AN:

First off, I just want to say thanks to everyone who's stuck around this long because we hit fifty chapters with this one, which is slightly nuts. I never expected this story to go this far if I'm being completely honest and I have you guys to thank for that, so big huge thank you to everyone who has read up to this point. I hope you stick with me! This was a fun one to write and I'm excited to be able to write more of Robin in the future. No action really to be found in this one, more of just trying to push things along. The next chapter is being worked on currently and we will be headed to Little Garden, so I'm super excited about that!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and, as always, don't be afraid to let me know what you think! Happy reading!

Chapter 50: Sunday Special

Ms. Wednesday watched the surrounding pirate crew closely as they stared at her and Mr. Eight, taking a deep breath and hoping with everything she had that they'd believe her story. Her real story. It was probably one of the riskier things she'd done in her life, but what choice did she have? Mr. Zero obviously knew of their identities which meant she and Igaram needed to get back home as quickly as they could.

Before any of the other Straw Hats could answer, a scoff left Nami's mouth. "So, let me get this straight.", the navigator said skeptically, "You're trying to tell us that you're actually the princess of some country none of us have ever heard of and, on top of that, you want us to take you back there out of the goodness of our hearts?". Another scoff left her mouth at the tentative nod of the blue-haired girl's head and she turned to the rest of the crew, "We're not buying this, right?".

"Please.", Igaram interjected, bowing in the direction of who he still assumed to be the captain of the crew, "We wouldn't ask this of you if there were any other options.". And it was the truth… He was extremely reluctant to let Vivi even stand near the swordsman who'd decimated the ranks of Baroque Works, let alone travel with him... However, with the way things had panned out, there was no other choice. "Mr. Zero knows of our identities and will have us eliminated at any cost.", he added with his head still bowed.

Zoro eyed the man curiously, "Why though?". If they were telling the truth then the boss of their organization was trying to kill them for what reason exactly?

The blond-haired man took a deep breath and stood from his prostrated position, once again addressing the group that had them surrounded. "If you knew the inner workings of Baroque Works like we do…", he said, pointing between himself and Vivi, "Then you'd know that it's based around complete anonymity. No one knows who anyone else really is.". He took a shaky breath and continued, "Our mission was to discover Mr. Zero's identity and get close so as to have a chance to remove him from the equation… Always aim for the head as they say.".

Luffy lifted his head up from his place lying on the ground and looked at the two with a bored expression, "I'm gonna be honest… I don't really care about any of this.". At the moment he was antsy and all the talk of bounty hunters and kingdoms was kind of a drag. Plus, after throwing those couple of punches, a part of him was itching for a fight… He looked over to his first mate and an irritated huff left his lips as he lay back to look up at the night sky. Stupid Zoro just HAD to kill everyone before he got the chance to join in…

"Did you guys complete this mission of yours?", Usopp asked curiously. Obviously, he didn't want to know their boss's name if they were being truthful about the danger such knowledge came with but he couldn't help but be a little curious.

Vivi and Igaram glanced at each other nervously before the blue-haired girl turned back. "Yes…", she tentatively replied, "However, I can't tell you his name as that would put you in his sights the same as us.". They may be pirates but she wasn't keen on putting anyone else in the kind of danger she and Igaram were in. She looked back at the carnage left in the wake of the green-haired swordsman standing across from her, "And as strong as you and your crew may be, you're no match for Sir Crocodile.". Her hand slapped over her mouth directly after the name left her lips and she turned back with a pair of wide eyes.

Silence consumed the air as the Straw Hat Pirates stared blankly at the girl and it lasted a good long moment before it was broken by Luffy. "… You're really stupid.", the pirate captain sighed, eyes never leaving the dark sky above. It kind of reminded him of the dream he'd had earlier in the night. Minus the stars. He shook his head and sat up, "So, what makes this Crocodile guy so scary?".

"Don't say his name!", Vivi hissed as quietly as she could, a blush rising to her cheeks while her eyes shifted through the area to search for any who may be listening.

Sanji sweat dropped at the words. Hadn't she said it not five seconds ago?… He went to comment but stopped himself when the flapping of wings began to sound from somewhere over their heads. He glanced upward and saw the silhouettes of what seemed to be two birds flying off toward the docks, a frown finding its way onto his face when he looked closer. Was something riding one of them?…

The rest of the group looked up and Vivi almost immediately paled. "Oh no…", she whispered, eyes locked to the two forms beginning to grow smaller the higher they got, "… That's not good.".

Nami saw the way the supposed princess was looking at the retreating avians and frowned similarly to the boy on her left, looking over to Usopp to give him a nudge. "Hey.", she whispered when he turned toward her. She pointed up at the birds now far enough away that she almost couldn't see them, "Can you shoot them down?". She didn't really know why she was asking in all honesty. The only thing she could say was she just had a feeling and she'd learned to trust her instincts after being around her friends for so long.

Before the long-nosed teen could respond Luffy shot up from his place on the ground, having listened in on the short conversation. "I got it!", he exclaimed happily. Finally, something to do besides talking… Without another thought, his legs bent, muscles tensing, before he extended them sharply and rocketed himself into the sky. A crater blasted into existence underneath his feet and those around him had to hold their ears from the loud crack that accompanied the action, each of them watching his form practically vanish from their sight.

Vivi winced when a second boom ripped through the air and, thankfully, it sent him far enough away to make the subsequent cracks quiet enough that she no longer had to hold her ears. She'd honestly forgotten he could do that… Surprising considering the amount of time she spent watching him during their travels. She looked over to Igaram when the pirate's ascending figure disappeared from her vision, muffled booms still sounding from somewhere in the distance, and found him staring at the crater that'd been left behind… Oh yeah… She'd forgotten to tell him that he could fly… Well... Kind of.

The soles of Luffy's sandals mashed into the air over and over until the animals came into his sight once again, smiling wide at the realization that he hadn't misfired yet. He'd gotten so much better since he'd learned how to do this! With one more extension of his legs, followed by another loud boom, his body collided with one of the birds desperately trying to escape from him once they'd realized he was in pursuit. As soon as his arms wrapped around what he now knew was a buzzard, he suddenly realized that he'd caught something else in his grasp as well.

The teen stared into the dark glasses of an otter as it looked back with an expression of bewilderment and smiled, arms tightening so he wouldn't lose either of them to the winds whipping by his face. He ignored their futile struggles and looked up to find the other bird flapping its wings as hard as it could, grin widening.

His leg shot out again and Luffy expected to catch up to his target in an instant, however, when the appendage fully straightened the only thing he felt was the rattling of his bones. His eyes widened and he tried again with the same result. With his trajectory beginning to change from a rise to a fall, he took one last look at his escaping prey and groaned loudly, arms tightening around the two smaller forms in his arms, "… This is probably gonna hurt, guys…".

Loud squawks and the screams of the otter in one of his arms burst into the air as the trio began to rapidly fall, the boy quickly enhancing the entirety of his body. If he was better at hardening, he'd have done that instead, but the small amount he could cover himself in wouldn't be enough to really help that much. Plus, it would diminish the strength of the invisible armor that already surrounded him.

So, with his eyes finding the quickly approaching ground, Luffy braced himself, legs shooting out rapidly one after the other to try and find purchase on something. After one last failed attempt, he grit his teeth and hugged the animals he'd caught even closer before bracing himself for their impending impact.

A thundering crash lit the silence of the night as the three connected with the earth, the dirt street shattering around the teen's body when it imprinted itself into the large crater that formed around him. A loud groan left his lips as loose rubble crumbled around his shifting figure and he slowly sat up. Even with his enhancement keeping him from breaking anything, that hadn't felt good.

The cloud of dust partially obscuring his vision began to settle and Luffy looked down to see if the animals he'd captured had made it through their landing… They hadn't… Blood, bone, feathers, and fur covered the front of his chest, along with broken shards of dark glass, and he frowned for a moment while he looked at himself. Well… Nami hadn't said they needed to be alive… He looked back up to search for the one that'd gotten away but was met with nothing other than the starry skies.

"You look quite disgusting if I do say so myself.".

The pirate captain's head shot back down at the sound of the voice and he almost immediately recognized the figure standing on the docks, as she'd appeared in his dreams on more than one occasion. "Pretty Lady!", he exclaimed with a big smile.

Ms. All Sunday laughed brightly at his way of addressing her. She was honestly surprised he remembered their meeting. She shook the thought away and lightly bowed in his direction, "The one and only.".

Luffy quickly brushed off the remains of the two animals he'd inadvertently snuffed the life out of and stood to his feet, shaking the soreness from himself. That really hadn't felt good… He shook his head and made to approach but stopped almost immediately, a stray thought crossing his mind. What the heck was she doing there?…

The woman tilted her head at him curiously, arms crossing at her front. "What is it Mr. Black Fist?", she asked with a small smile, eyes glinting mischievously, "Do I scare you?".

Luffy watched the lady closely, "No… Well… Not really.". After having traveled with Nami for so long, he'd gained a healthy fear of all women… They could be really scary… He let his arms drop down to his side but moved no closer, an awkward silence settling between the two. "Sooo… Any reason why you're here?", he asked, curiosity eventually getting the better of him.

Another silence followed the question before Ms. All Sunday turned away and gazed back at the quaint little ship she assumed the boy and his crew traveled on. "Hmm, that's a question with a complicated answer… It could take a while to explain.", she replied, turning back to the person whose bounty poster she'd been looking at only moments before he'd crashed into the area, "Are you sure you want to spend our short time alone talking about that?".

The boy looked at her strangely, "What do you mean, short time?". As far as he was aware, he didn't have anywhere to be. Well… Now that he thought about it, that girl needed to get back to her home to stop a war or something but that didn't really concern him. He hadn't agreed to take her anyway. He looked over his shoulder when she nodded to the area behind him and turned to find his crew, followed by the two they'd been chatting with, walking in their direction. He looked closer when he saw a seventh figure that hadn't been there before and had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things… Was that a duck?… And was Blue Hair Girl riding it?… What was her name again?

"As you can see, we have guests.", Ms. All Sunday said, meeting the teen's eyes as he turned back toward her. She couldn't help but smile at her luck. Plus, she certainly didn't mind getting the chance to chat with Straw Hat Luffy again. She'd very much enjoyed their last conversation. She turned toward the docks once again and pointed to the water. "I see your friend Levi managed to make it into the Grand Line.", she commented, watching Nala and the large beast swim circles around each other, "And it seems Nala has taken quite a liking to him.".

"Nala?", Luffy questioned curiously, peering over the woman's shoulder. His eyes met the water and they immediately widened, an excited smile rising to his lips, "You have a giant turtle?!". He looked back at the woman for a moment only to rush straight past her, his next words hitting her back before she could even turn, "THAT'S SO COOL!".

The splashing of water and Luffy's words of introduction were all the woman got to hear before her attention was grabbed by the group that'd stopped a short way away from her, a small smile rising back to her lips at the sight of the two she'd been searching for. "Ms. Wednesday and Mr. Eight, as well as the rest of Mr. Black Fist's crew. It's so kind of you to join us.", she mused, "It seems as if you've all had the chance to meet.". She met Ms. Wednesday's narrowed gaze and her smile widened, "I'm a bit miffed, Ms. Wednesday. I hope you at least mentioned me.".

Igaram protectively stepped in front of the princess and pulled his saxophone back out of his coat, gripping it tightly. "Karoo.", he whispered over his shoulder, "When I attack, turn around and get Vivi as far away from here as poss-". His words were interrupted by a pair of hands covering his mouth, another grabbing his arms and pulling them apart to make him drop his weapon.

"Now, now, Mr. Eight.", Ms. All Sunday chastised, her folded arms now crossed in front of her in an 'X', "I like secrets just as much as the next gal but I really can't stand being left out.". She watched as the group prepared for a fight, shaking her head scoldingly, "And I'd appreciate it if you all stayed still. I think you can already imagine what happens if you don't… But, just to make sure… Fleur.".

Zoro's eyes widened when his arms were pulled behind his back, another pair gripping the top and bottom of his head. His eyes shot around to the others and he came to the realization that all of them were being held captive similarly. Usopp seemed to be freaking out a good bit, kind of like he was reliving a nightmare. Nami seemed mostly bewildered but otherwise relatively normal. The cook was pretty subdued considering he was essentially being held by a woman. And, the other two looked to be frightened to their very cores. He looked back to the woman at their front and his vision narrowed as he tested the strength of her grip from behind his back, a tsking sound almost immediately following the action… Could she feel all these things?…

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Mr. Swordsman.", the black-haired woman said, her grip on his wrists and head tightening even further. She went to say more but her breath caught in her throat instead, eyes widening at the words suddenly being whispered into her ear.

"Hey.", Luffy greeted quietly from over her shoulder, eyes locked to his friends' still forms, "I like your power a lot and you've got a really nice turtle. But, those are my friends… Well, most of them are…". In what seemed like the blink of an eye, his hands were resting on her chin and the top of her head, mirroring those across from them. "Anyway…", he whispered seriously, "… You wanna die or let them go?".

For the first time in a long time, Ms. All Sunday was consumed with fear, large blue orbs growing to the size of saucers. Her hands started to shake and she could feel sweat beginning to gather on her forehead. For some reason, even though she'd never seen the pirate captain be anything other than joyful and maybe a little dumb, she could feel the seriousness of his threat. However, as sad as it was, a part of her welcomed the thought of dying… Of escaping the constant looks she had to cast over her shoulder… Escaping the fear that she was the only person she'd ever be able to trust.

"Lady?", Luffy questioned, eyes still trained on his crew.

A sigh left the woman's mouth, "Fine, Mr. Black Fist. You win.". She shot him a look from the corner of her eye and nodded as if asking to move, receiving a tentative nod in return. Her arms uncrossed and she slowly dropped them back down to her sides, the hands she'd created vanishing into a cloud of pink flower petals.

The straw-hatted teen sighed a sigh of relief and let his legs unwrap from Ms. All Sunday's middle, dropping down to pull her hands behind her back… What?… She was tall!… He probably could have just stood on his toes but that was no fun… He really hadn't even wanted to harm her but if she had hurt his friends, she definitely probably would have died. "Hey, Nami!", he shouted to the group in front of them, "You got any rope?".

The orange-haired girl quickly wiped away her shock at the turn of events and shook her head in the negative, making to walk in the direction of the Merry, "No, but I'm sure there's some on the ship. Gimme a sec.".

The rest of the group looked at each other for a moment before those who belonged to Luffy's crew began to make their way in his direction on the heels of their navigator. The other two, however, stayed exactly where they were.

"She's dangerous.", Vivi said from atop Karoo's back, eyes meeting the woman she was referring to, "I would be careful around her… Obviously…".

"So, this is the crew of the Straw Hat Pirates.", Ms. All Sunday exclaimed, ignoring the princess's words in favor of getting a good look at those now surrounding her, "It's a pleasure to meet you all.". She bowed her head in greeting, "I'm Ms. All Sunday, for those of you who don't know.".

"Ms. All Sunday, huh?", Sanji commented eyes taking in the woman's form. She was stunning... He quickly brushed the thought away and looked back to her big blue eyes. "I'm assuming that means you're here for them?", he said pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

The woman focused in on the blond boy who'd spoken, giving him a quick once over, "You're a handsome one, aren't you?".

The chef shuddered at the words, taking an involuntary step back as flashbacks from his night in Lougetown almost immediately floated through his mind at the way she'd said 'handsome'. However, before he could take another step, something landed on his shoulder and he turned to find a blood-covered hand.

"Answer the question.", Zoro said thinly, bloody digits dropping from Sanji's shoulder to rest on the hilt of Kajiya. If the damn cook continued to make him feel any softer he was gonna beat the shit out of him… "And pull yourself together, Cook.", he whispered in a low voice, "… For gods sake.".

"There seems to be a trend here, Mr. Black Fist.", Ms. All Sunday commented, looking over her shoulder at the straw-hatted boy, "You've got quite the crew of lookers. Yourself included.". Well, the long-nosed one wasn't really her type, but he was cute in his own special way… She shook her head and lightly laughed at the confused look he sent her, turning back to the others, "To answer your question, yes. I am here for those two. But, it seems as if things aren't quite going to plan.".

"Nami! You got that rope yet?", Luffy yelled up to the deck of the Merry. He was getting bored again… Hopefully, they could leave soon. He was ready for the next island!

The orangette's feet slammed into the dock and she rushed back in the group's direction. "Yeah, I had to cut it down to the right length but it should work just fine.", she said, handing over the loop so Luffy could tie the woman's hands behind her back. She watched him for a moment before a stray thought made her speak up, "Wait… Does tying her hands even stop her from using her Devil Fruit?". She didn't know for sure if that was what it was but it seemed like the most likely explanation. What else could give you the power to grow hands wherever you wanted?

Luffy stopped in his securing of the rope and sent his navigator a shrug before giving his final touches to the bindings, stepping back proudly when he finished, "Dunno.". In all honesty, he had no idea if they would hold but it looked good enough for him…

"So, Mr. Black Fist.", Ms. All Sunday said, turning to face the pirate captain once again, "… What now?".

A huff left Luffy's mouth, "Can you stop calling me that?". As cool as the title was, it wasn't his name… "My name's Luffy, Pretty Lady.", he complained.

The woman sent him a smirk and shrugged, "Well, if you must know, my name isn't Pretty Lady, as flattering as it is. So, when you start using my name, I'll start using yours.".

The boy groaned to himself. "Well then can I call you something else?", he asked exasperatedly, another name almost immediately coming to mind, "How about Ms. Sun?".

Ms. All Sunday couldn't help the laugh that left her lips. "I think that name is a little too bright for someone like me.", she countered.

"I'm all for it.", Zoro interjected, looking over his shoulder at Vivi and Igaram beginning to approach their group, "Less work for me.".

"I'm with Mosshead.", Sanji added, almost immediately backtracking when he realized what he'd said, "Not that I would mind calling you by your name if that's what you prefer.".

Nami sighed to herself. She could already see where things were more than likely going to go. "Ms. Sun works for me.", she said, looking over to Usopp.

"… I honestly don't care…", the sniper shivered to himself, "Just don't grow those hands on me again please.".

"Also, Luffy.", the orange-haired girl sweat dropped, pointing toward the blood beginning to dry on his chest, "Are those the birds?...".

The pirate captain sighed, "Yeah... We kinda fell and they didn't make it through the landing.". He looked back up to the sky, "I only got the otter and the buzzard, though. The other one got away.".

"Other one?", Ms. All Sunday asked curiously, "As far as I'm aware, there are only two members of the Unluckies... And you seem to have killed them both.".

The clearance of a throat made the group stop in their conversation and turn toward the two now standing only a couple feet away from them, Igaram once again bowing his head, "Now that Ms. All Sunday is subdued, I would like to ask you once again to please take Vivi with you on your journey.". They'd spent their time alone going over their plan and it all hinged on the pirates agreeing. "Please. There isn't much I can offer you except my utmost gratitude but the Princess is needed back in Alabasta.", he practically begged.

"A billion berries.", Nami countered, stepping up to the front of the group, "A billion berries and you got a deal.". If the severity of their situation was genuine and she really was a princess then surely they could meet her demands.

"Namiii.", Luffy groaned into the air, "… I thought I was supposed to be the captain…".

The orangette waved the pouting boy away, "Oh come on, Luffy. It's one extra person on the ship. Plus, we were probably going there at some point anyway. That's kinda how the log pose works.". She turned back to the two in front of her and looked at them expectantly, "So? It's a billion or no deal.".

Igaram scrambled to find his voice, "I- I am but a humble servant of the Nefertari's. I couldn't possibly offer such a su-".

"You have a deal.", Vivi interrupted, nodding at her bodyguard when his wide eyes landed on her, "Get me back to Alabasta and you'll be given what you desire.".

The Straw Hats all eyed the woman skeptically. Well, everyone except for Luffy who was sat with his knees clutched against his chest while he sulkily drew circles in the dirt.

A moment of silence passed through the area as Nami stared at the blue-haired girl. She honestly doubted she was telling the truth. That being said, if they managed to get her back and she decided not to pay up, they could always just hold her for ransom. She shrugged to herself and turned to the rest of the crew, "Alright boys. Looks like we've got a new destination. Let's go ahead and get the ship ready. The log pose is set, so we can leave when we finish.".

Igaram sighed in relief and bowed to the pirate crew once again. "You have my gratitude, Straw Hat Pirates.", he said genuinely, the panic running through him hidden behind a large smile. There was no way King Cobra would agree to giving them a billion berries… He shook his head and turned to Vivi and Karoo… Problems to solve at a later date. "Vivi, I am afraid this is where we must part ways.", he said, holding out his hand as if asking for something, "I would ask that you give me the eternal pose to Alabasta.".

The words shocked the girl, "W-What?". Was he leaving? "But I thought we would be traveling together, Igaram!", she replied in panic. If he wasn't coming with them, where was he going?

"It's too dangerous, Princess.", he started, softly grabbing her hand in his, "One of us must make it back to tell your father of Mr. Zero's plans and with all the attention we've garnered, I think it's best if we travel separately.".

Vivi hated that she could see the wisdom in his words and had to squeeze her eyes to make sure no tears came out.

"Don't cry, Princess. You will have Karoo and I'm certain we will see each other again upon your arrival in Alabasta.", the blond-haired man consoled. He looked into her watery eyes for a moment before she nodded and reached into her coat, pulling out the eternal pose and handing it over.

Igaram gave her one last nod before turning back to the crew that would be traveling with the Princess, "I beg of you to please keep her safe and make it to Alabasta as quickly as you can.". He bowed once again and without another word moved in the direction of the docks, toward a small ship that could likely only carry four to five people max.

The Straw Hats watched the man board the vessel and pull in the anchor, the small craft almost immediately beginning to drift out into the open water. "Fear not, Princess Vivi!", the man shouted from the deck, "We will see each other again soon!".

With his parting words said, the group watched Igaram sail out to the horizon for a moment before Luffy's voice snapped them into action. "Alright guys, let's get going.", he said waving those remaining toward the Merry. He paused when he realized that they would be traveling to a new island and excitement began to settle into his stomach. A welcome change from the boredom he'd felt most of the night.

"If I may.", Ms. All Sunday interjected, "I would suggest reaching into my coat.". She smiled at the confused looks shot her way and nodded at the orange-haired girl she assumed was probably the navigator of the crew considering the log pose she wore on her wrist, "There's something in there I think you'll want for your journey.".

Nami eyed the woman before obliging her request, carefully reaching into her jacket to search for whatever it was she wanted them to have. She rustled around until her hand grasped something… Squishy?

"I'm flattered Ms. Navigator, and your hand feels quite nice, but I think what you're looking for is a little more to the right.", the black-haired woman said like she hadn't just been fondled.

Nami stared blankly at her for a moment before giving one last squeeze, this one out of respect more than anything else, "You're pretty stacked, Ms. Sun.". She turned back to her captain as soon as the words left her mouth and stopped him in his tracks, "Don't even say it, Luffy...".

The orangette rolled her eyes at the laughter that burst from his throat and turned back to Ms. Sun, the woman's small giggles making her smile. Without any more exploring, she listened to her instructions and gripped something hard when she moved to the innermost part of her coat. She pulled out of the purple clothing and what met her vision was something she'd already seen earlier in the night, albeit a different word written on the bottom.

"That's an eternal pose to Alabasta and I would suggest following it rather than your log pose.", Ms. All Sunday said, a hint of warning in her voice, "Your log pose will take you to the island closest to this one and you probably want to avoid it as it is quite… Well... Let's just say... Interesting…".

Luffy walked over to the two while the other members of the crew made their way in the direction of the Merry and snatched the eternal pose from Nami's hand, peering at it intently, "So, what? This'll take us straight to Alamasta or whatever?".

The woman nodded her head in confirmation, softly laughing at his mispronunciation, "Yes and it's a much easier route of travel than following your origin-". The sound of shattering glass stopped her from finishing and she looked blankly at the crushed eternal pose as the pieces fell to the ground, "… I'll take that as a no then…".

Luffy shrugged and clapped his hands together to rid them of the small shards of glass and wood, "Well, you said the next island was interesting, so I don't wanna miss it.".

Nami sighed in exasperation. She should've expected that… She'd probably keep the other eternal pose she found to herself for the time being… She glanced over at Vivi and could see a slight bit of irritation on her face at the actions of her captain and, while she partially understood, she didn't really have any say in the matter. It was Luffy's ship. She was lucky they were even taking her in the first place.

"Well, that settles that, I guess.", Ms. All Sunday said, turning back toward Luffy, "It's been a pleasure, Mr. Luffy, but it seems as if it's time for you and your crew to be on your way.".

A groan left the boy's lips. "I told you, it's just Luffy.", he replied before shooting her a confused look, "And what do you mean me and my crew? You're coming too.".

Silence accompanied the words before it was broken by Nami. "Knew it.", she sighed into the air, turning toward the ship to help the others get ready to leave.

The black-haired woman stared blankly at the pirate captain and, for the first time in a long time, scrambled to find words.

"What the hell do you mean she's coming with us, Luffy?!", Vivi asked incredulously. How the hell was she supposed to travel with someone that could backstab her at any moment?!

Luffy shot her a look that said, 'keep talking and you stay here', and the girl stopped herself from saying any more, "Would you rather leave her here so she can tell ole Croc exactly where you are and who you're with?".

The words sufficiently cowed the girl and out of the corner of his eye the teen saw Ms. Sun regain her bearings, immediately stepping around her to stop her from saying anything more, "Nope. You're coming with us and, as good as you are at talking, nothing is gonna change my mind.". He glanced over her shoulder as they moved in the direction of the ship, Vivi and Karoo in tow, and his eyes caught Levi and Nala still playing in the water, "Plus, Levi and Nala seem to really like each other!".

End Note:

This is kind of the point where we will start to see some bigger divergences from canon, so buckle up. I've got a lot planned. Like I said in the beginning of the story we are going to mostly be following the main arcs of canon but there will definitely be some twists and turns that change the arcs themselves. Anyway, just thought I'd throw that out there. Hope you enjoyed this one and I'll see you in the next!