filled with water. He pulled on his gloves turning his clothes a light shade of blue and he pulled out an ice flower. After some tinkering with the barrel he closed it and brought it out for everyone to see.
"The Darkmess soldiers can still be incapacitated by ways of just sending them flying or freezing them. This is now an explosive ice barrel, it will freeze anyone caught in the blast."
"Quick bring in more barrels!" Koza called out. While they were bringing them Mario pulled Vivi aside.
"So why did you lie about where I'm from Vivi?"
"Look at the situation Mario, if everyone knew you were from another universe it might send them over the edge. At worse they might turn on you for being from the same universe as Cursa, blame you for her appearance."
"I see, then I'll go along with your plan. By the way Vivi, that right there was a decision a true leader would make." Mario said as he went to make more explosive ice barrels. Vivi blushed a little at his comment.
While everyone was getting ready Luffy had walked off somewhere he was alone and wouldn't be bothered. He then pulled out a den den mushi that was covered in Darkmess.
"Did you get all that boss?"
"Yes we did." Crocodile answered from the other end. "If they want a power star then we shall have one prepared for them. Make sure they make it to rain base and that they do not know of the "surprise" we have ready for them."
"You got it." Luffy said as he put away his den den mushi. A sinister grin soon grew on his face. "Soon slick, soon." Luffy walked back as he heard Nami calling for him.