As the two dumbasses recovered from the rubble and were about to clash again, you decided to interfere by grabbing both the backs of their heads and slamming their faces together.
"Nice work, Arsene!! I was just about to punch 'em in their faces too"
You punched both of their heads hard, leaving a visible bump on them. "You two talk it out and explain the situation so that Luffy can understand"
You turned away to listen to the conversation with the navigator and the princess but you dozed off, not listening to it. Luffy was laughing about the misunderstanding while Zoro snapped in anger at his stupidity. You leaned your back against the wall to avoid detection as you sensed two individuals atop the roof of the adobe. It seems that the princess revealed the boss's name without realizing it.
"Who now??" Luffy questioned.
It's a good thing the crew didn't expose your real name and you had your face mask on. It would be a disaster with the princess's forgetful behavior.
Each one of the crew members expressed different expressions.
"You had to say it" the swordsman deadpanned.
The exchange between the navigator and the princess is pretty amusing. The hysteric navigator shook the poor princess by her jacket while the latter apologized repeatedly.
"Well, it looks like there's no helping it. We already know this much, those two have seen us so we're involved" Ghin commented.
Luffy's got that starry-eyed gaze at the promise of an adventure. "Hey, another Shichibukai?? That's cool!!"
"Not too bad" Zoro smirked.
"I didn't mean to!! Really!! It just slipped out!!"
"A LOT OF GOOD THAT DOES US NOW!! YOU JUST HAD TO DRAG US INTO YOUR MESS, DIDN'T YOU!!" Nami then began to sob dramatically once she went through all her anger on the princess. "Being hunted by a Shichibukai of the Grand Line!! It's more than I can handle!!" She cried into her hands.
You tilted your head. "Why are you so dramatic?? You're talking as if I'm not even here"
Nami jolted up when she realized your existence and clung around your waist. "I forgot we have another Shichibukai here so please protect us . . ." she trailed off and looked up at your face to ask for permission to reveal your name. You shook your head in response. "Please protect us, Arsene!!" She went back to crying dramatically.
"The takeover of the entire country, huh??" You muttered. "Why am I not surprised??"
"You know him, Ms. Arsene??" Vivi inquired.
"We're both Shichibukai so we tend to meet each other a lot of times before in meetings and outside. We knew each other personally and also knew his identity as Mr 0 not too long ago" you stated.
"But didn't you say that you didn't find out about his identity??" Vivi asked.
"There's a thing called misleading, princess. What I said back there was a lie to throw off the lower-ranked agents" you clarified.
It was then that Igaram popped out of nowhere and declared that he would be a decoy to give you time to get away and sail to Alabasta in a less direct route.
"Hold on just a second!!" Nami shouted, gaining everyone's attention. "Who said we were going to take her with us?? We still haven't discussed the matter of payment"
"Wait for a second. Payment for what?" Luffy asked. "Take her where?"
"Where have you been, Luffy? The old man wants us to take the princess back home to her kingdom" Zoro explained.
"Oh, is that what the yelling is all about? Sure thing" The rubber boy answered without hesitation.
"CROCODILE MAY ALREADY BE AFTER US!!" Nami yelled angrily.
"Is this Crocodile guy that dangerous??" Luffy looked up at Igaram for answers.
"One of the Seven Shichibukai of the Seas. He is a legally recognized pirate. And because of that fact, there is no bounty on his head. However, long ago his bounty was worth 80 million berries"
"Woah" Zoro is impressed by such a bounty.
Just hearing that made Nami flip out again. "80 million berries?! That's 4 times Arlong's bounty!! There's no way!!"
You gave her a deadpan look. You're just air, aren't you??
"Will you do this for us??" Igaram asked of their crew.
Luffy threw one of his signature grins. "Sure. It sounds like it'll be fun"
"We are forever grateful"
Nami sobbed quietly into her hand, knowing she'd been outnumbered in their decision-making.
__________________________________________________________
"I-"
But before you could say anything, Igaram sailed off, acting as a decoy, risking his own life to protect the princess.
"And off he goes" Luffy smiled. "He was such a funny old man"
"What's more he's a very reliable old man" Vivi smiled as she watched one of her closest friends sail off into the horizon.
But knowing Baroque Works, you had a feeling that it wouldn't be long till they found out. Suddenly an explosion rips through the night air while the blaze of fire and smell of smoke takes over the once clear atmosphere.
"They're already after us?? Impossible!!" Nami shrieked.
Luffy turned on his heel, a stern expression took over his normal grin as he snatched up his hat that was blown off from the shockwave of the explosion. He then lets out an angry roar.
"Nami, the log!!" Ghin shouted off the roar of the burning blaze.
The navigator looks at the device in her hand as she's startled out of shock.
"Uh, we're fine. It's all set"
Without wasting time, you grabbed Vivi and carried her like a sack of potatoes on your shoulder. "Come on!! We can't waste time!!" you shouted as you ran back to the Going Merry.
On the way, you found the duck that was with Vivi and grabbed him by the throat. Once reached the Going Merry, you felt like someone was missing.
"Hold on. Where are Sanji and Usopp??" you looked around and found Luffy dragging them back to the ship. "Never mind that solves the problem. Let's go"
"Hey!!" Zoro called out to the princess.
"Mr. Bushido"
"How many people do you think Baroque Works will send after us??"
"I'm not sure" the princess admitted. "I know there are about 2,000 loyal employees in Baroque Works and I've heard that there are several bases like this one set up in that area"
"They really might send a thousand people?!" Nami blanches.
Before the discussion could be discussed further, Sanji and Usopp woke up from their less stellar care from Luffy.
"What . . .Huh . . .??"
"Hey, the ship's leaving!!" The sniper exclaimed.
They started yammering protests to stay for another night but were cut off by the familiar sounds of blows to the heads and faces meeting the floor.
Ghin shook his head. "I'll explain the whole mess after they recover from our navigator's beating"
"Thanks, Ghin" you smiled.
"We should be reaching the sea soon" Vivi informed.
"Hey, cool. Look at all the fog" Luffy was awed at the thick sea air blanketing the view.
"Finally, it's getting light out!!" Nami sighed in relief.
You sensed a familiar presence just in front of the galley, overlooking the entire deck, and smirked. "It seems we have an uninvited visitor on our deck"
Everyone turned to the source of the voice to see Nico Robin or Ms. All Sunday in all her glory.
"What?? Who's that??" Zoro's hand instantly hovers over his swords.
"It. . .It's you!!" Vivi exclaimed frightfully.
"Ora~ Ms. All Sunday. It's nice to see you dropping by" You grinned from underneath your hat.
"Ms. Arsene. It's nice to see you again"
"Everyone put your weapons away. She's toying with you guys as she can kill us before you even know what hit you. She would have done so already" you advised.
"She's right" Ms. All Sunday assured. "There's no need to get so excited. You all can calm down. I haven't been given any orders to follow here. I've no reason to fight you"
"MY HAT!! GIVE IT TO ME!!" Luffy shouted as his hat was taken and placed on top of Ms. All Sunday's head.
She smirked. "Bad luck. Picking up a princess who Baroque Works has already made up their mind to see eliminated. Protected by a mere handful of pirates" she drawled. "But your luck gets even worse. Because of the direction, your log pose is indicating, you see"
"Unfortunately, I won't be helping the princess to get her to Alabasta"
The crew plus Vivi looked at you in confusion. "What do you mean by that??" Nami asked.
"I'm saying, count me out. I'm not helping Vivi to get back home" you said, unfazed by the shocked faces of the crew.
"W-why . . ." Vivi questioned.
"I was gonna tell you this back at Whiskey Peak but we got interrupted by the explosion from earlier so I couldn't find the right time to do so" you replied.
"Arsene . . .do you do not care about Alabasta's affairs and what Crocodile might do to it? Is it because you're both Shichibukai??"
"Wait, what's that got to do with i-" You were interrupted when Vivi grabbed your red blazer and dragged you to her level in both hands which caught you off guard.
"How can you not care about it?! You may be a Shichibukai but that doesn't give you the right to turn a blind eye to what Crocodile did!!" Vivi glared at you with anger in her eyes. She's mad but not in her right mind. You have to calm her down.
"Hang on, Vivi. Let's listen to Arsene's explanation. There's got to be a-" Usopp tried to calm the princess down.
"All those crimes you did . . .YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER HEARTLESS MONSTER!!" She shouted without thinking.
You were shocked as your eyes widened. You know that she doesn't mean it but why does it hurt?
"M-monster . . .??" you mumbled.
"Hey, Vivi!! Don't call her that!! There must be a reason why she doesn't want to help!!" Nami tried to pull Vivi back away from you.
You snorted and pushed Vivi away, making her stumble back.
"Yea, Im a Shichibukai but so what? What does that have to do with your business? You're the one who dragged Luffy's crew into it when they had nothing to do with it. Besides . . ."
You walked closer to her, towering over her small figure, not caring much about her frightened look.
"So what if I'm a monster? So what if I took people's lives? If I could, I would have snapped your neck right now" You glared down at her intensely, causing Vivi to shiver.
Ms. All Sunday looked at you with a small frown and worriedness in her eyes.
Once you finally vented, you turned around and went to the women's quarters to get your bag but not before you turned to the crew.
"I'm sorry about earlier. It's nothing for you to worry about. I'll go and get my bag. It was nice going on a journey with you but now I must be on my way. I'll see you in Alabasta" You gave them a small smile. "I hope you don't mind me going along with you, Ms. All Sunday"
"Not at all. I'll inform Sir Crocodile about your arrival in Alabasta" She nodded with a smile and you walked back into the women's quarters.
Once you're done packing, you got out of the quarters as the crew all looked at you with worry while Vivi looked at you with guilt.
"If you do something to her, I'll kick your ass!!" Luffy shouted at the Baroque Works agent who was now on a large turtle's back.
She dismissed the rubber boy's remark as you leaped over the bulwark and sat next to Ms. All Sunday on the Travel Turtle's back.
"Let's go, Bunchi"