231
Ace and Luffy lay on the ground, their bodies covered in wounds. Their surroundings were only filled with destruction, broken and scorched ground. The rocky ground around them was in a mess, along with the sand.
Around them were several large craters. Their fight had brought them quite far from the town area and into the desert. So several parts of the desert were now turned to glass, with large amounts of land mass scattered around.
The desert was already lifeless, and yet the fight between two pirates had somehow made total destruction of it.
Both of them were winded with smiles on their faces.
"Heh, takes you back, doesn't it?" Ace said, laughing, "You have gotten strong Luffy… but I'm still better."
"You only won this time…" Luffy said, not minding. "But remember I'm still a new pirate, and yet I almost had you!"
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Ace said, laughing. In truth, Ace was still stronger than Luffy, and yet the strength difference wasn't as great as Ace assumed.
After fighting Jack just a day ago, Luffy had gained quite a good amount of strength. In particular, his mastery over Haki, that is why even Ace had a bit of a hard time against him. Ace could tell that his brother was already around a Division Commander-level.
Which was saying something for a kid that just started his journey into the Grand Line. Ace wondered what kind of brutal training their gramps gave him.
But then again Ace remembered Garp's words. It was almost a year back, he was in the New World with some of the members of the Whitebeard pirates when Garp and the Marines showed up.
Ace had to distract the old man while his other crewmate escaped. Garp then told Ace about how much Luffy changed after he was gone and how good of a marine he would be. He also added that Luffy was taking his training very seriously.
Of course, Luffy hadn't become a marine, but still, he was far stronger than he expected.
'Gramps wasn't lying it seemed.' Ace thought, a small smile on his face, 'You truly changed little bro… I might need to up my training.' he thought internally, "Heh, don't get your hopes up. You still have a long way to go. Hahahaha!"
"We'll see about that. I'm gonna be the strongest man in the world, and find the One Piece. Tell your old man to look out, I'm coming for the old man's title. Shishishi…"
"Uh-huh, you have to go through me first. Ehahhahah…" Ace said, his stomach grumbling, "I'm hungry."
"Me too."
While Luffy and Ace were lying down, a good number of people gathered. There were at least a hundred of them. All pirates and bounty hunters. They had been hiding in the sands or around the broken rocky terrain for cover. All of them mainly came here for the opportunity of capturing the two famous pirates.
"I think we should move… they look pretty beat up. I think we can take em!" One of them said.
"A-Are you sure… one of them is a logia?!" Another one asked.
"Heh, don't worry. I have some sea stone laced nets… we just have to get close." The first one said.
"Yeah, but… I'm not sure. What if they attack us…? we'll die!" Another one said.
"But… that's 'Fire Storm' Ace, and 'Fallen Hero' Luffy. Just getting one of them would give you enough wealth and fame." A brave one said, "You pussies wait here, I will collect my share alone."
Hearing his words others also got motivated and started moving on them.
But suddenly, a green-haired swordsman came from nowhere and started looking around. It was as if the man got lost.
"T-That's Pirate Hunter Zoro!" One of them said.
"Did you come here to stop us from catching your captain?" Another one asked.
"We aren't afraid of you!" Another one added.
"Eh… why would I stop you guys?" Zoro asked, a bit irritated. "I just got lost… Wait? Luffy's here?" he looked around and found Luffy lying on the ground with another pirate. But in doing so, he gave his back to the group of bounty hunters and pirates.
"He's off guard! Get him!"
"Attack!"
"Charge!"
Zoro just looked over his shoulder and glared, "Shut up!" And with that, the whole group of hundred pirates suddenly felt a chill run down their spine.
It was as if death loomed over them, before they could even move, they lost consciousness, and with foam coming from their mouth.
Zoro smiled. "Pretty useful skill… no wonder Luffy uses this all the time." He mused, nodding along as he walked. "Now, where was Luffy again…"
"That's the opposite side, you moron," Kuina said flatly, walking down from another corner, on her side, one could see many ice sculptures. Which were more or less unfortunate pirates that crossed her way and got trapped in ice.
"I-I know that," Zoro said, correcting his way.
"You have gotten stronger," Kuina stated. A small smile dawned on her face. "So you figured out Haki… heh, well. I also figured out a nice little skill."
"Kuina-swan!" Sanji said, his feet creating a tornado as he rushed to her side, blowing away wind and flames on the way, with a heart-shaped eye. "I missed you Kuina-swan!"
"Oh, you guys finally made it here," Gin said, walking towards them with Chopper on top of his head while White Fury was being carried over his shoulder. He was a lot larger, almost double his normal size, in his half-zoan form, mainly because it helped carry White Fury, who was fast asleep.
Also, it worked as a part of training. Gin was following in his Captain's footsteps of always constantly training. His captain had shown him the way of the grind, and he would follow it!
232
"Zoro! Sanji!" Chopper jumped down from Gin's head. "You guys are injured!" he said, panic evident in his voice. "Doctor! Doctor! We need a doctor!" He started running circles around them, before stopping. "Wait! I'm a doctor!"
"Heh, I don't need a doctor!" Zoro said, trying to go away. In actuality, he was the most injured. He still had his wounds from the last fight, and the basic treatment he got from the marine doctors weren't enough. Still, he didn't want to get treatment, but before he could, he was suddenly knocked down as if his muscles weren't working. "Why you…"
"Electric Pressure points! Works like a charm! Luffy had warned me that you might do something like that." Chopper said, taking a gauge of bandage and other medical stuff from his backpack. "Now, let's see what I can fix… hm… cracked ribs, punctured lung, damaged liver. You need to rest immediately!"
"Ugh, no! I'm not sick… Zzzzzz" But he got knocked out, when Chopper pushed a pressure point on his back. And with that, he finished wrapping him up in bandages, making a cocoon out of him. "Okay, who's next? Sanji and Coby look fine… what about you three?"
Johnny, Yosaku and Bartolomeo who just saw what Chopper did shivered, and started flexing their muscles like bodybuilders.
"""See we are fine!""" All three of them said at the same time. Scared of what the doctor might do.
Chopper looked at Kuina. But the girl quickly politely held up her hand. "I have minor burns, but I think I can take care of them with Life Return. It's training in a way."
Chopper then looked at Nami and Vivi. Both girls showed some minor bandages, and lastly, there was Karoo.
"Yes, poor Karoo was so brave during the fight… Chopper, you should give him proper treatment!" Nami said sweetly, while Vivi held back her laugh.
The duck in question looked at the two women that betrayed him, and started running around the group, with Chopper giving chase not far behind. They were a bit irritated when they found out that Karoo hadn't even left the ship when the fight broke out. So in a way, it was fun watching the duck suffer a bit.
After Karoo was all wrapped up in a bandage cocoon as Chopper found no outward injury. The best treatment would be rest, so he made sure that Karoo was all bandaged up.
After Karoo was done he looked at the remaining members of the crew that came. But he stopped when he saw something.
"Wait, is that Momoo?" Chopper asked, looking at the small bird-sized sea king that was on Hatchan's shoulder. "Why is he so small!? That's so Awesome!"
The sea king in question puffed up his chest on Hatchan's shoulder.
"Yup. Cool right? I did it myself, with my awesome devil fruit!" Usopp bragged, puffing his chest. "I even have Merry in my backpack!"
"That's so cool!" Chopper said with stars in his eyes.
"Wait!" Zoro said, stopping everyone and jump scaring some. Before returning back to sleep. "Zzzzz!"
"Really mosshead?!" Sanji grumbled, while others laughed a bit.
"Huh, you wanna fight shitty cook!" Zoro said, still in his sleep, "Zzzzz!"
"Why you…"
But Chopper held him back, "No! You can't Sanji, he's sleeping!"
All of them laughed at their antics.
"Wait, is that a tanuki?" Asked Bon Clay, still in his sea stone cuffs.
"I'm a reindeer mink! You jerk!"
"You really are foolish! Mr. 2." Mr. 3 said, pushing back his glass. "That is the reason why you are still in your cuffs." He said as if he knew what a mink was. When in actuality he didn't. Minks weren't as commonly known like Fish-men were.
Miss Goldenweek on her side just munched on her cookies. Nodding along.
Bon Clay got sad hearing that, but he then looked at Chopper. "Oh, I'm extremely sorry, friend. You are a very good doctor!"
"Your praise doesn't please me~~~" Chopper said, doing a weird dance.
"Oh, so that's the Straw Hat Pirates." Masked Deuce said, "Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm the Vice-Captain of the Spade Pirates, or in better words, Ace's right-hand man in the Second Division of the Whitebeard Pirates. Masked Duece."
"Woah!" Usopp said, "You're Masked Deuce!? The Masked Deuce?! I have read your books!" he said with stars in his eyes. "Can you sign my book!"
"Uh… sure," Masked Deuce coughed as he scratched the back of his head. He did write sometimes, and it seemed he had a fan here.
"Woah, big bro Usopp, you read books? And Masked bro, you write books?" Bartolomeo said in awe.
"Masked bro?"
"Now that the whole crew is back! Ace, let me introduce you to my Nakama!" Luffy said, sitting up from his lying position. "But first let me let you in on a secret."
Ace also sat up and frowned, mainly when a certain someone knelt down on their side. It was a blonde fellow, with a scar over his left eye. "It's nice to meet you, Ace."
The 2nd in command of the Whitebeard Pirates was in shock, and jumped back, recognizing the figure. He took several steps back, with tears rolling down his face. "What… hoW?" he asked, looking back to Luffy and then back to the other figure. "Are you… are you…?"
Sabo smiled, "Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry I took this long."
The blond was cut away when Ace threw himself over him, crying. "Sabo!"
"Wait, Sabo?!" Even Masked Deuce was surprised. "But how…"
Luffy awkwardly chuckled. "It's a long story."
233
After Crocodile discussed what he planned, both Mrs. All Sunday and Mr. 1 moved out.
Nico Robin was tasked to get to the city of Tamarisk to find Mr. 2. The okama should have already arrived in Alabasta, and yet there was no contact from him. That is why Crocodile had sent her to check on him.
He was crucial to the plan. His ability would be the main key in bringing mayhem in Alabasta. A key part in bringing down the monarchy of Alabasta.
Nico Robin didn't like what she was doing. Especially since compared to the other royals she had seen in other countries, the Alabasta royal family was of a better kind.
The King of the country, Cobra, actually cared about his people. Which was quite different from the other royalties she knew about.
In her twenty-eight years of life, Robin had to shift from one island to another, not staying in one place or one crew for no longer than three years. A good way to stay off the radar of the World Government.
And compared to the other islands and their ruling power. The Nefertari royal family was of the better kind.
And yet she was helping a pirate take over the country all for her own benefit. A sad smile dawned on her face. She always used the excuse that, if she wasn't doing it, someone else would.
Still, she didn't like doing the dirty work. Due to her circumstances, she had to cheat, kill and betray just to survive. Still, taking down the royalty of a country that was actually good towards its people was something that even she was reluctant to do.
That is why when she found out that Nefertari Vivi had infiltrated their ranks as Miss Wednesday, she hid it from the other members. And even led the girl to find out that Mr. Zero was actually the Warlord, Sir Crocodile.
She was hoping that the girl would use her royalty to her advantage and inform the Marines. That was why she tried to even push Straw Hats into going to Nanimonai Island (G3 base). But it didn't seem to be working out.
Still, she didn't care that much. Her partnership with Crocodile had been over four years. And she was planning to end it. If she could get access to the Poneglyph in this country before that, it would be better.
As Nico Robin made her way toward Tamarisk city, she also stayed vigilant.
Tamarisk city was a few kilometers away from Katorea city, where a big fight was happening. Well, she was there when it started.
First, it was 'White Lady' Kuina against 'Fire Storm' Ace. But now it seemed that 'Straw Hat' Luffy had also joined in. And the fight between the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and the second division of the Whitebeard Pirates was of epic proportions. The amount of destruction both pirates caused were massive.
Good thing that they moved away from Katorea, or else the city would have been destroyed.
The city of Tamarisk and the city of Katorea were sister cities so to speak. Both were port cities, where ships docked. In the city of Tamarisk, mostly navy and legal merchant ships docked. Mainly used by the kingdom for its duties.
While on the other hand in the city of Katorea, only the lawless pirates came. It was, in a good way, to separate pirates from the main line. With so many new pirates coming to the Grand Line, stopping all of them would be impossible, so this kind of system was quite common.
It ensured that the chaos was contained.
Both cities were near each other, only being separated by a rocky terrain of a few kilometers.
It seemed the fight between Luffy and Ace had stretched away from the city of Katorea towards the rocky terrain.
Robin didn't know if the fight was still happening or not. The constant noise from the fight was not heard.
Previously the night before, the fight between Ace and Kuina had gathered quite a lot of attention. It got even more intense when the Straw Hat captain joined in. Pillars of flames, and sounds of explosions became a common occurrence throughout the night.
Robin hadn't seen that kind of fight before. But from what she heard, only New World-level pirates were capable of this type of destruction. She was quite impressed that the so-called heroic pirate even fought against Ace.
Nico Robin wondered who won. But the question was obvious, Ace was the more experienced pirate, a commander of a Yonko. Luffy wouldn't be able to beat him. Even with all of the newspapers hyping up his deeds done at Nanimonai Island (G3 base) she was still skeptical about the boy.
If the fight was between Crocodile and Luffy, she would bet on the latter. Over the four years while she worked, she had gotten quite close to the sand logia user. While Crocodile's ability to control sand was very powerful here on Alabasta, she doubted Crocodile could win against Luffy, not even mentioning Ace.
Luffy was exceptionally strong for a new pirate. Some newspapers claimed that he was related to the Marine Hero. She doubted the newspapers as oftentimes it showed false news… still something about that boy was just… different.
234
As she made her way to the city of Tamarisk, trying to find Mr. 2. She had finally spotted him. And he wasn't alone either, there was also Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek, along with the Straw Hat pirates.
This complicated things. It seemed Mr. 2 was captured, and maybe the same could be said for Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek. Even though they didn't have cuffs, the crew seemed a bit wary of them. She also was quite surprised as to how the Straw Hats got to the island so fast, before remembering that they had a sea-king to pull the ship.
If this was any other time, she would have called Crocodile to give him the update. But she held off.
With the Straw Hats having Mr. 2 captured, almost eighty percent of Crocodile's plan was foiled.
And that wasn't all either. The newspaper this morning showed how Straw Hat Luffy was seen working alongside a Vice Admiral. Both of them working together to take out a Commander of the Beast Pirates.
And with how casually the crew was here in Alabasta, it seemed that maybe Luffy had some favors in with the Marines. Well, it was speculated that Luffy was the grandson of the Marine Hero Garp.
If that was the case, Robin wondered if the marines already knew about Crocodile, and his plans to take over Alabasta. Well, if that was the case, then letting Vivi in on Mr Zero's little secret was a good idea after all.
Robin had spotted Vivi along with the Straw Hats, laughing and smiling as they made their way to where their Captain might be. If that was the case, then it complicated things.
Even more so when she spotted Masked Deuce, famously known as Ace's right-hand man, being friendly with them.
Robin shook her head, as she continued to follow the Straw Hat pirates. Keeping a very long distance between them. She didn't know much about Observation Haki, but she knew that if she kept a long distance and used her powers she might be able to follow them without getting caught.
'It seems they are going towards where Luffy and Ace are fighting… strange… why is the right-hand man of 'Fire Storm' Ace with them? And why was he on friendly terms with the crew? Weren't both of their captains fighting?'
She also wondered why they fought in the first place? Last night she saw 'White Lady' Kuina fighting against Ace. Kuina being the obvious aggressor, trying to pick a fight against a big shot for some odd reason.
And it seemed the captain of the Straw Hat pirates took over the fight… maybe to save his crewmates.
Robin sighed, she had seen a lot of pirates over the years. Most of them were cruel and bloodthirsty, without any loyalty. And yet there were some that valued the lives of crewmates more than anything.
But more often than not, those types of pirate crews made it big time. 'Maybe there is something called a bond between friends and crewmates.' She sadly chuckled to herself, she didn't have the privilege to have something like that. And yet deep down Robin wanted to be part of something bigger.
But then again with so many previous crews she crossed over the years, she doubted any crew would take her in. Mainly when the World Government was constantly looking for her.
Even with so many years working under Crocodile, the Warlord barely trusted her. Holding off key information from her, even though she was technically the second in command.
But she knew why Crocodile kept her in the crew. She was one of the few that knew how to read the ancient language. A threat to the World Government. And the Warlord wanted to use that. She was just another tool in his arsenal so to speak.
Well, the feeling was mutual. He only saw her as a tool, nothing else. So if that was the case she would return the favor.
'Crocodile is already on the losing side…' Robin thought. 'It's better to switch sides now, rather than later.'
It seemed Crocodile was fighting a losing battle now. And even though she wanted to read the Poneglyph that was located in Alabasta, with Crocodile it wouldn't be possible.
But if she played her cards right, maybe with the Straw Hats, she could do something.
Crocodile wanted the location of one of the ancient weapons. But even if she found it after reading the Poneglyph, she would keep it to herself.
Mr. 1 was sent to Katorea city to stir up some trouble between the Rebel Army and the Royal Knights. Yes, she could use that. Or she could also take the Straw Hat Pirates directly to Crocodile. Crocodile was powerful, but she knew his weakness, maybe she could use that as well.
Information was power. She could use that to her advantage and switch sides.
'But let's not be hasty. I have to see what they are up to first.'
That was why Nico Robin started to follow the Straw Hats as they went out of the city towards the probable location of Straw Hat Luffy and Fire Storm Ace.
And when she got there, she was quite shocked. The whole rocky terrain was messed up, scorched, and broken with multiple craters. A good part of the desert had turned into glass. Smoke was still coming out of them.
And in the middle of it was Luffy and Ace.
The rest of the Straw Hats and the others in the group finally found them. And all of them seemed to be on friendly terms, then why were they fighting just a few hours ago? She needed to find out.
Even though it was a risk, —as she was found out previously by one of Ace's crewmates— she wanted to know what the Straw Hat Pirates were talking about. So she used her powers within a safe distance.
Using her powers to bloom an eye and an ear somewhere nearby, close enough to gather Intel, far enough to not get noticed.
And what she found out really surprised her. It seemed Straw Hat Luffy and 'Fire Storm Ace were actually brothers. But that's not all… Sabo, the one usually wearing the plague mask on his face, was also their brother.
From what she could gather, it seemed that all three of them were very close. And Sabo, when younger. got separated from them. Due to an incident with a Celestial Dragon.
'Ah, World Nobles, the root of all problems.' She mused, 'It seems I'm not the only one that lost her family to those bastards… no wonder he's not a marine. He really is the grandson of the Marine Hero, huh?'
But then again Luffy hadn't lost his brother or any of his friends or family to the World Government. She did. In a way she felt glad for Luffy but at the same time she also felt a bit of jealousy towards the Straw Hat boy.
Other than that, Robin found the whole thing quite wholesome in a way. A family reuniting. Even though based on how the three brothers talked, they might not be blood-related. But some bonds were just thicker than blood.
Thinking of blood, the face of her late mother came to mind. And thinking of bond, the picture of a friendly giant came to her mind.
'And alas, Robin, you have no one in the world like that. Not in blood nor in bond.' She said to herself. Thinking over the last known family that died on that island… she was always alone in the world it seemed.
She looked at Luffy using his powers, at least someone found his lost family in this cruel world. Any sense of jealousy she had vanished when she saw the boy smile.
There was something in that smile that made her feel happy.
A lone tear ran down her cheek, she wiped it using her hand, luckily a tissue was handed over to her.
"Thank you," Robin said, taking the tissue and wiping her tears.
"You're welcome, Mademoiselle."
But then Robin blinked and quickly looked to her side where the cook of the Straw Hat pirates was standing there with a red rose in his hands. "I usually hand over the flower first… but I didn't think it would have been appropriate. Still, I hope you accept my flower."
Robin was too surprised to say anything as Sanji handed over the flower, "Captain also wanted to meet you… but if you aren't feeling it you can talk later. As a gentleman, I can't force you." He said, before promptly disappearing from his spot.
Robin blinked several times… did that actually happen? Or was she just imagining things? The flower in her hand said otherwise.
[A/N: Sanji with Observation Haki is OP, especially when it comes to women. XD]
235
Nico Robin didn't know what to do… Should she just leave?
She was found out by one of the Straw Hats, and yet it seemed that the blond cook had no intention of revealing her to them.
She bit her lips as Sanji's earlier words rang in her head. It was a gamble, but considering what her other option was —With all things she learned, going back to Crocodile would be foolish— just leaving the island to find another crew to hitch a ride on for a few years, she was willing to take the risk.
So she walked forward, toward the rest of the Straw Hats.
Seeing her, several members of the Straw Hat tensed up and became cautious, only the blond cook and the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates seemed happy. And others like Sabo, Ace and Masked Deuce seemed just curious.
"M-Miss All Sunday?!" Mr. 3, and Mr. 2 said at the same time. While Miss Goldenweek also seemed to be on guard, though she still continued to eat her biscuits.
But Nico Robin didn't pay attention to them. She rather looked at the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy.
Robin looked into the eyes of the pirate captain, they were sharp and yet gentle. It was as if he knew something, and could see through her. And yet it had no malice, and almost seemed innocent. It made her feel calm down a bit, and yet the years of paranoia stressed her to be vigilant.
"Yo." Luffy greeted. "Long time no see Robin. Been spying on us?" he said before glancing at Sanji, who looked away as if he didn't know anything. A few others including Zoro and Sparky noticed but didn't say anything.
Robin looked at the boy, not knowing what to say. She was used to being on the end of a glare, and yet she was finding less hostility than she expected.
What she didn't know —and would learn soon— was that the Straw Hat pirates trusted Luffy more than anything. He proved time and time again that he was a reliable captain that put his crewmates first before anything. So most of the Straw Hats were waiting for their captain's orders.
"Join us… we are about to have breakfast anyway. I mean I'm pretty hungry after the fight… What do you think, guys?" Luffy asked.
"I mean I'm hungry… and Masked Deuce's food tastes like shit." Ace grinned.
The first mate in question rolled his eyes. Not denying his claims, he was an author and a pirate. Not a cook. If he wanted food, then he could just ask Thatch… but quickly Deuce's mood turned sour as he remembered why they came here in the first place. He quickly shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think about this.
"Yeah, well Sparky isn't a good cook either… but Sanji's food is quite good, you will love it." Luffy said.
"Well, he's one of the best cooks I have ever met." Sabo said honestly, "So, I think it would be cool to have breakfast here… Nico Robin, why don't you join us?" He said, only now remembering he had yet to report to his boss about the girl. But it could wait a few hours, it wouldn't be that important. Food on the other hand…
"You guys can't be serious…" Vivi said, glaring daggers at Robin. "She's one of the reasons why my country is like this."
Luffy nodded, "Yes, dear… but I'm sure if we feed her a good breakfast, she will switch to our side. I mean I'm always more open to stuff when I'm full."
"Indeed." Ace nodded
"Indeed." Sabo agreed.
"Oh God, there's three of them now…" Nami rubbed her head, not really trusting Robin. But she trusted Luffy, he always had a plan for something, so for now she would trust him. Also pointing a finger at Nico Robin would be a bit hypocritical since three other Baroque Works members were already journeying with them. Not to mention even Vivi had tried to kill —or at least tried to harm— them, when they first met.
"You guys can't be serious…" Vivi said, looking at Nico Robin. "Why should I ever trust you…?"
"You don't need to." Robin said, "But answer me this… why do you think I purposefully let you follow me, to find out about the secret identity of Mr Zero. Ever question why I did that?"
"So what, you want me to believe that you wanted to double cross Crocodile from the start? That's why you let me follow you?"
"Yes," Robin said genuinely.
Vivi opened her mouth and closed… Well, she was making sense. She could have killed her several times, and yet she didn't. "But why?"
"Well… I wanted you to report him to the Marines… he might be a Warlord, but you are royalty. I'm sure some of them would believe your words rather than that of a pirate's."
"I-Uh… I don't know what to say?"
"See, Robin isn't bad… well at least not all bad." Luffy said from the side.
The woman in question smiled, "Well, Miss Wednesday, I'm sure I can help you with what Sir Crocodile is planning… I hope that would help in clearing out the situation of your country."
Vivi bit her lips, "But that wouldn't fix things… and what do you even know anyway?"
"I know that Mr. 1 is trying to kill the leader of the Revolutionary Army… Koza. I don't presume you know him?" Robin was taking a gamble here. She knew that the rebel army leader was once friends with the princess, but it was not confirmed intel. But seeing how pale Vivi went it seemed her info was right. "I know a way to stop him."
Of course, Robin was lying here. Crocodile only sent Mr. 1 to kill some lower rank rebel army members to stir up some trouble. Killing the leader would bring way too much trouble. But Vivi didn't know that.
And it wasn't a complete lie either, since Crocodile always held back his plans from her. So he could just call up Mr. 1 and do some last-minute adjustments.
"So, you're gonna switch sides?" Coby asked, tilting his head, "Just like that?"
"Huh, like ever captain would accept it?" Johnny said, frowning at her. While Yosaku nodded.
236
Robin tensed up, before Luffy spoke. "Hm… say Robin."
The girl looked up at the younger boy.
"Wanna join the crew?" He finished. Hearing it Ace and Sabo just laughed, while others facepalmed themselves and groaned. Masked Deuce was amused because he expected something like this, especially from the brother of Ace.
Robin didn't know if he was joking or not. She went into other details. "Honestly, you can blame me for what I did. But at the end of the day, I don't like to stay on the losing side. And I do know some information that would be of value, like where Crocodile is… and his weakness. I was hoping by sharing this, you would let me join your side."
"M-Miss All Sunday? You are betraying Crocodile-Chan here?!" Mr. 2 said, before promptly getting shut up by someone who waxed his mouth.
"Please, continue without this idiot." Mr. 3 said.
"Oh, did I mention that he was planning to use a bomb to blow up the capital…" Robin said, as Vivi paled, "Though you don't need to worry about that… with how short the time frame was… the bomb wasn't finished, and won't be for several days."
Vivi sighed upon hearing that, and she looked at Luffy, who seemed to be humming while scratching his chin. "Hmm… you didn't answer my request."
Robin blinked, not getting what the boy meant.
"Huh, it seems I have to say it again," Luffy sighed dramatically, before giving her a playful wink, "Wanna join the crew?"
Robin opened her mouth and closed it before she finally nodded, "I will be in your care then, captain."
"Shishishi… good, because if you refused, I would have refused your refusal. I'm just that stubborn." A few of them playfully snorted after hearing that.
"Hmm… captain, I have a request." It was Kuina who spoke. "I was going over a few things… and it seemed both Sanji and Zoro got their chance to fight. So please let me take care of Crocodile. I will not fail you, that I promise."
Robin wanted to say something along the lines of not underestimating the Warlord, but she held herself back.
"Hmm… but didn't you fight me, miss?" Ace asked, rubbing his chin.
Kuina gave him a look, before she smiled, "That was mostly a warm-up you could say."
"I was thinking of taking him myself, but… Sure you can take him. You have grown strong Kuina… just make it quick. I don't personally know a lot about Crocodile, but sand is his domain so stretching the fight too long won't do you any good," Luffy said. "And try to not cause too many casualties… we have a reputation to keep."
Kuina nodded, looking at Robin. "I hope you can bring me to Crocodile after having breakfast… it seems I have a Warlord to cut down."
Nico Robin nodded and didn't say anything. 'So this is the unconditional trust between crewmates… either they are too naive or they are onto something.' she said internally.
"I can't say I like this…" Vivi said, sighing, "But I will trust you on this one, Luffy."
"Shishishi… Well, something tells me to trust her," He said, before winking at Vivi, "And thanks for trusting my judgment… I mean trust issues are never good in a relationship. Or so I have heard."
Ace grinned, "A princess… never aiming for anything less it seems."
"Please brother, I'm not that shallow… I only look for beauty when choosing my future wives. I mean just look at Nami."
And now Ace became confused, as he looked at Sabo.
The blond in question patted his shoulder. "It will take time, but you will get it eventually."
Nami just rolled her eyes. But she did wonder what type of girl Luffy was into. She and Vivi weren't very different, and yet he was gunning for both. But then she shrugged, she didn't care that much, as long as he ended up choosing her of course.
Vivi was having similar thoughts, before she shook her head. Now wasn't the time for that.
Vivi huffed, glancing at Robin one last time. She could trust Luffy. "Fine… but remember I will be keeping my eyes on you."
"Great! Now, let's party! Sanji, cook us a feast! We have a new crew member!"
"Welcome to the crew, Robin-chwan!" Sanji said, "I will cook something special for you. Usopp, bring out the Merry. I have to take out the food."
"Here?" Usopp asked. "But we are in the middle of a desert?"
"Sure, food in the open desert should be quite fun," Luffy said. "I mean we have to show off a bit in front of our new crewmate."
"Yes, Usopp, bring it out." Gin nodded. "We have to show off in front of our new crewmate."
Coby looked at him, and wanted to ask a few questions. But the pink-haired pirate shook his head. Gin was always the loyal one.
"Bring out the ship? What ship?" Robin asked, befuddled, not getting what the others meant.
"Heh, you'll love it," Bartolomeo said.
"Prepare to be surprised…" Johnny started.
"…and be blown away by amazement." Yosaku finished.
Usopp puffed up his chest a bit, before taking out a cloth from his bag and throwing it in front, covering the view for just a second. As if he was showing a magic trick.
And with that, suddenly a large ship appeared out of nowhere, in the middle of the desert.
Usopp touched the ship, "Merry meet our newest crewmate, Nico Robin. She'll be joining us on the journey."
Robin wasn't much of a person of reactions, but even she was surprised. It was only then she noticed a small sea king perched on the shoulder of Hatchan. It seemed the crew had a lot of surprises. She chuckled wearily, 'What did I get myself into?'
"Shishishi… first let me introduce you to all of the crew," The captain said, "Then let's party!"
237
The Going Merry was parked in the middle of the desert, the small ship was mostly used as a shed, where a small camp was set up. A small party was being held due to a new member joining the crew.
With most of them having fun down in the camp, Luffy had invited Ace and Sabo to the navigation room to hold a small meeting.
It's not that he wanted to withhold information from his crewmates. But they were brothers, and some things were better said behind closed doors. Though Luffy did know that the newest member of the crew was snooping in.
So did his brothers, but all three of them ignored it. If Luffy didn't point it out, they wouldn't either.
"I still can't believe that you are actually planning to become a Warlord," Ace said, leaning back on his chair, and looking at Luffy. "Working for the World Government. I never saw that happening…" he lightly chuckled. "I was offered the same position a few years back you know… but I had declined. So it's just surprising that you are aiming for that spot."
"Yup, even though some of my memories are still a bit hazy… I wouldn't have imagined Luffy turning out like this." Sabo said, chuckling. "It's like he's a completely different person."
Luffy laughed but for a different reason.
"Shishishi… A new person," Luffy corrected with a chuckle. Sometimes it's better to just laugh at things rather than explain stuff. And he didn't plan to anyway. "The World Government might be corrupt but they are the system for now… so it would be better if I joined their side. This way I can gain many benefits from them. And well… You know, grow in strength and influence… before sticking a naginata into their corrupt ass."
Ace chuckled. "I can't say I agree with this one, but you do you, bro."
"Eh… I actually see it as a good thing that he's joining the Warlords, using his head for once." Sabo said, earning an eye roll from Ace.
"Of course, you would say that… you were always the planner," Ace said, a fond expression on his face. "But you… Luffy doing it seems a bit odd."
"Well… I still plan on becoming the pirate king if that's what you guys are worried about. And being a Warlord has its perks… if I didn't have any plans. I wouldn't have minded allying with the Whitebeards."
Ace blinked, "Really? Well… we would have loved to have you, as a crewmember or as an ally." He said, "But what do you mean you can't join our crew?… you can still leave the Warlord idea and join us… we are the strongest Yonko crew after all" He said the last words with pride.
Luffy nodded, "I don't doubt it. And if Whitebeard agrees we can be unofficial allies… you know, like Jinbe."
"Hey, how do you even know that?" Ace blinked.
Luffy deadpanned, "One of my crewmates used to be in the same crew as him, remember? The six-armed Fish-man, Hatchan, the one that makes takoyaki."
"Oh, the takoyaki guy." Ace nodded, finally recognizing him. "Hmm… so you want to be an unofficial ally. Good idea I suppose."
Luffy nodded. "Yes, if there's any help that's needed the Whitebeard pirates can call us. But on the front, you guys can't claim me as an ally."
He didn't know how strong Shanks was, but he didn't lose his arm in this world so his strength wouldn't be any less either. There was even some news of Mihawk having a yearly duel with Akagami. Having his help would have made things easy.
But he knew he couldn't just ask for an alliance when it comes to 'Red Hair' Shanks. Sure, he could call the Yonko at any time, he did have his number. But unless he proved himself, it would be stupid to ask for an alliance.
Whitebeard on the other hand, he could just ask Ace for it. That was also the reason why showed off his strength to his brother.
Whitebeard had most of the islands under him in the New World, having more allies than any other Yonko. His only weakness was his old age, and his declining health.
'I need a position among the Warlords for several reasons…' Luffy thought, 'It would be the best way to gain the attention of other Warlords. I need to at least recruit Jinbe in my crew, and if possible Hancock as well.'
The Marines would have a war against the Beast Pirates, so he was sure Jinbe wouldn't resign from his position as a Warlord. So it would be a good way to get him as an ally that way.
Sabo was also curious about this matter. Luffy was very open about helping the Revolutionary Army, and him joining as a Warlord would be good. As that might give them some more inside information besides Kuma. Internally he smiled, it seems Luffy had grown up.
"You see… as a Warlord I can mainly gain access to a lot of freedom. Mainly from the Marines. And even though I'm strong… I'm still not at the level where I can openly go against the Word Government." Luffy said, "It's not me that I'm worried about. It's my crewmates."
Ace, and Sabo both frowned but didn't interrupt the boy.
"Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Zoro, and Kuina all of them have families or friends back on their island. And one of the World Nobles has been targeting me due to my father… but he failed two times already… what if he gets ideas and attacks their family and friends instead? Maybe Makino and Usopp's village would be safe due to our connections… but what about the others?"
Luffy had tortured the CP agent who tried to blow up their ship back on Drum Island. The CP agent talked like a duck, spilling every single thing he knew.
Even though the information he had was already known, it wasn't that much. He did tell him who the attacker was though. Saint Camael, the bastard that was after him.
Luffy continued, "Other than the bastard known as Saint Camael… it seems that the other World Nobles don't care about me. The Five Elders don't care either. My first bounty was too sudden and done by the Saint Camael, that bastard is really out to get me… so if I become a Warlord, that specific Celestial Dragon would have to stop attacking me. Or at least be more sneaky about it. Maybe I can face his attackers and assassin head-on… but my crewmates can't. And I already did gain quite a good rep as a hero… so why not use it?"
"That's… interesting," Ace said.
238
Luffy nodded, "Yes, I can also gain islands under my banner, as long as I become a Warlord… And funnily enough Drum Island is already flying my crew's flag along with them. So being a Warlord won't just help me, it will help others as well."
Sabo nodded, "Yup, the Revolutionary Army would also be able to set up bases on those islands that way."
Luffy nodded, "I'm strong, but it should take a few more years before I can reach the level of a Yonko."
Ace chuckled, "Huh, don't overestimate yourself, little bro. It would take more than a few years before you can stand on equal footing with a Yonko. Heck, you can't beat me."
Luffy just smiled, not correcting his brother. He was planning to get on the level of a Yonko in one to two years. But to do that he needed to amass more power, for himself and his crew.
"Sure, whatever you say." Luffy casually remarked. "Anyway, with me becoming a Warlord I can also help the Revolutionaries… the World Government, they need to fall."
Sabo nodded, that he could agree on.
But Ace on the other hand didn't know what to say. "I will wish you good luck then, I will more or less focus on making Whitebeard the pirate king."
Luffy sighed, "It's not easy as it looks Ace… we will also need your help if we want to take down the World Government. And before you say anything you owe me one."
Ace blinked, "What do you mean?"
"Well, basically the World Government wanted to start a war with Whitebeard, they were even planning to catch one of Whitebeard's Yonko Commanders or one of their allies to start the war with the old man."
Ace was wide-eyed, "That's…"
Luffy continued, "Don't worry, I had some talks with Sengoku, after me and Sinbad took care of Jack the Drought… the marines plan on drawing Kaido out instead."
"So they switched targets from the World's Strongest Man, to the World's Strongest Creature…" Sabo concluded, "But he is right Ace… we Revolutionaries also had some suspicion that the World Government might target your crew. Whitebeard might have known as well…"
Luffy nodded, "Ace… it's a given fact that Whitebeard is strong. But so is Garp… but do you know what're the worst things about old legends such as them?"
"The old part?"
"Yes. It's the old part… they might still be able to fight at the level of when they were in their prime for a short time… but as time goes on, they would have stamina issues. And the strength of Admirals are no joke. Then there are CP0 agents and Kong who is mostly on top of the Red Line, a war happening would be a loss for the pirates, no matter which Yonko fights."
"I mean… wow Luffy. Thanks, I really do owe you one." Ace said, being genuine. "What you said is right… Pops is getting weaker… sure the old man can still beat the crap out of me, but I do get your point. I will let him know."
Sabo then frowned, "I know this is completely unrelated, but didn't you say that you were going to challenge Whitebeard?" He asked Luffy, "Guess, you will settle for Kaido then… as he isn't in his prime anymore."
Hearing that Luffy grinned, "Hmm… Ace I might have a way back to return the old man back to his prime. And that would be a permanent solution but I'm not sure if that would work." he pondered on that part.
"Wait, What… Luffy you can't be joking, right?" Ace asked surprised. It almost seemed too good to be true, "We had him checked with all the best doctors, that includes the Witch of Drum Island… it's not something that easy."
"Maybe, maybe not… but it's still a theory. I don't know for sure if that will work. But I can try… but before that, I would need to make sure, if there ever comes a time when I need help in taking down the World Government, the Whitebeard pirates will help us…"
"I can't guarantee anything about the rest of the crewmates, but I will personally help you." Ace said, "I would have done that anyways… Considering both of my brothers are going against them, it would be stupid if I don't join in. But for the rest of the crew, I'm not sure."
Ace was thinking back on the time when the old man didn't even try to avenge Oden, as a war with Kaido would mean a lot of casualties on both sides.
Luffy nodded, that would be enough for now. In the upcoming years, he would need to prove his strength if he did want to gain the full support of Whitebeard Pirates.
"Well, that will do for now… but you should talk it over with Whitebeard. For now they are targeting Kaido… but who knows if the next Fleet Admiral is someone like Akainu, I can see him being bold enough to go for Whitebeard. Especially since he has a good reputation as a pirate. To him, all pirates are unjust and evil." Luffy said. "Everything Whitebeard does goes against his beliefs, so he might target the old man first."
Taking down the World Government was a long-term plan. Before coming to this world, he didn't finish One Piece. The last chapter he read was where the Straw Hats went to Egghead and met Dr Vegapunk… so he didn't know how things would go from there.
But considering how badly the World Government wants to keep the location of Laugh Tale a secret. There should be an all-out war if someone does find the One Piece. So it's better to make connections now, rather than begging for help later. He wasn't going to ride on dumb luck or plot for that.
And considering his luck so far, it was downright bad. Sure his crewmates were leagues above the original Straw Hats, but… the original Luffy hadn't needed to face Aramaki, nor Jack.
Sure he enjoyed both fights, but at the same time. There wasn't much enjoyment when you have to constantly look out for your crewmates. Or unknown danger lurking in every corner. This world was vastly different, so it would be wise to keep connections with the top dogs in the world.
239
"I know you are strong, Ace, but the World Government is not easy, and all-out war against them would mean pulling in every bit of help we can get."
"You know… you actually sound like your father." Sabo chuckled, making Ace and Luffy surprised as they looked at him. "Sorry, but he almost said the same words. Like father like son, I guess…"
Luffy just smiled, "Well, if you are working for him, he might be a good man… though I'm a bit pissed that he was missing for most of my life. But with what he was doing… I can kind of understand him."
Sabo didn't say anything, just nodded. "Well, even though I'm technically the second in command of the Revolutionary Army, I didn't know he had a son… so maybe he was trying to keep you safe. And considering World Nobles like Saint Camael…"
Luffy sighed and nodded, "Yeah, I guess… and that's why I'm not mad either. Everyone has their own story. Anyways… even though officially we aren't allies. Why don't I give you some help, Ace?"
The fire user blinked, "Huh, in what…"
"You are going after Marshal D. Teach, right?"
"How… how did you know."
"I keep up with the news… he's a backstabber, a former Whitebeard pirate. Almost half of the world knows that… especially after the chaos he caused in Drum Island." Luffy said, "He was a person under your division, the second division. If I'm not wrong, and knowing your personality you are going after him… because I'm damn sure you didn't come to the first half of the Grand Line just to greet me."
Ace nodded, "Yeah… I'm going after him. Meeting you was a plus." He then looked at his brother, "You are not going to stop me are you?"
"Nope." Luffy said, a smile forming on his lips. "In fact, as an unofficial ally with the Whitebeard pirates, I would like to help you get that bastard."
Ace blinked, "You would… that would actually help a lot. Masked Decue did come with me, but he is more a supporter rather than a fighter… having a heavy hitter would help as well."
"Yup, I'm also bringing my crew, or some of my strongest members there… in fact, Sabo is going to help with that as well.?" Luffy said, before looking at the blond. "You will help, right?"
"I mean I have nothing better to do, so sure?" Sabo shrugged. "But considering a pirate like Teach… I would think of him as an overkill. The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, the second in command in the Revolutionary Army, and a Warlord. I feel kind of sorry for the guy."
Luffy shook his head, "No, in actuality I think both of you are underestimating him…" his words turned serious, "In fact, Shanks told me to watch out for two people before starting the journey… Shanks himself and the other one is Teach. He was the man that gave Shanks the scar on his eye… and he wasn't caught off guard either. A person that can scar a Yonko on any level is quite strong in my book."
Both Ace and Sabo were shocked. A Yonko's warning was no joke. But they did wonder how Luffy was able to contact Akagami, but they didn't ask. Luffy was quite resourceful so he might have managed somehow.
"And that's not all… his devil fruit. The Yami Yami no Mi, a logia… Did you know it can nullify the powers of other devil fruit users?" Luffy said, "From what the people in Drum Island told me, he was able to control darkness… I looked the fruit up. And it's quite powerful." He was mostly playing with words now, he couldn't just straight up reveal how he knew about the fruit. And he did have a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, so he wasn't lying in a sense.
Ace was wide-eyed. "So, that's why that bastard killed Thatch."
Luffy blinked faking a surprise, before he scowled, "To kill a crewmate for just power… fucking scum." The last part he said honestly. "I thought he went after his crewmate due to some personal grudge or something…"
Crewmates were people that stayed with you, cared for you, traveled with you, and shared your dreams and goals. His small time of being a pirate taught him a lot of things about friendship and camaraderie. And harming one's crewmate without any legitimate reason was an unforgivable crime in his books.
"If what Shanks said is true, we need to be careful around him. In fact, I reckon we hold off going after him, until I take the position as an official Warlord. There were even some rumors coming from Morgan that he might also be hunting for a position in the Warlord."
"Wait, Morgan who?" Ace asked.
"Big News Morgan." Luffy said, stopping his urge from saying 'Morgan Freeman'. "We are kind of in a working relationship so to speak… why else do you think he's been all mushy about my deeds…? He wanted a hero to sell more newspapers, and I needed a man that had all the news. Well, you get the idea…"
"That's actually quite smart… heh." Ace said, chuckling, "Who are you? And what have you done with my foolish little brother…??"
Luffy just rolled his eyes and pouted. "Stop trying to copy Itachi… it just feels weird."
"Hah, I don't know who it is… but considering the comparison, I'm sure he was a good brother."
Luffy smiled, "In a way… but unfortunately, he met a tragic end. Funny, since I'm trying to keep you from meeting a tragic end."
"Hey, I can take on anyone," Ace said, throwing light punches in the air like a boxer. "With Enma and my fire by my side, I'm unbeatable." he pouted.
"Sure you are…" Luffy rolled his eyes before all three brothers laughed.
—————————
A/N: Luffy's Lion Man unmastered version will be 9 feet. But his mastered version would be 15 feet. Taller then the admirals, but shorter then the Yonko's, even Katakuri.
240
In the camp there was a party going on, and even though the party was mainly held for Nico Robin. The said girl felt isolated in her own way.
But Robin was surprised, most of the pirates, except for Vivi and a few others accepted her into the crew.
Something about foes turning into allies was a bit common for the Straw Hat pirates it seemed. But then again Gin and Hatchan were great examples, so others weren't too wary of her.
If the captain decided her fit for the crew, they would trust him. Questioning the Captain's decisions was not something common in the Straw Hat Pirates.
It wasn't her either, the rest of the Baroque Works agents were also enjoying the occasion. Heck even Mr. 2 was dancing around Sanji, pissing the cook off in his own way.
Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek were also enjoying their part to the fullest by eating every item on the menu.
Though who could blame them, the food Sanji made was one of a kind. Even within all her life Robin rarely ate that kind of food. Heck, with how much she struggled with getting food in her earlier life, she would have joined the crew just for that. It seemed the cook had more skills than he let on.
Robin sighed remembering the earlier parts of her life… living off scraps, stealing just for one meal. And now here she was enjoying a banquet full of food… these are the few moments in the world she was grateful for. Though the former Baroque Agent still had her guard up. A force of habit, trusting someone never did her no good.
Either they died or they tried to kill her.
Even though Robin enjoyed the food. She shied away from eating too much, not when she was getting constantly glared at by Vivi.
That, however, didn't stop a certain cook from appearing right in front of her with a cup full of chocolate ice-cream. "Ah, Mademoiselle… A plate full of love just for you." He said politely serving her food. Robin wondered where he even got ice in the middle of the desert. The temperature of Alabasta was so high that even ice in the fridge melted down.
But she didn't question it, just accepted the plate of dessert. Sanji flashed a smile, before coughing, and saying in a low voice, "I might get in trouble for saying this… but please don't mind Vivi. She's very kind once she opens up."
With that Sanji moved, spinning around, noodling his way to Vivi, who was glaring at him. "Vivi-swan, can I get you anything?"
The girl pouted and looked away, making Sanji dreadful as he fell to the floor, without any blood. Pale and dead as a corpse.
"Ugh… Sanji. What happened? Doctor! Doctor! We need a doctor!" The reindeer mink started running around the pale cook, who was on the floor.
"Don't worry, I can help Sanji!" Suddenly a wild okama appeared right beside the cook, picking him up gently. Bon Clay still had his cuffs on, but it didn't stop him from his antics. "My healing kiss has never failed my allies!"
With that Bon Clay stretched out his lips trying to smooch Sanji, who at the last moment kicked the okama right in the face, with a dreadful expression.
"Night-Nightmare!" Sanji said, before blinking and figuring out that it wasn't a dream. He stood up looking quite pissed at the Okama.
Bon Clay in question stood up not minding the kick at all, seemingly taking little damage, "See!" He said as a matter of fact.
Chopper had stars in his eyes with an awe expression. "You healed Sanji… wow. The world truly is big!"
"No, it's not!" Sanji said as he started running after Bon Clay, "Get back here, you shithead!"
Hearing that the other members of the crew laughed, enjoying the chaos as Sanji started chasing the okama. Nico Robin didn't know what to say as a small smile flashed on her face.
"Enjoying the party, huh." Zoro said, walking up to her and sitting near her table, "Now that you are in the crew, get used to it… there will be a lot of parties going on. For even mundane occasions no less."
Nami walked out from her seat and took a chair near Robin, "Yeah… now that you are in the crew, you will have to get used to the chaos. But as a girl, I could help you out." Nami winked, "You know if you help me, that is." she said, rubbing her hands in a shrewd-like way.
Nami was doing that for two reasons; she didn't trust Robin. But she did trust Luffy, so she would give her a chance. But at the same time, getting close to her would make it easy to find any underlying schemes.
"What do you want, witch?" Zoro asked, with an amused expression earning Nami's anger.
"Shut it, Mosshead!" Nami said, before looking at Robin and batting her eyelashes innocently, "Don't trust the swordsman, I mean you no harm… but I have heard you were the second in command in Baroque Works."
Robin nodded, curious about where this was going. But she nodded.
"So, can you help the little ol' me out… you know, telling me where the treasures are kept." Nami said with a fox-like smile, earning a snort from Zoro.
A hiss came, and the large-sized snake suddenly came near them. White Fury stretched out her wings and danced like a peacock trying to tell them something.
"She also wants the treasures," Sparky stated, popping out from Zoro's back and perching on his shoulder. The Swordsman didn't mind, gulping down his drink.
Robin blinked, the monkey just spoke. 'But wait… she… I thought the animals in the crew were just pets… that's interesting…'
Zoro gulped his drink down, and breathed out, "Ha… that's good."
The drink obviously being a protein shake. A drink that was made for powerful fighters to recover their strength with, or so Luffy had said. And looking back, Zoro didn't mind switching from his alcohol habits. As long as he had something to drink he was pretty much good with it.
And also Luffy's Motto was Muscles and alcohol don't mix. So he could honor his captain's request.