SAVING ALABASTA - PART 3: WE'RE COMING FOR YOU CROCODILE!
Alabasta Saga - Alabasta Arc - Episode 104 - 110
DAKOTA'S POV:
"Vivi. I have faith in His Majesty! He's not someone who would ever betray the kingdom. Don't you agree?" He says with tears falling down his face; he falls to his knees as he breaks down crying for his country, for Vivi. "This rebellion is ridiculous! Those fools... so what if it hasn't rained for a mere three years? I have faith in His Majesty. Most of the country still does, in fact. So many times... so many times, I tried to stop them. But they won't listen to anything I say. The rebellion won't stop. Their strength is at its limit, too. They intend to settle things once and for all in the next attack. Their backs are to the wall... they're prepared to die! Please, Vivi! Stop those fools!" The old man begs her with tears streaming down his face, and she offers him her handkerchief.
"Don't worry, Toto." She tells him.
"Vivi..." He whispers with shock on her face.
"We will stop the rebellion." She says, and he starts crying again.
"Thank you." He says through his sobs. "You must be tired, please follow me." He walks off, collecting himself, and we follow him to one of the buildings.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
We walk inside to see beds; I throw myself into one of the beds, happy to be sleeping on a bed for the night as everyone else settles in though once Toto leaves, Luffy follows him. "Excellent work today, everyone! So let's hit the hay for now and regain our strength for tomorrow! Nighty-night!" He jumps into his bed and fakes sleep; Zoro throws his pillow at the back of Usopp's head, throwing him off the bed.
"You've been sleeping this whole time!" Zoro snaps at the sniper, who gets back up slowly.
"Why, you... don't compare me with you monsters!" Usopp snaps and throws the pillow back at Zoro, hitting him in the face.
"Now you've done it!" Zoro growls and Usopp throws his pillow at Chopper, making the little reindeer go flying.
"Besides, you win today's laziness award, Blue-Nose!" He exclaims, and Chopper runs over, jumping onto the long nose.
"It's not my fault I can't stand the heat!" Chopper argues, upset with the accusation.
"Sanji. That's my-" Vivi tries to tell the Cook; I look over to see him lying in Vivi's bed, lifting the blanket up to invite her to lie with him.
"Yes. I thought you might have a hard time sleeping alone tonight..." Sanji tells her, and Usopp takes my pillow from under my head and throws it at the pervy Cook, hitting him square in the face.
"And what do you think you're doing there?" Usopp asks him, giving Sanji a dirty look while Chopper tries not to giggle.
"Oh, that took some nerve. Which one of you is spoiling for a fight?!" He vows, and they throw pillows everywhere; I cover my head with my blanket, just wanting some rest.
"Do you guys not understand the points of a nap?!" Nami snaps at the boys.
"Alright! You're in trouble now!" Sanji growls, and the boys start fighting; I throw my blanket away and pull Sanji and Zoro apart.
"I'm trying to sleep," I growl, angry at them. "Now go to sleep!" I snap, and they hang their heads.
"Yes, Dakota." They submit, and I drop them onto the floor before grabbing a pillow and returning to bed.
"Good night everyone," I say, getting replies before the light goes out, and I close my eyes, allowing sleep to overtake me.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
Morning arrives quicker than I was hoping, needing a good night's rest, but we can't afford to waste time as we prepare to leave and say our farewells to Toto as we begin to go. "I'm sorry for being so unseemly, Vivi." He apologises as we leave.
"No, you're not unseemly at all! We should be off!" Vivi bids him goodbye.
"Oh, Luffy. Take this with you." He hands over a tankard.
"Wow! Water!" Luffy exclaims in glee, looking down at it.
"Water!" Usopp yells.
"You found some?!" He asks the old man.
"Last night, just after you fell asleep while digging, I reached a moist layer of sand. That water is the moisture I managed to extract from it!" Toto explains.
"Oh! That sounds kind of complicated, but thanks!" Luffy grins as he looks at the tankard.
"It's genuine Yuba water! I'm sorry it's all I could get..." He tells Luffy as he goes to drink but stops.
"I'll drink it with care!" Luffy promises, and we leave, walking back into the desert.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
We all walk in the desert with what seems to be no problems until Luffy stops suddenly at a tree and sits down as we all stop at his sudden action. "Luffy! What're you doing?!" Usopp demands, and we come to a stop.
"Luffy?" Chopper questions him, and it will turn out bad but a good ending.
"What's wrong, Luffy?" Vivi asks him in worry.
"I quit." He announces, looking serious.
"Huh? You 'quit'?" Nami asks him.
"Luffy... what do you mean?" Vivi asks him.
"C'mon, Luffy! We don't have time to put up with your whims, you know! Get up!" Usopp complains, but I think Luffy actually has a plan behind his actions today.
"Aren't we going back?" Chopper asks.
"Yeah. If we don't go back to Katorea the way we came and stop the revolt, a million citizens here are gonna clash, and things'll get ugly quick! This is for Vivi! Now let's go!" Sanji snaps and goes over to Luffy, who throws him away.
"That's boring." Luffy lies.
"Say what?!" Sanji rages as he gets back up.
"Vivi."
"Yes?"
"I wanna kick Crocodile's ass!" He says with a glare that startles the Princess at the determination in his eyes. "If we stop the people rebelling, will that stop Crocodile? Besides, we won't be able to do anything in Katorea anyway. We're pirates, you see. Things are better off without us around."
"He can really get straight to the point without thinking sometimes..." I comment as I watch them.
"Despite being Luffy." Usopp remarks.
"T-that's..." Vivi tries to deny it.
"You want it, so nobody dies in this fight. None of the citizens, and none of us! Even when we're up against a Warlord of the Sea and a million people are going wild, you hope everyone will stay safe and sound. Don't you think that's too soft-hearted?" Luffy asks her.
"Hold on, Luffy! At least show some sympathy for Vivi!" Nami snaps at him, and Sanji holds her back.
"Wait, Nami."
"But..." She tries to argue, but Vivi shakes off her hood to look Luffy in the eye.
"And what's wrong with thinking that? What's wrong with not wanting people to die?!" Vivi demands that it's a nice way of thinking but unrealistic.
"People die," Luffy tells her, and she slaps him across the face; I take a step forward but stop myself from moving further.
"Stop talking like that! Say that again, and I'll make you pay! That's exactly what we're trying to stop here! The rebel army, the royal army, and the people of this kingdom haven't done anything wrong! So why do people have to die when it's all Crocodile's fault?!" She asks angrily, and Luffy gets to his feet, jumping at the Princess, punching her as lightly as possible across the face, and I have to hold Sanji back from pummeling our Captain.
"Then why are you putting your life on the line?!" Luffy shouts.
"Whoa, Luffy! You're going too fat!" Usopp exclaims.
"Damn it, Luffy!" Sanji growls as I hold him back, and Vivi gets up, tackling Luffy into the sand.
"Just one look at this kingdom and even I can tell..." He says, and Vivi punches him back.
"Tell what?!" She asks him as she throws punches.
"... what most needs to be done! As if putting your single life on the line is enough!" He yells as he gets hit; I feel Zoro placing his hand on my shoulder, trying to stop me from jumping in.
"Then what should I be putting on the line?! I don't have-!" She yells but stops when Luffy grabs her arms, stopping her from hitting him anymore. "I don't have anything else that I can put on the line..." Luffy gets up, making her fall off of him.
"At least try putting all of our lives on the line together! Aren't we friends?!" He yells, and she gasps in shock, tears gathering. "Aren't we friends?" He repeats himself calmly, and she bursts into tears. "Oh, you can cry those kinds of tears..." He picks up his hat, letting her cry as he dusts it off. "I know you actually hate this and want to beat him up the most!" Nami approaches the crying Princess and hugs her as Luffy gets to his feet and puts his hat back on. "Now tell me... where Crocodile is!" Though it makes the Princess cry even more, he sits back on the sand, but she soon stops.
"Everyone... Luffy is exactly right. I've made up my mind now. Let's go to where Crocodile is!" She announces.
"Yeah!" Luffy agrees as he gets back up.
"That does seem to be the quickest shortcut." Nami comments.
"Meaning no more of this annoying, roundabout travelling." Zoro remarks, and I nod in agreement with him.
"So, where is this damn Crocodile?" Sanji asks, and Vivi gets out the map from her pocket.
"Let's see here..." She mutters as she unrolls it to show the map of the island. "This is the capital city of Alubarna, where my father rules from." She points at the city's name before pointing at the town where the rebels are based. "And the rebel army is currently here, preparing to invade Alubarna."
"So we need to take care of Crocodile before that can happen," Sanji comments as if it's that easy.
"Crocodile is here. Rainbase." She points at the name.
"Rainbase..." Usopp repeats the name.
"It's about a day's journey north of here." She says, and we set out heading north towards the next city.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
It's been a few hours since we set out, and Luffy and Usopp are already complaining about the desert's scorching heat behind Eyelash. "C'mon, I told you to quit moaning, you two!" Nami snaps at them, growing bored with their whining.
"Who're you to say anything when you're riding the camel?!" Luffy complains.
"Yeah! Let us ride, too! You camel, woman!" Usopp complains.
"Nami-mel!" Luffy spits, calling her names.
"Good one!" Usopp applauds him.
"Chopper! You haven't collapsed today!" Zoro comments, seeming proud of him.
"Yeah, I'm gonna try extra hard. Vivi, does Rainbase have water?" He asks her.
"Yes, there's no problem there. It's a gambling town, almost completely detached from the rebellion." She tells him, and I grin at the thought of gambling.
"Oh! Gambling?!" Nami sparkles, having the same thought as me.
"Hey, now! What're you thinking?!" Zoro snaps as he looks at us.
"I guess even here in Alabasta there are carefree cities." Sanji comments.
"Gum Gum No Way!" Luffy shouts as he stretches his arms around, keeping Usopp away from his tankard of water from Yuba. "No!" He keeps repeating as he moves his arms around as Usopp tries to get at the water.
"C'mon! Just one sip! That is why we have it!" Usopp tears up.
"That dry old guy spent all night digging this water up! We can't just drink it like it's nothing! You dumbhead!" Luffy snaps as he holds onto it protectively.
"Wow! Sometimes you can restrain yourself!" Nami comments.
"Of course, I can! How rude! You're rude!" He leans closer to her, and Usopp finally collapses.
"Can't take another step... W-water..." Usopp pants, looking tired.
"So?! How long until Rainbase?!" He asks her, and she gets off of the camel.
"Luffy. Thanks. I never would've been able to make this decision on my own." She tells him.
"Then gimme food." He tells he,r and she looks at him in surprise. "After I kick Crocodile's ass, gimme so much food I might die!"
"Okay! I promise!" She smiles, and I shake my head.
"You're gonna regret agreeing to that," I tell her with a laugh, and we return to walking, hoping to make it to Rainbase as quickly as possible.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
It's late evening when Vivi announces our arrival at the city where Crocodile resides. "I see it..."
"Is that it?" Chopper asks as we keep walking, and the city grows closer.
"Rainbase?" Nami questions as she looks around the Princess.
"Oh! Are we here?!" Luffy asks and seems to perk up a little. "Alright! Time to beat up Crocodile!" He yells but soon calms again as Nami jumps off Eyelash and smacks him.
"Save your energy!" She snaps, and we walk on, but that doesn't stop Luffy's excitement.
"So this is Rainbase!" He grins, glad we're finally here.
"By the way does Baroque Works know we're in this country now?" Zoro asks.
"Most likely. We did run into Mr 2 and Miss Hallows Eve, so we should assume they know we're here." Nami replies.
"So what?!" Luffy asks, not seeing the problem.
"They know what we look like! We can't do much of anything while we're in Rainbase!" Usopp explains.
"Why not?!" Luffy demands.
"If we get spotted first, Crocodile can probably deal with us in all kinds of ways." Usopp points out.
"Assassination is their area of speciality." Zoro remarks.
"Oh! It's mine too!" I exclaim happily as I raise my hand in the air.
"Come out, Crocodile!" Luffy shouts, not caring.
"Were you even listening?!" Usopp snaps as he hits him over the head.
"In any case, no matter who we run into, I'll protect Nami and Vivi as Dakota can protect herself! Though you three girls can call me 'prince'!" Sanji flirts with us with a grin.
"Smooth one," Zoro remarks, angering the Cook.
"Smoother than you are, Zoro!" Sanji snaps back.
"I don't know about that," I mutter, but I swear Zoro hears me.
"Water!" Usopp and Chopper beg.
"Shut up, you guys!" Zoro snaps at them.
"I need water!" Usopp cries.
"Me too!" Luffy yells and runs off to the entrance of the city. "Water! Water!"
"Wait! Luffy!" Usopp gains some energy and runs after the idiot.
"Both of you wait!" I call out as I run after them.
"Take money with you!" Nami shouts, but I wave her off as we enter the city.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
The boys run into a cafe, and I walk in after them, feeling the cool air coming from the spinning fan on the ceiling. "Alright! We can get water here, Usopp! Dakota!" Luffy cheers as we enter.
"Water!" Usopp exclaims, and we walk to the bar.
"Old lady! Water!" Luffy exclaims as they both bang their hands on the counter.
"A barrel of water! No, five! Five barrels of water!" Usopp orders, and the woman comes over with two barrels on her shoulders, placing them down in front of the two boys.
"Here!" She snaps, and I get out some money.
"Water!" The boys exclaim, and she places the other three down in front of me as I give her the money.
"This water's great, you jerk!" Luffy says around mouths of water.
"It's great, you bastard!" Usopp replies as they drink. "Let's hurry and take the others some!" The boys stop and look over; I lean forward to see Smoker and Tashigi sitting back at us.
"Oh, no." I groan as I pick up the barrels, and the boys spit out their water at the Marines.
"Run!" Luffy yells.
"Yeah!" Usopp yells in agreement.
"Get those barrels!" I throw one of them to Luffy and Usopp as we run out of the cafe.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
We ran out of the cafe, down the street, hoping not to get caught by the Marines again. "Why are the Marines here again?!" Luffy yells as we run and looks back at the Marine soldiers chasing us.
"How should I know?! Just run!" I snap as we run towards the others.
"Hey, guys! The Marines are here!" Luffy shouts to the others as we run towards them, and they start running too.
"You're the one bringing them here!" Zoro shouts back.
"Catch 'em for sure this time!" One of the soldiers shouts from behind us.
"This is bad! Baroque Works is gonna spot us... if we run through the city!" Usopp yells, drawing more attention to us.
"I think it's too late for that." Zoro snaps as he looks around, and I see it, too, the Baroque Works agents all around us with pictures of all of us.
"Then it's decided! Let's go!" Luffy says, and Vivi looks at him. "To where Crocodile is! Right, Vivi?!"
"Yes!" She answers and points ahead of us. "Do you see that alligator-roof building up ahead?! That's the casino that Crocodile runs... Raindinners!" She says as it comes into focus as we head towards the building.
"There, huh?! So that's where Crocodile is?!" Luffy grins, revving up for a fight.
"It'd be best if we split up!" Sanji suggests.
"It looks that way!" Zoro agrees with the Cook.
"Alright! See you later!" Luffy yells as we come to a crossroads going to our left.
"Yeah!" We all shout as we split off from one another, I go with Zoro and Vivi down the streets, but more agents are cornering us.
"Damn it!" Zoro snaps as the Baroque Works agents get in our way.
"Mr Bushido! Dakota! This direction, too!" Vivi announces and points behind us at more agents.
"It's them! No doubt about it! Kill 'em!" They yell among themselves.
"The Baroque Works Millions!" Vivi gasps.
"'Stuck between the devil and the deep sea,' huh? Go on without me! Dakota will protect you! Hurry!" Zoro says, and I pull Vivi into an alleyway to get away.
"R-right!" She agrees as we run off down the alleyway, but some agents separate from the others and run after us.
"Come on, Vivi!" I push her in front of me as we run down the back streets with the men running behind us. "Vivi, keep running!" I order her, and she looks back but nods as she runs off, and I turn around, getting out my gun from my cloak and pointing it at the men who come to a stop. "Feeling lucky?" I smirk as I pull the trigger, shooting each of the men in the leg, not wanting them to follow, and I promised Ace I wouldn't kill unless absolutely necessary from now on. "That was fun. Teleport."
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
I pop up next to Zoro, spooking the others of my sudden arrival; I look around but don't see the others. "Where are the others?" I ask them.
"Sanji was taking care of some Marines, where's Vivi?" Nami asks me back.
"I thought she'd be here by now, we were getting chased by Millions," I tell them.
"She might've gone inside!" Usopp suggests in a panic.
"Let's hurry, then!" Nami agrees, and then a scream comes from behind them, and I see a familiar-looking straw hat.
"Luffy!" I shout, but I see someone running behind him.
"Get back here!" I hear Smoker shout to Luffy.
"It's that Smoker guy!" Zoro gapes as they grow closer.
"Hey! Let's go! Run inside, guys!" Luffy shouts, and he runs past us, and we follow after him.
"We're right behind you!" Usopp shouts as we run over the bridge with Smoker behind us.
"He's in there... isn't he?!" Luffy growls angrily. "Listen, Crocodile! I'm going to kick your ass! I'm coming for you!"
"Get back here, you!" More Millions come for us, shooting their guns. "Shoot 'em! Shoot 'em!"
"Damn, they're annoying!" Zoro snarls and runs back, slicing them to silence. "That quieted things a bit." We make it to the door of the casino.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
Luffy slams the doors open to the casino with rage. "Crocodile! Come out!" Luffy shouts, stopping the gamblers momentarily, but they return; I pull my hood over my crimson hair. "I came all this way to kick your ass!" Luffy shouts again, but again the gamblers pay him no mind. "Crocod-" Usopp and Nami punch him on the head to stop him.
"That's not gonna make him come out here!" Nami snaps at him.
"We're dealing with the country's hero! Are you trying to make these patrons our enemies too?!" Usopp snaps at him, trying to get him to see sense.
"Alright! What do we do, then?!" Luffy asks them.
"H-hold on! Without Vivi, we won't know who Crocodile is!" Usopp stutters.
"Speaking of which, where is Vivi?!" Nami questions.
"Vivi! Crocodile! Where are you?!" All three of them shout, and I shake my head at them.
"Hey, now!" Zoro snaps at them to quieten down.
"Hey! Vivi and Crocodile aren't coming!" Luffy pouts as if it were going to work.
"I've got you now, Straw Hat! You too, Red Devil!" Smoker shouts as he runs towards us.
"Smoker!" Nami gasps in surprise.
"You think you can just scurry all over the place!" He snaps, and we make a run for it.
"It's Smokey!" Luffy exclaims.
"R-Run!" Usopp shouts as we start running. "Damn! What's that smoke freak doing here in Rainbase?!"
"I'd say he's taken quite a liking to Luffy and Dakota!" Zoro jokes.
"That's not funny!" I snap at the Swordsman.
"This building is surrounded by a lake! There's nowhere to run!" The smoker growls as he enters the casino, but two security guards come out to stop him.
"Please stop, sir! Government officials aren't allowed inside!" They order him, but the stubborn man pushes them aside.
"He's so stubborn!" Luffy yells.
"Get back here!" Smoker shouts.
"I can't deal with that guy!" Luffy complains, and three more security guards come out before us.
"Just a minute, sir. I must ask that you leave-" One tries to stop us, but Luffy runs right into them, sending them flying.
"Huh? Did I just run into something?" Luffy questions as we keep running.
"Stop!" Smoker shouts as if we'll listen to him.
"Hey! Look there!" Usopp points out in front of us at the VIP entrance, where people are welcoming us.
"Right this way! This is the VIP room!" They greet us as we run towards them.
"VIP room?!" Usopp questions.
"Could it mean, 'Bring it on'?!" Nami wonders.
"This guy gets right to the point!" Zoro comments.
"Alright! Let's go!" Luffy yells as we head for the door. "But what's a VIP?!" We run through the door into a long corridor with a split.
"Hey! The hallway splits at the end!" I announce.
"VIPs go to the left!" Usopp reads one of the signs.
"And it says pirates go this way!" Nami reads the other sign.
"Which way do we go?!" Luffy asks.
"Hurry and decide!" Zoro warns him as we grow closer to the two choices.
"VIPs, obviously! VIPs!" Usopp offers.
"But we're pirates! Pirates go this way!" Luffy decides, and we go to the right.
"Yeah! You got a point there!" Usopp agrees as we all go right and come to a dead end.
"W-wait!" Nami gasps at the dead end.
"Straw Hat! Red Devil!" Smoker growls as we halt, and the floor under us parts, revealing a trap door before we realise we fall into the darkness. "What in the world is going on?!"
"I can't believe we fell for this trick!" Zoro sighs as we all fall.
"My 'I Wind Up Swimming when Falling in the Darkness' disease!" Usopp cries out as he tries swimming in the air.
"A trapdoor!" Luffy yells.
"We should have gone the other way!" I shout as we fall into a tunnel.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
I open my eyes to see we're in a cage; I get up and look around the posh room with windows looking out into the lake outside, full of banana gators swimming around. "A clever trap," Luffy mutters as if that justifies us ending up in a cage.
"Yeah. It wasn't our fault." Usopp agrees with his fellow idiot.
"We could have avoided it! You did exactly what the enemy wanted! I can't believe how stupid you are!" Nami snaps at them.
"We did follow them." I point out and shift as she glares at me.
"Anyways, I'm suddenly out of strength..." Luffy announces, and I look at the bars with a sigh.
"How come? Are you hungry or something?" Usopp asks him.
"Luffy!" Zoro shouts a warning as Smoker smacks him in the face with his jitte that he covered the tip with Sea Prism Stone, knocking him to the floor.
"Luffy!" Nami cries out as Smoker puts the tip of his jitte into Luffy's chest, making him weak.
"I-I-I'll fight you if you want, smoke freak!" Usopp warns Smoker though he moves back away from him. "I once helped take down a bomb man!"
"Huh? I have no strength... just like when I fall in water..." Luffy moans.
"What have you done to Luffy?!" Nami demands.
"At the tip of this jitte is a material known as Sea Prism Stone. A strange type of stone that supposedly only exists in one certain sea. Not much is known about it, but it basically gives off the same energy as the ocean. You can think of it as the sea in solid form." Smoker explains, and I look at the bars on the cage.
"So it makes Devil Fruit users weak?" Zoro asks the Marine Captain.
"All Marine HQ prison cells are made of it. To prevent criminals with Devil Fruit powers from escaping." He tells us, and I shake my head.
"Not from what I've heard," I remark, and he glares at me.
"Then, this prison cell is the same?!" Nami concludes.
"If it weren't, I'd be long gone by now... after making it, so none of you take to the seas again!" Smoker growls, and I growl at him, getting out my gun and pointing it at him.
"Wait! Wait! What good will fighting in this situation do?!" Usopp exclaims.
"Besides, he's made of smoke! Guns won't work on him!" Nami argues, but I pull the safety anyway.
"That's correct. Give it up." Crocodile announces himself; we all look at the wooden desk with the chair facing away. "You're going to die together, so why not get along first?"
"Crocodile!" Smoker growls.
"What?!" Luffy growls and the Warlord swirls around in his chair, revealing himself; I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying anything as he stands.
"So he's one of the Seven Warlords?" Zoro questions as he looks at him.
"Looks as despicable as I thought." Smoker spits out.
"Oh, you really are the wild dog I've heard about, Smoker." Crocodile retorts, and I cough, making Smoker glare at me. "It seems you never once believed I was on your side. But, yes. You're correct. Smoker. I think I'll have you die an 'accidental' death." He moves away from his desk and saunters towards the cage. "I'll inform the government that you fought well against the lowly 'Straw Hat' pirate. I don't know why you've come to this country, but I assume you're on your own. The government would never have sent you here."
"Sounds like you," I comment as I look at Smoker.
"Shut up, Dakota." The smoker snaps at me.
"Because everyone trusts me, as a Warlord of the Sea." Crocodile finishes though he throws both Smoker and me a look.
"So you're Crocodile?! Hey! You! Fight me-!" Luffy yells and grabs hold of the cage bars feeling the effects of the Sea Prism Stone.
"Pay attention! Don't touch the bars!" Usopp snaps at him.
"Straw Hat Luffy. You've done well to come this far. I promise to get rid of you, so wait a little more. Our guest of honour has yet to arrive." Crocodile announces, and I know who it is.
"Guest of honour?" Nami questions, and I throw her a look.
"I just sent my partner to pick her up." He tells us, and I point my gun towards the Warlord. "And what do you think a gun will do?" He questions, and I go to pull the trigger. When Nami pulls my arm down, I accidentally pull the trigger and shoot myself in the leg from the force of Nami's pull. I let out a yelp of pain as I fall to the floor; Nami kneels beside me, looking guilty.
"What did you do that for?!" I snap at her as I pull my desert robe away, revealing my dancer-girl outfit and move the skirt to see my leg with a bleeding bullet wound.
"Wait! That isn't healing?!" Usopp panics as he looks at it.
"Of course not! The bullets are Sea Prism Stone!" I snap back at him, and the others look in shock.
"I see how clever." Crocodile comments, and he taps his foot, making a small hole appear under the gun, and it falls down.
"Dakota, are you going to be okay?" Luffy asks, and I nod as I sharpen my nails, digging into my wound to find the bullet; I feel the sting of the shot, and I pull it out and throw it away, allowing my wound to heal.
"I am now, man that hurt." I groan as I lie on the floor and see Zoro above me; it seems I'm leaning my head on his leg, he looks down at me with a reassuring smile, and I smile back.
"Look at me, I'm Sanji." I hear Luffy and look over to see Luffy pretending to be Sanji. "You the one who ate the meat?"
"Act like..." Nami growls as she hits them over the head. "...serious prisoners!" She strikes them over the heads as Usopp and Luffy fall to the floor. "How can you act like that in such a serious situation as this?!"
"We can't get out, so what else is there to do?!" Luffy asks her.
"The fact we can't get out is what makes it serious! We might wind up dead if we don't do something! And why are you sleeping?!" Nami rages and smacks Zoro awake, which also makes me sit up.
"Oh, is it morning?" Zoro questions as he wipes the sleep from his eyes.
"It's noon!" She snaps at him.
"You're a high-spirited girl." Crocodile comments.
"Whatever! Go ahead and act confident while you still can! Once these guys get out of here, they'll kick your butt and send you flying above the clouds! Isn't that right, Luffy?!" She snaps and points at Luffy.
"Of course it is, you jerk!" Luffy cheers.
"You seem to be quite the trustworthy Captain, Straw Hat Luffy. Trust... the most unneeded thing in this world." Crocodile remarks.
"Who does he think he is, insulting people?!" Nami snaps.
"Q-quit it! You'll make him mad, too!" Usopp stutters as he tries to stop her.
"Crocodile!" I hear Vivi shout, and I jump to my feet, looking through the bars.
"Vivi!" We all call out to her to see her at the top of the stairs.
"Welcome, Vivi, Princess of Alabasta! No, Miss Wednesday! I'm impressed you managed to evade our assassins to come this far!" Crocodile comments, seeming smug.
"I would go as far as it takes! Because I want you to die, Mr 0! If only you hadn't come to this country..." Vivi snaps and jumps with her weapons spinning, running down the steps.
"Wait! Vivi! Let us out!" Luffy shouts.
"... Alabasta would've remained peaceful!" She shouts as she runs down the stairs. "Peacock String Slasher!" She screams as she jumps into the air again and swings it at his head, hitting him around the neck, but with his Logia Devil Fruit powers, it doesn't touch him as he turns into sand.
"It's no use." Smoker comments to himself as Vivi lands on the table
"You don't say," I reply with sass as Crocodile disappears into the sand.
"Satisfied?" Crocodile asks her as she looks around at the sand surrounding her. "As a citizen of this country, you surely know that I have the power of the Sand-Sand Fruit." He materialises around her, his hand covering her mouth. "Want to become a mummy?"
"A s-sand person!" Usopp freaks out.
"Hey, you! Get away from Vivi! I'll kick your ass!" Luffy shouts at him.
"Sit." Crocodile orders the Princess and pushes her into the seat he was once sitting in. "Perfect timing. The party is just starting. Correct, Miss All-Sunday?"
"Yes." She agrees and gets out a pocket watch.
"Party?" Nami repeats as the raven-haired beauty looks at the pocket watch.
"It just turned noon. Operation Utopia is beginning." She announces.
"Operation Utopia?" I question, not seeing what that could mean.
"What's an 'Operation Utopia'?" Luffy asks, and Crocodile starts laughing; it's not good. "Hey!" He's ignored as Crocodile continues to laugh; it seems almost like he practices his evil laugh a little.
"It will be this pathetic little kingdom that dies, Miss Wednesday." He announces. "I'm going to wipe Alabasta from the face of the earth! All people, big and small, will be sucked into eternal darkness as they writhe in pain. Let Operation Utopia... commence!" He laughs again maniacally as Vivi is tied to the chair so she can't escape Miss All-Sunday.
"Just what are you planning to do to Alabasta?!" Vivi demands answers from the crook.
"Would you like to know the type of people I look down on most of all?" He asks her but doesn't care for a response. "Hypocrites who treasure the so-called 'happiness of the people.'"
"You intend to kill my father?! As if you could ever do that!" Vivi shouts at him, angry at the thought.
"There's no need to shout. I have no such intention. He's not even worth killing. I'm going to let Cobra taste humiliation far crueller than death." He tells her, well us.
"Crueler than death?" Usopp repeats, and I can think of all the crueller things I've been paid to do than death.
"That's no way for a princess of a kingdom to look." Crocodile smirks as he looks at the Princess, as she glares at him, probably wishing him dead again.
"I'll ask one more time! Just what is Operation Utopia?! Tell me!" Vivi demands.
"Now, now. Do you realise where you stand in this situation?" He replies, not threatened by the Princess.
"Answer the question!" She yells at him, growing impatient.
"You're a valiant princess. But very well. The operation has already begun. I'll tell you about my plan to end this country... about Operation Utopia..." He tells her and begins explaining the operation.
"What a horrifying plan..." Nami gasps once he finishes explaining his plan.
"Well? Do you like it? The operation you once participated in has now blossomed. If you listen closely, you could probably hear the howls of Alabasta. And they all think the same thing. 'Protect Alabasta. Protect Alabasta. Protect Alabasta.'" He drives it in deep every time he says those words.
"Stop it!" Vivi screams. "How can you be so cruel?!"
"Isn't it just heartrending? Love for the kingdom will be what destroys the kingdom." He taunts her further, and Luffy starts yelling before he tries to squeeze through the bars, but the effects of the Sea Prism bars so he can't stretch.
"Is he stupid? Did he not hear what I said?" Smoker asks us as we watch him.
"He's definitely stupid. But that's also why he's our Captain." Zoro replies.
"Sometimes determination looks like stupidity," I remark as we watch him try to fit his head through the bars.
"Crocodile! I will kick your ass..." Luffy growls but soon gives up courtesy of the Sea Prism Stone bars.
"So many moves I've made to make it this far... the sabotage to instigate the citizens. Directing the royal army's misconduct. Have you any idea why I'd go to such lengths to attain this country?" He asks rhetorically.
"As if I'd understand anything inside your rotten head!" Vivi spits back at him; I giggle a little, which earns a glare from the Warlord.
"You really are a bad-mouthed princess." He comments with a smirk; Vivi glares at him and tosses her chair onto the floor.
"Vivi!" Usopp shouts as we watch her try to squirm away.
"Now, now. What are you trying to do, Miss Wednesday?" He asks her as we all watch her try to wiggle away.
"Stop you! I'm going to stop you! There's still time! If I can just get to Alubarna east of here... if I can get there before the rebel army, I may be able to stop them!" She tells him as she tries moving away from him as chuckles at her effort. "I absolutely refuse to let you have your way!"
"Vivi!" Luffy yells at her as she struggles to make her home safe.
"What a coincidence. We're just about to head to Alubarna too. If you'd like to come with us, then do so. Or... would you rather save these people?" He asks her and shows her a key, probably for the door.
"That's...!" She gasps.
"The key to this cell?! Give it here!" Luffy demands, but Crocodile drops it to the floor, and Vivi frees herself from her binds as he taps his foot on the floor again, opening a trapdoor underneath the key.
"A trapdoor?!" Vivi gasps as the key falls down, and there's a rumbling from inside.
"It won't be too long before their fight to the death begins. Even if you hurried to Alubarna from here, who knows if you'd make it in time...?" Crocodile taunts her further, and he's not wrong. Maybe she could make it if she leaves now. "To stop the rebellion, you'd need to leave at once, Miss Wednesday. Or will you save these people instead? Though it doesn't help that I accidentally dropped the key below the floor, into the banana gators' den."
"A banana gator!" Vivi gasps.
"Banana gator?" Luffy questions, and I point to the gators outside the window, swimming around. "Whoa! What's that?! There's an alligator growing from that banana!"
"W-what is that insanely huge alligator?!" Nami shrieks.
"This room is underwater?!" Usopp gasps, finally seeing it.
"You finally noticed." I laugh as they look at me in shock.
"What a weird banana!" Luffy gasps as he looks around at the gators.
"You idiot! Look closer! It's an alligator with a banana growing out of it! It's a weird gator!" Usopp snaps at him as Vivi gasps in shock.
"Hey! What happened, Vivi?!" I ask her, knowing I'm not going to like it.
"A banana gator swallowed the key to your cell!" She tells us.
"What?! Chase it and make it spit it out!" Luffy yells as if she could.
"I can't! Banana gators are so ferocious that they even prey on Sea Kings! Get near one, and you'll be eaten in one bite!" Vivi explains.
"I apologise for clumsily dropping the key. Plus, there's no telling which one swallowed it." Crocodile points out.
"What?!" Luffy exclaims.
"I can't believe this guy!" Nami snaps.
"Damn! If we could just get out of here, I could handle those reptiles!" Zoro snaps as he holds up his Wado Ichimonji.
"You're so dumb, Zoro! We can't get out because the key got eaten!" Luffy points out as if he doesn't already know that.
"I know that!" Zoro snaps at him.
"Well, then." Crocodile clicks his fingers, opening the door. "We must be going a little earlier than you. Also, this room will be destroyed automatically in one hours time. This secret underground room I've used as Baroque Works president is no longer of use. It will soon fill with water and be submerged in Rainbase's lake. One million innocent citizens, or a mere five pirates with no future? Only one choice can be saved, though the odds are low for both. Your feelings are your ante, Miss Wednesday. Do you like gambling? With so many fools in this country, this was such an easy job. The juvenile rebels and the old man digging in Yuba, for example." He gives a dig at Toto, which Luffy catches.
"W-what?! You mean the dry old guy?!" Luffy asks.
"A foolish old man who keeps pecking away every day at an oasis that's long dead. He keeps at it, despite the constant sandstorms." Crocodile chuckles; I knew he was behind it, stupid sandman.
"Why, you-!" Luffy growls at the man.
"Tell me, Straw Hat Luffy. Do you think sandstorms can strike towns perfectly time after time?" Crocodile hints at one of his doings.
"What are you saying?" Vivi asks him, not seeing it.
"You did it?!" Luffy snarls at the Warlord as he makes a miniature sand cyclone with his hand.
"I-I'll kill you!" Vivi vows as she looks at him with pure hate as he chuckles and walks away, though the blue-eyed beauty looks back before stepping behind the Warlord, and one of the panels in the room pops open, allowing water to flow in from outside.
"Water's leaking in!" Usopp shrieks in fear as another opens with more water flowing in, filling the room quicker. "The whole room's gonna be flooded if we don't do something! Vivi! Help! Do something! I don't want only one hour to live!"
"Quit freaking out," Zoro tells him as I fish out my lock-picking tools.
"Are you crazy, Zoro?! How can I not freak out at a time like this?! We're gonna die if we don't do something! Don't you understand?!" Usopp shouts at the Swordsman, and he points towards me as I hold up the tools. "Alr-!" Zoro covers his mouth, stopping him from alerting the Warlord to our plan.
"The kingdom or my friends, you say?! I doubt you really plan on giving anything back! You plan to take my life, too, before I reach Alubarna! I know full well that nothing will end unless I beat you! You don't even know anything about this country's people, history, way of life... you don't know anything about it!" Vivi cries and throws her arm above her head, swinging her weapon before throwing it back down as she calls, and I nudge Luffy's shoulder as I start picking the lock.
"Vivi! Get us out of here! Come on!" He forces it out, and she gasps as she looks up to see us trying to get out.
"Luffy..." She mutters.
"Finally starting to beg for your life, Straw Hat Luffy? But it's only natural. Everyone is afraid of dying." Crocodile comments, but I can't help but think of Loguetown.
"If we... if we die, then who's going to kick your ass?!" Luffy shouts with determination.
"Don't flatter yourself, small fry." He spits back at my brother.
"You're the small fry!" Luffy spits back, and I giggle as I try picking the lock.
"Well, this is your chance to abandon them, Miss Wednesday. If you wish to stop the rebellion, that is." He tells her, and a colossal banana gator comes stomping towards her.
"It's so big!" She gapes at the size of it.
"That's what she said," I mumble and hear a small scoff from Smoker at my joke.
"Alright! Beat it, Vivi!" Luffy yells at her as if she's like him.
"That's crazy talk! It's too huge!" Usopp yells at him, and I have difficulty stopping myself from saying anything. "Vivi! Run! You can't beat it!"
"You're the one who's talking crazy!" Luffy snaps at him.
"Wait! Look out the windows!" Nami gasps, and we all look out to see the gators lining up, waiting to come inside, and Usopp lets out a girlish shriek.
"They're all waiting for their turn!" Usopp cries out.
"That was manly," I remark, and he glares. "Hey, I almost mistook that for Nami."
"Hey!" Usopp yells in protest.
"We're pretty much being treated as food!" Zoro snaps.
"We're all gonna be in their stomachs in an hour?!" Usopp cries again.
"We'll drown before that even happens," I tell them as I touch the bars and grow weaker. "Sea Prism Stone is stronger than their jaws."
"So, we need to get out of here!" Nami points out.
"Vivi! Get out of here!" I order her, and she shakes her head in protest.
"I won't le-" She tries to argue when the banana gator dives for her, she jumps out of the way in time, but it bites through the stone staircase.
"I'It's fast!" Usopp exclaims in shock. "It took a chomp out of the stone stairs in one instant! What a jaw!" The gator turns its head, spotting the Princess and smacks her away with its tail.
"Vivi!" We call out to her.
"Damn! These monsters are unstoppable!" Usopp exclaims.
"Vivi! Run!" Nami shouts at her.
"Get up!" Luffy shouts.
"Vivi! It's gonna eat you!" Usopp warns her as it opens its mouth when the sound of a Transponder Snail calls out, making it look back over to the Warlord and his partner.
"Someone's calling." She states. "What?" She asks as she answers.
"Hello? Hello? Can you hear me?" I hear a familiar voice on the other end.
"Yes, I hear you. You're a Millions, yes?" She asks him.
"Hey, does this thing work? I've never used a Mini-Transponder Snail before." Sanji asks someone on the other end.
"Yes, everything is fine. You can talk just as you are." Another voice tells him.
"What do you want?" Miss All-Sunday demands.
"Hurry and state your business! What happened?!" Crocodile asks.
"Oh, I've heard that voice before. Heya. you've called the Crap Cafe." Sanji tells him.
"The Crap Cafe?" He repeats.
"Oh, it sounds like you remember me. that's great." He replies, probably smirking.
"I'm certain we have all five Straw Hat pirates inside that cell. All that's left is their pet. Does this mean there are still others?" Crocodile questions.
"Chopper's not going to like that," I remark as I stop feeling weak from accidentally touching the bars again.
"Hey, did you hear that? 'Crap Cafe'? Could it be?!" Nami questions.
"San-!" Luffy goes to shout, but Usopp covers his mouth.
"Wait, Luffy!" Usopp hisses. "The enemy doesn't know about him! He was in his room when Mr 2 showed up, so they never met!"
"Sanji... that's right! Sanji and Chopper are still outside!" Vivi whispers.
"Just who are you?" Crocodile asks him.
"Me? I'm... Mr Prince." Sanji tells him.
"Didn't take him long to come up with that." I snicker and hear Zoro snicker a little too.
"I see. Mr Prince. Where are you?" He asks Sanji.
"'Fraid I can't say! If I did, you'd come get rid of me. Though setting aside whether or not you can get rid of me, I'm not so stupid as to give up information so easily. Unlike you, Mr 0." Sanji replies, acting smug.
"Prince! Help! We've been caught! There's no time!" Usopp screams through the bars.
"Come rescue me!" Luffy shouts along with Usopp.
"Mr Prince! Help me!" Usopp keeps screaming.
"Sounds like my crew's right by your side, in that case. I'm gonna-" A gunshot rings on the other side; we all wait for Sanji to return.
"Troublesome bastard!" Another voice spits though it sounds strained. "Hello? We've caught him! What should we do with this strange man?!"
"Sanji... no..," Vivi whispers as she approaches her feet.
"Where are you? Tell me!" Crocodile orders the Million.
"T-the front gate of a casino in Rainbase named Raindinners!" The agent answers.
"That useless moron! That bastard better be alive!" Zoro snaps.
"Sanji..." Luffy cries out.
"Our hope..." Nami sobs.
"This is great." Crocodile chuckles. "Let's go to the front gate."
"Is that wise? The Millions still don't know who their boss is." Miss All-Sunday points out.
"I won't be going as their boss. Aside from the Number Agents, no one knows who you and I are. What's so strange about Crocodile, the owner of this casino, going to see what has happened in front of his building?" He replies, and Vivi runs towards the demolished stairs, and the banana gator sees her and tries getting at her, but she jumps to avoid the hit.
"Vivi! What are you doing?!" Luffy shouts at her.
"There's still time before this room fills up with water! I'm going outside to get help!" She shouts back.
"Yeah! There's no way he kicked the bucket just now! If Vivi can just free him-!" Usopp agrees.
"And Chopper's outside, too! We might have a chance!" Nami nods along.
"Look out, Vivi!" I shout as I pull my picklock away as a blur of sand heads towards her; hitting her in the back is Crocodile's golden hook.
"Vivi!" Luffy shouts as she falls back down the stairs with the banana gator.
"Enough of your nonsense!" The Crocodile snaps as the water begins flowing faster as it almost covers the floor.
"Vivi! Wake up! Vivi!" Usopp calls out to her
"The gator's coming! Vivi!" Luffy warns her, but from how she fell, she hit her head badly enough that I can smell the blood coming from her.
"If you love your friends that much, you can all die here together. The water will soon turn this into their feeding ground and submerge the entire room. I'll drag your cheeky Mr Prince here too if you'd like! Hopefully, you don't mind corpses!" He grins as he walks out with his partner, leaving us to drown.
"Vivi!" Luffy calls out, and she slowly gets up.
"I refuse to let them die.." She says to herself.
"That's thoughtful, but try not getting killed, first!" I warn her as the gator dives for her, but she slashes him, forcing it back; she jumps onto the back of the banana gator before jumping onto the remaining stairs.
"Yes! She got away!" Nami cheers, but it's short-lived as the gator smashes down towards her as she runs up the stairs; the force of the hit breaks the window glass in front of us, allowing water to come faster inside the room. "The water's broken through the glass!"
"Now we have less than 20 minutes until this room's submerged!" Usopp cries, and I get back to picking the lock.
"That's just enough time," I tell him as I return to work.
"Vivi! You alright?!" Luffy asks her, and the dust settles to see the beaten Princess still there.
"Everyone! Hang in there a little longer! I will bring back help! I promise I won't abandon you!" She promises.
"Yeah! We're counting on you, Vivi!" Luffy and Usopp cheer her on as she runs up the steps and out the door.
"Man, this is getting annoying!" I curse as I keep touching the Sea Prism Stone bars, making me feel weak, and the water's rising isn't helping.
"The water! The water!" Usopp keeps screaming as the water grows higher.
"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Luffy joins in screaming.
"Once this cage is submerged, it's all over for us!" Nami cries out and moves her arm out of the bars. "Hey, you stupid gator! Come and get me!"
"What's come over you, Nami!" Usopp snaps at her as the gator tries to take a bite out of her, but she moves back in time.
"I'm making that guy mad, to get him to bite the cage apart!" Nami snaps back at him.
"I get it! Great idea!" Usopp cheers.
"Not gonna work!" I sing as I keep trying to unlock the door.
"Come and get me, you stupid banana! You rotten banana!" Luffy screams.
"No, that's wrong! I told you, he's basically an alligator, with a banana on his head." Usopp tries to explain to the dummy.
"What?! Would you shut up?" Luffy tells him, and I kick Luffy into the water, letting him drown.
"I was hoping he'd shut up," I mutter as Usopp starts screaming again, bringing him back.
"Hey! What'd you do that for sis!" Luffy snaps at me, and I scoff, ignoring him. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"
"Well, I'm not listening!" I reply.
"He's coming!" Nami alerts us, and I return as the gator chomps on the cage, but it's too strong and cracks the gator's teeth.
"It's no use!" Usopp cries out.
"What a tough cage!" Luffy beams at the wrong time.
"Vivi! Please hurry! Dakota!" Usopp cries, and I go to open the door again but see that I'm missing my pick and look to see it on the floor outside of the cage.
"Damn it!" I hiss as I try reaching for it, but it's too far away. "Usopp! Be useful and grab that for me!" I order him, and he tries reaching for it while crying.
"Hey, you guys..." Smoker says, and we all look at him as he sits on the bench calmly. Usopp grabs the pick and hands it over, and I return to picking the lock.
"How can you keep so composed?!" Usopp demands.
"You think up something, too!" Luffy shouts, missing the point.
"How much do you guys know? What exactly is Crocodile after? That woman who was at Crocodile's side... she's had a price on her head by the World Government for 20 years. The price was over 70,000,000, as I recall." Smoker says, and I look back at him in shock.
"S-seventy million?!" Usopp exclaims in surprise. "S-so what about it?"
"That's the same price that Crocodile has," Nami exclaims.
"The moment those two joined forces, this became more than just a simple coup. This can only develop into a matter that the whole world will get dragged into if they're left to it." He tells us, and I can only think of one woman with a bounty on her head worth that much.
"The whole world? What do you mean?" Nami asks him.
"That does seem a little far-fetched," Usopp argues.
"What are you guys talking about? I don't need an excuse like that to kick his ass!" Luffy shouts.
"I see... " Smoker mutters to himself.
"It's up to my thighs!" Luffy screams.
"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Usopp joins in screaming.
"I'm kind of starting to lose my will." Luffy faints a little, though Usopp catches him, and I'm starting to feel the same effect from the rising water.
"This is bad! This is bad! Tough it out! Didn't Vivi say so?!" Usopp cries out.
"Damn it! If only my swordsmanship were better, this cage would be nothing!" Zoro curses as I stand behind me, ensuring I don't succumb to the effects of the water as it rises higher.
"Try as hard as you can not to make any noise at mealtime." I hear Sanji say, and he appears under the banana gator, kicking him up into the air. "Bad Manner Kick Course!" The gator falls on its back as Sanji stands in front of the cage, and the force of the fall splashes water into my face making me cough a little. "Hey there. Been waiting long?"
"Mr Prince!" Luffy and Usopp cheer as they do a little dance.
"Thank goodness." Nami breathes a sigh of relief.
"Stop goofing around and keep them away!" Zoro snaps at the Cook.
"Nami! Dakota! Do you love me yet!" He asks us.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm in love, now hurry and keep the others away!" Nami tells him.
"Yes, my love!" He agrees in his stupid haze.
"Vivi! Way to go!" Luffy gives her a thumbs up, and she gives him one back as more of the banana gators arrive.
"Here they come, one after the next," Sanji comments as he looks at the congregation of banana gators.
"Go, Sanji! Pound them all!" Luffy cheers for the Cook.
"Bunch together as much as you like, and come get me, you damn bananas. Anyone with manners as poor as yours, who would attack a lady, gets some table manners beaten into them, but good." Sanji warns the beasts as he raises his leg into the air.
"Sanji! There isn't any time for that! One-second strikes! No, make that one-instant strikes!" Usopp orders him, and Sanji kicks the one on his left, and a ball of some kind flies out of its mouth. "What is that?"
"That doesn't look like a key!" Luffy comments as the gator falls, creating a splash with the water falling like rain over us.
"Wax-Wax Ball! Release!" I hear Mr 3 from inside as the ball cracks down the middle, and a dried-out Mr 3 climbs out.
"What?!" We all gape at the man.
"Oh! W-water! It's water! It's a miracle!" Mr 3 cheers with his back to us.
"Hey, it's him!" Zoro growls.
"Three! It's Three!" Luffy growls as he points towards the Number Agent.
"I'm alive again! I thought I was dead there!" Mr 3 exclaims as he finishes drinking the water, returning to his usual self. "That rotten Crocodile! He may have tried to get rid of me, but he didn't try hard enough! The moment I was swallowed, I squeezed out the last of my power to create this Wax-Wax Ball." He explains and picks up the key just as I open the lock and push the door open. "A key?"
"Thanks, but we don't need it." I grin as he looks at me in fear.
"It's you guys!" He shrieks as the others all file out of the cage door.
"Sanji, would you like the honours?" I offer, and he places a note on the front of Mr 3's shirt and kicks him into the opposite wall.
"Let's get moving. There's little time." Sanji tells the others.
"Yeah. I'm sure the first route they took is towards Alubarna." Nami agrees, and Zoro, Luffy and I beat the remaining gators.
"But there are still so many banana gators that way!" Vivi exclaims as we finish beating the Gators.
"Aren't there any more?! That wasn't enough!" Luffy yells, pumped up.
"Looks like we needn't worry," Nami comments as I click my knuckles.
"And after I had that much trouble with one of them...!" Vivi cries onto Usopp's shoulder.
"No, their strength is just abnormal, so don't worry about it." Usopp tries to assure the Princess.
"Dammit, I can't go all-out, soaked in water like this!" Luffy exclaims, and the room crumbles around us; more water flows through, filling the room faster.
"The wall's crumbling!" Luffy screams.
"Idiot, that's overdoing it." Sanji snaps at him.
"The passageway is crumbling, too!" Usopp cries out as the passageway Crocodile and his partner head down before Sanji calls them.
"Out! We're getting out of here!" Sanji orders, but it's too late as the water begins filling the room; I cling onto Zoro as the water rushes towards us; I close my eyes as the water sweeps us away.
"Hey, Zoro! Save him!" Luffy orders the First Mate.
"Huh?! He's our enemy! Leave him be!" Zoro argues back.
"If we leave him there, he's gonna die, you know! He can't swim!" Luffy snaps as he's pushed back by the water.
"Yeah, well, I know that, but he's..." Zoro tries to argue, but the water takes him away, and Zoro dives down into the water; I hold my breath, but thanks to my Devil Fruit powers, I pass out.
ONE PIECE - ALABASTA ARC
I cough up the water and open my eyes to see we're outside and the sun setting; I keep coughing up the water in my lungs as I get onto my hands and knees. "Whatever. Let's just hurry on ahead. We've lost quite a bit of time. Vivi, can we still make it?" Sanji asks the Princess.
"I don't know." She tells him, and I slowly get to my feet as I rig out my desert robes.
"Nami, do you still have that perfume I bought you in Nanohana?" Sanji asks her, and I sit on the railing surrounding the lake.
"Huh? Yeah. why?" She asks him.
"Put some of it on." He instructs her, and she gets it out and begins spraying herself.
"Like this." She sprays more; I plug my nose at the strong scent of the perfume.
"It makes me fall in love to the ends of the world!" Sanji swoons over her.
"Come on, get going, seriously." Zoro remarks about the Cook when Smoker gets to his feet and swings his jitte towards the Swordsman.
"Roronoa!" He shouts as Zoro lifts his blade in the way of the tip of the jitte, blocking the attack. "Why did you save my life?"
"I was just following the Captain's orders. I don't think you necessarily have to thank me. It was one of his whims. Pay it no mind." Zoro tells him, and I stand up, standing behind the Swordsman.
"Then, you'd have no gripes with me carrying out my duties here, right?" Smoker asks us.
"See? Didn't I tell you? That's what you get for saving a Marine." Sanji snaps at the Swordsman, and Usopp finally wakes up with Luffy.
"All right, men! Full speed to Alubarna!" Usopp yells as he wakes.
"Where is Crocodile?!" Luffy demands, facing the crowd of people gathering around.
"Ah, they came around!" Nami sighs, Luffy turns around, looking angry, but it soon disappears when he takes notice of Smoker and flips around.
"Smokey! You want some of this?!" Luffy raises his fists, waiting for the fight.
"Wah! It's Smoker! Hey, Luffy, don't do it! Let's get out of here!" Usopp cries, trying to pull him away, but he won't budge.
"Just how serious is he?" Smoker ponders as he looks at the goofball. "Go. But this is the only time I'm letting you off. Next time we meet, consider yourselves dead." He promises, and I know he'll stick to his word.
"There they are!" The cry of Marines as they run towards us, Zoro can't help but chuckle a little, and I nudge him with my elbow. "Don't let them escape!"
"Come on, let's go. The Marines are coming. Which way is Alubarna?" Sanji asks the Princess.
"Over there! Straight to the east!" She tells us and points in the right direction before running off; we all follow behind though Zoro and Luffy stay back but soon follow behind us.
"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" Usopp cries out as Zoro and Luffy join us again, and Luffy runs to the group's front.
"All right, guys! Head straight for Alubarna!" Luffy shouts as we run.
"Yeah!" We shout in agreement, and the Marine soldiers start chasing us but soon stop, thanks to Smoker, no doubt.
"Hey, we're not, by any chance, just going to run all the way to Alubarna like this, right?!" Usopp asks, looking tired from the running as we run out of the city.
"That's right, Eyelash!" Nami gasps, remembering the pervy camel. "Where has Eyelash gone?!"
"Now that you mention it, this town has a stable or something! Let's get horses!" Luffy suggests a little late.
"But the Marines are in town." Vivi points out.
"Not to worry. Look in front of you." Sanji points out, and we all look to see Chopper along with Eyelash.
"Hey, guys!" Chopper waves as he grows closer to the giant crab.
"A crab?!" Usopp shrieks.
"Chopper!" Nami and I greet the reindeer.
"That's a Moving Crab!" Vivi gasps in surprise.
"Looks yummy!" Luffy drools as it stops in front of us. "Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! That's awesome!"
"Hop on board!" Chopper tells us.
"We get to ride it! Whoo-hoo!" Luffy cheers as he stretches his arms, grabs the eye of the crab and springs up. "The pleasure's mine!"
"Its face looks kind of iffy, doesn't it?" Nami asks as she looks at the crab before walking to board with the rest of us.
"Who cares, least we've got a ride," Sanji comments as he follows behind her.
"He's Eyelash's friend." Chopper tells us as the crab lifts us up with his claw. "Eyelash was born in this town and has lots of friends in the area. He is kind of pervy, though."
"Of course, all the camel's friends would be pervs." I scoff as I sit by Zoro and Vivi.
"Amazing! Moving Crabs are always submerged under the sand, so they're very nearly phantom crabs!" Vivi marvels at the crab.
"This guys pretty fast, isn't he?" Zoro guesses as he looks at the size of it.
"Guys, hang on tight! All right, let's go! We're off!" Chopper hits the reins, and we're off, fast as the crab runs heading east, when suddenly Vivi starts screaming; I watch her get pulled away by Crocodile's golden hook.
"What?!" Zoro exclaims as we all watch.
"Vivi!" I shout. "Chopper! Stop!" I order the reindeer, who pulls on the reins making the giant crab come to a halt.
"It's him! Why, you...!" Luffy growls and stretches his arms towards Vivi; he reigns himself in towards Vivi, swapping her with himself before throwing her towards us; Zoro catches her carefully before placing her down.
"Hey, Luffy!" Zoro shouts after him.
"That idiot!" Sanji snaps, and Vivi snaps out of her shock.
"Luffy!" She shouts after him.
"You guys go on ahead! I can handle this myself!" He yells back as he's pulled back by the golden hook before falling into the sand. "Make sure you deliver Vivi back to her home! Make sure, now! Promise me, you guys."
"That idiot... hey! Go, Chopper! Keep going to Alubarna!" Zoro orders him.
"G-got it! We're off!" Chopper follows through as he snaps the reins, and the crab begins moving again.
"Hold on...! Hey Zoro, are we leaving him behind?! Hey, that's cold! That's cold of you! From now on, you've got to protect me, got it?! Where do you get off always doing this?!" Usopp panics, and I hang my head, closing my eyes as I turn away; I have faith in Luffy, but I worry for both my Brothers as a Big Sister.
"Luffy!" Vivi calls out to him.
"It's all right, Vivi! He'll be fine! I feel sorry for the other guys! After all, there isn't a single person that Luffy has gone after before, who has come out all right." Nami reassures the Princess.
"Listen to me, Vivi. he will keep Crocodile under control. The moment that the rebel army started running, the time limit on this land was set. Once the royal army and the rebel army meet, this land, the kingdom of Alabasta, will be gone. If you are the one and only hope for preventing that, then you have to survive, no matter what. No matter what might happen to any of us here, from now on!" Zoro tells her, and I have to agree with him.
"Vivi, this is a fight that you started. You're the one who ran out of this land years ago and challenged this unknown organisation to battle. However... don't go thinking that you're fighting alone anymore." Sanji tells her and walks away, leaving her to her thoughts.
"V-V-Vivi! Don't you wor-wor- don't worry! I'm g-gonna..." Usopp stutters, but the Princess isn't listening as she gets to her feet.
"Luffy! We'll be waiting for you in Alubarna, okay?!" Vivi shouts towards Luffy.
"Yeah!" He shouts back as we leave him behind to face Crocodile and his partner alone. Zoro sits down in front of me as the others all sit around us; I feel my tears slipping down my cheeks; I feel Zoro use his sleeve to wipe them away softly as more flow down my cheeks as I worry for my Baby Brother, afraid to lose anyone else close to me.
"Vivi, what's wrong?" Usopp asks the Princess.
"There's a sandstorm over towards Rainbase! It's him!" Vivi announces, and I look up to see the large storm where we left Luffy; I cling onto my desert robes to stop myself from interfering with Luffy's fight with Crocodile.
"Luffy..." Nami mutters, and I look back down into my lap.
"He'll be okay, Kota," Zoro assures me, using the nickname he gave me, and I nod.
"I know, but I'm scared to lose anyone else, I can't, not anymore," I tell him in a hushed tone, but I know he heard me as he places his sizeable manly hand on my head, and I feel my cheeks grow warm.
"I know," I hear him whisper back.
TO BE CONTINUED....