Chapter 11
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I woke to the sound of something huge hitting the ground, I heard the voices of Luffy, Vivi, and Crocodile.
I tried to push myself up only to notice that I felt slightly weak and I was lying on handcuffed hands.
'Must be the same stuff the cage is made of, Shit.'
I turned to Crocodile's voice, but instead of him, I saw a huge Banana Gator. I shrieked and tried to wiggle away. I heard a grumbly laugh exit the room, so I knew Crocodile got away. Damn.
"(Y/N)!" Usopp, Nami, Luffy, and Vivi chimed, as I wiggled away, sobbing about how I hate water animals. It's a fear of mine. Don't judge me. The gator headed toward Vivi and me, as I was behind her. She scooped me up, though struggling, and started to run.
Vivi barely dodges and the Gator snapped at us, crumbling concrete in its jaw. I turned to Vivi and said, "Vivi, let me stand on my own!"
"But-"
"'I'm serious! I can evade fine, but I don't want you to get hurt because I'm dragging you down!"
She nodded and we stared at the Gator in fighting positions, "Vivi! Who put the cuffs on me? If I get an opportunity, I may be able to get the key!" I asked as I tried to think of a way to defend myself.
"Miss All Sunday handcuffed you, but she gave Crocodile the key." She said, nervously looking at the Gator, not breaking eye contact. I was shocked when we had a snap from the Gator come our way.
I and Vivi dodged, though different ways. I looked and saw Crocodile and Miss All Sunday walking through a glass hallway. I turned back and saw Vivi was hit by the tail of the monster.
"Vivi! Move!" I heard Luffy yell. I booked it over to where she was, only to see that the Gator looked the other way upon a familiar 'purapura purapura' As the gator looked away, I used my foot to prop up Vivi, flipped her over my shoulder, and ran. I just kept moving forward, not listening to the others. I just didn't want Vivi to die. She can't die.
"Hello? Hello?! Is this thing working" "Yes, you just have to talk into it!" I didn't recognize the second voice, but the first voice, I did.
Sanji! I was so happy to hear his voice.
"Hello there. You've reached the Crap Cafe, may I take your order?"
After hearing that, I burst out laughing. I was in a laughing fit on the floor. Almost everyone was looking at me. Gosh, that was funny. I'd bet even Sanji heard me. I heard a faint snarl that was obviously Crocodile's. That's even better.
"The Crap Café" I heard Crocodile mumble, though barely, I was the farthest away. With Vivi on my shoulder, I went to the other side of the cage the others were in, to get a better listen.
"Does that ring a bell? It should, but in case it doesn't, maybe this will jog your memory..."
Much better.
"...Little Garden." Sanji's voice sounded stern. I could see Crocodile through a window and through the glass in the hallway they were in. He was blurry, but I saw him flinch, just slightly.
"We have four of the five Straw Hats inside that cell, based on what Mr. 2 showed us. The only one we don't have is that pet. Are there other members we don't know about?" He kind of said that to himself, but I'm sure Sanji heard.
I heard mumbling from the cage and heard what sounded like a giant shuffling. I have to get somewhere safe... I heard the Gator go behind the cage, so I maneuvered to the front of the cage, getting the Straw Hat's attention.
"That's right..." Vivi spoke off my shoulder, "Sanji and C-Chopper weren't captured!"
"W-Woah! Take it easy Vivi!" I whispered as I set her near the cage.
"Mind telling me some other information, Mr. Prince? Like where you are?" Crocodile grumbled into the phone.
'Hah! I remember that nickname!
"No, I'm not stupid enough to give out information that easily. Well, unlike you." Sanji said, cockily, I could tell he was either enjoying this or had a plan.
"MR.PRINCE! HURRY! COME ON! IF YOU DON'T HURRY UP, WE'RE ALL GONNA END UP AS GATOR BAIT! WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME" Usopp screeched so loud, I'm sure all of Alabasta heard him.
Soon Usopp and Luffy were both yelling for Mr. Prince to help them, as I tried to get them to calm down.
"Heh. That's my loud-mouth crew, all right. Thank's for letting me know they're with you. All I have to do is find you and uh-" A gunshot.
"MR. PRINCE!" I yelled towards the snail as the others were all just in shock. Vivi was looking towards Crocodile over my shoulder.
"N-Not so tough now, are ya?" I heard a voice, but it sounded fake. I am an assassin, I know all the tricks. Sadly, Crocodile might pick up on this as well. If not him, then Miss All Sunday most certainly will.
The crew started mourning so loud I couldn't hear Crocodile's conversation.
"Hey! Shush!" I got closer to Nami and carefully pulled her cloak through the bars, successfully bringing her closer, "I can tell it's fake, but so can Crocodile and Miss All Sunday. Keep crying so it seems believable, but just know he's alright."
"Thank goodness." She said, still keeping the tears coming, and started crying again. I decided it was time for a plan.
I looked at Usopp and gestured my head to where the key still was, at his feet. He got reminded and went into his bag. I looked back at Crocodile and Miss All Sunday.
"Well, we shouldn't keep the man waiting," Crocodile said, walking off.
"Is this wise? The millions still don't know the identity of the boss." Miss All Sunday chimed in.
"Aside from the number of agents, no one knows who you and I truly are. Everyone thinks I'm a local hero who also owns this Casino."
I stopped listening to Crocodile then. I should be using this to get out. I turned to Usopp and he had almost gotten the key fixed. I turned to Luffy and looked at him as seriously as I could. Then, to Usopp, who looked scared. "Usopp, don't open this door until Crocodile is gone." He sweats bullets, then nodded.
"WHAT?!" Luffy looked at me, pissed. I ignored him and started running to the broken stairs. If I can get up there, I can get to Sanji and show him the way. When I started to run, I decided to leave Vivi, just in case.
Turn out I was right to do so. Another snap, right at the center of the stairs. I barely got to the top in time, luckily, all the stairs collapsed except for the top five or six, so he couldn't get to me.
"I'm gonna go help you-know-who!"
"Got it!" Luffy yelled, forgetting what I said earlier. I started to run up the steps until I heard a, "(Y/N)!".
All of the sudden, I yelped as a hook hit the small of my back, knocking me off of the stairs, all the way down to a huge boulder in front of the cage, which had collapsed from the staircase.
I heard the Straw hat crew yelling at me, but I was so mad I couldn't move,
"I was so close, and I... DAMMIT!" I kicked my foot on the ground, propping myself up with an unsteady stance, "I messed up for Vivi, again!"
I took a deep breath, shaking off the thoughts to focus on the wall in front of me, only to be knocked down by the same attack. And once more after that. When I landed on the last try, I was right in front of the cage door.
"(Y/N)! Don't hurt yourself, It's not your fault! It's Cro-"
"It's because I'm so weak!" I punched the ground, gritting my teeth. I hadn't realized I said this out loud, as almost everyone was looking at me now.
"I'm sorry for making a scene." I looked at everyone and bowed, as I headed the opposite way of the wall, where Crocodile was walking away. I heard Vivi mumble my name and Nami ask me if I was ok, but it was all fuzzy. My legs gave out before I could make it very far, however, I didn;t try to get up again.
'I'm so useless, even me trying my hardest isn't enough.'
I started to sob silently, "I'm so sorry I failed you, Vivi!" I could feel eyes on me as I heard Crocodile gloating. My blood boiled as I attempted on stabilizing a fighting stance
"You. I'll beat you," I said calmly, looking down.
He didn't say anything, he just looked at me.
"Hear me? We'll beat you..." I said louder, looking at him with tears in my eyes. All he did was laugh and walk away. I heard the door close behind them.
I felt defeated, I truly did. I fell to my knees, making water splash up.
I saw Vivi get up and say she wouldn't let anyone down. She got to the top easily, of course, and ran to get help.
"GO VIVI!" Luffy Screamed. Vivi nodded and started to run.
"GO GET MR. PRINCE!" I yelled, the tightness of my throat evident in my voice.
"RIGHT!" She yelled back.
Now, for a real plan... I scrambled to my feet and climbed back to the top of the stairs, blinking back the slight tears which had started to form. I will not be crying over Crocodile.
Since I made it up the stairs 3 other times, this one was easier. It's time to issue my plan.
I went closer to the wall where there was a big chunk of concrete and went behind it, using my weight to shove it to the edge of the stairs. I pushed it over and...
'THUNK...'
'...thump...'
"All right, (Y/N)!" Nami cheered from the cage. I had knocked the Banana Gator out and it fell unconscious to the floor.
"YES!" I jeered to myself. I turned my attention to the hole where the crocodile came from. I jumped into the water, which was about knee-high. When I got to the hole, another one jumped out, making me jump back.
'Another one?! Jeez, when will this end?!'
I got into a ready stance and as soon as I looked down, the water was to my waist. "I feel a little...drowsy..." I barely kept my stance. The water and the sea prism stone were too much at once.
"(Y/N)!" I heard the crew yell, but I was just focusing on not dying. I started to fall back and the Gator went in to snap at me. I couldn't protect Vivi... Damnit... My mother warned me of being like this...
"Bad Manner Kick Course!"
All of the sudden, the water thinned around where I was as I fell into someone's delicate arms. I was carried bridal-style, as if I was fragile and would brake upon any impact, and was suddenly next to Vivi.
"W-What?..." I mumbled to her as she held a hand on my head.
"I found Sanji!" She smiled as I heard Usopp and Sanji talking. All of the sudden, the cage opened!
Usopp found a way to fix the key and used it to escape. But the only problem was, that there were about five or six Banana Gators up on the same floor as the cage. Sanji was taking care of the ladies first, obviously, while Luffy and Zoro finished the Gators all in a flash.
I shifted in my spot, trying to leave Vivi's grasp, "I-I have to help. I can't just s-sit here." I groaned, reaching my hand to the edge, towards the fighting guys, when another hand lightly tugged on my wrist. I followed the arm to, "N-Nami?"
"You don't need to help them, (Y/N). They are strong, and you aren't weak." She looked serious, with a stern and profusely nodding of Usopp behind her.
I smiled a little bit and played it down. I haven't felt this accepted since Vivi and her father took me in.
Mr. 3 ended up showing up but was mostly useless since we were about to leave. I just stayed laying down and stared at Vivi with Usopp and Nami, getting warm and fuzzy when I saw how close they were. Sanji ended up beating up Mr. 3 and putting a note on his chest saying 'Catch ya later, ya damn gator. Mr. Prince'. Haha, classic.
'Vivi would be happy with them,'
I thought to myself, as the crew started running. Sanji insisted on carrying me, but I just told him to stay close just in case, and that I'll be ok.
I looked ahead and Saw Vivi and Nami laughing about something,
' I wish she would join, but I know she won't. Once Alabasta is saved, she will remember how nice it is to be here with happy subjects and won't want to leave her father or her people. I don't know what I'll do after we save Alabasta because my debt will be paid off, then I'll have nothing.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next thing I knew, we were all flooded out of the room by more walls breaking. Thankfully, I wasn't being carried by a devil fruit user, and we made it out. Zoro came up a little after the rest of us and brought Smoker with him. I shivered as I lied on the ground, scooting away slightly. Zoro claimed he didn't want him to die, and that was it. Smoker suddenly attacked him and they just started talking about why Zoro saved him, which apparently, Luffy told him to do. We all sort of shrugged it off after that.
Luffy and Usopp woke up and the former challenged Smoker. I nudged Luffy's shoulder with mine, saying that it wasn't the best idea right now, "Luffy, save your energy for Crocodile."
"Oh.- YEAH!!" He had gotten mad as if he had forgotten. Smoker let us go and we all started running as the other marines came in.
Luffy had gotten in front of our group again and started shouting about the plan. We were not going to stop until Alaburna.
I don't know what happened, but when we got to the edge of the city, the marines were gone and Chopper had a giant crab for us to ride and escape on.
We got raised by the Crab's claws and sat on its back. I sat a decent way behind Nami, a little near Vivi, but mainly, on my own. I needed a break, from being in seawater and still in sea prism stone handcuffs, I was beaten.
I couldn't even sit comfortably. I sat in the back and looked at everyone, who were talking about the crab still.
"OK, everyone! Here we...go!" I heard Chopper call with a flick of a rope. The crab moved and I almost fell over, this thing was fast.
We were probably moving for about 5 seconds when I felt something cold hit my stomach, hard. The next thing I knew, I wasn't on the crab, I was in the air, and the crab was getting smaller.
I heard Zoro yell something and the crab stopped. I looked down at what hit me, and realized I was wrong, something didn't hit me from the front, something hooked onto me from behind, literally. I almost screamed louder when I saw it.
It was Crocodile's hook.
I started flailing when all of a sudden two hands landed next to mine on the hook. Then I was flung back to the crab just like that. Luffy was now on the hook, flying towards two silhouettes in the distance. I can't remember much of what was said, but all I know is that Luffy stayed back to fight Croco. Oh boy... Off to Alaburna, I guess...
(A/N - Edited 02/04/2023)