136 first island (1/2)
As warned by Alex, the crew soon face the chaotic weather of the Grand Line and particularly the completely detracted part between the entry and the first Island. They had to fight for a few hours against the elements to breakthrough the tempest and regain more calm water.
Using a small break from the crazy situation, Alex disembark into a little boat to turn around the ship and made sure that everything was alright. Done with the exterior, he ties a rope around his waist and goes under the ship to equally look at it.
Done after a few hours, it made Alex swear to construct a monitoring system to avoid the experience again.
During all this time, Vivi had stayed in her room, weeping and moping, completely lost at what to do to save the most lives possible.
She was taken out of her thoughts when Alex enters.
”Time to eat princess.”
Surprised, she reflexively hides her body behind a caught pillow.
”Kyaa! Don't you have any shame, entering a lady room like that?” Scream her at him.
”No really, you are in my ship, I am sole master on board and your nothing more than a hostage right now.” Deadpan him at her still flushed self.
”You dare to take me in hostage even after knowing that I am a princess!?”
”Oh? Look at this, does the little princess was spying on peoples conversations? It, not ladylike, is it?” His amused response made her clamp her hands on her mouth, after realising what she says. ”You are not made for that secret life thingy, isn't it? Came along, meal ready.” Chuckle him, leaving the door open behind him, soon followed by his guest.
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”Everyone, let me present you Princess Vivi Nefertari, princess of Alabasta and Heir to the throne. If Crocodile doesn't ravage the country before we arrive, that it. Vivi, here are Nami, Nojiko, Kuina, and Tashigi.”
She waves shyly at the imposing girls facing her.
”Now that the presentation is made, I need you to tell me from where until when did you hear?”
”All.” Simply say her while blushing at being called on her behaviour.
”Great it made think simpler, here what I propose...”
Following this was simply him telling them what he was thinking of doing. Vivi wanted to deny it, but after hearing spoke about the agent power and how to deflect it, she couldn't help but agree. She had only heard rumours about them, so she was baffled that someone had so much information on an organization that was sensed to be secret.
She was also worried has to how they counted go against Devil Fruit user until they show her their weapon, all made with Kairoseki. She was left against dumbfounded, even the Marines or the government was able to create similar fine weapons. While they were able to coat a surface in kairoseki, the method of refinement and integration into a weapon was out of their reach, even Vegapunk hadn't been able to do so.
What she didn't know was he had also struggled at first, until choosing to disintegrate the mineral into powder, mixing it with the heated metal. As it was known as one of the strongest metal, no one would be able to replicate his feat.
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After their first day of sailing toward whisky peak, Vivi was able to convince Alex to let her speak to Mr.9. After been his partner for the past year, the two had become friendly, and after hearing of the identity of Crocodile and his aim, the man didn't need too much persuasion to join them.
”To think that I was paired with true royalty! I'm not worthy!” Scream the man was prostrating at Vivi's feet. The scene had made the five burst in laughter while the poor Princess was completely panicked, trying to make the poor sod rise, only for him to burst into tear at the 'greatness of a true princess', making them fall on the ground while holding their ribs, leaving a completely mortified Vivi, completely lost.
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The rest of the travel was made relatively calmly. When they weren't running the length of the ship during the bouts of harsh weather, they would pass their time in training. Alex was trying to simulate his experience to the girls, pressuring them to unlock at least Observation Haki by sparing against them.
Even if he knows that they won't develop the skill suddenly, it was never too late to have a head start. Comparate to the original crew, their power level wasn't similar. From what he could see Kuina had a little more brute force that Zoro and more technique than him at the same timeline. Nami had more power than her previous self and a different mentality. Nojiko had nothing of Ussop, and while her aim was a little worst, she wasn't a coward.
Tashigi couldn't be compared to Sanji, but she was also a front line fighter, so it was following the same equilibrium, the only difference was that each of the girls was starting to be proficient in the use of their flame. They weren't as hot and powerful as Alex right now, but he had a large pool of energy than them.
Strangely, the girl had only two tails compared to his three, and each was born a particular pattern. When he had asked CS about it, he had responded that contrary to him, their 'stat was fixed' they wouldn't gain another tail, even if they grow in power.
He was an anomaly, they were the true 'sacred Evans' while his power was showing physically differently because of the system.
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As they were constantly moving, none a single of them could practice with their frost power, fearing to damage the ship, while they could shout fire to the side of the stern, into the sea without any risk.
That why he was putting them under harsh spare, to give battle experience to Nami and Nojiko and made them rely more on their instinct rather that sense.
After three days of travel, a great part was taken by the sudden burst of tempests on the first day, otherwise, they would be already there, the island came into sight.
”Alright you two, you know what to do?” Asked Alex, happy when they nod back.
”Fake the situation, make as if you were regular pirates, lay the trap, and way until you take care of the bounty hunter under baroque works.”
”That right. Vivi, I leave Igaram and his partner to you.”
”Yes, live it to me, Alex, I sure that miss Monday will also join us.”
”Still be careful, if anything goes wrong, shout, we will come to help.”
”Mnnn.” nod the princess back, before the two jumps from the stern and rapidly swim to the shore.
they had agreed to give them an hour, to let the time of the island to prepare for their arrival, before moving toward the island.
”Your sure we can trust them?” Asked Tashigi, still warry of the two, from her experience.
”Yes, even then, it wouldn't matter much, the most Crocodile can do him to hasten his plan if he knows that someone was targetting his agent. If they do that, it will only threaten the life of her father a the capital population. It just not worth for her, not after she had past nearly a year to infiltrate them to bring them down.”
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As the hour pass, they made their way to the docking block, on the side of the river flowing through the island. While they could see the bounty hunter joyfully fake the welcoming, the five catches the glimpse in the eyes of the forth frontmost of the assembly and slight nod, before their serious face fade into an equally joyful greeting.
”Welcome pirates to... Ma ma ma! To Whiskey peak! We have prepared a few... MA ma ma! A feast for you!”
In an inviting gesture from the blond man sporting ridiculously huge rolls in his hair, the crowd burst in applause, busted by the same their coverture, as they didn't have a flag, telling them that they only know them through there bounty, and normal civilian never keep them, they would have been found, even if Alex didn't warn them.
What follows a giant party spawning all the length of the rest of the day, going until late in the night. When they feel that they had stretched the act as much as they could, they start to fake unconsciousness.
Seeing the pirates finally 'succumb' to the sleeping pills, they start to trickle out of the house by small groups, unwilling to wake them up too soon.
When the pirates were the only one left in the hall, the highest-ranked millions gather everyone not too far.
”Sancho, why do we have to waste so much reserve on the pirates? Seeing the size of the crew, they shouldn't be worth that much, the only valuable thing here his the ship!” Complain goons in the middle of the crowd, unwilling risk to be called upon, and hiding amid his comrades.
Agreeing shouts rapidly rise, until Sancho slams his hand on the barrel at his side.
”Silence! and Looks at this your Morons!”
Under his palm was a little stack of five bounties stack.