(A/N: The last chapter of this arc! Enjoy!)

Chapter 4: Deliver Princess Vivi! The Straw Hat Pirates Set Sail

"Damn, they're annoying!" Zoro complained.

"What's their problem?!" Luffy exclaimed.

Vivi could only stare, jaw-dropped. They just took down two high-ranking agents without even trying! "This can't be! Their strength! Unbelievable!"

"Alright then. Let's settle this!"

"Yeah!" Luffy agreed.

As Vivi watched nervously, they just stared menacingly at one another. With battle cries, they finally went to attack... only for someone to punch them away. "Knock it off!" Nami scolded, as they fell to the ground. "What the heck are you guys doing?! It's just a good thing you managed to keep the girl safe! You almost let a billion berries get away from us!" She stood between them, and pulled them up by the scruffs of their shirts. "Understand?!"

"What are you talking about?" Vivi asked. "Why did you save me?"

Zoro punched Luffy in the face, and received a kick in return. "Right! We need to talk about that!" Nami began a negotiation amongst the squabbling. "It's like this; won't you make a contract with me?"

"Contract?"

Nami finally punched the two boys to the ground. "Quit fighting!"

Later on, a now cheerful Luffy laughed heartedly after hearing what had happened, as Nami talked with Vivi. The latter's hair was tied back up, but now with tails hanging around her face. "Oh! You shoulda just said so, Zoro! I just figured you cut them all down, 'cause they didn't make any food you liked!"

"Don't compare me to you!" Zoro glared.

Luffy laughed some more. "C'mon! Don't sweat it!"

"Shut up, you two!" Nami ordered, then turned back to Vivi. "So, there you have it! As compensation, I'd like one billion berries." The princess turned away in hesitation. "You saw how strong these guys are. It's a pretty good offer, if you ask me."

"I can't!" Vivi straightened up. "I do appreciate your saving me. Thank you."

"Why can't you?!" Nami protested. "You're a princess! One billion shouldn't be much."

"Do you know of the kingdom known as Alabasta?"

"No," She shrugged.

"It's a peaceful kingdom known as a great civilization, and nation," Vivi started to explain, "Well, it used to be."

"Used to be?" Nami asked. "What about now?"

"It's in the middle of a civil war. For years now, signs of a revolution have begun to appear. The people revolted, and the kingdom fell into total chaos." Her hands clenched into angry fists. "Then, one day, I heard the name of an organization; Baroque Works! I learned that the populace was being manipulated by this group. But there was a tight lid on any other information than that, and there was nothing I could do. That's when I asked Igaram, who always meddled in my business since childhood, for help."

"The old tube hair guy?" Luffy asked.

"Tube? Oh, yes," Vivi replied, "I asked him if there was a way I could infiltrate Baroque Works. Because that would let us see who was pulling the strings, and what their goal was."

"You're a pretty high-spirited princess," Zoro remarked with a smirk, "So? Did you figure out this goal of theirs?"

She nodded. ""The founding of an ideal nation,"" Nami said for her, to her surprise, "That's what Igaram-san said, anyway. Oh, does that mean..."

"Yes. The boss says it's to create an ideal nation, but it's an enormous lie!" She glared. "The true goal is to take over Alabasta Kingdom! I have to hurry back, tell everyone the truth, and to stop fighting! If I don't do something... if I don't do something..." She started to choke up.

"I see," Nami frowned sympathetically, then in disappointment "So that's the deal. Now everything finally connects. There'd be no money during a civil war, huh."

"Hey," Luffy grinned in curiosity, "Who is pulling these strings?"

Vivi shot up at that. "T-the boss' identity?! You shouldn't ask that!" Nami tensed up with her.

"You know who it is, right?" He asked.

She waved her hands out frantically. "Don't ask me! Anything but that! Your lives will be put in danger too!"

Nami laughed fearfully. "I think I'll pass on that! After all, these are guys trying to take over an entire country! They're obviously, insanely dangerous people!"

"Yes! They are!" Vivi agreed. "As strong as you people may be, you'd never stand a chance against one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile!" She blurted out unintentionally.

Everyone stared in dead silence for several, eternal seconds. "Who, now?" Luffy finally piped up.

Vivi clapped her hands over her mouth, as Luffy and Nami gaped in fear. "You just said it," Zoro snarked.

On the building next to them, an ominously familiar eagle and otter loomed over them, before flying away with the latter on the former's back.

A now furious Nami began shaking Vivi by her coat. "What was that bird and sea otter?!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She cried.

"Are they going to tell someone?!"

"Hey! A Warlord!" Luffy beamed with ecstasy to Zoro.

"Not too shabby!" He smirked in agreement.

"I'm very sorry! It just slipped out!"

"Like that really fixes things now! Why did you have to drag us down with you?!" Nami let her go, and cried into her hands. "Being hunted down by a Warlord the moment we enter the Grand Line is too much to handle!"

"We're lucky we can see him so soon!" Zoro remarked.

"I wonder what he's like!" Luffy agreed.

"Shut up, you two!" Nami shouted, and started stomping away. "It's been a short acquaintance, but I thank you for everything!"

"Where are you going?" Luffy asked.

"They don't know what we look like yet! I'm running away!" She stopped when an eagle and otter blocked her path, the latter holding incredibly accurate sketches of her, Luffy, and Zoro. "Wow! That's so good!" She praised fearfully with applause to avoid conflict, before they flew away. "I guess this means there's nowhere to run now, huh?!" She raged.

"I'm sorry!" Vivi cried.

"She's funny!" Luffy remarked.

"Where was she planning to run to, anyway?" Zoro wondered aloud. "Guess that means all three of us are on Baroque Works' hit list now."

Luffy chuckled with a wide grin. "That's exciting for some reason!"

Vivi tried to comfort a depressed Nami. "I-I have 500,000 berries in savings," She offered.

"Fear not!" Igaram suddenly appeared, now donning red lipstick, the same outfit as the princess, his giant curls in a high ponytail, and carrying three sacks with faces under his arms. "It's-" He cleared his throat. "Ma-ma-ma~. It's all right! I have a plan!"

"Igaram!" Vivi ran over to him, as did Luffy. "What are those clothes?!"

He laughed, and looked all over him. "You look hilarious in those, old guy!"

"It's idiot after idiot. Vivi-sama, please listen to me carefully. Once Baroque Works' intelligence network learns of something, pursuers may come after you almost immediately. On top of that, if you know the boss' secrets, you know what happens."

"A thousand or so people will come after you," She warned, and Nami whipped her head around to glare.

"Therefore, I will pretend to be you, like so, and sail straight to Alabasta with three dummies on board."

Luffy prodded at one of the dummies' heads. "These are us?"

"A decoy, huh," Zoro remarked.

"While the pursuers are busy with me, all of you will head to Alabasta via the normal route."

"Hold it!" Nami cut in. "Who said we were gonna take the princess there?! We still haven't come to an agreement, you know!"

"Take the princess there? What now?" Luffy asked.

"You haven't heard?" Zoro stood on his feet. "Pops here wants us to take her home."

"Oh, that's what this is about? Sure!" He agreed to it.

"Crocodile is gonna come after us, you know!" Nami yelled.

Luffy looked up at Igaram. "Is Crocodile really that strong?"

"He's one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. He's a legally-recognized pirate, and thus has no bounty on his head. However, the bounty he did have long ago was 80 million berries."

"80 million?!" Nami shouted. "That's four times Arlong's bounty! Say no!"

"Will you do it?" Igaram asked Luffy.

"Yeah!" He beamed. "It sounds like fun!"

"I am ever grateful!"

Later on, they gathered at the back harbor, as Igaram prepared to sail off. "Ma-ma-ma~. Now, then. I, Vivi, will leave from here."

"That's a perfect imitation, old guy!" Luffy praised.

"Imitation of who?!" Zoro exclaimed; he wasn't even trying.

"Now then, Princess. Please give me the Eternal Pose." She hesitated, but handed it over.

Nami perked up in interest. "Eternal Pose?"

"You've never heard of it?" He asked in surprise. "I suppose you could say it's a permanent version of a Log Pose. Whereas a Log Pose always leads ships to the next island, an Eternal Pose will never forget the magnetic energy of the island that is stored in it. Meaning it will forever point to that island alone. And this one is set to Alabasta."

"You're going to use this to go to Alabasta?" Vivi asked.

"Vivi-sama, please take the indirect island-hopping route to Alabasta," Igaram requested, "I've not taken the path myself, but it should only be two or three islands if you follow the Log." He glanced around at everyone. "Please take good care of the princess."

"Yeah!" Luffy agreed.

"Igaram..." She looked up at him sadly.

"I expect it will be a harsh journey. Be careful on your way."

"Iga-!" She choked up, before finally smiling, and they locked hands. "You too!"

With that, he was off with the decoys. 'Let us meet safely at our motherland. You must save the kingdom by your own hand!'

"There he goes," Luffy smiled, "He was a funny old guy, to the very end!"

"He really is reliable," Vivi commented. They watched serenely for a few seconds, when...

The ship exploded!

They gawked in horror, as the ship burned down, and the decoys were charred into nothing. "No!" Nami exclaimed. The Eternal Pose fell into the water, out of the carnage. "That's impossible! They're already after us?!"

Now furious, Luffy picked up his hat, put it on his head, and began sprinting deeper into the island. "He was a great person!" He raged.

"Nami!" Zoro frantically turned to the navigator. "What's the Log say?!"

She quickly looked. "We're okay! It's stored up!"

"Bring her with us! We're setting sail!"

"Vivi! Vivi!" Nami tried to gain her attention, but all she could do was stare on in absolute horror. "Hurry! If they find us, it'll all be for nothing!" Realizing Vivi was about to cry, biting her lip until it bled, she pulled her into her arms. "Don't worry! We will get you there!" She vowed, as tears welled up in Vivi's eyes. "I know they don't look like it..."

"Luffy! Go wake those three up!" Zoro commanded. "I'm going to the ship!"

"... but they saved the East Blue! Just the four of them!"

"Alright! Leave it to me!"

"Baroque Works?! Crocodile?! Ha!" Usopp was slumped over on a table, while Venus laid underneath the same table, with her head right behind his, and Sanji was sprawled out on the floor. "The Seven Warlords are nothing at all!"

Luffy barged into the bar after searching everywhere else, and frantically glanced around to finally find them. He grabbed Usopp's nose, along with one of Venus' plaits in one hand, and Sanji's left leg in the other, waking the boys up, then ran back outside like mad, crashing through the wall. "Let's go!"

"What the-?! Oww! What the-?!" Sanji exclaimed through repeatedly bumping his head. "What the hell're you doing, Luffy?! Hey!"

"My nose is coming off!"

"Let go, dammit! What's going on?!"

Despite being dragged by her hair, and Usopp repeatedly squishing her, Venus stayed deeply asleep.

Nami was also running for the ship, with their new guest. "Hurry, Vivi!"

"R-right!" She nodded, but started looking around frantically. Karoo is missing!

On the Merry, Zoro pulled the anchor up, as Luffy returned with the three crewmates. "Hey! I brought 'em!"

"Get on! We're ready to leave anytime!"

Luffy looked back when they were quiet. "Huh? These guys are still sleeping!"

"There's no time to look for him!" Nami urged Vivi.

"But I can't just leave him here!"

"Still!"

"Hey! What's the problem?!" Zoro called down to the girls.

"She says her duck is missing!" Nami replied.

"He won't come when we whistle for him!"

"This him?" Zoro casually pointed to the large duck next to him.

"You're there?!" Both girls raged.

"He was here before even me."

Vivi started climbing up the rope ladder. "There's a tributary just up the river! We can use it to get out to sea a little faster!"

"Alright!" Luffy cheered, as the sail was furled. "Let's go!"

"Hey," Zoro approached Vivi.

"Mr. Bushido."

"Just how many people are gonna be chasing us down?"

"I don't know. There are about 2,000 people in Baroque Works, and I've heard there are several town-like bases like this one nearby."

"They really might send 1,000 people?!" Nami exclaimed.

"H-huh?!" Sanji sputtered.

"Hey! The ship's leaving!" Usopp pointed out.

"Finally awake, I see," Nami drolled, "All but one, at least."

Neither of them were happy. "Wait! Let's stay just one more night!" Sanji protested.

"Yeah!" Usopp agreed.

"This town is great! And the girls are cute!"

"Venus-chan was dancing!" Usopp complained. "There's no telling when we'll have this much fun again!"

"Let's take it easy! We are pirates!"

"Plus, it's not even morning yet!"

"They have some nerve," Zoro griped, "They don't even know anything." After a couple of punching noises, Nami walked to the railing with a smile. "Hey! Explain to them!"

"Yep! I just did!"

"That was fast."

Turned out, she had simply knocked them unconscious with one punch each. "Yeah, I left out the complicated parts."

And all the while, Venus didn't even stir.

"We should be able to leave the island soon."

"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed. "There's fog now!"

"It's almost morning," Nami observed.

Little did they know, there was a stowaway. "It's good we managed to escape the people chasing us!" A strange, female voice remarked.

"That's for sure!" Nami agreed obliviously.

"We need to be careful not to crash the ships into the rocks," The voice continued.

"Just leave it to me!" Nami boasted, before she realized something was off. "Wait. Was that you, Luffy?"

"Nope."

Nami cautiously turned around, and gasped at the newcomer. A tall-looking, tan-skinned young woman with black shoulder-length hair, piercing blue eyes, and a purple sexy cowgirl outfit was sitting casually on the railing. "This is a nice ship."

"Who're you?!" Zoro exclaimed.

Vivi's eyes widened. "Y-you're...!"

She smirked, and leaned her head into her palm. "I ran into Mr. 8 a short while ago, Ms. Wednesday."

"You killed Igaram!" Vivi glared.

"Who cares about that!" Luffy cut in. "What're you doing on this ship?! Who're you?!"

"What are you doing here, Ms. All Sunday?!" Vivi demanded.

"Ms. All Sunday?!" Nami turned to her. "What number is she partner to?!"

"She's the partner of Mr. 0, the boss!"

"The bo- Crocodile?!" She shouted.

"Is she bad?" Luffy asked obliviously.

"She was the only one who knew the boss' identity. We found out who he is, by following her!"

"More accurately... I allowed you to follow me," Ms. All Sunday corrected.

"Oh! Then she's good!"

"I know that!" Vivi glared. "You're also the one who told him we discovered his identity, right?!"

"Correct."

"So she really is bad!" Luffy sneered.

"Pipe down, you!" Zoro scolded, before panicking. "Wait, Venus is back there!"

"Your friend's fine." Sure enough, Venus was sleeping peacefully behind her, lightly snoring. "Cute little thing."

"What exactly is it you trying to do?!" Vivi demanded.

"Good question. You were all so intent and serious, that I found myself helping out," Ms. All Sunday admitted, "The idea of a princess trying her hardest to save her kingdom, while making herself an enemy of Baroque Works. It was just so ridiculous, you see."

Vivi seethed in fury. "Don't you mock me!"

At that, every Straw Hat prepared to attack. Even Sanji pointed a pistol at her head! Usopp was quick to notice the unusual sight. "Hey! Sanji! You do realize what you're doing?!"

"No, not really," The cook admitted, "I just sense that my beloved Ms. Wednesday is in danger."

Ms. All Sunday was only slightly put off by the threats. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't point such dangerous objects at me."

Sanji and Usopp were mysteriously lifted in the air, and the same source knocked Nami's improved weapon, a wooden beam, out of her head. Plus Venus' limbs were pinned down. "You don't mean-!" Zoro's eyes widened.

"A Devil-" Vivi was cut of by Sanji and Usopp being dropped to the deck.

"A Devil Fruit!" Zoro finished for her.

"Which one?!" Nami exclaimed. "What's her power?!"

"Oww," Sanji sat up, before he perked up, "Upon closer look, you're actually a beautiful lady!"

Ms. All Sunday smirked. "Now, now. Don't be so hasty. I haven't been given any orders. I have no reason to fight." Luffy's hat suddenly flew up for her to catch. "So you're the straw hat captain I've heard so much about... Monkey D. Luffy."

"Hey, you!" Luffy raged, swinging his fists. "Gimme my hat back! Are you tryin' to start a fight?!"

"I deem you an enemy!" Usopp declared. "Leave this instant!"

Ms. All Sunday set his hat over hers. "How unlucky you are. You people picked up a princess Baroque Works is out to kill. And a princess being protected by a mere handful of pirates. But what's even unluckier is the course your Log Pose indicates." At that, Nami investigated the Log Pose urgently. "The name of the next island is... Little Garden. We don't even need to do anything; you'll be wiped out long before you can even reach Alabasta."

"Will not!" Luffy shouted. "Gimme my hat back!"

"You wish!" Usopp yelled from behind the mast. "You big dummy!"

"What are you, a kid?" Zoro snarked at him.

"Do you not think letting yourself get wiped out is a bit foolish?" She questioned, and tossed Luffy's hat down, along with an Eternal Pose to Vivi.

"An Eternal Pose?"

"You can skip past Little Garden with that. It points to an island just before Alabasta: Nothing At All Island. None of our employees know that course, so no one will chase you."

Nami stared for a moment in surprise. "What? She's a good person?"

"Why are you giving this to us?!" Vivi demanded.

"It's a trap, isn't it?" Zoro interrogated.

She smiled down at them. "Is it, now?"

Vivi was in deep thought, as she stared at the Log Pose. 'What do I do? I don't want to accept this from someone like her. But now that they've let me onboard, taking the safest route might be best.'

"Who cares about that!" Luffy snatched it away, and shattered it in his hand, to everyone's shock.

Seconds later, Nami punched him to the floor. "Are you an idiot?! She went out of her way to show us a nicer course!" She furiously pointed to Ms. All Sunday. "What if she's actually a good person?!"

Luffy stayed in defiant silence for a moment. "You're not the one who decides this ship's course!"

He and their adversary stared daggers, before she tilted her head. "I see. That's too bad."

"Urgh!" Nami growled.

"She blew up the old tube hair guy, so I hate her!"

"I don't hate high-spirited people. If you survive, let's meet again."

"No!" Luffy glared.

With that, she leaped overboard, and onto a seat on top of a giant turtle. "Let's go, Bunchi!"

Zoro peered over the edge in curiosity. "W-what is that?!"

Usopp nervously joined him. "Don't tell me it's a Sea King! No..."

Everyone yelled in shock. "A turtle!"

"What a huge turtle!" Luffy remarked.

Vivi suddenly collapsed to her knees. "I can't tell what that woman is thinking one bit!"

"Then there's no point in thinking about it," Nami frowned sympathetically.

"We already got someone like that on this ship, anyway," Zoro snarked about the goofy captain.

"Hey!" Usopp exclaimed. "Explain what's going on! None of this makes sense!"

"Oh, Ms. Wednesday!" Sanji swooned. "Don't tell me you've joined the crew?!"

"Hey! Explain already- whoa! There's an ostrich onboard!" Karoo quacked in offense at the sniper. "C'mon, what's going on?!"

"Is it for food?" Sanji asked, and Karoo squawked with fear.

"Explain what's going on!" Usopp demanded, as Venus continued to sleep away.

The next day, two of the three absentees were put up to speed on everything that ocurred. "I see," Sanji said, "It's too bad I missed out on it, but there's still opportunity for me to shine, too. Don't worry!" By now, Vivi wore a light green horizontal-striped button-up shirt, borrowed from the navigator. "Now that this sleeping prince has awoken, your safety is guaranteed!"

"Whoa!" Usopp exclaimed. "Good thing I slept through it!" He perked up at a familiar groan.

"Nami-san, jealous any?" Sanji asked.

"Nope!"

A groggy Venus stumbled over from the upper deck. "Oh God, my head," She groaned, as she held her headband with one hand, while rubbing her forehead with the other.

Usopp ran over, and caught her when she almost slipped on the stairs. "Venus-chan, you okay?"

"I've got such a headache," She griped, "And my hair hurts for some reason." She held her pigtail that was yanked by the captain. "Ugh, I'm never drinking again."

"Lightweight," Zoro smirked, earning a glare from her.

"I'm just gonna go lay down." Oblivious to their guest, she stumbled to the bedroom she shared with Nami.

"About time you woke up!" The navigator scolded.

"Yeah, yeah," She dismissed.

"I'll get you a cold cloth for your head," Usopp offered, as he rubbed her back.

"I'd love that, thanks," She smiled up at him, with her head rested on his shoulder, "You're sweet." She walked to her bed, not noticing the deep blush that came on his face.

"I-I-I'll be right back," He stammered, and quietly shut the door.

As he started soaking a cloth for her, he didn't hear footsteps approaching behind his back. "Say, Usopp-"

"AAH!" He yelped at Nami's voice, dropping the cloth in the water bucket, before he snatched it back up. She stood over him, now wearing a fresh clean shirt, with a proud grin. "What?!"

"You've been acting like Sanji lately, y'know," She smirked, "Only with less creepiness."

"W-what? How?"

"With Venus...?" Nami started, like it was supposed to be common knowledge. "Helping her with the littlest things... sitting next to her when we eat... freaking out when she's in danger... prioritizing her over everyone else. You were the most sad when she wasn't going to join us at first; you have a crush on her!" She practically squealed.

"SHH! I do not!" He loudly whispered.

"Do too!" She giggled. "It's cute!"

"It's not cute!" He protested in embarrassment. "Or true either!"

"Come on, Usopp," Zoro scoffed, "Everyone can see it."

"Yep," Sanji agreed, albeit slightly peeved at some competition for one of the girls.

"B-but I... it can't be that."

"What other explanation is there?" Nami shrugged. "You'll feel better if you admit it."

"But I don't! I can't!"

"Yes, you do! Just admit it!" She insisted. "Does your heart flutter around her?"

"Well, y-yeah, but-"

"And you find her cute?"

"Yes, obviously, but-"

"You want to be around her all the time?"

"Yes, now let's-"

"You want to hold her? Kiss her?"

He hesitated at that. She had him there. "... W-well-"

"Ha! That settles it!"

"Alright! So I have a crush on her!" He quietly exclaimed. "So what?! Just keep your voices down, and don't tell her! Nobody!" He pointed all around, even to Vivi.

"Alright," Zoro raised his hands up in defense.

"Deal," Nami nodded.

"Promise," Vivi winked.

"Fine," Sanji sulked.

"Well for now, looks like our next destination is set," Zoro remarked to change the subject.

"Little Garden, huh," Sanji recalled the name.

"Oh, h-hey now!" Usopp stammered. "Will we be alright there?!"

"Who knows! Let's go, men!"

"Yeah!"

(A/N: That concludes Whisky Peak! And it's confirmed: Usopp has a crush on Venus! You know the disclaimer. Up next: Little Garden!)