A.n I own Nothing

Connor wandered through the streets of Whisky Peak, it hadn't been hard to get out of the room that he was given. At first he didn't know what to do so he went for a walk, and found himself on a trail leading up to the strange cactus looking mountains, however when he got there the hill tops were littered with grave stones. He didn't recognise any of the names and thinking it was the towns' grave yard he turned to head back when he heard two men talking.

"So think we'll need any fresh graves tonight?" the first man asked.

"Doubt it; I reckon the mayor is going to sell them," the second one answered.

Connor froze; his eyes widened 'What? Sell who?"

"I got word from Miss Wednesday apparently the straw hat one is worth 30,000,000 beris," the first one continued.

"Are you serious?" the second one asked in disbelief.

"Yup and with the food shortage that money could go a long way,"

"But what about the others?"

"Like I said probably going to sell them might get a decent price for them too,"

Connor had heard enough, no wonder the entire town was filled with red people; he ran down the trail as fast as he could.

"I have to warn them, I can't let them go through what I went through," Connor said.

When Connor got back into town there were injured bodies everywhere, he switched to his second sight and found that some were only unconscious while others had no aura at all. He gripped his sword and silently made his way back to the banquet hall, when he entered all of the staff were gone and so were the Straw Hat pirates.

"No, I'm too late," he whispered.

Switching his second sight back on he tried to locate the yellow trail, but it did not appear. He switched his sight back and forth desperate to get the trail to appear but it never did. Not wanting to waste any more time Connor ran out of the hall and through the town looking for any signs of hidden areas or his friends.

He heard voices talking and hid in an ally way nearby, peaking around the corner he saw the Mayor and the nun from earlier but he didn't recognise the other two. They were standing over Zoro's unmoving body. He doubted that Zoro was dead; after all he knew from experience that there was no value in selling a corpse.

"That was too close; get him into the cages with the others,"

'Cages?' Connor wondered 'Maybe if I follow them they'll lead me to the others,'

The four agents didn't get a chance to go anywhere because to people approached them from behind.

"Well this town has seen better days," a male voice said.

The agents turned around prepared for another fight but relaxed when they saw who it was. Standing behind them was a man and a woman.

The man was tall; he was dark-skinned with black hair in short spiky dreadlocks. He wore a brown trench coat with a pink cravat and a pair of sunglasses. He had a "5" on his coat.

The woman was short blond hair and bright green eyes; she wore a yellow and orange hat, a yellow dress with a lemon-like pattern, lemon earrings, and white high-heeled shoes. She was carrying a bright green parasol with blue stripes.

"Mr 5, Miss Valentine, what are you doing here," Mr 9 asked.

"We're on a mission of course, what's with all the bodies redecorating?" Miss Valentine asked.

"Hardly," Mr 8 scoffed "we have a visiting pirate crew and it took a little longer for the drugs to affect this swordsman,"

"So he decided to kill time by fighting the town?" Mr 5 asked "I think we should hire him,"

"But before we start a recruitment drive we have to finish our mission," Miss Valentine reminded her partner.

"What is your mission? Maybe we can help," Miss Monday suggested.

"There's a traitor in our midst, someone found out our boss's secret,"

"His exact words were 'Someone knows my secret find out who and eliminate them'" Miss Valentine giggled "so we researched who it could have been and weren't we surprised to find out that we had been infiltrated by royalty,"

"And that they're stationed in this town," Mr 5 finished.

"Now hold on a second" Mr 9 panicked "I may wear this crown but I'm no king. It's not even real gold,"

"It's not you Mr 9, but you and Miss Monday should expect to receive new partners. Isn't that right Miss Wednesday and Mr 8," Miss Valentine stated.

Mr 8 and Miss Wednesday froze in terror.

"Or should we call you Igaram captain of the royal Alabasta guards and Nefertari Vivi princess of Alabasta," Mr 5 confirmed.

Miss Monday and Mr 9 looked at their partners in shock, then Igaram pulled on his bow tie and several machine guns came out of the curls in his hair.

"Run Miss Vivi I'll hold them off," He ordered and opened fire on Mr 5 and Miss Valentine.

Connor watched from his hiding place as a cloud of dust appeared blinding the new agents, when the dust cleared Miss Wednesday and Mr 8 were gone.

The now exposed princess fled on her duck through the town.

"I have to get out of here, my kingdom is depending on me," She said.

"Going somewhere princess?" a voice called form above.

Vivi looked up to see Miss Valentine floating in the sky; she suddenly landed in front of Vivi with a crash so strong it broke the ground. The fleeing princess was knocked off her duck and Mr 5 came up behind her.

"You can't get away," he said.

The duck suddenly grabbed Vivi and took off running down an ally suddenly a strong arms reached out and grabbed the reigns pulling the duck and the princess inside a building. Vivi got ready to defend herself as she recognised her former partner with Miss Monday.

"Wait we want to help you," Mr 9 said quickly.

"Why should I believe you," Vivi hissed back.

"Because they helped me," Igaram said, from behind them. His clots were dirty and torn; a few injuries could be seen.

"Look I don't actually care that you're a traitor or some princess of a foreign country. You were the only one who was nice to me and my first friend," Miss Monday explained.

"And we're partners after all, remember what we promised each other when we were assigned together. We promised that we'd always have each other's back no matter what," Mr 9 said.

"Thank you all of you and I'm sorry to have lied to you," Vivi said gratefully "But you can't risk your lives for mine,"

"So you really are a princess then?" a voice asked.

The agents whirled around expecting an enemy but saw Connor standing there in the door way.

"You how did you escape?" Igaram asked "why weren't you taken with the others,"

Connor thought back to earlier that night.

Flashback

Once the mayor had locked the door Connor went over to the window and found it sealed, he then went back to the door and found the inside handle had been removed.

"So it can only be opened from the outside," he muttered.

Connor could still here the party going on down stairs; he went over to the bed furthest from the door and stuffed the pillow under the blankets. Connor made his way back to the door and sat against the wall next to it waiting and listening to the sounds of the party.

Sometime later after the party had died down he heard the lock click open and three men walked in. They made their way into the room checking the beds. Connor slipped out of the room and closed the door; the keys were still in the lock so he locked it and snapped them off, preventing any one from entering or exiting the room.

End flashback

"Let's just say your minions aren't the brightest," Connor answered.

"We don't have time to deal with him right now. Mr 5 and Miss Valentine will find us," Mr 9 warned.

"If I take care of them, will you let us leave?"

The agents stared at Connor in disbelief.

"Us? Do you mean the rest of your crew?" Miss Monday asked.

Connor nodded.

"If you can defeat them then we'll talk about your crew," Mr 9 said.

"No, I want to leave this island as soon as possible and I can't leave without them. So you agree to my terms or I turn you all over to those clowns out there," Connor threatened.

"But if you do that than a whole country will perish," Vivi reasoned.

"Not my country, not my problem," Connor said coldly.

"You'd actually let a whole country die to save some pirate scum?" Igaram asked seriously.

"Normally no I wouldn't I'd leave them to their fate and I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it. However for this crew I'd let the whole world burn before I see them become slaves," Connor claimed.

Igaram could see that Connor meant every word, if this boy felt so strongly about his crew mates then maybe he might agree to help Vivi.

"Alright you and you're crew can leave in peace; we'll release your crew. Only after you take care of our pursuers," Igaram agreed.

"How will I know you'll keep your word?" Connor asked.

"How do we know you can beat them?" Igaram responded.

"Touché," Connor said and he left.

"Igaram, why would you agree to that? Both Mr 5 and Miss Valentine have eaten Devil Fruits," Vivi reminded him.

"Because while he's fighting them we can get away," Miss Monday realised.

"Yes, that's correct. I regret sending the boy to his death but your life is more important," Igaram said sadly.

"Get ready, we'll make a run for it as soon as the fighting starts," Mr 9 said.

Connor wandered through the street looking for Mr 5 and Miss Valentine. He suspected that the mayor had only agreed with him so they could run while he fought off the other two agents, when he spotted a rope bridge over a river, it was the river that connected to the sea. The Merry had sailed down it to get into town.

He saw Miss Valentine floating in the air not two far from him, he ran over to get her attention.

"HEY LADY!" Connor yelled at her.

Miss Valentine looked down to the ground and Saw Connor trying to get her attrition, she landed.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I live here. I saw that blue haired lady and the mayor head off in that direction," Connor lied and pointed to the bridge.

"Really?"

"Yup you and your friend should be able to catch her if you hurry. The duck thing looked injured,"

"Thanks kid," Miss Valentine said "Hey could you watch the bridge while I get my partner?"

"You bet," Connor said and ran back towards the bridge. Miss Valentine went to get Mr 5 and tell him the good news.

Mr 5 and Miss Valentine returned quickly and Connor repeated to Mr 5 what he'd told Miss Valentine. Mr 5 thanked him for the information; he and his partner went across the bridge. Once they were in the middle Connor cut the support ropes and the two fell into the river; they did not resurface.

Connor noted how easy it had been and went back to where Vivi was hiding with the others, when he got there they were surprised to see him.

"So I defeated them, where are my friends?"

"What already, how?" Vivi asked in disbelief.

"Let's just say that they weren't that bright," Connor smirked.

"Very well follow me, I'll take you to your friends," Igaram said and headed down the street.

Connor followed the former agents through town; he thought the whole situation was just too strange. Why was a princess involved in a criminal organisation?

"So what's a princess doing in an illegal bounty hunter organisation anyway?" Connor asked Vivi.

"Have you heard of the country called Alabasta?" Vivi asked back.

Connor shook his head.

"It's a desert country, on the verge of civil war," Vivi said.

"Civil war?"

"Yes, a small group of people were upset at my father and started a revolution. At first he thought that it was just the people's way of expressing their anger but it escalated. I began investigating and found a group called Baroque works was behind it," Vivi explained.

"So you and curly here infiltrated it, why?"

"So we could find out who was the leader of the organisation. If we knew who it was then we could stop them and bring them to justice," Igaram finished.

"So who is it? I mean you clearly know who the boss is,"

They all stopped walking and Vivi stared at the boy.

"I can't tell you, if you know you'll be hunted down and killed,"

They started walking again in silence until Connor broke it again "So what's a civil war?" he asked.

Viv explained the concept of civil war and revolutions; they were usually used to remove people from the throne. They eventually came to a warehouse and Igaram instructed Connor to wait outside while he, Mr 9 and Miss Monday get the straw hats. Connor agreed only if Vivi waited with him, when the two were alone Connor pressed Vivi for information again.

"So in all seriousness who is the big boss?" he asked.

"I told you I can't tell you, the less people know the safer they will be,"

"Oh come on your partners are inside and there is no one around, whose going to know?"

"Crocodile would, he'd find out for sure,"

"Crocodile huh, wired name,"

Vivi suddenly realised what she had done and panicked. Now this boy would be marked for death and it was all her fault. A scraping sound was heard from above and Connor and Vivi both looked up to see a vulture and an otter wearing pokodotted pajamers sitting on the roof of the warehouse. The otter was drawing on a sketch pad, when he was done he revealed two pictures.

One had Connors face on it and the other had Vivis. Vivi panicked again as the vulture flew off with the otter on his back. Igaram came out a few moments later carrying Luffy and Zoro; he was followed by the two other agents carrying the rest of the crew.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Vivi just told me who the boss of Baroque Works was and some weird otter drew our picture," Connor answered.

"The unluckys? We have to hurry. Quick back to your ship," Igaram urged then took off running in the direction of the Merry.

Vivi, Connor, Miss Wednesday and Mr 9 followed him.

"Why are we running from an otter?" Connor asked as they ran.

"Because once they report back to the boss, you'll have every single member of Baroque Works hunting you down," Igaram explained.

"How many members are there?"

"Over 2000," Mr 9 answered.

"Listen I have no reason to trust you or right to ask you this but will you take the princess with you?" Igaram asked.

"What?" Connor responded.

"I'll get on a different ship and act as a decoy while you escape with Miss Vivi here, if all goes well you can leave safely and get a head start before they receive those pictures,"

"But Igaram, that would put you in incredible danger," Vivi protested.

"Even if I agree to that where am I supposed to take her?" Connor asked.

"Back home to Alabasta," Igaram said "our country's survival depends on it,"

When they arrived at the ship Mr 9 and Miss Monday placed all of the sleeping Straw Hats members on the deck and Igaram disappeared but came back ten minutes later dressed in Vivis clothes.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Vivi asked worriedly.

"I told you I'm going to be your decoy, I'll take one of the prison ships and head for Alabasta while you go with them," Igaram answered.

"Now hold on just a second," Connor said "I can't take her home; I have no right or say in who gets on this ship or where it goes. Only the captain decides that kind of thing,"

"But you have to allow her on board, if you don't…" Igaram begged.

"I can't go against my orders, no matter what's at risk. However if she wants to hang around and talk to him when he wakes up, then that's fine by me. Also if we happen to leave while she's waiting and she's on board then that's her problem not mine," Connor said mischiefly.

Igaram and Vivi stared at the boy realising what he was implying.

"Very well then I'll wait on board until I can speak with the captain," Vivi agreed.

"Wise choice as soon as curly gets off the ship I'm casting off,"

"Without the Captain's permission?" Igaram asked in mock surprise.

"I'm sure he'll understand,"

"Then I won't hold you up. Princess I need the Eternal Pose please,"

Vivi nodded and reluctantly handed over a different looking Log Pose. The compass was the same but it was stored in a wooden frame.

"What's an Eternal Pose?" Connor asked curiosity.

"Well a Log Pose records the magnetic field of each Island before it points the way to the next. However an Eternal Pose will only ever point the way to one islands magnetic field. It will never change, no matter where you are in the world," Igaram explained.

"This Eternal Pose is set for Alabasta," Vivi claimed "Igaram take care of yourself,"

"Don't worry about me, I'll see you back home," Igaram said and gave Vivi a hug before he left the ship.

As soon as he was gone Connor raised the anchor and unfurled the sails. The Merry sailed up the river and into the fog, Vivi watched the town and Igaram disappear from sight. Once she couldn't see him anymore she turned away sadly, a large explosion went off behind her.

BOOOMMM!

Vivi froze and turned around again, she could see the flames burning the town. Connor ran up beside her.

"What was that?" he looked back over the burning town "oh s***,"

Vivi stared in shock, she thought they had more time, she thought that Igaram would have made it home but he had died because she had gotten him involved. Her friend was dead because of her.

"Hey are you all right?" Connor asked but Vivi didn't respond.

Connor left her there and moved the rest of the straw hats into their beds; he placed Zoro's swords next to his hammock. When Connor was done he also took the Log Pose from Nami's wrist, he had no idea how to navigate but perhaps Vivi could teach him how the compass worked.

When he got back on deck Vivi was being comforted by the giant duck thing.

"What is that thing anyway?" Connor asked Vivi as he approached.

"This is Carue, he's a duck and my most trusted friend," Vivi answered.

"Right. Look I know you're in shock and grieving for your curly haired friend but…I don't suppose you could teach me how this compass works could you?" Connor asked, holding up the Log Pose.

"Where's the navigator?"

"Sleeping off whatever you gave her,"

"But you're a pirate. Surly you know the basics of navigation,"

"I don't even know how a regular compass works, how am I supposed to figure out this one," Connor claimed.