As she got nearer to being ready to return to life on the Grand Line, she started getting more and more news from her contacts about things happening. Old Shichibukai being ousted and replaced with stronger Pirates in response to the increasing power of Charlotte Linlin, Kaido, and Whitebeard. Powerful men like Bartholomew Kuma and Gecko Moria joined the ranks and shook the foundations of the system.
Moria, in particular, was an interesting addition. One time the captain of the Gecko Pirates, he had faced Kaido and survived. Barely, if the rumours were true, and losing his entire crew in the process. Strong enough to face a monster like Kaido, though, which was likely why the World Government had wanted to sink their claws into him.
More Navy activity.
More Cipher Pol activity.
More Revolutionary activity.
And, as always, hopeful, young pirates poured into the Grand Line from all four Blues, eager to make a name for themselves, all claiming to be going after the One Piece. Roger's last words had ignited what was being heralded as the Golden Age of Piracy.
As much as the World Government tried to squash it.
Crocodile was itching to get back into the thick of things.
One call was all she needed to make up her mind.
A month later, the Eclipse slipped back into the Grand Line through the calm belt, the underside of the ship recently coated with seastone powder, purchased at great expense to make Crocodile's comings and goings as subtle as possible—no point in risking damage from the Reverse Mountain if there was a way to avoid it.
The kids were disappointed when they realized they wouldn't get the experience. But they hadn't had the chance to be upset for long. Not when a Waterspout formed close enough to their entry point to drag the Ecplise in. They were giving whoops of excitement as Sin guided the Eclipse away from the enormous water tornado.
Crocodile turned to ensure Sin had it in hand and missed Luffy clambering onto the Bananawani figurehead on the ship's prow. Her little legs hooked around the banana jutting out its head. She spun around when she noticed Daz jerk to his feet. And her heart dropped. Everyone topside who didn't have their hands full moved to grab her.
"Luffy!" Crocodile yelped, ready to launch herself over the quarterdeck railing down to the main deck. But Ace reached Luffy before everyone else, grabbing his now five-year-old sister underneath her armpits and pulling her off the figurehead.
"No," She whined, dragging the vowel out, trying to cling to it, "Ace, I'm not gonna fall." But Sabo, who was only a step behind Ace, poked her waist sternly. At the brief tickle, Luffy let go of the banana with a shriek of laughter, wrapping her arms around her belly protectively. The crew relaxed, returning to what they had been doing, seeing that the boys had Luffy in hand.
Crocodile rolled her eyes to the sky, exhaling a heavy sigh. She sat back on her chair and snorted at Daz, seated across the table. He was chuckling, his hand on his chin as he contemplated the chessboard between them.
"What so funny?" She nudged his knee with her bare foot, leaning back against her chair.
"Just thinking about how much trouble Luffy's gonna cause when she's older." He told her, making his move.
She laughed, "As though the other two won't cause any." Her toes tapping on the deck, she examined the board.
"Not nearly as much," He pointed at the kids, and they both watched as Luffy hopped right back on the figurehead, Ace and Sabo standing behind her with their hands out protectively.
Crocodile shook her head, amused, "You're probably right. She has them both wrapped around her little fingers." She blinked innocently at Daz, "I wonder who she gets that from."
–
Sakazuki shifts through the stack of communications that his assistant had left on his desk, eyes scanning each page. As he'd gotten into the bad habit of, he was looking for any mention of Crocodile and her Sandstorm Pirates…not that he would ever admit that out loud.
There had been no sign of her on the Grand Line for six years. It had been as though she had disappeared. If she had run into trouble with the Navy, reports would have been made, but there had been none. And no word of any arrests made by Bounty Hunters to claim her bounty.
But there was nothing.
Sakazuki frowned, a furrow between his brows and finished skimming the rest of the reports. He placed the stack onto his desk. He sighed heavily, pulling a cigar from the box in the top left drawer of his desk, and reclined in his chair.
He could have one of his subordinates look into it. It was his right to deploy them at his discretion, after all…but he shook the idea away. Crocodile wasn't a child; for all he knew, she had left the Grand Line of her own volition.
His office door was pushed open, Lieutenant Maru poking her head in and bringing Sakazuki out of his thoughts with a quiet knock on the wood, "Admiral Kizaru is here to see you, sir."
Sakazuki removed his cigar from the corner of his mouth and exhaled a puff of smoke, and nodded at Maru, "Let her in."
She slipped back out the door, and not even a second later, the door was flung wide open, and Borsalina swept into his office. Bringing with her the scent of the sea, cloves and the faintest hint of cigarette smoke.
"Hello, Saka. Did you miss me while I was gone?" She had been in the West Blue for four months and hadn't seen Sakazuki for three before that, while he'd been dealing with some renegade marines in the South Blue
"You were gone?" He deadpanned, blinking at his sister when she leaned over his desk to press an airy kiss on his cheek.
Salina pouted, lowering herself into the armchair in front of his desk with all the grace of a big cat, one leg crossing over the other at the knee with a whisper of nylon, "We haven't been in the same place for months, darling."
"We talk almost every day," He pointed out, taking another drag of his cigar, "Did you need something, or are you just here to bother me?"
Breathing a soft laugh, she held out a folder he hadn't realized she was carrying, "Both, as always." Sakazuki took it from her and flipped it open. "You remember those false revolutionaries that our dear fleet admiral asked you to look into? I received that report from one of my captains in Paradise and thought it may interest you."
He raised an eyebrow and started reading. After a few minutes, he shook his head, "This isn't anything we don't already know," Sakazuki muttered while closing the file, irritated.
"Oh, and what do we know?" She asked, lighting a cigarette.
"You mean besides the fact that the 'real' revolution has denied any connection to them and has even gone so far as to condemn their actions publicly?" She waved her hand at his rhetorical question as if to say, 'Yes, besides that.'
"They're targeting peaceful kingdoms, with popular, well-loved rulers and sowing the seeds of rebellion. They go in and stir up the population, usually by framing the rulers for some heinous act or another. The last one that we linked to them, they'd convinced the masses that their queen was selling their children into slavery and making a profit." Sakazuki grimaced, "You can imagine the shock when it came out that the fake revolutionaries were the people kidnapping and selling the kids…which came to light shortly after the queen, her husband and their three children were executed."
Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, "But why? What do they get out of toppling these kingdoms?" Salina asked, the sunlight from the window catching on her yellow-tinted glasses, obscuring her eyes.
He shrugged, propping his chin in his hand, "We still don't know. Could be a lot of things, but we don't have anything to go on." They fall silent, and Sakazuki knows she's analyzing what he just told her.
None of it made sense, and even Sengoku had been at a loss when she asked him to look into it. Ear to the ground, try and find a pattern. But there was no pattern, not really. Whatever these people were after was a mystery.
It took him a moment to realize that Salina was calling his name, attempting to get his attention. He gave himself a mental shake, focusing on her face.
"This is really bothering you, isn't it?"
"Somebody's playing a game, and I have no idea what it is or what the rules are," Sakazuki sat up and stubbed out his smouldering cigar in the ashtray.
She tilted her head, "Somebody?"
"I don't know…I just have the feeling that someone's pulling the strings of the entire operation."
Her mouth turned down, "What does Sengoku say?"
The sound of a scuffle comes from outside the door, Maru's quiet voice raised in irritation. Sakazuki scowled, standing to go and check on her, telling Salina as he rounded his desk, "She agrees with me. But Kuzan told me I sounded paranoid."
"Kuzan makes it a point to disagree with you whenever he can…even when he knows you're right," He doesn't hear the second half of her sentence, with her muttering it with an exasperated roll of her eyes and the increased volume of what was now an argument as Sakazuki pulled open the door.
"Rin. Why am I not surprised to find you harassing Lieutenant Maru?"
Rin straightened up from where he was leaning on the corner of Maru's desk, blinking innocently at Sakazuki, "She's cute when she's angry." Maru puffed up like a small bird, ready to throw wings. Leave it to Rin to aggravate one of the most patient people in the world.
Sakazuki grabbed Rin by the collar of his jacket and shook him like a misbehaving pup, "Do you need to have another session with HR? Apologize. I'm not losing the best admin I've ever had because you can't talk to people like a human."
"Alright, alright, I'll apologize," Rin tried to wiggle out of his grip, "Put me down first. I'm not a dog."
"Could have fooled me," Maru told him, her lips pursed in a pout.
Sakazuki snorted and dropped him unceremoniously onto his feet. Rin smoothed out his jacket and dipped a low bow to Maru, "I apologize. My behaviour was inappropriate and uncalled for."
Maru didn't respond, clearly not accepting his apology and turned her back on him and returning to her work.
Rin's shoulders slumped, and he scuffed his toe like a scolded child. Sakazuki rolled his eyes, "What do you want, Rin?"
"Oh, right," He perked up and held out a message, a mischievous smile on his face, "Happened to be in the comms room when this came through, thought you'd be interested."
The note was short and to the point, Sandstorm Pirates, captained by Lady Crocodile, sighted approaching [insert island name here] from the Calm Belt.
Sakazuki stared at the paper.
And stared.
And stared.
And when he felt Salina come up to his back, he folded the page neatly and tucked it into the inside breast pocket of his suit jacket. He pointedly ignored Rin's giddiness and Salina's narrow-eyed curiosity.
"What was that, Saka? Good news?"
"Nothing important," He said, the single sheet of paper a heavy weight against his chest.
–
Cobra's call to her had been vague—an invitation to return to Alabasta and meet with him regarding a deal he wanted her to consider. And given the fact that Cobra had only called her a handful of times in the years since she'd left Alabasta after her injuries, she didn't doubt how important it was.
Whatever it was, Crocodile was willing to hear him out.
From their entrance onto the Grand Line, it took a little over a week to reach Alabasta. Guided by the eternal log pose that Cobra had gifted to Crocodile all those years ago. They docked in Nanohana. Crocodile left most of her crew there, and with Daz and Bentham, she and the kids travelled north to Alubarna by camel along the painstakingly maintained road—each of the kids sitting in front of an adult.
Standing in the center of the throne room, her kids peeking around her legs, Crocodile grinned, "You got old, asshole."
Even as advisors around him started sputtering, Cobra laughed, "Right back at you, Crocodile, you bitch." He stood up from his oversized chair and stepped down from the dias, "Thanks for coming."
"I figured it must have been important," She shrugged, "Besides, I was looking for a reason to come back to the Grand Line sooner rather than later."
Glancing down at the three curious faces looking up at him, Cobra didn't have to guess why she hadn't come back before now, "Come on, we'll go speak somewhere more private. You can meet my daughter Vivi." Ignoring his court, Cobra led them from the throne room to a small garden just outside.
Playing under the watchful eyes of her gentle-eyed nanny, Princess Nefertari Vivi spins around when she notices her father enter the garden, running to him excitedly. She was maybe four, with wavy blue hair, large blue eyes, and a troublemaker's smile. Crocodile knew that smile. Luffy had the exact same one, "Daddy!"
Cobra lifts her, nuzzling his face against hers, "Vivi! I want you to meet someone." Introductions were fast, Luffy and Vivi very quickly hitting it off when they realized they were the same age. Sabo
After the kids have run off, Ace and Sabo trailing behind the littles with expressions like they were being sent off to war, Cobra explains to Crocodile why he had called her and asked her to return.
"You want me to buy and run a casino and be your spymaster?" She asked blankly, raising her eyebrows at Cobra, "I'm a pirate with a pretty high bounty on my head Cobra. You think the world government isn't going to have something to say about me holding a position like that."
"Oh, please. It's not like I have to disclose who I've got in the position. What the World Government doesn't know won't hurt them," He snickered, "Besides, who else can I ask who already has a network of spies in place."
She scowled at him, "They're not spies."
"But they are a network," He flapped his hand dismissively.
Wanting to strangle him, she sighed, exasperated, "So what's the point of my buying the casino?"
"Rain Dinners," Cobra gestured for her to sit on one of the stone benches and sat beside her, "It doesn't belong to the crown, but we are interested in making sure it's run by someone trustworthy. The old man who owns it has had several offers from outside Alabasta, but I told him to hold off selling it to them. I trust you to run it profitably."
"I've never owned a casino before. Hell, I've never owned any business."
"You're clever and money hungry. You'll pick it up in no time, and the old man has agreed to teach you everything you'll need to know to keep business going."
Crocodile didn't respond, watching her kids run around with her friend's small daughter, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Come on, Croc. You told me a couple of years ago that you wanted someplace on the Grand Line to make a base out of; why not make that place Alabasta?"
Crocodile sighed, "I did say that, didn't I?" She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, " How much money am I going to be making?"
"A fortune from Rain Dinners, plus a salary that will seem like a pittance compared to the profits from the casino for your work as spymaster." He had an infuriatingly smug smile dancing around his mouth like he knew Crocodile was about to say yes.
Usually, she'd be happy to disappoint but said yes anyway, "Fine."
She had better make billions. She'd string Cobra up by his balls if she didn't.
–
For two years, Crocodile built up her business. Rain Dinners was just the stepping stone, and investment had become her new favourite game. A clothing shop here, a bar there. Baby steps that started earning her millions. She expanded into the Blues, making friends along the way.
Things were going smoothly…and wasn't that just the perfect time for everything to go wrong.
Drought was not a good thing in a country that was ninety percent desert. Alabasta, in a twelve-month cycle, had a dry season and a rainy season. The dry season, which lasted an average of nine months, was considered the country's default state, and because of that, the rainy season was seen as a blessing. Most of the country only got rain for three months out of the year. The country relied upon the rains to replenish its freshwater sources. Only Alabasta's capital, Alubarna, got rain most of the year.
Alubarna, compared to the rest of the kingdom, sat at a higher elevation and is only a kilometre away from Alabasta's only jungle region. That meant that not only was it cooler than most of the kingdom, but it also tended to be more humid as well.
When the first year of drought occurred, the people didn't panic. Droughts were known to happen every fifteen or twenty years, and the understanding was that the rain would come the following year. What should have been the rainy season came and went, and the next year's dry season began.
People didn't panic.
The citizens at Rainbase, situated in the western half of the kingdom's largest oasis, did not falter. Their city saw another booming year of tourists drawn to the Rain Dinners. The casino thriving under its new management, becoming the city's heart.
Then, the second year passed without its rainy season.
Then, the third year.
Smaller towns, built around equally small oases, started to crumble as the waters began to dry up. The people fled to the larger cities.
People started to worry. King Cobra called for patience, that the rains would return.
Through it all, Alubarna continued to get regular rains.
As it always had.
Tensions were rising.
Alabasta strained at the seams.
And then...someone started to tug on them.
They were playing a game that only they knew the rules of and sowing the seeds for a rebellion.
Crocodile hadn't been certain until the Dance Powder incident in Erumalu. A tonne of Dance Powder spilled in the middle of the busiest port town in Alabasta.
"For the king in Alubarna," The men had claimed frantically after a nearby merchant recognized it.
Crocodile scowled as she read the report, her glasses perched on her nose. "Convenient that the bags containing the shit happened to break open where it did, hm?" Dropping the papers onto her desk, she leaned back in her chair, her hook supporting her chin and looking outside.
Bentham, sitting across from her, shook his head. "Almost as convenient as them discovering large amounts of it stored in an unused palace wing." He drawled sarcastically, foot wiggling with agitation where he had it propped across his knee.
They're in the underwater section of Rain Dinners, built under the casino into the lake. Beyond the room, the water was blue-black in the night, her bananawani ominous shapes in the dark water as they swam past the windows. The room her kids all collectively referred to as her Supervillain's lair.
Crocodile exhaled noisily, "All we have to go on now is the Dance Powder."
"It is our best and only lead at the moment," Bon stroked his chin lightly, considering. "And it's not actually much to go on when you think about it."
"We have to follow it anyway. The key is the amount of Dance Powder we've seen and the approximate amount needed to cause three years of drought."
"What is the main ingredient of Dance Powder again, silver?"
"Silver dust, I believe." Crocodile frowned, "Do you mind doing some research about it for me? And some math."
"Not at all, Croc."
"Thanks, Bon-chan. I'll call Cobra and see what he wants us to do."
Crocodile made her way up the grand staircase to the casino's main floor. She waved over the night floor manager to get an update from her. The floor was busy with staff and customers, and the manager let her know there hadn't been any problems so far. Crocodile knew that, at some point, there would be. The night crowd was usually much rowdier than the morning and afternoon bunches.
She noticed a few groups of pirates and activated the baby Den Den Mushi tucked behind her ear to call her head of security.
Ashton answered on the second ring with a lazy, "Y'ello."
"Ashton. Get a few extra guards on the floor."
"Yup."
She switched off the DDM and waited for Ashton to appear. He ambled over, dark glasses in place over his eyes, yawning. Despite his generally lazy disposition, Crocodile knew he was taking in every detail of every corner of the room. He was a mythical zoan. And not one many people wanted to tangle with. The Hebi Hebi no Mi, model; Basilisk, "Hey, boss lady."
"Hello, Ashton. Did I wake you up?" She asked sarcastically, eyebrow raised.
"Only from the paperwork coma that I was in." His grin, as always, was a touch unnerving, teeth bright and sharp and his long, thin incisors catching the light.
Crocodile smirked, "I'm surprised you were actually doing it." She gestured towards the pirates. "Keep an eye out; Abby says they've taken two loans."
Abby added, "And they haven't started winning yet."
Ashton nodded, activating the Den-Den Mushi on his wrist to get into contact with a few of the other guards, "I'll handle it."
Crocodile thanked him quietly and left Abby in charge once again. She headed to her "business" office to call Cobra. She dialled the code and waited patiently for him to answer. She grabbed a cigarillo from the box on her desk and stuck it between her lips, striking a match against the engraving on her hook.
"Hello?"
"Cobra, it's me."
"Crocodile."
"How are things in Alubarna?" She asked, blowing smoke from her mouth.
Cobra sounded tired when he responded, "About the same. Protests and demands for me to resign the throne. Tell me you have something."
"I wish I could," Crocodile admitted, crossing her legs and taking another drag. "We need to trace the source of the Dance Powder, but I think we need some…official help."
"You finally want me to bring in the Navy?"
"Yes."
–
Sakazuki was summoned to Sengoku's office in the late afternoon, just as he was finishing up his daily training. He didn't bother changing back into his uniform and stayed in his sweatpants and t-shirt. He climbed up to the top floor, waved into the room by Okane, who handed him a towel as he passed. Sengoku and Garp sat together on the sofa against one wall, a tray with snacks and tea on the low table and their knees bumping together.
Sakazuki wiped the back of his neck with the towel and grimaced when it came away wet.
Sengoku set down her tea, eyes scanning him from head to toe, "Sakazuki, sorry to interrupt your training. We just received a request for assistance from the Kingdom of Alabasta. From what Cobra said, it may be the lead you've been waiting for with the fake revolutionaries."
Sakazuki blinked, "What sort of assistance will I be providing?"
"Cobra says that he has someone looking into it but that they'll need logistical aid and access to military resources." She stood up and slapped Garp's hand away from the tray. "He didn't seem keen to say much over the line, and unfortunately, you'll have to establish the particulars of the aid you'll be giving."
"He sounded worried," Garp mentioned, rubbing his hand, "Eyes up when you dock."
Sakazuki nodded and, not for the first time, wondered why Garp wasn't an Admiral, "Noted."
Sengoku grabbed a folder off her desk and offered it to him, "Internal information of the rebellion in Alabasta, so you're not going in blind."
Sakazuki took it and glanced down. Sengoku wasn't wearing any shoes. Sheer silk stockings were all that covered her cutely painted pink toes. Sakazuki thanked her, eyes darting to where Garp was now shoving a handful of cookies into his mouth. Sengoku's shoes, sensible heels, were on the floor beside him, opposite where Sengoku had been sitting. What were you two doing before I got here?
"I'll leave as soon as possible."
–
When the Navy representatives arrived in Alubarna, they were immediately confronted with the reality of the kingdom's mounting chaos. Admiral Akainu, two of the Rear Admirals under his command, and five captains reached the tall staircase leading to the palace gates just in time to witness the start of the day's protests.
The Captain of the King's Guard, Igaram, met them there. "Admiral Akainu, welcome to Alabasta. I wish it were under better circumstances." He greeted quietly, bowing to Sakazuki and his officers. Away from the group, Igaram's men were trying to keep the crowd back and maintain the shaky peace, even as the people screamed and hurled insults at them.
Sakazuki, looking at the massing crowd with his eyes shadowed beneath the brim of his cap, responded subduedly, "As do I, captain."
Igaram's mouth tightened, and Sakazuki noted the tense lines of his shoulders and the strain in his face. It was the same strain that he could make out on the faces of the soldiers around them. The country's soldiers were feeling the strain of being on guard against their own people.
"Come. We shouldn't keep his Majesty waiting."
Rear Admiral Filomena, one of the Sakazuki's logistical administrators and a petite woman with a disfiguring scar across more than half of her face, glanced back at the crowd as they ascended the steps. She said the words softly so that only Sakazuki would catch them. "They're on the brink of breaking."
"On both sides," Sakazuki exhaled. He knew that whatever it was they were going to be helping with, they weren't going to have very much time to work.
They entered the palace with little fanfare, Igaram leading them through the winding halls. They reached a large, formal meeting room where the King waited. He stared broodingly out the large paneless arches and out over the city. He turned when they entered, nodding his head to Sakazuki.
"Admiral Akainu. Thank you for coming on such short notice. We're at our wit's end trying to find anything on those behind the discourse in our country, and we're glad for the Navy's aid."
"Your Majesty." Sakazuki and his officers bowed, "The Navy is prepared to render any aid you require. Frankly, we've been waiting for any lead we can get on the group we believe may be behind the chaos."
"The bastards really don't like to come out of the shadows, though." Rear Admiral Cesario drawled, and Sakazuki shot the lean man an annoyed glance but nodded in agreement.
Cobra snorted lightly, rubbing his neck, "I hate to be a disappointment, but all we have is a potential lead at most." He sighed, dropping his hand. "And that's where the navy will be of help."
"And what is the potential lead?" Filomena asks.
"The Dance Powder." Cobra responded, "I'll leave it to my Spymaster to explain."
He started to exit the room, hesitating at the door, "Before I go and fetch her, I'd like a guarantee that my Spymaster will remain free of shackles and prison time, at least for as long as it takes to find the culprits."
Every Marine in the room tensed. It was Sakazuki's decision, and he agreed after a moment. "As long as it takes to find the culprits."
–
"You know, when I offered you the use of my office for the duration of your stay, I didn't think you'd actually take the room over."
Crocodile looked up at Cobra over the rims of her glasses, "You pulled me away from my office to come and play nice with the Navy and wait an unknown amount of time for them." She placed her pen down, picked up her nearby mug of coffee to take a sip, and said snidely, "Some of us actually do our paperwork, Cobra."
"I don't understand why; it's the worst." He grumbled, stepping further into the dark room. "The Navy's arrived. Admiral Akainu and a few officers."
Her mug froze against her lips, and she fought down her reaction.
Of course, they would send him. Why wouldn't they when fate was so determined to have them meet again and again.
She placed her mug back onto the desk without drinking anything and stood up from the plush leather chair she had usurped three days ago. Crocodile took her time to collect the files she had brought with her, pointedly ignoring Cobra's confusion, "Let's go."
Cobra squinted at her but ultimately chalked it up to Crocodile being anxious about coming face-to-face with one of the Navy's three Admirals.
Crocodile desperately wanted to fuss with her clothes and hair, knowing full well she probably looked like she hadn't slept and had been doing paperwork all night. She smoothed a hand over the taut fabric of her skirt, frowning at the wrinkles. At least her blouse was free of coffee or ink, and the cool silk didn't seem too rumpled. But she was wearing her prosthetic hand instead of her hook and had no idea what state her hair was in beyond twisted up and held in place with a hair stake.
It's been nine years, bitch. Settle down, Crocodile told herself. For all you know, he's married or has a girlfriend or something.
Walking beside her, Cobra's eyebrows raised at her peculiar behaviour. He knew better than to say anything, though. She liked to throw things at him when he teased her, and he was not getting a stiletto heel whipped at his head again.
The ones she wore looked dangerous.
They reached the meeting room, and Cobra entered first, with Crocodile a few steps behind him.
All eyes inside focused on her with barely suppressed aggression crossing their faces.
All except for the one face that mattered. Dark chocolate eyes met hers, and she saw the surprise he tried to repress. The barest hint of softness. Sakazuki schooled his features into cool detachment, and Crocodile followed suit. It made detachment a little more complicated when her brain started throwing memories of their night together at her.
When it reminded her of the feel of him over her, callused hands tracing over her skin. Of him loving her so thoroughly and well that she'd never had a lover who managed to erase his touch from her body.
Crocodile scowled mentally when the memories had a thread of arousal coiling in her belly.
Outwardly she smiled provokingly at the Marines. Cobra gestured at her, "I imagine you all recognize Lady Crocodile." He cleared his throat, and Crocodile snorted at him, amused by his faux dignity. "She's been working in a somewhat official capacity for the Alabastan government for the past two years and proven herself loyal and trustworthy."
Sakazuki swallowed, stepping forward, and Crocodile's gaze snapped back to him, "I agreed to your conditions, Cobra. Your…spymaster will remain free for the duration of our investigation." Sakazuki met Crocodile's eyes and admired the emerald green of her eyes behind wire-framed glasses. She blinked. Once. Deliberately. Like a cat. A secret little smiling curling her mouth fleetingly.
"Glad to hear I won't be in shackles while we're trying to find the assholes behind all this bullshit." She tells him sarcastically. He chuckled, amused. It wasn't often someone had the balls to speak to him like that.
"So, what's this about Dance Powder being our only lead?" He didn't waste time, and Crocodile smirked, tossing her files onto the table and taking a seat.
"Half a lead at best. Dance Powder needs an obnoxious amount of silver to produce; silver refined to fine dust specifically. I'd send in my people to try and get the information we need, but somebody wants me to do this 'legally.'" She glared playfully at Cobra, putting mocking quotations around legally with her hands. He makes a derisive noise in her direction.
Sakazuki grabbed a seat near her, and he hid a roll of his eyes when the others tentatively followed his lead.
Crocodile continued, "We need sales records, both the legal ones and, if we can find them, the black-market deals."
Cesario sneered, "And you think the mine owners are stupid enough to keep records of illicit sales?"
Crocodile propped her elbows on the table, her fingers laced together under her chin as she stared the rear admiral down. "Not at all. I have contacts that can get that info for me easily. But for all we know, whoever it is, is buying the silver legally." Cesario is quick to shut his mouth.
"What do you need?" Filomena asked, her tone calm and professional. And Sakazuki could tell she was starting to like Crocodile. She and Cesario were at each other's throats more often than not, so to see him knocked down a peg pleased her.
"Well, for one, names and locations of mines that produce silver. If they're registered mines, the government will have the data." Crocodile told her, waving a hand, "Also, you know…whatever you need for us to go in and collect their sales records."
They ironed out the details. Crocodile in command of the room and his officers grudgingly taking notes of what she'd need and what she wanted on standby. Once they were finished, nearly an hour later, Sakazuki sent his officers back to the ship to get started on getting what they needed together.
He stayed behind, alone with Crocodile; Cobra having been called away by Igaram halfway through the meeting. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs, half-lidded eyes gazing at him, "It's been a few years since the last time I saw you." She murmured.
"Just about eleven years," He spun his chair to face her.
"That long?" Crocodile laughed softly, pretending she didn't know precisely how long it had been. Sakazuki's lips quirked, recognizing that she was being flippant. They were both testing the water, seeing if they were still on a similar page.
"What have you been up to?" He pulled a cigar from his jacket and lit it, his curiosity almost burning; he wanted to know where she had disappeared to.
She hummed, thinking about whether she wanted to tell him or not, "You mean besides working for Cobra?"
"You fell off the map eight years ago. And only reappeared two years ago." He raised his eyebrows, blowing out a cloud of smoke.
Her smile surprised both of them, "Have you been checking up on me?" Her voice was tentatively flattered, and Sakazuki turned red, her obvious pleasure at his concern embarrassing.
"…Occasionally," He admitted, tilting his head so his hat hid his face. Crocodile got to her feet, her heels clicking on the stone floor, stepping around the corner of the table and stopping between his thighs. His head jerked up, and he met her eyes.
Crocodile plucked his cigar from the corner of his mouth, smirking at him, "If it means anything, I think about you all the time," She leaned down and kissed him chastely before she took a drag on his cigar.
Grabbing her hips, he watched her mouth hungrily.
"Oh?" His embarrassment faded, replaced by a vague male smugness. His thumb rubbed a small circle on the jut of her hip bone, overtop the fabric of her skirt, his fingers digging into the plumpness of her ass.
"The night we spent together," She murmured, the heat back in her belly. "Occasionally, comparing other men to you."
"And how do they usually stack up?" The smugness grew.
She smiled coyly when she admitted, "Not even close."
Sakazuki chuckled and pulled her a little closer. If she had been trying to distract him from his original question, it worked, and he dropped it for now. She'd tell him when she felt like it. Instead, he asked something else, "No men in your life now?"
"Nope," She confirmed, holding his cigar out for him to grab with his mouth since he seemed to be enjoying where his hands were resting. She pushed the brim of his hat up and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing over the slight crinkles at the corner of his eye. Crocodile frowned, "I missed you."
His face softened, and he reached up a hand to grab the back of her neck. Pulling her face down to his, removing his cigar with his free hand, he kissed her deeply.
She almost purred, tasting the smoke on his tongue and letting him maneuver her so that she sat across his lap. He broke the kiss, leaving her panting, resting his forehead against hers.
Crocodile doesn't need to hear the words to recognize he had missed her, too.