The Ecplise pulled into dock just as the sun set.
The northern inlet was Crocodile's private harbour for business purposes, both of the legal and illegal variety. It was a small port hidden from view by the surrounding cliffs and only accessible via a narrow mouth that was very easy to miss unless you knew what markers to look for. The port was run by one of Crocodile's more trusted employees and staffed by a group of hard-eyed, vicious men and women who had the capabilities to repel enemy attacks with brutal efficiency.
The foreman, Constantine Dahlia, was a big, scarred brute of a man who utterly and wholly adored Crocodile. He was mean, smoked like a chimney and regularly drank enough liquor to knock out a giant. Daz couldn't honestly remember ever seeing him wear anything on his upper body. An upper body that was covered in a staggeringly impressive number of tattoos and scars.
Although even Daz could admit, Constantine had the most beautiful eyes imaginable—a deep, rich amethyst purple like two pieces of quartz crystal.
He waits for them to disembark, standing at the foot of the gangplank, bare chest golden in the low light as the sun finished sinking beneath the cliffs. "Constantine."
"Daz," He towered above Daz, taller than even Sin and Oliver, his hands on his hips, "The Lady sent the F-Wani's. She seemed to think you lot may not enjoy a casual fucking jaunt through the goddamn Sandora at this time of night. Don't worry about the Eclipse, we'll finish docking her."
Oliver twitched, pushing up beside Daz and glowering up at Constantine in his charming way, jabbing one bony finger into Constantine's sternum. "Dry dock her. Have the engineers give her a thorough once over."
"Yeah, yeah. I know the drill, ya cranky bastard," One big hand waved dismissively, barely an inch from Oliver's nose, even as his other hand grasped Oliver's. Oliver slapped it away with a snarl.
Daz sighed, shoving them apart, "Don't start. We have to get a move on."
Sin snickered, leading the rest of the crew past them, "Don't get between lovers, Daz."
And if that hadn't been the shock of the century when he'd found that out, Daz didn't know what was. He didn't get Oliver and Constantine's relationship. And if he hadn't once seen them in bed together, he probably still wouldn't have believed it. But whatever it was, both ornery men seemed to enjoy the arguments they had every time they were in spitting distance.
Daz would not be thinking about what the sex was like. But he had the distinct impression Oliver was a full-on power bottom.
A thought that baffled him. Because Oliver didn't have bottom energy.
But, as he stared between the two men, Constantine definitely didn't.
Dismissing his thoughts, Daz asked, "Are the F-Wanis loaded up with supplies?"
Smiling lopsidedly, Constantine nodded, grabbing Oliver around the waist and pulling him against his chest. Oliver snarled but allowed him to, wiggling like a cat to try and get away for only a moment before he settled. "Water, rations and warm clothes. Lady wanted you at Rainbase as soon as possible."
"Got it."
"We'll send out a message once ya'll are on your way."
Oliver grumbled, "So we get to travel threw the night? Wonderful."
Constantine chuckled, "You could always stay with me, princess."
Daz heard the very distinct sound of Oliver's fist connecting Constantine's side, but the bigger man didn't flinch, "Don't fucking call me princess, you asshole."
Daz walked away from them then, giving the two of them a moment of privacy before they had to move.
Sin already had Mikita and Robin bundled up on one of the gators, and Daz patted the side of the one he would be riding. Nikita was sitting in front of Remy, leaning against her husband's chest, already drifting off into sleep.
Matthias, face obscured by a heavy scarf and robe, spoke up, his words muffled behind the fabric. Daz had to strain to hear him, "So, from what I can gather, we're going to lay a trap for a man who is probably also laying a trap…for us."
Daz nodded, somewhat bemused by the description, "That's how I understand it."
Sin, having shifted into his hulking hybrid form to keep himself warm, interjected, "A double trap that is really going to come down to power and skill…and which side has a certain trump card up their sleeve."
Robin lifted her head, shifting her scarf away from her mouth, "Trump card? What trump card?"
Daz blinked at her, suddenly remembering that Robin was new to the crew and that this would be her first time in Alabasta. "Oh, right. Rain Dinners' head of security is a mythical zoan-type devil fruit user. Specifically the Naga Naga no Mi; Model Basilisk."
Robin looks alarmed, "A Basilisk? So, he can turn people to–"
"Stone. Yup." Oliver interrupted as he walked up, looking vaguely dishevelled and well-kissed.
"Don't forget that he can also produce a nasty neurotoxin that paralyzes people at best and completely melts their brains at worst." Sin supplied, voice morbidly cheerful.
Daz huffed and shot an unimpressed look over his shoulder, "Cut it out." He met Robin's eyes, "Ash is one of the most mellow and lazy men you'll ever meet. Doesn't enjoy drawing attention to his existence, which using his abilities would end up doing. And honestly, if he could sleep for 23 hours a day, he would."
Robin nodded, the little spike of fear she'd felt disappearing with Daz's calm reassurance. Sin chuckled, pulling himself onto the F-Wani behind the girls, wrapping an arm around Mikita to stop her from slipping off the gator's back as she slumped sideways in sleep.
Hopping on behind Oliver, Gem was suffering from...emotions. Less than a week ago, Mikita, the golden-haired angel, had been spirited aboard the ship by their captain. And from the first moment he'd lain his eyes on her, Gem had been dazed and had been...well, he'd been acting like an idiot. Oliver had been teasing him relentlessly, in his lowkey mocking way, about how it was about time.
It was embarrassing, though. Gem usually knows how to…girl—at least a little. But when Miki looks at him with her dark, sparkling eyes, Gem loses all coherence. His mind goes fuzzy, and his ability to speak disappears.
–
"Vice Admiral Doberman just called to inform us that they've located the ship," Doll saluted, "And Vice Admiral Momonga arrived just after sunrise to tow it back to Marineford once you give the word."
"Good. I'll have to owe Kizaru for lending her to me," Sakazuki takes a drag on his cigar, deciding to give Doll a bonus task, "We want Agresta, more or less, in hand before we disable the ship. I'll leave it to you to make to call to Momonga once Agresta is in Rain Dinners. We don't want anyone aboard tipping him off any more than he may already be.
"Understood, Admiral," Doll answered determinedly. Dipping her head to Crocodile when she turned to leave and found Crocodile waiting near the foot of the stairs. Crocodile strolled forward when Doll left. Sakazuki eyed her as she drew near, leaning back in his chair.
"I miss anything good." She pushed herself up onto the table and grinned when Sakazuki's hand gripped her ankle almost immediately.
"Besides that they've found the ship?" She nodded, and he plucked his cigar from the corner of his mouth, "Got a call from Filomena; said she's spotted about twenty ships flying the Baroque Works flag landing in Nanohana. She's keeping an eye on them. And another call from Vice-Admiral Comil; he's monitoring the northern exit of the river. He'll let us know if any more ships come down that way."
Crocodile nodded, "I have people posted all over the city. We should know as soon as Agresta steps foot in Rainbase." Her mouth pursed as she thought over their preparations, "Your marines have reached Alubarna?"
"First thing this morning. Five hundred fighting marines to fortify the royal guard. Inconspicuously, as requested." He watched her stretch down the length of the table to grab a cigarillo from the ornate box beside one of the burnished silver candelabras. She sits back up and quirks an eyebrow expectantly. Chuckling, he lights the tip for her with a flick of his fingers.
They fell into a comfortable silence. The vast space of her lair is quiet; the black marble of the floors and the walls of windows should have given the room a cold feeling. Instead, the room felt more like a retreat from the heat of the Alabastan sun. Bananawani swam around outside in the lake, past the windows, rumbling to each other, vibrating the glass. It should have been ominous. But the sun pierced the water, and the gators aren't just shapes. They're playing with each other, corralling their young, and lounging in patches of the sun where they could.
–
Cobra greeted the marine Commander who had led five hundred fighting sailors into Alubarna at first light, at Admiral Akainu's insistence, to bolster the royal guards' numbers in the likely scenario that Baroque Works attacked the city. Commander Sengoku Rosinante was a tall woman with long, wavy blonde hair she had to keep brushing out of her crystal blue eyes. In the sleeveless marine uniform, Cobra was startled by just how many scars the woman seemed to have accumulated. Based on her name, Cobra assumed that this scarred woman was the adopted daughter of Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp. She had been mentioned at a reverie or two.
Born a Donquixote, if the rumours were to be believed.
They stood in the gardens, Cobra watching over Vivi as she played, chasing Pell around, her blue hair, so much like her mother's, a veil behind her and her laughter a balm in the tense atmosphere blanketing the palace.
Rosinante broke the silence, "The Admiral may have volunteered our services, Your Majesty, but I think I speak for all of us when I say we're happy to lend a hand and defend your city." She lit a cigarette, and Cobra watched with fascination as she managed to catch fire to the lapel of her officer's jacket. She didn't seem to notice, her second in command stepping forward calmly to pat the fire out without batting an eyelash.
Cobra decided it was better to not bring it up, smiling at the Commander instead, "I'm grateful that the Admiral saw fit to send you to us." He frowned, "The guard is stretched thin right now, with so many joining the revolutionary army."
"Defectors?" Her voice is low and pleasant, not unlike Crocodile's, but with a rasp that said she smoked constantly.
"Almost daily." He sighed, finding a seat on a low stone wall. Rosinante leaned against the pillar of the arch next to him. "The royal guard was once ten thousand strong. Now, our numbers have fallen below two thousand."
Rosinante's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, her hand catching her cigarette before it fell. "So many!?"
"When we started losing them, it was just the younger recruits," His mouth tilted in a sardonic smile, dark eyes tired, "But as the drought dragged on and more and more blame seemed to be pointing in…well, my direction and the soldiers started leaving in droves."
Rosinante blinked rapidly. Sakazuki had explained, as much as he could, what was going on, so Rosinante wasn't going in blind. But she hadn't realized just how dire things really were. "I almost wish we had brought more sailors with us."
Cobra laughed, short and sharp, "Here's hoping we won't need them." He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, most of his attention still on his little girl, "I'll be meeting with the leaders of the revolutionary army this afternoon," Sakazuki had mentioned that as well, "and I'm prepared to beg them for a chance to prove my innocence, to prove that it's Mercurio Agresta pulling the strings of this entire farce."
Strings.
Rosinante frowned. Mercurio Agresta wasn't the only Shichibukai who was fond of using strings to puppet people. Of course, she thought, her hand reaching up to touch the spot on her chest where the bullet that had almost killed her had penetrated, Doflamingo's strings are much more literal. She still wondered how she was alive, wondered why she had been able to cling to life long enough for her mother to find her. She pushed down her memories, meeting Cobra's gaze. "You might be the first king I've met who would be."
Cobra made a thoughtful noise, "Plenty of nobles don't realize that they should be servants of their people. It's for them to take care of the citizens and make certain they thrive. They fail if they don't."
Rosinante found that she really liked Cobra. He was a good man and an even greater king. Nothing like the Celestial Dragons up on the Red Line in Mariejois, with their slaves and inability to see beyond their own selfish desires and whims.
–
As agreed, Cobra met the leaders a mile outside Alubarna, with only Chaka and Igaram accompanying him. Commander Rosinante had volunteered to come as well, but Cobra had turned the offer down. He doesn't want to upset the leaders and risk the chance that they would deny his request.
They'd set the tent up earlier. No one wanted to stand in the burning sunlight. The three men arrived twenty minutes before the scheduled meeting time and waited.
It wasn't long before the five leaders arrived. Four men and a woman. But it was with the largest man, Bashar, that Cobra would be speaking with.
"You asked us to meet with you, Cobra. I assume you have demands to make." Bashar was a big man with brown leather-like skin and scarred hands. He used to be a member of the royal guard, and once, Cobra would have considered him a friend. But now it was like looking at a stranger.
Cobra gave him an exhausted look, "I make no demands." Bashar scoffed, arms crossing, but waited for Cobra to speak, "We have been investigating the true origins of the Dance Powder, and we have discovered who it is behind it all."
"Where is your proof of innocence?"
"That is why I asked you to meet with me. The navy is in the process of laying a trap for him, and he will hopefully be in their custody by the end of the day tomorrow. We don't have proof yet, not beyond papers and sales receipts in his name."
"If you have no proof, then we have no reason to be here." Bashar gestured for the others to leave, he himself turning to follow.
"Wait!" Cobra fell to his knees, a desperate feeling clawing at his chest. He bowed his head, his forehead touching the shade-cooled sand. Igaram and Chaka both made aghast noises but held themselves back from pulling Cobra to his feet. "Please, Bashar! Gives us a chance to prove that it is him and not us that is tearing our country and our people apart. If we cannot, I am prepared to resign, to hand Alabasta to the people."
He doesn't see the alarmed look the leaders shoot each other. To see their King on his knees, begging for them to listen, was not something they had ever expected to see. Bashar frowned and glanced at Igaram and Chaka in turn, seeing their determined expressions. He exchanged a questioning look with each of the other leaders, and all four gave him hesitant nods.
Bashar grimaced, big hand rubbing the side of his neck, "Fine. We will give you the chance to prove that it is not you."
–
The atmosphere that had settled over Rainbase was tense, the air heavy with dark energy the people had no way of explaining.
Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the doors of Rain Dinners had remained firmly shut, with two security guards at the entrance turning people away, not giving any explanation despite demands.
Members of Crocodile's crew, of the security team of the casino and even a few marines in civilian clothes had been spread out across the city. And if the citizens noticed them, they were smart enough not to say anything.
And they were, all of them, waiting, eyes focused on the crowds around them as they sat at cafes, loitered outside shops, or pretended to browse the stalls at the city's central market. Spread out across all of Rainbase's access points.
At Rain Dinners in the manager's office, a lush, lavishly decorated room that Crocodile used for appearance's sake, with a wall of windows that gave a clear view into the casino floor, Sakazuki and Crocodile sat quietly, a Den Den Mushi in the middle of the desk, alert for any incoming signals. At the moment, the casino floor was empty of customers, with only a handful of employees puttering around, using the casino's temporary closure to get caught up with their general maintenance tasks.
Sakazuki didn't know what to do with himself; usually, during the final moments before an op, he'd take the time to tend to his plants. He found the act meditative, a way of soothing the constant bubbling magma just below his skin that would leave him feeling anxious and restless.
He particularly enjoyed pruning his bonsai. Shaping the miniature trees had always been his favourite. A delicate task that requires patience.
But all of his plants were aboard his flagship. Crocodile preferred low-maintenance desert plants; prickly cacti, stubborn desert lilies and chill succulents. With her ability to suck the moisture out of organic life, it was safest if she had plants that didn't need pruning or attention.
He supposed that he didn't need his plants. He could find something else to keep him busy.
He looked over his shoulder, a small smile crossing his features, a quick quirk of his mouth.
Crocodile, on the other hand, was buzzing with restless energy and couldn't seem to sit still, plugging away at a stack of paperwork that had apparently accumulated in her absence. Requests for funding approvals, employee requests for time off, reports on equipment maintenance and work orders that were waiting to be approved.
She kept crossing and uncrossing her legs, brushing her hair away from her face, and adjusting her glasses where they kept slipping down the slope of her nose. There was a baby bananawani lounging on her lap, undisturbed by her fidgeting. Another three of the chubby little reptiles were under her desk in what Sakazuki thought might have been, at one point, a dog bed. It seemed she had a fairy tale princess's affinity for the beasts. Sakazuki thought it was pretty cute.
With nothing else to do, Sakazuki started thinking.
He thought about what would happen when they brought Agresta down. It would free up a seat amongst the Shichibukai. Which made three empty seats, and Sengoku was still weeding through the candidates to fill the other two recently vacated positions.
Only four Shichibukai held their seats. Gecko Moria, who had won his seat on the merits of surviving a fight with Kaido, and who had become one of Sengoku's favourites to send out on errands. Bartholomew Kuma, the former Tyrant King and, at this point, more loyal to the World Government than to even himself. Jimbei, the First Son of the Sea, had been given a seat to bridge the gap between the surface and Fishmen Island and to ease tensions after Fisher Tiger's death. And Donquixote Doflamingo, much to Sengoku's consternation, the Gorosei had gone over her head and appointed the former Celestial Dragon to his seat.
Of the empty seats, one had been freed by the unexpected death of Jack "Blackheart" Munro, who had been a few months shy of his ninety-fifth birthday. The Blackheart had been the longest-serving member of the Shichibukai at just about forty years and the de facto leader of the seven. He had no clear successor. And honestly, Sakazuki and Salina had both been convinced that the old man would never die. But he had, and while unofficial leadership would pass to Gecko Moria, his seat was harder to fill.
The second seat had belonged to Serinuma "Widow" Sakura. Sakura had been, for the last fifteen years, considered the World's Greatest Swordsman (Woman? Person?). Within a month of Blackheart's passing, Marine Headquarters had received word that Sakura had been challenged for her title and lost. Her wounds had been fatal. Her replacement was, at least theoretically, a clear choice. The man who'd won her title, Dracule "Hawkeyes" Mihawk. The question there was whether he would accept or not.
And now Mercurio Agresta, who had broken the agreement he had made when he'd been named a Shichibukai, would need a replacement.
To Sakazuki, the choice was obvious.
Like Sakura's successor, Agresta's was clear.
Crow "Lady Crocodile" Newgate.
And she had a few good reasons to accept the position, were she to be offered it.
—
It was Walter and Lieutenant Smoker who witnessed Agresta's arrival in the city. Smoker examining Agresta as Walter taps out a code on the mic of his mini den-den mushi.
Agresta was a darkly handsome man with smooth mahogany skin, close-cropped silver hair and a neat beard. He was at least seven feet tall, wore an obscenely expensive suit, and had three guards with him. Large, neatly dressed men that Smoker figured must be there to look intimidating.
Because Mercurio Agresta was by no means a weak man.
Smoker hadn't been a marine when he'd first been named a Shichibukai but remembered seeing his last wanted poster with his last known bounty of over two hundred million berries. The man also wielded the paramecia-type Hakka Hakka no Mi that allowed its user to produce a series of combustible chemicals, very specifically different types of Phosphorus. He could waltz onto any battlefield he wanted and decimate both sides.
She wondered at the ethics, the morality of his abilities. White Phosphorus and its red variant didn't need a flame or trigger to ignite. In fact, all it needed to combust was exposure to air at the right temperature, and it would continue to burn unless chemically neutralized.
Using a substance like that on living creatures and causing severe third- and fourth-degree burns…Smoker shuddered at the thought.
Admiral Akainu, with his Magu Magu no Mi, knew precisely how much damage he could do. Knew just how excruciating his attacks were, but with how hot his magma burned, his enemies were usually dead with the first hit. And all three Admirals were called monsters and fleet destroyers in the same breath.
Agresta was a different type of monster. While the Admirals had morals and justice guiding their actions, their monster status was strictly a power reference; Agresta did what he wanted, the way he wanted, for whatever reason he wanted.
Agresta and his goons melted into the crowd, and Daz's voice sounded over the baby Den Den Mushis, "Sin's got a lot of activity on the Northside of the lake. Head in that direction. Discreetly."
—
"Agresta's arrived in the city, and Sin's spotted Baroque Works agents on the north side of the lake."
Daz's voice was low and, as ever, a pillar of calm and the connection of the Den Den Mushi fizzled back into static. Crocodile saw the line of Sakazuki's shoulders tense. They shared a quick look and a brief embrace, Sakazuki pressing his forehead to hers. "You need help, and I'll be there in a heartbeat, darlin'."
"I know." Her voice was a whisper, and their mouths met in a chaste kiss. They leave the office in opposite directions; she goes downstairs to one of the Casino's large conference rooms to wait for Agresta, and he goes to the security office at the back of the building.
She hadn't wanted their meeting and possible clash to take place in her lair. It would've put her bananawani in danger. Completely ignoring that the room was a glass box. A reinforced glass box, sure, but with Agresta's destructive capabilities, breakable.
Plus, they needed a room that already had surveillance Cameko installed to disguise the Cameko that would be transmitting the video to the Proko in Cobra's care. Her lair, her private retreat, had no surveillance except one positioned just outside the doors.
Sakazuki, in the security office, would be watching the surveillance feed on the line with Cobra to ensure the transmission was working.
Daz was already waiting for her when she pushed open the door. He'd insisted on being there and had refused to listen when Crocodile tried to convince him she'd be fine. "Brenna will bring him in when he arrives." One of the guards at the entrance. Crocodile nodded, holding still as Daz draped her coat around her shoulders. Going into what was almost sure to turn into a fight, she took comfort from the heavy cloth and fur.
Crocodile sat at the head of the table, grabbing a cigarillo from the inside breast pocket of her coat. Daz lit it for her, and Crocodile blew out a plume of smoke as they both settled in to wait, Daz leaning against the wall behind her.
The minutes ticked past, and it was nearly half an hour before the conference room doors were being pushed open again. Brenna, Ash's second, led four men in. Crocodile's eyes fell on Agresta, recognizing him immediately after seeing his old bounty poster. He wore a suit that practically screamed its quality and how much money he spent on it. A vague, smug smirk curled his mouth.
He has her on edge before even opening his mouth.
Crocodile forced herself to stay relaxed, lounging in such a way that she hoped would aggravate him; her legs crossed, foot bouncing in a slow rhythm, her left arm across her belly beneath her breasts, hook propping up her opposite elbow, taking a leisurely drag on her cigarillo. She took inspiration from her namesake, waiting for him to get closer. She was the predator here; this was her territory, and he was invading it. The lion hunting the deer grazing at the river's edge, versus the crocodile lying in wait in the water.
"Hello, Lady Crocodile," He gives her a perfect bow, his tone lightly mocking, "All these years and we finally meet."
Sakazuki's low, rough voice in her ear, "He thinks he has the advantage." Yeah, he does. She blew out her lungful of smoke in his direction and let a brief, insincere smile flash across her lips. "The Cameko is transmitting," Sakazuki whispered
"I figured now was as good time as any," She told Agresta, her voice cool, and she's careful to keep it perfectly neutral, "This country is going up in flames. I may as well try and make a profit on my way out." She hoped that Cobra had remembered to explain to the rebel army leaders that she was on their side. Otherwise, her friendly status amongst the people of Alabasta was at serious risk.
"Ha! A woman after my own heart," He pressed a hand to his chest, straightened from his bow and walked toward her, his men spreading out around the room. Crocodile kept her eyes on Agresta, knowing that Daz was watching the three goons closely. "And with such incredible instincts, too."
Crocodile tilted her head, "It isn't hard to figure out where this fight is going to end." She took another drag and watched Agresta pull out a chair and sit kitty-corner from her. "I'd hardly say I'm relying on my instincts."
He grinned, crossing his arms atop the table, "Well, I'm glad you're willing to sell to me. I've been looking to expand into Alabasta for years."
She raised an eyebrow, allowing her words to become vaguely insulting, "You do seem rather eager." She wanted to test his limits and see what would get him annoyed or angry.
He didn't give her a blatant response, but his eyebrows lowered just a little, "Do I?" He stared at her, his pale grey eyes piercing. "Maybe I am. Have you never heard the rumours about what the Nefertari family is hiding?"
"What? The Poneglyph? It's not exactly a secret."
"Ah, but it's what this one supposedly says that I'm interested in."
"And owning Rain Dinners is somehow going to get you access to the poneglyph?" She sounded unimpressed because she knew this wasn't his plan.
In her ear, Sakazuki updated her, "Baroque Works agents entering the city from the north; Sin is engaging, says he'll try to delay them without a fight."
Agresta laughed, "No. But King Cobra's death will certainly leave the Poneglyph unprotected." Cocky. Doesn't know I'm working with the navy, with Cobra. Keep him talking.
"The king is still alive."
"For now. But the people are ready to hang him. I'm sure you heard about the tonnes of Dance powder discovered in the palace."
She frowned, nodding. "There was no way a drought should have lasted this long, and the Dance Powder explains why. The revolution is convinced that Cobra is behind it because Alubarna continued to get rain." She snorted.
"They really didn't need much after three years." Agresta's smile was wicked. "The Dance Powder incident in Erumalu; a delivery that just happened to be for the King. They were waiting for an excuse to turn against him."
Crocodile's frown deepened. "Are you saying that everything that's happened was what, all so you could get to the poneglyph?" He was bursting to take credit for it, and she heard Sakazuki make a derisive noise.
Oh my god, he's a bigger fool than we thought.
"Obviously. I even have the only person in the world able to read the poneglyphs in my employ."
"Wanna bet?" Sakazuki sounded as unimpressed as Crocodile felt.
"The plans for the ancient weapon Pluton will be mine as soon as the Nefertari family is eradicated, along with their most loyal followers."
"That's what the poneglyph contains?" Sakazuki muttered, and she realized he was asking Cobra. She can't hear his response. "Then where is this rumour coming from?"
At Crocodile's back, Daz noticed one of the goons reaching into his jacket. He didn't hesitate to dart forward, grabbing the guy's arm. He tried to yank out of Daz's hold, but Daz's grip was like steel. Daz pulled on his arm, exposing the knife he had his hand around, "Boss."
Crocodile narrowed her eyes at Agresta, and he gave her a cold smile. He flicked his wrist, and Crocodile moved swiftly out of the way of the substance that came off his hand. The goo lands against the wall, where it starts burning.
"Desert Spada." The sand narrowly missed Agresta but hit the goon at his back, bisecting the man clean in two. Agresta eyes widened a fraction.
Daz dealt with the goon in his hold, clenching his free hand around his throat, fingers transformed into blades. The man falls back, his throat sliced open. He turns just in time to see Agresta splay his fingers, the digits dripping with phosphorous.
"Daz, down!"
The substance spontaneously combusts as soon as it is flung out. "Pluie D'allumage." Daz dove behind the table, and he saw Crocodile take the hit. Her sand turned to glass when the burning goo hit, but her body rejected it, replacing itself with more grains of sand.
The last remaining goon circled behind Crocodile, and she realized too late that this one was different. He wrapped his arm around her neck, his limb black with armament Haki. She tried to escape his grasp, her body attempting to phase through the arm, but his haki hardened her sand. Instead, she reached back with her hook and pierced through the meat of his thigh. He shouted, and Crocodile was able to jerk away from him when he lost his balance, her hook ripping through his skin, tearing free.
The man was engulfed in magma, and his whimpers cut off. Sakazuki stood in the open doorway, his skin bubbling with heat. Agresta looked alarmed for half a second, hiding it as he lifted his wrist, where a Den-Den Mushi was attached. "Start the attack."
–
Sin saw the agent at the front of the nearly fifty agents lift a Den-Den Mushi to his ear, "Yes, sir."
Sin was already moving; his hands transformed into paws, large claws flexing. He saw Walter and the white-haired lieutenant arrive at a run, Walter flipping his rifle off his back and Smoker giving a test swing of her jitte.
Any other people would have hesitated to go into a clash against so many, with only three allies.
But they didn't falter.
Sin knew he was wearing a toothy grin and saw the expression mirrored on Walter's and Smoker's faces.
The agents at the front tried to stumble back. But they didn't make it, the two sandstorms and the marine falling on them viciously.
–
A mile further west, another group of agents were causing trouble, setting fire to houses and shop stalls and harassing fleeing civilians.
Ash stood in the middle of the road, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, dark glasses still in front of his eyes. Oliver was leaning nearby, pistol at the ready in one hand, one eye on Ash, the other across the road where Gem, Mikita and Robin were waiting. They'd been told to wait until Ash made the first move. Until he decided if he needed to use his stone eyes or not.
"Hey, punk! You want to start something?!" One of the agents shouted, noticing Ash.
Ash raised an eyebrow, couldn't recall the last time he'd been young enough to be called a punk like he was some unruly teenager. "I haven't made up my mind yet," He told them honestly. The agents that hear this all pause. One of them was smart enough to notice something off about Ash's aura. He took a step back.
Ash tilted his head, and Oliver hid a smirk and turned his head away as Ash removed his sunglasses.
–
The leaders of the rebels were still reeling, unable to tear their eyes away from the devastating fight being projected by the Proko. Lady Crocodile was a force of nature they could appreciate as natives of a desert kingdom; her attacks remarkable crescent-shaped slices. Occasionally, the attacks would pass through Admiral Akainu's magma, hardening the sand into rock and making the hit stronger. Akainu was very deliberate with his attacks. They assumed it was so that he could minimize the damage caused.
Bashar tore his eyes away and looked at Cobra, "I'm sorry."
Cobra blinked, surprised by the words, "I'm not doing this for an apology, my friend. I'm doing this for peace and for Alabasta."
Commander Rosinante, standing off to the side, covered her smile by lighting her cigarette. She didn't think that there was a king who loved his country more.
–
Agresta hadn't expected Sakazuki to be involved in any of this. None of his agents had reported the Admiral's presence in the city. His Hakka Hakka no Mi was useless here. Crocodile was shrugging any hits she took off with the mocking sound of tinkling glass, and Sakazuki, the towering bastard that he was, wasn't even flinching.
Well. Fuck.
He dropped his hands, surrendering.
Crocodile sighed explosively, looking annoyed, "Well, that was anticlimactic."
Two marines, who had been waiting in the doorway, hurried forward, one carrying a pair of seastone cuffs.
"You thrive on drama, don't you?" Sakazuki said to her, wrangling his magma back to his body, eyes watching the ensigns cuff a now docile Agresta in case he tried anything or tried to hurt his marines.
Daz pulled himself up from underneath the somehow still intact table just as Crocodile shot Sakazuki a thoughtful look, "That really shouldn't surprise you."
"It does not." He murmured fondly, reaching behind her discretely to goose her rear. She jumps, slapping his arm.
More marines entered Captain Doll in command. With a nod from Sakazuki, she ordered her men to remove Agresta and escort him to the ship. Doll stopped to give him a quick update. "The Dance Powder ship has been disabled, and Momonga's on her way to Marineford."
Daz had his hand to his ear, "Sin, Walter and Lieutenant Smoker have dealt with one group of Agents. Sin compliments Smoker's training and says he wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of a swing from her jitte," Sakazuki nodded; he'd been on the receiving end of full-strength hits from her in sparring and understood completely. "Ash…well, Ash dealt with the other agents." Crocodile pursed her lips.
"Sir," Sakazuki turned his head to look at the lieutenant, who'd been in the security office with him. "The rebel army has stood down. King Cobra is in the process of negotiating with them now."
Crocodile breathed a quiet, relieved sigh.
"The king also requests your and Lady Crocodile's presence in Alubarna at your earliest convenience."