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"But it'll go crazy for you all if they go wild again" Luffy said as he looked around at the kids.
Not too long later they had chained up the larger kids and had sleeping gas cannisters at their sides for precaution.
"We'll see ya later" Ana waved goodbye to the two remaining StrawHats as they left "Be careful!"
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The Straw Hats split up even more with Luffy, Franky-Chopper, Usopp, Anamaria, and Robin forming the group that would confront the Master. Nami-Franky and Chopper-Sanji were left behind to take care of the children along with Sable for extra protection.
While the group that had left the cave walked away from it, they came across a huge footprint sunk into the snow, it being gigantic.
"What is this?" Luffy asked.
"Footprints. Big ones" Ana said as she pulled the coat closer to her neck, turning with the rest of the group when a sudden noise came from the mountains behind them.
"Explosions?"
"They're coming from the cave" Usopp said.
"Shit"
"I have a bad feeling about this" their captain said "Let's go back! They might be in danger"
They charged forward through the snow, Franky-Chopper trying to keep up in the small reindeer's body, to see two huge forms holding what looked like muskets at the entrance of the cave the others were hiding at,
"What are those?!" Usopp screamed at the sight of them.
"Ana!" Luffy shouted as he jumped up and tried to hit one of the giants.
Anamaria nodded despite seeing her captain get shot and ran to where the other giant creature that was blocking the entrance of the cave only to have her vision covered by smoke and the two giants disappear.
"Guys!" Chopper-Sanji came running to them in a panic "They took Nami!"
"Calm down doc" Ana told him as Chopper cried "I'm sure we'll get 'er back"
The reindeer in the blond cook's body continued to cry while looping Sanji's arms around her shoulders.
"It was my fault" Chopper-Sanji sniffled out "Even though they were very big, I didn't notice they were there until they appeared in front of my eyes. They were giant, furry men that call themselves the Yeti Cool Brothers. Brownbeard said they are hired assassins from the Master"
"Maybe they were waiting for their chance to attack us" Robin surmised "Probably wanted us to split up so they could divide and conquer"
"So they didn't come here to save Brownbeard?" Luffy asked as he knelt over a very battered and smoky Brownbeard, whose chains had broken off and was slumped on the floor.
"It seemed like their main purpose was to kill us and take the kids...but they tried to kill Brownbeard first" Chopper-Sanji replied "But when they saw Nami, they grabbed her and called her 'one of the products the Master wants'. I'm very scared. It's obvious the Master is a sick and twisted person. I don't know what they're going to do to her"
"Probably chop up the body and find all the weapons Franky has hidden in his body" Robin said very casually.
"Oy! I don't like your tone!" Franky-Chopper seethed "They're going to destroy my super body"
"I can't let these kids go back to such an evil person but I'm also very concerned about Nami!" Chopper-Sanji wailed.
"Don't worry. I'm going to go get her back. You guys, look after the kids!" Luffy shouted as he sped off.
"Ain't no way yer goin' without me" Ana huffed out.
"Wait! Luffy! It's my body that they took. I'm coming with you too" Franky-Chopper said only to see that the pair had already left.
"Frankyyy!! Come on!" Luffy shouted out.
With a sudden crash, Franky, in Chopper's monster form, came bursting out the side of the building.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Luffy and Ana yelled as it started to chase them down the snowy hill.
"He ate the rumble ball too early! He'll return to normal in 3 minutes..." Chopper-Sanji called out helplessly. His voice faded slowly away in the distance as the over-eager Franky pursued his own captain and crewmate.
"AAAAAAAAH!" Luffy dodged when Franky-Chopper launched a whole ass block of ice at them "Why are you attacking us!?"
They kept running with the giant reindeer monster on their heels until they came to a spot where they could see Franky's body hung from a rope and the two furry giants holding their guns at her.
"Ana!" the rubber man called out to her and wrapped his arms around her as he threw himself off of the cliff right in front of what was happening.
"Luffy? Ana and...Chopper?...No,FRANKY?!" came Nami's voice and they saw her dangling by a chain off the other side of the cliff in Franky's body.
"Nami!" Luffy cried as he flung Anamaria towards Nami-Franky and started to coat his fists with Armament Haki "Gum Gum Gatling!"
The rubber man pounded the icicles until they were nothing more than flecks of snow. He and Franky-Chopper landed safely onto the ground as Ana landed on her feet besides Nami-Franky.
Giant bullets flew down towards Luffy and Franky-Chopper, which they both narrowly dodged. The attackers were hidden well along the side of the cliffs so no one could see where they were.
Luffy dodged all the bullets shot at him and ballooned up so that the five next ones all hit him in his giant stomach.
"Gum Gum Fire Salute!"
He shot the bullets back to where they originally came from and they hit the assailant with a huge explosion.
"Rooooarrr!" Franky-Chopper yelled as he leapt high up into the air. He caught the huge wedge of ice and threw it at the side of the mountain, where the first assailant was.
"He...he did something useful?!" Nami-Franky gasped out while waiting for Anamaria to free her.
Suddenly, a giant hand reached out and grabbed the cyborg just as Ana was nearly done with the knots. He started to climb up the mountain with both the cyborg in between his fingers.
"You can't catch me" he snarled "I know these mountains like the back of my hand"
"Bet" Ana thought as she created iced claws from her fingertips, a trick that she really liked to use especially to slash through people,
He scaled the mountain side like a monkey. Just by his speed and the large span of his grip, he was able to shake off Luffy pretty easily, not knowing that the raven haired woman was now clinging onto his back like a koala bear.
He leapt over the top and slid down the other side of the mountain until he reached a flat plateau. He then stopped and grinned when he saw a man standing in front of him.
"Ah, it's the freeloader Law" he said.
"It's a good thing you're here. I'm being chased by Straw Hat Luffy right now but I gotta get this cyborg back to the lab for..." he started to say.
"Room," Law interrupted casually as a familiar thin dome encased all of them. He unsheathed his large sword and very swiftly cut the yeti in half by the waist. Anamaria jumped off of the yeti, surprising him, and caught Nami-Franky from falling.
"Oy! What's the big idea?" the yeti demanded and then found Law's two fists held up against his chest.
"Countershock" Law said casually and blasted the yeti unconscious and away with some type of electrical energy. He then slowly turned around.
"Whew. Thanks for saving us" Nami-Franky said with a sigh of relief but then she snapped to attention "Wait! Give us our bodies back!"
"Ana-ya, make sure your nakamas are more careful next time, I can't be saving your asses every time" the doctor said to her making an irk mark grow on her forehead.
"Oy! Are you guys okay?!"
They turned to see the rubber man running up to them. His eyes lit up even more when he saw Law.
"Oh! Tra-guy. Did you save Ana and Nami?"
"I didn't need ta be saved!!" Anamaria shouted in annoyance.
"I came here to discuss something important with you, Straw Hat-ya..." Law nodded "I'm assuming you arrived on this island by pure coincidence. But somewhere on this island there's a clue to bring chaos upon the New World"
Ana and the other two StrawHats froze while waiting for the man to finish.
"Only two type of people are able to survive the New World. The ones that work for the Yonko, or the ones against them" Law said "But you're not one to listen to others, are you?"
"Right. I like being captain" Luffy smiled.
"Then, I propose an alliance" the man suddenly blurted out "If we join forces we might just be able to destroy the Yonkos!" he shrugged "Of course we don't have to destroy them right away, I just mean we would be able to do so with the right strategy"
Anamaria crossed her arms over her chest while waiting to see what Luffy would decide, although knowing him she kind of had a hunch of what the answer would be.
"Which of the Four Emperors are you talking about?" Luffy asked.
"You're not actually considering this, are you?!" Nami-Franky looked at her captain in horror.
"The Emperor we'll be going after is known as Kaidou, the King of Beasts" Law's eyes bore into the rubber man's.
"As long as Shanks is not the first one to fight, I have no problem" Luffy said haphazardly "Because I plan to beat all of the Four Emperors"
"Don't underestimate them" Law shot back "They are the emperors of the sea who have fought over territories even against Whitebeard himself. It's been said that Kaido is the strongest creature in the world"
"Kaido, Kaido Kaido" Ana pursed her lips in thought as Luffy turned to face her when she hit her fist to her palm "Ah"
"Ana?"
"Never mind, I'll tell ya later" she waved her hand dismissively.
"So he's not even human?!" Nami-Franky shrieked.
"We'll ally with each other until we kill Kaido" Law stated as he stepped a little closer to Luffy.
"I see" Luffy replied with a smile back on his face "Okay, let's do it"
"You agreed to what?!" Usopp and Chopper-Sanji shrieked when they returned with Law and an unconscious Franky-Chopper in hand.
"Of course 'e would. 'E's Luffy" Ana smiled as she placed her hand on top of Luffy's head.
Ф
"More importantly" Usopp shouted as he grabbed Luffy by the collar. He shook his captain violently while furiously weeping at the same time "You were only supposed to go out and save Nami! How did you come back with such a situation?! I won't be able to sleep in peace at night!"
"See, Luffy?" Nami-Franky said "Everyone's against it. It's too risky" she then turned to the other raven haired woman who was staying quiet "And you Ana? I thought that you would actually be a bit rational about it"
"But isn't it too early to think about taking on a Four Emperor?" Chopper-Sanji asked.
"Oy, you're the crew's doctor right? Treat this raccoon" Law interjected as he lifted Franky-Chopper in his hands.
He was very annoyed at how much Luffy's crew questioned their captain's decision and he just wanted to get a move on to his plan.
"Luffy, I'm going to go along with your decision but I must warn you" Robin advised "In the history of pirate alliances, it always end in some sort of betrayal"
"Are you going to betray me?" Luffy asked point blank.
"No" Law deadpanned.
"See?" Luffy grinned and held up a thumbs up sign to his crew.
"Too easy!" Usopp snapped while Anamaria started cackling at the rubber captain's answer.
"A pirate alliance sounds fun" Luffy laughed "I believe Tra-guy is a good guy. Besides, even if he isn't, I have you guys. You're all really strong after the last two years of training!"
"Hehe. Don't mention it! You're making me blush" Chopper-Sanji, Usopp, and even Nami-Franky replied excitedly.
"How 'bout ya do us a favour and turn 'em back" Ana said, wiping the laugh tears from the corners of her eyes.
Law stared stonily back at her and for a moment, she thought he was just going to brush her request aside but then, at a snail's pace, he lifted his hand.
"Room" he said in a low voice "Shambles"
'And you used the same technique that you used to beat out the kraken!" Franky snapped.
"I blame you both!" Chopper cried and they both hung their head in shame.
"I'm sorry" they said again.
"At least you guys are back to yourself" the newly turned Nami-Sanji cried in a corner "First I was a robot and now I'm Sanji-kun?"
Usopp and Luffy fell back on the floor dying with laughter.
"Shut up! It's still not funny!" Nami-Sanji snapped.
"Don't worry," Anamaria patted him/her on the back making Nami-Sanji look up at her in relief "I'll keep ya safe. Don't want ya 'urting him"
"Thank you...?" Nami-Sanji said with a questionable voice "Can't you do anything about this?!" she turned to the Heart pirate.
"I can't do anything about that" the man replied before walking over to where the giant modified children were sleeping "Is that them?"
"We want to help them" Luffy stated.
"At this point they're nothing more than dead weight. I have it known that they've been drugged"
"We want to take them back to their homes but we need to rehabilitate them" Chopper said through gritted teeth as Anamaria helped his body sit upright.
"Their making is a World Government project that's been developing for hundreds of years" Law explained.
"With what purpose?" Robin asked him.
"If they manage to make giant soldiers, they'd be invincible. But Caesar want to be the first one to make it and do it before Vegapunk and the Government"
"How horrible" Usopp gasped in disgust, saying what Ana's expression was showing.
"Do you really want to help these children? Even if you don't know them well?" Law asked.
"They asked us with tears in their eyes" Nami-Sanji replied "Even though they were told differently, they knew something was wrong with the island. I gave them my word to help them and I don't intend on going back on it"
"They're kids Mushroom, course we gotta 'elp them" Ana said, smirking when the man flinched at her nickname for him.
"If that's what Nami and Chopper want, then I want it too" Luffy said "And Sanji wants to stick the samurai's body together" a grin stretched across the rubber man's face as he made a brilliant realization "Oh, Tra-guy! Since we're in an alliance, it means that you have to help us too!"
"What?!" a perplexed look came across Law's face and a bead of sweat ran down his forehead.
"I thought so. You have no idea what an alliance entails, do you, Luffy?" Usopp pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. He pointed a finger at Law "Oy, you think it's just a cooperative relationship just for some common goal, don't you?"
"Of course" Law said.
"Listen" Usopp replied "Luffy's idea of an alliance is a little different from yours"
"Isn't it about being friends?" Luffy asked excitedly.
"See?" Usopp said, keeping his attention on Law.
"If yer thinking about taking control, forget it. Once cap want something, he don't back down...an' he's going to expect ya to go along with it..." Ana told the man while shaking her head.
"...His stubbornness is as strong a Yonko" Usopp finished for her as Luffy picked his nose unknowingly.
"But what your nakamas want to do is independent from our alliance" Law snapped back.
Anamaria watched in amusement as the Heart pirate stared in shock at the StrawHats completely unbothered by what he was saying before he sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"Fine..." Law sighed dejectedly and looked over at Luffy "I'll go with your ship's doctor and research the drug behind Caesar's back. You guys take care of the samurai"
Tall of a sudden, Usopp tied Chopper to the man's nondachi making the others cackle even louder at the reaction the pirate was giving them.
"Good luck doc!" Anamaria shouted as Law trudged away with Chopper tied to him to try and sneak the StrawHat doctor into the lab "Go ahead Sable"
The snake (who I just realised I haven't mentioned before this), let out a short hiss, letting her tongue touch Ana's cheek fondly, before going up Law's back and under his hat since she was back to her smaller size. Ana smirked evilly when the man shuddered at the slithering feeling that went up his back.
"The rest of you. Come on!" Luffy said as he told them what he wanted to do.
Ф
"Look up! What...what is that?!" a G-5 marine gasped as he pointed high up in the air.
A giant, inflated Luffy came soaring in from the sky with Franky on his back while Anamaria held onto Robin's back while the raven haired historian flew with the wings she had made of her hands.
"Is that a bomb?!" one of the centaurs demanded.
He shielded his eyes from the falling snow and sunlight to get a better look at the large spherical shape heading his way.
"Shi-shi-shi-shi" Luffy laughed.
Ana let go of Robin as they got closer to the ground and their captain crashed down with Franky in tow.
"That was a nice shortcut" Franky chuckled as he got up to his feet.
"Master, show yourself!" Luffy called out eagerly "We will kick your ass and then kidnap you!"
"Luffy, that was supposed to be a secret" Robin laughed softly.
"Can't keep yer mouth shut, huh?" Ana smiled.
"That bastard. Did you just say he was going to kidnap the Master?" one of the centaurs growled "Protect the Master. Get the Straw Hats!"
The group of centaurs began to run towards Luffy. Immediately, Franky got in front of his captain.
"Strong Right!" the cyborg shouted as his right fist shot out and it landed in the centre of the group, sending them flying everywhere.
"Get the Straw Hats!" came a very manly command and the marines started to make their way towards the pirates too.
"Cien Fleur" Robin said casually and an arms sprang out of the marines' shoulders "Clutch!"
With a sickening collection of bone crunching, the first wave of marines fell down. Ana calmly waved her hand behind her as she walked up to Luffy and straightened up his hat making him smile at her as the marines that went at them froze in place.
"So...where is the Master?" Luffy wondered while trying to bat her hand off his head "I don't think he's out there"
"He's probably in his lab" Franky suggested.
Luffy frowned and looked around the area, as if he was suddenly realizing where he was standing. Then his eyes lit up when he spotted the front of the lab.
"Oh! Maybe if we go through that door" Luffy said "Ahhhh!" he jumped back just as a sword came slicing through the air.
"Straw Hat Luffy" the marine white haired marine Ana recognised from their time in Alabasta said with, oddly enough, a female voice "What are you up to on this island?"
"Smokey! I'm glad you're okay!" Luffy said "I was worried because they defeated you!"
"Enough!" the man shouted, suddenly trembling.
"What's wrong with you? Does your stomach hurt? Do you have to poop?" the rubber man asked.
He got his answer when the arms holding the sword turned to smoke and flew at Luffy slowly, easily letting him dodge the blade, before grabbing the smoky part of the arm and throwing Smoker to the ground.
"What's going on with you Smoky?" he asked the white haired male "And why do you sound so strange today?"
"Oy, oy! Don't do anything rash while in my body!" came a very manly voice from a very feminine body.
A woman, with a pink marine coat and unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, came charging forward. She had a cigar between her lips, glasses on her eyes, and a large jitte in her hand. She ran and tried to pierce Luffy with her weapon several times with strong attacks, but he was pulled back by Anamaria.
"So, you took to the seas once more huh StrawHat" Smoker-Tashigi said as he tilted her head to the still-confused pirate.
"Luffy" Robin said from the side lines "I think Law switched them too"
"Eh?!" Luffy shouted and looked between the man and the woman. He fell back onto the snow and started to laugh loudly.
"What's so funny?!" the now identified Smoker-Tashigi demanded as he tried to attack Luffy again only to find his feet frozen in place.
"No time cap!" she shouted "Go ahead Robo!"
"Roger! Radical...!" the cyborg powered up his beam "...Beam!"
The blast left a seared hole into the door as Franky put his weapons away. The suddenly shocked shouts from the people around them made them all turn to see what it was.
A ship out in the distance was suddenly being covered by a thick, pink glob. The goopy mess oozed down the deck of the ship.
"What tha hell is that?" Ana said as she watched in disgust the slime that slowly slid down the ship's wood.
"I'm not sure" Robin said, equally as disgusted and confused as her friend.
They continued to watch as the slime fell and gathered in one solid form. Feeling how the temperature on the ship it was on was warming up at an alarming rate, Anamaria brought her three crewmates closer to her just as an explosion rattled the air and blew up the ship.
There were bits of the pinkish slime that started falling from the sky and hitting the centaurs and marines that didn't manage to dodge them, sealing them inside their goo.
The bits that reached the StrawHats were deterred by the ice shield Ana had been smart enough to raise in front of them.
"Surururururu!" someone laughed calling all their attentions.
Standing on top of the laboratory, was a large man with wild purple hair, thin purple lips, and sinister yellow eyes. There were yellow horns pointing out of his head and his white lab coat billowed out with the words Gas labelled on both sides of his chest.
"You're the Master?!" Luffy shouted up at him.
"Surururu! Yes, I am. Behold! The greatest scientist in the world. Master Caesar Clown!" he laughed. He spread his arms out, pompously presenting himself to his audience "From the Burning Lands to the Ice Lands, when my weapon is done flinging pieces of himself all over the island, you will all experience the chemical explosion that had happened four years ago! A world of death in which no one can survive! You will learn just how powerful my weapon is and the greatness of the world's best scientist who created that weapon! I am the Master!"
"Ana!"
The woman only grunted in agreement as she withdrew the shield and held her hands out to her captain. Luffy ran straight at her and pushed off of her joined hands, jumping right at Caesar.
"I got you!" Luffy cried victoriously with his own arms covered in his Armament Haki around the scientist.
"Ehhhhhhh?!" the Master and his henchmen cried out in surprise.
"So that's what Haki can do" Franky said as he took off his sunglasses for a better look "With that, Luffy will be able to beat him up in no time!"
"Not necessarily" Robin warned "Yes, they will be able to land their hits with Armament Haki but it's not like the sea or Sea Prism Stone. It won't drain their powers. Without knowing the extent of the Gas Gas fruit's power, Luffy might have a hard time with him"
"Don't get too cocky!" Caesar cried as he turned his whole body into gas "Gas Robe!"
The sleeves on his gassy robe expanded and each sleeve spiralled outwards. The pale purple gas wrapped around Luffy from his feet to his head.
"Ana! He can't breathe that in!" Robin shouted to her.
"On it!"
While Caesar smirked at the fact that he had caught the pirate captain, he didn't feel another person come up. Clawing her way at full speed to where the man was, Anamaria jumped up from underneath Caesar just as Luffy said that thanks to Magellan the gas had no effect on him, and punched up just as Luffy kicked down.
The force created by the two of them had the man falling to the ground where his henchmen were.
"H-H-How could you do that to Master?" Caesar's men called "Get him!"
"Stay out of it, trash!" Caesar cried, emerging through his self-created fog.
"Why did he call us trash??" his men asked.
"You fools. I'll show you my Gas Gas fruit power!" he yelled, glaring at Luffy and Anamaria. He pulled out a pair of blue and red castinets in each hand.
The two StrawHat siblings looked at each other and Luffy used his Armament Haki with Ana sliding behind him just as the man pressed the castinets.
"Luffy! Ana!" Franky shouted.
"Smilies, cling onto those two! Jump!" Caesar ordered.
The little pink blobs started to form around Luffy and Anamaria, creating two large oozing spheres.
"Luffy! Ann-chi!" Robin cried out.
"Shururururu!" Caesare laughed again "Gastanet!"
Both exploded with just as much force as it did on the ship. If it wasn't for Franky's heavy weight and Robin's many sprouted arms, they would've been knocked off their feet from the aftershock.
"That was a huge explosion! I don't think there is even a hair left!" the men cheered "Shows them right! Standing against our Master"
"Shurururu. I'm the greatest scientist in the world, eater of the Gas Gas Fruit! You shouldn't have made me mad" Caesar cackled "You don't know who you're messing with"
"That was close" a voice called out from the smoke.
"T'was indeed cap" another replied "But how many times do I gotta tell ya ta be careful with yer hat?"
"Anaaaa! Come onn!"
"Just get to it, I'll hold onto tha hat" she told him as he activated his Second Gear.
Luffy was quick to drop kick the snow man once more as the centaurs cried out for their Master.
"What?! How did you two idiots avoid that?!" Franky exclaimed.
"I moved out of the way" Luffy grinned.
"I took it, an don't call me idiot" Ana growled at him.
"How does that explain anything?!" Franky demanded.
"What a relief" Robin smiled.
"Yosh! Franky, Robin, is there anywhere we can put him?" Luffy asked as he ran towards his prey. He got to where Caesar was and grabbed him by the collar "Is there a barrel or something?"
"Shi-shi-shi-Gack!" Luffy started to laugh but then he stopped midway. His eyes bugged out and he strained his neck.
The Straw Hats turned to look at him as he dropped his hold on Caesar and grabbed his throat. His mouth was as wide as it could possibly go with his jaw muscles visibly tense.
"Luffy?" Franky, Robin, and Ana gasped.
"Shururururu. Don't underestimate me!" Caesar laughed as Luffy collapsed on the ground.
"LUFFY!" Ana went to catch the rubber man before he hit the floor and with the distraction from the StrawHats the scientist manages to suffocate them all to unconsciousness.
"Dammit! You really are stubborn but no matter" Caesar panted after he had had to force the raven haired pirate to choke more of his gas when she could still somewhat stand "You! Bring them back to the lab!"
"Yes Master" the centaurs walked up and grabbed the StrawHats as well as the two marines that were also gone and followed behind their 'Master'.
Ф
Anamaria woke up first, seeing all her friends and the two marines knocked out around her. Kicking their shins she woke them up just as she eyes the other pirate locked in the same place as them.
"How are ya feeling, Rob?" she asked the historian.
"I'm fine" Robin said and then nodded towards her lap where a sleeping Franky was practically still drooling on "Franky is taking some time to wake up though"
Grumbling under her breath the woman kicked the cyborg once more making him yelp and causing Luffy to wake up.
"Oh! We're in a cell...How did that happen?" Luffy asked brightly and then turned to the people closest to him "Smokey! I didn't realize you were here"
The man was trying to free himself only for Law to cut in and inform them that the chains that circled them were made of Sea Stone.
"Wa! They took Fang!" Ana cried out when she didn't feel the sword on her hip.
"Ah. They took my sword too" Law said. He then gestured with his eyes towards the front of the cell.
"Oy. Did ya take good care 'o Sable?" Ana asked the man, her head snapping to him.
"She's with your doctor, slithered out from under my hat before I had the chance"
"That's good" she sighed in relief.
Suddenly, a pale, green-haired woman with large white wings and stork-like legs came walking into the room.
"You're all awake, huh?" she asked sweetly.
Behind her followed a burly man with lightning-shaped mutton chops and a half eaten hamburger patty stuck on his right cheek. He wore sunglasses and no smile.
"You all look better than I thought" he said.
Both Tashigi-Smoker and Smoker-Tashigi gasped at the new arrival.
"You're the head of the G-5! Why the hell are you here?! Vergo?" Smoker-Tashigi demanded.
Pururupurupuru. Purupurupurupuru.
A small transponder snail rang out from the other end of the room. The man apparently named Vergo didn't answer the two marines but instead walked away from the cell and sat down on a couch in the centre of the room as the bird lady took the Mushi.
Pururupurupuru. Catcha.
"Hello, is this Monet-san?" someone asked from the snail.
"Yes, it's me" the bird woman said "What is the status?"
"The Smileys are almost about done gathering and we've closed all the shutters. The marines are trapped out there"
"Okay" she said with a smile tugging on her lips and then hung up.
Catcha.
"You bastards..." Smoker-Tashigi growled from his corner of the cell as Monet turned to Vergo.
"Sounds like they're moving ahead with the preparations. Poor Navy soldiers" she laughed breezily.
"What is Caesar up to?" Vergo asked.
"Well, I don't know exactly but he woke up his pet Smiley so I think he's planning on a big experiment. A dangerous one" she said, not losing her smile "By the way Vergo-san, did you have hamburger for lunch?"
The man looked at him as she pointed to her cheek and his hand went up to his own to find the hamburger patty.
"Ah, I would like to see the experiment before I go. Everyone outside will die?"
"Probably but you will be safe in here" the woman continued.
"Oy! Vergo!" Smoker-Tashigi demanded from the cell "Those are Navy soldiers of the G-5 outside! Those are your subordinates! Are you really going to leave them to die?!"
"Ah. I think so" Vergo replied without hesitation. He got up from his seat and walked back to the cell. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked at his prisoners as if they were part of a zoo exhibit "I like this view. I can't believe there are such big names in this cell"
"It brings back memories. To see you two together in a cell again" Robin mused to her captain and Smoker-Tashigi.
"Oh, yeah!" Luffy laughed and caught the annoyed look of Law "Smokey and I got caught by Robin and the others at Alabasta. Don't feel left out, Law"
"That's not why I'm annoyed at you, Straw Hat-ya" Law growled.
"Seriously? Shut up, you fools! You people can never read the atmosphere" Smoker-Tashigi growled.
"Leave 'em alone" Ana warned them.
"Smoker-san...I don't know how to feel right now" Tashigi-Smoker said in a pained voice as she stared at Vergo.
"Ah" her superior replied back "This is the worst case scenario. Caesar abducted those kids and Vergo covered it up as accidents at sea. Above all things, the head of our base was a double agent. What a dishonour to the Navy"
"How dare you?!" Tashigi-Smoker demanded at Vergo.
"It's no wonder you never noticed it" Law said "It's not like Vergo was selling the Navy out. After all, he was a pirate originally"
"A pirate?!" everyone else in the cell gasped except for Anamaria who was listening to all the tea she was getting. Seriously they always got in the strangest situations.
"Before he made his name, he joined the Navy by Joker's order and spent fifteen years climbing up in the ranks to get to where he is now. There is no Navy soldier who is more reliable and convenient for Joker than him. Vergo has been working for Joker from the very start"
"Joker?" Smoker-Tashigi repeated with a small bead of sweat running down the side of his face "That's the name of the big underworld broker, correct? I feel so pathetic. I can't believe I didn't smell a rat so close to me"
"Don't be so negative. Why don't you just praise the rat for eluding the eyes of the great 'White Chase' Smoker-kun? Anyway, you blabbed so much, Law. Didn't I punish you enough?" Vergo turned his back on them.
He held out something in front of him but his back was turned so they couldn't see what it was. Based on the shadow he was casting; it appeared to be something moving in a box. Whatever it was, it made Law tense up even more.
"I doubt even if any of the G-5 saw me now, they would suspect me. Vice Admiral Smoker, Captain Tashigi, you two will die here so you can keep your mouths shut forever. I'll let Caesar handle the soldiers outside. This is Joker's territory after all. I can't just let those who learn about his identity walk away" Vergo returned it to his jacket and walked towards Monet.
"Oy, Tra-guy, who's Joker?" Luffy asked. Law took in a deep breath before speaking.
"I was working for him once too. That's why I know Vergo. Joker is just an alias he uses. His true identity is a man that you know very well, Straw Hat-ya. He's one of the Seven Warlords. Joker is Donquixote Doflamingo"
"The pink flamingo dude?" Ana thought to herself as she vaguely remembered him from the two or three meetings she had actually attended.
Purupurupurpuru. Purupurupurupuru.
Catcha. Monet picked up the receiver once more.
"Hello, this is Caesar. Are you there, Monet?" came the creepy, singsong voice.
"Yes, it's me"
"I've retrieved the children. I'll have them inside and the come up there now"
"Yes"
The prisoners watched in silence as Monet served coffee to Vergo and made him comfortable. Soon, Caesar Clown came floating through the door with a content smile on his face.
"Shurururu. Sorry for making you wait, Vergo" he laughed.
"Not a problem. When does the experiment start?" Vergo replied with a teaspoon stuck to his cheek.
"Soon. Monet, turn on the monitors" Caesar commanded and Monet leapt into action. Caesar floated over to the opposite couch and he sat down to chat with Vergo "You need to better control of your men. When I saw Smoker here, I broke into a cold sweat"
"Well, he is a wild dog and hard to control to begin with," Vergo said.
"But that'll change after today" Caesar said and came over to the cage "Look at all of you. Shurururu. Law, I bet you were quite helpless against Vergo. The deal I had with you ended up working in my favor. I knew I shouldn't trust you. It's your own fault you ended up here. I bet you learned it the hard way already but Vergo has your heart"
The man brought out what was now clearly a beating heart in a box and squeezed it and Law immediately started to writhe in pain. His chains slammed hard against the ground as he did so.
"Tra-guy! Are you okay?!" Luffy demanded.
"What a shame Law, I thought we could be good friends" Caesar taunted "Good thing I had Monet spy on your every movement just to be safe"
"So you got saved by your secretary, huh? I should've been more careful. Seeing as how the 'Master' was so dumb, I didn't care much" Law let out a smirk despite being covered in cold sweat.
Caesar scowled and punched Law's heart. Law flopped to the ground and howled with pain. The sounds of his handcuffs rattling returned and Ana glared at the man standing in front of them.
"I can't believe it. He took your heart and you're still alive?!" Luffy asked.
"Tch. How stupid can you be, letting him take advantage of your ability like that" Tashigi-Smoker said "Where is mine anyways?"
"It's right here!" Caesar sang and held up another heart "Shururu..."
"Master" Monet interrupted before he could do anything "It's ready"
"Oooh!" Caesar cried out and hurriedly put the heart back under his gassy robe.
While the three concentrated on the screen that lowered in front of them, Luffy nodded to Anamaria and she nodded back.
As Caesar and the other two were too concentrated on how the Smiley creature turned into a larger thing that started petrifying his own men, Ana froze her chains over and broke them allowing the cyborg to easily launch a fireball at the already broken Marine ship below them, raising smoke around them all as Ana helped Robin and Luffy out of their own chains.
"Room" Law uttered after shocking Luffy that his chains had been normal ones, his nondachi falling into his hands as Ana's own Fang appeared at her side making the woman take it out and hug it while he loomed over both marines.
"What should I do about you?" he asked coldly "You've learned a little too much. I have your destiny in your hands" he raised his hand and twitched his fingers.
"Whatever you wanna do, just do it already!" Smoker demanded.
"Ah! He switched us back!" Tashigi said with surprised relief. Then she looked down at her unbuttoned shirt and screamed. She fell onto the floor to cover herself and curled up into a fetal position.
"Speaking of seeing, I can't see anything past this smoke" Luffy grumbled. He grabbed onto the chain link wall and tore a big hole in it "Woohoo! I'm free!" he cried and jumped out of the cage "Come on Ana!"
"Wait, just a minute!" Law called out "How could he get out on his own!"
"It's not like this would actually contain Luffy...Even if it were made out of Sea Prism Stone" the cyborg grinned at Law's annoyed stare.
"Our captain does that sort of thing as soon as your back is turned" Robin added with a smile.
"Oy! Tra-guy! What are we waiting for? How do we get into the lab?" Luffy asked happily at Law who was shaking in what Ana and Robin could only assume to be anger.
"Ow! Luffy, brat! I'm going to go take care of the Sunny" Franky yelled and blasted off into the distance with his high powered fart "Coup de Boo!"
"I'm counting on you, Franky!" Luffy waved "Hurry up Torao!!"
"Room" Law looked like he was stifling the urge to curse and he lifted his hand.
With a pop, the whole group was transported to the inside of laboratory. They all stood along a high metal catwalk, facing the front door that had been sealed shut and had shouts and screams coming from the other side.
Law pulled the lever down allowing the door to open up and the G5 men rushed into safety and they cheered when they spotted Smoker and Tashigi.
"Close it!" the men screamed only for Anamaria to hold Law's arm in place before he could do so.
"Hold it. The others are coming" she growled at him.
"Others?" Robin asked.
After about five seconds, she spotted the signs of large amounts of snow being kicked up into the air. The yells of Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and the others rang out as clear as day with the ominous purple gas on their tails.
"Close it! CLOSE IT NOW!" the men continued to shout as Ana and Law continued to have a stare down, the man sweating under her gaze.
The smoke and the group outside was getting closer and closer...
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