Sorry for the delay everyone, things have been hectic with real life matters as of late, but I finally found time to sit down and blitz this chapter, the next set of three chapters are still in planning but I'm confident I have an idea of how they are going to go, just don't be expecting them soon, given the length of the chapters, mainly because I do a full arc like this every chapter, they take time to do, this chapter was twenty three thousand words, if it was my own story this would almost qualify as a novella, which if I recall is thirty thousand words, so you can cut me a little slack when I put out chapters of this size, in Microsoft word this is forty pages long! Anyway hope you all enjoy.

Chapter nine

Whiskey Peak showdown and two devils meeting

As the going merry starts to make its way inland via the small river passage, Drax looks out over the shore line with a frown barely able to see anything through the thick lying fog as he wondered where Miss Wednesday and Mr Nine went off to as he put his right hand on his sword's grip keeping his guard up as he let out a pulse of observation haki to feel through the fog. His eyes immediately darted up to a far off cliff edge that he could see the outline off through the fog and his eye's narrowed.

'Three outlooks on the cliff over there, but none of them familiar.' He thinks to himself before he glances ahead of them.

'And a small town up ahead. No signs of any major threats but if that's the case they're likely to have some connection with Baroque works, this could be trouble' he thinks before looking over his shoulder to Nami who came up behind him as they both shared a look before Nami nodded to him.

Flash back- earlier on the trip

Nami opened the door to the women's quarters as she came in looking for Drax who pulls back the curtain that divided the section off from the rest of the room and Nami looks to him immediately.

"Ok spill it, what's the story about those two on deck?" Nami asked irritated slightly, "Why did you welcome them on to the ship so easily?"

Drax chuckled, "My reasons are simple. I wanted to keep an eye on them." He explained as he pulled the curtain back fully, "The names they gave struck a chord with me. You remember I told you all that I spent a little over five years on the grand line training? Well not all of that time was under my last crew or with the old hawk, my last year on the grand line I did a stint as a bounty hunter while showing some others the ropes of the trade, and I was good at it, so good in fact that I attracted the attention of some rather unsavoury characters and one organization in particular."

Nami gulped, "And what was this origination called?"

Drax smirked, "Baroque works. They pride themselves on secrecy and one of the things they have a laugh about is giving code names to the officer agents, the men are normally given numbers while the women are given days of the week or something along those lines."

Nami's eyes opened wide, "Then you're thinking those two on deck are members of the same group?"

Drax nodded, "The very same. When I was a bounty hunter their little group tried to recruit me into their ranks, an officer agent as they called it. I naturally turned them down as I was planning on heading back home to meet up with Luffy, needless to say they didn't take my rejection very well and attempted to make sure I never told anyone about them. Their little attempt failed, but now I'm curious as to what became of that organization so I'm keeping them close so I can find out."

"So you brought them on board for information." Nami reasoned as she thought to herself.

Drax nodded, "Yes, an organization like theirs would have been sure to have grown and expanded in the past few years. I want to see what's become of it and figure out what their objectives are, before deciding what to do from there. If they are hurting innocent people I'll step in and bring them down on their heads," he said before smirking, "If not, well they're bound to have a few vaults full to bursting with all their stolen loot." Drax grinned, "May as well cut their coin purse strings and walk away better off."

Nami's eyes turned to Berri signs before she lunged at Drax kissing him passionately, after a few moments they pulled apart both very pleased, "I knew there was I reason I loved you, we both think alike." she grinned happily.

Drax blinked, "What you mean it's not for my devilishly good looks and charming personality." he laughed.

Nami smirked, "They're the bonuses, as well as a few other things." she winked seductively before turning and walking out making sure to shake her hip for his pleasure.

Drax kept his eyes fixed on her till she was out of sight and sighed, 'Damn what a woman'

Flash back end

It was another few minutes until they looked to be breaching the fog, as the farther they got in the more figures they could see through it.

Luffy was looking out from the top of the head piece and he spotted them first, "Hmm, something's moving over there?" he said seeing the figures through the fog.

"Who are they?" Sanji asked as he spotted them too.

Nami looked to Drax who nodded to her as she stepped behind him as Drax put his hand on his sword, "Into your teams be prepared for an attack, this is unknown territory." Drax order.

The others nodded hearing the command as they slipped into their formations, Zoro and Sanji back to back, Usopp had his sling shot loaded and his goggles down with Kaya behind him and Nojiko and Gin went back to back as well as they pulled their weapons ready for a battle, Eva ran to Nami who picked her up while Darrius grinned, "Perfect I was looking for a good fight" he said as his fists flashed black as his haki started to form.

Like that they waited until they passed through the last of the fog and the sounds of cheering and celebration rung clear through the air, as everyone blinked seeing what was greeting them, the entire town was out in force and was celebrating their arrival with cheers and welcomes.

"Wait those aren't monsters." Usopp said lowering his sling shot, "They're people."

"And they actually seem happy that we're here, what's going on?" Kaya said in agreement.

"What the hell's wrong with them?" Sanji voiced in agreement.

Darrius lower his fists as his haki dissipated and he walked over to Drax's left, "Is it always like this?" he asked seeing the commander not taking his hand from his sword.

Drax shook his head, "No, something not right here, keep your guard up," he whispered in a low voice to which Darrius nods in agreement.

"Drax?" Nami asked in a concerned voice.

Drax shakes his head, "Everything's going to be fine just keep your guard up ok" he says reassuringly, she nods back as they look out and the ship continues inland.

Scene break

The going merry makes port after a few more minutes of sailing, as the crew started to disembark they were met by a welcoming party lead by a tall man with a small red nose and had white-blonde hair in a style that resembles a powdered wig in three large curls that went around the back of his head and neck, he was dressed in blue trousers with high white frilled ankle socks and large black shoes with golden buckles, he has a white dress shirt on with a red neck tie, a grey waste coat, a dark blue blazer with gold buttons and gold linings, while carrying a brass saxophone.

"Well…"*cough* "Ma~ma~ma~" the man started before trying again, "Welcome, my name is Igarappoi, it is my honour, as mayor, to welcome you to Whiskey Peak." he greeted the group.

Luffy blinked owlishly before smiling, "Oh, great I'm Luffy" Luffy introduced himself, "Nice hair I like the curls." he then stated out of the blue.

Nami groaned from beside Drax in embarrassment as Drax gave a slightly chuckle, 'He always did have a way with words' he thought.

Igarappoi seemed to just ignore the comment before continuing, "You'll find that this is a place that thrives on making liquor and music. Hospitality is a matter of pride in our town. The smiles run long and the liquor flows as bountiful as sea water. Would you permit us to throw a party in honour of your arrival so that we may hear" *cough**cough* "Ma~ma~ma~", "your tales and adventures?"

Drax seems to narrow his eyes at the warm welcome and offer, while Sanji, Luffy and Usopp are all for it cheering like they had already started partying. Drax glanced over some of the others, Gin looked reluctant, Nojiko as well, Kaya was just smiling seeing Usopp happy, while Darrius had his arms crossed in front of his chest just watching like him, the same with Zoro, but his attention was drawn by Eva pulling at his hand, "Drax, are we really going to have a party?" she asked innocently.

Drax frowned mentally not thinking it was a good idea but didn't want to worry the young girl and so put on a smile as he knelt down, "Sure we are, and we'll have lots of fun to, there will be plenty of food, music and juice to enjoy, just stick close to Nami, Nojiko or Kaya okay." he said patting her head, Eva smiled back at him.

Nami frowned as she walked up to Igarappoi, "Hey, could you tell me how long it will take for our log pose to record this islands magnetic field"

Igarappoi seemed to blink at the question, "log what?" he asked before he register the question before blinking and changing the subject. "Oh such boring details can surely keep till later. Surely you'd like to rest after your journey?" he said before turning to the rest of the town's people, "Now sing and be merry, entertain our guests." he called out as the rest of the people cheered.

Nami frowned as Drax walked up behind her with the same frown before speaking to her, "Just keep an eye on it for now," he said in a low tone, "it hopefully won't take more than a day or if we're lucky a few hours, once it's going again tell me and we'll start getting everyone ready to go, for now keep your guard up."

Nami nodded back to him as they looked back as the party started to grow and music started playing.

Scene break

The rest of the night was filled with partying, storytelling, food, booze and happy company, as they partied late into the night.

As the half-moon rose into the sky and the night started to darken, the party had been taken to one of the houses, as music was played and everyone celebrated with drinks all around, as Usopp and Kaya were enjoying themselves as Usopp told one of his more boisterous stories.

Over at a table and seats Drax, Darrius, Nami, Zoro and Gin, were all tipping back mugs of drink hard after being roped into a drinking contest.

Luffy was eating his way through the kitchen's and food supplies, while Eva and Nojiko were dancing to the music.

In the drinking contest one by one each of the participants are drop out cold as they can't hold their drink any more, until it came down to just Drax, Nami and one other contestant, a dark skinned nun who was looking to be hard pressed to finish her drink as Nami giggle as she set her empty mug down just as the Nun passed out soon followed after by Nami as Drax stands up cheering, "I win!" before following suit himself passing out right alongside the other contestants.

Luffy finally falls backwards after out eating over seven chefs, his gut extremely bloated with all the food he just ate, Sanji passed out in the company of a number of beautiful ladies, Eva had fallen asleep in Nojiko's arms after a long night of dancing and Kaya and Usopp had done the same Kaya cuddling next to Usopp with a content smile on her face.

As the party ended and the lights went out, outside of the building Igarappoi was standing idly as he looked out over the river, "My how the cactus rocks gleam under the pale moon light, marvellous as ever." he speaks out to no one in particular.

"If I may say you're poetic skills are beyond compare Igarappoi, I mean Mister Eight." came the voice of Mister Nine who was sitting on a roof top behind the man next to Miss Wednesday.

Mister Eight turned as the pair jumped down from the roof top with an uninterested look on his face, "oh it's you two." he said seeing the pair.

"So where are they?" Miss Wednesday asked looking at the man.

"Their falling," Mister Eight replied, "straight to hell."

It was a few seconds after that the door to the side of the building opened and the dark skinned nun came out with a groan, "Damn my head is killing me," she said closing the door behind her, "our guests didn't have the good tastes to pass out gracefully, so I doctored their drinks a little, otherwise they'd still be up drinking us all into oblivion." she said as she reached for the top and bottom of her habit and pulled it off revealing her short pink hair with two short cut pony tails at the back with golden bands, "So tell me was it really necessary to put on this elaborate show for those idiots?" she continued pulling the rest of her outfit off revealing under it she was wearing a short cut mini dress in a white and pink checkered patter, along with the fact that she was excessively muscular to the point of looking like a body builder, "I know no one wants to hear me whine, but it's my job to point out the amount of food we wasted when we could have just ambushed them at the harbour we're already short on supplies. It's not as if anyone had high hopes for that whale meat or anything." she scoffed looking at the duo of Miss Wednesday and Mister Nine, who took offence to that statement.

"Well why don't you go and try to kill that damn whale and see how you fair." Mister Nine said heatedly as he turned glaring at the woman, "We gave it our best you know."

"Both of you calm yourselves," Mister Eight said as he looked at both of them, "before you question the validity of my plan you should see these." he said as he reached into his blazer pocket taking out two sheets of paper and holding them up for the other three to see the bounty posters.

The trio's eye's widened seeing the numbers on them, "What twenty seven and thirty million berries!" the three yelled in shock.

"For these guys!" Mister Nine says unable to fathom just how that was possible.

"Don't be foolish, appearances can be deceiving" Mister Eight said as he put the posters away.

Miss Wednesday gulped, "But it doesn't may any sense, we saw that commander destroy a huge ice berg with his devil fruit powers. He redirected lighting for god sake, if he's only worth twenty seven million what the hell can the captain, worth thirty million do." she said sounding very concerned.

Mister Eight frowned, "That is troublesome, but it matters not. They're in our clutches now, we have them trapped and they'll be handed over to the marines for public execution so we get their full bounties, now" "Ma~ma~ma~", "Now go take everything of value from their ship and cast them all in chains we need them alive" Mister Eight ordered, as the other three nodded.

That was when a voice sounded making them all jump and turn to the source, "Hey, sorry to interrupt would you mind letting our friends sleep, the journey here was exhausting, or so I've been told," Zoro sounded from the highest rooftop one of his swords gleaming in the moon light.

Next to him were Drax, Darrius and Gin as the four of them looked down the others with unimpressed looks.

At that the door to the building and one of the civilians came out holding a rifle, "hey Mister Eight, Miss Monday, four of the pirates have escaped when we weren't looking."

Miss Wednesday sneered, "They're up on the roof you idiot."

Mister Eight glared up at the four, "You lot should have just stayed asleep with the rest of your crew."

Zoro smirked, "Well a good swordsmen never lets his guard down, plus I took a nap earlier." he said, completely missing the death glares from the three next to him at the last part of the comment and continued, "So judging from the scowls and cheap disguises, I'm guessing you're all bounty hunters, whose specialty is robbing drunk pirates who fall for your hospitality. It's original I'll give you that at least, I count a hundred of you scum bags give or take."

Drax smirks as he glances over the crowd, "Actually I'd say there was around two hundred maybe a few more or less, but that will be plenty to go around so long as no one decided to hog the fun."

Zoro smirked, "That's perfect, fifty each then, I could easily take them all but then we have to share the fun. So whose first Baroque works?"

Hearing him so casualty call out their organizations name the officer agent's look at him in shock, "How do you know our name!" Mister Eight yells in shock.

Zoro grins, "I was in a similar line of work once upon a time, your company tried to incite me with a job offer. Naturally I said "no". Do the same rules still apply? Employee identities kept secret, secret code names? The bosses' location and where a bouts also a mystery? Baroque works the criminal organization that faithfully carries out their orders like herded sheep, Hu, that's some secret"

Drax smirked before bursting out in laughter, "Ha, so they tried to recruit you do did they? Ha, glad to know I wasn't the only one, but I can't for the life of me remember the position they offered I think it was something like Mister one or something, eh I turned them down too. I like to be able to look the one who's giving me orders in the eye before I tell them to go shove it."

A cold wind blew through the air as the realisation hit everyone on the ground, that the man they were looking at could have been the number one office agent in their company if he had accepted the offer.

Mister Eight gulped, "Well then our path is clear, knowing our companies secrets cannot be allowed, we have no choice now but to kill the four of you… and four more grave stones will be added to the cactus rocks tonight" Mister Eight grinned to himself before point up at the roof top, "kill the…" he started to say but stopped mid-sentence seeing the empty roof top before them.

"T-They disappeared?" Miss Wednesday said in shock

"They're gone" Mister Nine said in agreement

"What, but how could they just disappear?" Mister Eight asked as everyone started to look around.

Suddenly there was a gasp and everyone looked in one direction with looks of shock and disbelief, as standing in the middle of the crowd was Drax and Zoro, standing plain as day, people backed away and raised their rifles and pistols, "Who do you clowns think you are!" one yelled before another called "Fire!" as multiple guns went off, only for each of the shooters to drop dead after being shot by one another and Drax and Zoro disappeared again.

Mister Eight looked on in shock, "Incompetent morons, they just shot each other!"

"Yeah, and the pirates got away!" Mister Nine said from beside him in disbelief, as Miss Wednesday shook in slight fear seeing so many fall so easily.

Mister Eight turned enraged, "Just find them already, they're just four men!" he said before his eye's widened as a Kanata blade and a double sided broad sword pierces his hair on either side of his head just shy of taking his ears off.

Behind him were Drax and Zoro with smirks as they held their blades beside each other with ease.

"Ask yourself this, will four grave stones really be enough?" Zoro stated

Drax scoffed, "You could be two hundred guys or two hundred thousand it wouldn't make a difference, you'll all fall the same to us."

Hearing their voiced the other bounty hunters turns to see them and aimed their weapons, "There they are, now take aim!" one called as the others followed his lead.

Mister Eight's eyes widened as he realised the spot he was in at that moment, "No! Wait stop you're going to hit me! Don't shot!" he called out but they wouldn't listen, and he thought quickly as he raised his saxophone over his head and blew, "Igarappa!" as suddenly rapid gun fire came out of its wide end and sprayed the bounty hunters before they could shoot him in the back, but when he turned around both Drax and Zoro were gone again.

Zoro dropped down behind a building as Drax staticed beside him as Gin and Darrius slipped around the other corner.

"Damn, so that things a weapon hm. Dangerous, better be careful of that." Zoro said in a low voice.

Drax nodded, "Just stay out of his line of fire and you'll be fine, for now it's better is we spit up, whittle down their numbers, and keep moving, Gin with Zoro, Darius you're with me." he ordered as the others nodded before Darrius and Drax took off heading for another alleyway.

Meanwhile

Back where the party was Nami was lying comfortably as a smile crept onto her face and her eye's opened, 'looks like Drax was right it was a trap' the smirked before getting up and tip towing over to a "sleeping" Nojiko and Eva as she knelt down, "Hey you going to get up any time soon?" she whispered as a grin game to her sister's face.

"You never heard of holding a role? You're not the only one the learned how to fake sleep back home you know?" Nojiko whispered back as she slowly got up holding Eva.

Nami smirked seeing her, "Looks like someone really is exhausted,"

Nojiko nodded, "Yeah, poor thing tired herself out dancing." she said as she went walked over and gently placed Eva with a Kaya who was out like a light as well leaning against an exhausted Usopp before looking back to Nami, "So what's the plan?"

Nami smirked, "We raid everything they got and then keep to cover till the guys are finished then we blow this town."

Nojiko grinned, "Great plan, I like it" she agreed and they headed out to begin their raid.

Back outside

As the moon glistens high above in the night sky, both Darius and Drax find themselves on a roof top after evading and countering the agents for a few minutes, only now to find themselves both surrounded on all sides, just like they planned it.

As both shared a look Darrius starts to chuckle as he raised his fists. "Now this, is what I expected my time as a pirate to be like, fool's lines up for a beating as far as the eye can see."

Drax smirks at the comment giving a small laugh himself as he removed his coat letting it fall to the ground, "Glad it meets with your high expectations," he says before tightening his fists as his arms hang loosely by his sides, as the knuckles flash before they're coated in the smallest amount of armament haki, "Let's see what you can do Sea king hunter."

Darrius grins at the double sided comment as he tightens his fists as well as they flash as both his fists and forearms are coated in the black metallic haki, "Gladly." Was all Darrius replied before they both lunged towards their many opponents.

Five minutes later after a lot of painful cries and groans, Drax and Darrius once again stand in the middle of the roof top, the broken or twitching bodies of the baroque works agents laid sprawled out on the surrounding roof tops, none getting up.

Both men gave each other a look and nodded seeing there were no more enemies to fight.

Darrius gives Drax a look as Drax lifts his coat pulling it back on him, "You're not too bad there, for someone born outside of the grand line." He comments.

Drax smirks, "You're not too bad yourself, and your use of haki is impressive, if a little over excessive. I dare say you actually looked like you were enjoying yourself there for a bit."

Darrius grinned in response, "A brawl is always fun, though I'd prefer it if they were marines we were fighting."

Drax gave a nod in understanding as he spoke, "Give it time. I'm sure we'll eventually come across them, and I'm sure you'll leave a trail of them in your wake when we do." He said letting a ghost of a smirk cross his lips at Darrius.

Darrius just stood as the comment hung in the air for a moment, not saying a word before he started towards the edge of the roof and jumped off onto another, Drax watched him go for a moment before following as they continued their decent to the ground.

Once reaching the ground they ran into an alleyway between two buildings and followed it heading to another open street, coming out into the open they hear the loud crash of wood hitting something on one of the roof tops. As both make their way to a better vantage point they hear more noises, the last of which was a loud feminine cry, as both look up to see their fellow crewmates facing miss Monday.

Gin was slumped against one of the connecting buildings holding his ribs in discomfort, while Zoro was standing in front of the kneeing form of miss Monday, her head in his grip as he squeeze getting soundless cries of pain from her as she was held there.

Both Darrius and Drax quickly found their way up to the roof top to join them, Drax immediately going to check on Gin helping him to his feet as Gin winced from the slight pain.

"Sorry commanded, she caught me off guard with a wooden ladder before I saw her coming." Gin explained before standing tall trying to ignore the pain, "It won't happen again."

Drax nodded, "No problem as long as you can still fight," he said before looking over the edge of the building seeing the rest of their opponents gathering, "because it's time we got serious and dealt with these idiots."

Zoro hearing him release miss Monday who collapsed against the roof passed out from the pain of Zoro's grip, "I like you're thinking Commander." He commented as he drew out two of his swords.

Drax took off his coat again but this time hung it on one of the protruding wood slats on the wall before drawing his own sword as his hand flashed black with haki and it coated his double edged blade as its tip sparked with electrical discharge. "Let's get started then." He said before dispersing into static.

The next thing that happened was multiple cries from below from the enemies as multiple fell one after another in a straight line before Drax reappeared in a surge of static his blade sparking as its edge dripped from the light splattering of blood he cut from his enemies, before his discharge cauterised their wounds.

Darrius still on the roof chuckled at the sight, "Hey! Don't be taking all the fun!" he called before both his arms flashed black as he recoated them in haki as he ran to the roof edge and lunged off it throwing himself out before he pushed himself down his fists both impacting the ground on contact sending out a impacting wave enhanced with Darrius's haki that sent the surrounding men flying from the force.

Both Zoro and Gin leaped from the roof themselves as they charged forward hitting the ground their weapons out as they cut and pounded their way through the enemy numbers heading for the commanded and newest crewmate.

With relative ease the four of them decimated the enemy ranks leading to the entire clearing being littered with the passed out or dead bodies of their enemies as the four of them turned to focus on the last remaining threats in the clearing, Mister Nine and eight, with Miss Wednesday behind them, each slightly pale at seeing the devastation they just witnessed.

Drax pointed his blade at the three of them its tip sparking dangerously, "Give up now. This is your last warning, you're outnumbered and out classed, fight us and you will lose badly." He warned.

Mister Nine seemed to swallow his fear slightly as he stepped forward, "You think we're scared of you, don't make me laugh. You see there's something you may not know, you see in baroque works the smaller an agents number it the greater their power," he boasted before holding out his hands gesturing to his two partners, "take us for example, Mister Nine and Mister Eight, we're single digit agents, and don't forget Miss Wednesday. Our abilities are much greater than the riffraff you've been fighting against so far tonight." He boasted as he pulled out two metal bat's "And you're about to see that first hand!" he yelled as he sprinted at Drax both bats ready.

Drax just narrows his gaze but dose nothing as Mister Nine came at him swinging and his bats made contact with him, only to result in Mister Nine's pain filled cries as an electrical discharge was sent through his all metal bats and into him before the resulting charge sent him flying backwards past his comrades and crashing through a building's wall leaving both Mister Eight and Miss Wednesday looking on eyes wide with fear.

Drax let out a sigh, "and let that be a lesson to all fools and idiots, never attack a man whose body can literally turn into electricity with all metal weapons without insulating yourself or grounding the weapon, it won't end well for you otherwise." He stated openly before looking at the last two, "So what's it going to be Surrender, humiliating defeat or death?"

Mister Eight growls out in anger, "I will not let you, Igarappa!" he cries as he blows into his saxophone sending a spraying wide burst of bullets at them in his response.

The four straw hats make their moves to defend against the attack, Zoro moving with speed cuts up the bullets before they reach him, Gin spins his tonfas with skill the metal bars and balls deflecting the projectiles.

Drax just stands perfectly still as they pass right through him his body turning to static as they go through leaving him unharmed from the attack.

Darius dose the same to the last second until everyone felt the air thicken for a brief moment before Darrius's entire body flash briefly before every part of him was coated head to toe in black haki as the bullets ricocheted off him or shattered on impact.

Mister Eight and Miss Wednesday looked on in shock at what they were seeing, while gin and Zoro looked at him with impressed looks, Drax just looked at him with a smirk as Darrius just yawned like he didn't even feel the bullets, which he actually didn't before his gaze settled on Mister Eight.

"Is that all you've got Curly boy? Because I'm not impressed, unless you're packing a pair of cannons in those curls of yours I'd suggest you take the commanders suggestion and surrender before I have the pleasure of putting you down myself." Darrius openly threatened as his haki faded from sight leaving Mister Eight to collapse out of fright and the pressure from the Haki Darrius was lacing into his voice that made the man feel every word as if it was a hundred pounds of pressure bearing down on him as he found it hard to breath and finally collapsed under.

Drax smirked recognising the technique he used, but before he could comment something caught his eye and he turned to see one of the weirdest sights most people would ever see, a large yellow duck with a blue chullo running right at him, and on its back was Miss Wednesday spinning some sorted of bladed weapon from her pinkie finger, "Taste my Peacock slasher!" she cried as they raced at him.

Drax just sighed before dispersing into static just as the pair reached him and reappeared moments later behind Miss Wednesday on the still running duck, and before she could react he grabbed the reigns of the duck and pulled to the side as the pair suddenly found themselves on the ground with Drax sitting on the duck who was on top of Miss Wednesday who was pinned and didn't move as Drax rested the flat of his sword against her next.

"and that takes care of you," Drax said with some amusement before looking over to the others to find Zoro with Mister Eight on his knees with Zoro holding his swords to the sides of his neck ready to take his head should he move.

Drax nodded approvingly before looking back to his own captive, and to her duck, when something seemed to strike a chord with him about it, 'hold on this duck, it's a species only found in Alabasta…' he thought before looking to Miss Wednesday with an intrigued look, 'so why is it with her?' he wondered before narrowing his eyes as he looked from both Mister Eight and Miss Wednesday and took in their features and general appearance, 'smooth skin, one fair and the other lightly tanned, both with regal and refined appearances and an heir about them that speaks of the higher classes, and then there's the duck… these two, they're both from the kingdom of Alabasta.' He realised before frowning. As he got up off the duck taking his sword away from Miss Wednesday's neck before hoisting her off the ground and pushing her in Gin's direction as he came over, "Restrain her but don't hurt her, I have some questions for the pair of them, but I want to see what he has to say first before I question her." He said gesturing to Mister Eight. Gin nods as he holds Miss Wednesday's arms behind her as Drax goes to walk over to Zoro and Mister Eight but before he could reach them an explosion rang out directly in his path, followed by multiple others around the area.

Drax reacted on instinct and dispersed into static to evade getting hurt and moved for the nearest cover, an alleyway taking cover behind the wall as he looked out to try and locate where the attack came from, when two figures started to make their way through the smoke as he heard them before getting a clear sight of them.

"Well there sure is a lot of action for such a sleepy little town, shouldn't you all be in bed?" spoke a female voice.

"well isn't this just pathetic, the boss sends us all the way out here and this is what we find, talk about a sad sight." a male voice added as the smoke began to clear revealing the two figures, a man and a woman.

The man was tall with dark-skin and black hair in short spiky dreadlocks. He was wearing a brown trench coat with a pink cravat underneath and a pair of sunglasses, even though it was the middle of the night, on his sleeve and over his heard was a white number five with a white square ring around them both.

The woman had short blond hair and bright green eyes, wearing a yellow and orange hat, as well as a yellow dress with a lemon-like pattern, lemon earrings, and white high-heeled shoes, carrying a bright green parasol with blue stripes over her right shoulder.

Mister Eight looks at the pair and a look of shock comes to his face, "Mister five, Miss Valentine?" he says identifying the pair.

Drax hearing this raises an eyebrow and he can't help but let a ghost of a smile grace his face, 'well-well, I certainly want expecting to see you here, so this is what happened to you my young student, perhaps it's time I said hello after so many years away,' he thinks before he looks around making a plan before bursting into static once more.

"So Mister Eight, Miss Wednesday, it looks like you're having a little trouble doing your jobs here?" the now identified Mister five states with a sneer on his face.

Miss Valentine laughs at the sight of them, "Well that's clearly the difference between our rank and theirs"

Mister Eight chuckles slightly, "Yes well now with you hear I'm sure thing will be evened up, if you would be so kind as to lend us your assistance for a moment I'm sure we could…" he started to ask only to be cut off.

"Sorry no can do, that isn't why we're here." Mister five rebuts as he looks over the scene, "we're here on the boss's orders on a single matter, and it's not to pull your curly ass out of the mess you've gotten yourself into."

"You really think we'd come all the way to this end of the grand line to hold your hands, you're even more pitiful than you look" Miss Valentine laughed.

Miss Wednesday gulped at that, "then why are you here? Just to laugh at us?"

Mister five chuckles, "I'm so glad you asked that Miss Wednesday, you see the boss sent us here with a mission to complete, you see there are people here who's crimes against the company are so great the boss has sent us to deal with them, he said someone has learned his secrets. I don't know what secrets exactly, I don't want to know, but obviously someone else did. But knowing them is against company rules. Our company moto is mystery, everyone's identity is to be kept strictly secret no matter who they are, and if someone's dumb enough to nosey around the bosses' business. Well then, that's a crime punishable by death"

"So while we were conducting our search to find who had uncovered the boss's secrets we learned something," Miss Valentine laughed, "It turns out, a rather high ranking indivigial, from a certain kingdom, has managed to infiltrate baroque works."

Hearing that the other straw hats looks confused as what was going on, but Mister Eight looked absolutely livid, and shoved his elbow back into Zoro's gut and moved away from the swords men pulling on his neck ribbon as gun barrels came out of his curls, "Die Igarappappa!" he roared as he pulled on the bow and the guns fired out causing explosions as they hit the two agents, "You will not lay a hand upon our princess, not while the captain of Alabasta security still stands!"

Miss Wednesday looked on eyes wide, "Igaram!" she cried worried for the man.

As the smoke cleared once more both Mister five and miss valentine were revealed to be completely fine as Mister five stepped forward taking a photo out of his coat, "Igaram, captain of Alabasta security, and princess Vivi Nefertari of Alabasta kingdom, we have come here in the name of baroque works to see that you are both eliminated"

Drax reformed in the shadows of a building keeping out of sight as he listened to what was said and his eyes widened a fraction as he put the words together, 'a certain royal family, that's who they are, ah, of course if it were a dog it would have bit me, the Nefertari royal family of Alabasta kingdom, that girl's the princess, I recognise her now from my research, damn it, but why the hell is she involved with baroque works?' he mentally raged in his head as he surveyed the situation. But as he did so he let his gaze move and he caught sight of both Nami and Nojiko hidden in the shade of a building opposite him, they had spotted him also, putting his finger to his mouth he gestured to them to be quiet and slip back, he didn't need them getting caught in this fight, it was clear that Mister five had a devil fruit power that cause explosions somehow.

Nodding at the gesture both Nojiko and Nami slipped back through the streets and back into the building they had previously came from getting out of the way as Drax burst into static once more, this time appearing between the two groups, his sword pointed at Mister five as everyone seemed to stop as the discharge grew from Drax's blade as he spoke, "Surge cannon!"

With the yell the surging energy gathered at the tip of Drax's blade in a sphere before blasting forward like a cannon ball heading right for the pair in front of him.

Mister five thinking fast jumped out of the way of the attack while Miss Valentine quickly rose up into the air avoiding the attack which continued, only to completely demolish a house at the end of the row in a powerful blast.

Both agent's stopped moving glaring at Drax after his attack, Mister five scowled deeply, "and just who is this clown?"

Drax ignored the question and looked to Gin, "Release her, they're not the enemy anymore." he ordered getting a nod from Gin who let go of the newly identified Vivi.

Drax then turned his attention back to the two in front of him his sword by his side as the discharging energy began to grow again.

Mister five continued to glare, "Oh, they're not your enemies any more, and just why dose a pirate want to help the princess of Alabasta, and interfere with our mission at the same time?"

Drax tilted his blade as the discharge seemed to fade away as he narrowed his own glare on Mister five, "Simple because I have business with the kingdom of Alabasta, and it would be of great inconvenience if one of the royal family died while I was around to prevent it, so if you want to get to her, then you will have to go through me."

Mister five grinned at the ultimatum and gave a small chuckle, "Fair enough," he said before sticking his finger in his nose making everyone bar Miss Valentine raise an eyebrow at the action before he pulled out a small black booger and rolled it between his fingers.

Drax blinked at it before shivering, "You know that is kind of gross, and I would see someone about that, last I checked snot isn't meant to be black." He said in repulsion.

Mister five just scowled, "take this Nose Fancy Cannon" he yelled as he flicked the booger at Drax.

Drax saw it coming and just raised an eyebrow, "seriously, that's disgusting" he said in the second before it hit and cause a large explosion to engulf him and the area making the others look on wide eyed seeing the area covered in smoke.

Mister five just lowered his arm, "Well all that talk and he was still just nobody. How pathetic." He stated before Drax's voice cut through the smoke.

"You're the one flicking exploding boogers at people and you're calling me pathetic, how more childish can you get?" Drax sounded as the smoke cleared revealing Drax standing in the middle of the clearing a large portion of his lower chest missing, but slowly it filled in with electrical charge as he retook his shape completely unharmed as he smirked at Mister five, "Is that really all you got?" he asked getting another glare from Mister five, "My turn then." He said before disappearing in a burst of static, only to reappear a few feet in front of Mister five his sword high and falling.

Mister five smirked as he jumped back raising his arms as well planning to blow Drax away the second his blade touched him, only for his eye's to widen as he feels the pain shoot through him as the blade of Drax's sword cuts through his coat and digs into him as he feels his energy get drained as it does, "What?" Mister five askes not sure what was happening to him.

Drax smirked, "sorry to say but your devil fruit powers won't work against my blade."

Scowling Mister five realises what he meant as he saw the dark metal, "Sea stone"

Drax smirked his blade still in Mister five's arm nullifying his powers, "Yep, now be a good weakling and go to sleep," he said before drawing back his fist and swinging forward cold cocking Mister five right in the face and knocking him to the ground out cold from the punch before he could do anything to stop it.

Drax smirks seeing the idiot out cold, "well that takes care of one, now where…" he started to say only to hear a voice above him.

"How dare you!" making Drax look up to see miss valentine above him in the sky, "I won't let you get away with this, try this ten thousand kilogram press!" she calls as she instantly starts to fall like a meteor to the ground.

Drax smirks before disappearing into static just as she's about to hit and she piles into the ground hard and embeds herself deep in the earth, a few moments later she groans as she starts to pull herself out, "Damn it I missed, sneaky son of a…" only to be cut off mid-sentence by a fist to the top of her head as Drax reforms to her left, the impact makes her wince in pain.

"And just what the hell was that meant to be?" Drax asked looking down on her, "that was just pathetic, Rose."

Miss Valentine froze hearing her name being spoken, and she quickly looked up at Drax with a glare, "How the hell do you know my name Jack ass!"

Drax raised an eyebrow a smirk on his lips, "Oh little rose, have you forgotten my already?" he said as his Shimashita blade handles glinted in the moon light as his eyes sparked with silver static, "Perhaps you need a reminder my young student." he stated as miss Valentine's eyes widened.

"L-La Cross!" She stated her voice stuttering in shock and slightly fear.

Drax started to chuckle, "ah so now you recognise me, took you're time." He stated as he reached out his hand to help her out of the hole. The others just looked on in confusion as to what was going on.

"Um commanded. Do you know this woman?" Gin asked in confusion as he tried to piece together what they were seeing.

Drax smirked, "Well I should do, I trained her and taught her how to be a bounty hunter after all."

The newly identified Rose, formerly Miss Valentine, looked at Drax for a moment in astonishment before smirking, "so that's what you looked like under that mask of yours I always wondered about that La Cross."

Zoro blinked, "Wait, La Cross, as in sliver flash, the bounty hunter that supposedly disappeared a few years back, that was you Drax?" he asked a new level of respect growing in his voice for the man.

Drax smirked in response, "Yep that was me. Back before I retired from that to go home and train Luffy, which was back when Baroque works tried to recruit me like they did you." Drax explained before turning to Rose, "Speaking of that Rose~" he started in a sickly sweet tone making Rose gulp, as she felt a fear she hadn't felt in so many years, before Drax burst into static and formed behind her and began to grind her head between his knuckled, "Why are you with such a group like baroque works Hm!? Didn't I teach you better than that, to stoop to such a level my foolish student?"

Rose whines and thrashed as she tried to move out from between his first but the pressure was too great as he held her in place as she cried, "I'm sorry sensei" I'm sorry!"

The straw hats seemed to sweat drop at the scene in front of them in confusion, while both the newly identified Igaram and Vivi gulped, they were just after seeing a high ranked baroque works agent taken out, and another brought to her knees so easily by one man, it was never something they expected to see.

After a further minute of knuckle grinding the sides of her head Drax released rose who collapsed to her knees, the sides of her head steaming from the head and pressure from Drax's fists. But before Drax could speak to reprimand her further and get answers Luffy's voice roared through the air.

"I FOUND YOU TWO! ZORO! DRAXSIS!"

Drax looks to see a bloated Luffy coming towards them, still obviously full from the feast he had eaten during the party. Drax raised his hand to wave Luffy over only to stop when he saw the pissed off look on his little brother's face and cocked an eyebrow, "What's wrong Luf? What's got you so pissed all of a sudden?" he asked.

Luffy was breathing heavily before he started yelling, "Both of you are going to pay for what you did, I'm gonna kick both your asses!"

Drax raised an eyebrow and looked to Zoro, "You got any idea what he's talking about?" he asked the green haired swordsmen.

"Don't look at me, he's your kid brother." Zoro shrugged no clue as to why Luffy was so pissed.

Drax paused before looking back to Luffy, "Hey Luffy mind telling me what we're meant to have done to have pissed you off? Cause neither of us have a clue."

Luffy growled, "Just shut up, cause I'm about to kick you ungrateful little asses!"

"Ungrateful?" Zoro asked unsure what he was meaning.

"Little?" Drax said raising an eyebrow, "Are you forgetting, which one of us is the little brother here, Luffy! Now just calm down and talk already!"

Luffy just seemed to be getting madder each second, "Shut up, everyone here was nice to us, they threw us a party and gave us food, and you both repay them by cutting them up with those swords of yours!"

Realising what was going on Drax put up his hands in a calm down gesture, "Take it easy Luffy there's an easy explanation for this if you'll just calm down and listen for a second and let me…" he started only for Luffy to interrupt him by launching a fist at him which dodges.

"Enough talking, now I'm going to kick your asses!" Luffy raged at them

Drax sighed and looked to Zoro, "He's impossible to reason with when he gets like this." He said as he avoided another long range punch.

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Zoro asked as he avoided a punch aimed at him.

Drax sighed as he sheathed his sword and in a flash his fists were coated in haki and he narrowed his glare on Luffy, "We fight. Nothing else we can do till we tire him out enough so that he'll actually listen."

"Here I come!" Luffy roared as he bounced off the ground launching himself into the air, "Gum-Gum Gatling!" he yelled as he started throwing a barraged of fists at the pair of them.

Drax bursts into static to avoid the attack while Zoro quickly evades, Drax reappeared behind Luffy with a spin and plants his Haki covered boot into the side of Luffy's head sending him flying to Zoro, before dispersing high into the air pulling his sword out, who catches Luffy with the backs of his blades sending him high into the air where Drax is waiting sword ready.

"Sorry Luffy" Drax called as he turned the blade so that he would hit Luffy with the flat of the blade, "But you brought this on yourself" he called before slamming the flat Haki backed Sea stone into Luffy's head and sending him to the ground.

"So did you!" Luffy yelled as he fell throwing a fist up at Drax catching him in the jaw and throwing him into the air only for him to disperse into static as Luffy continued to fall and hit the ground with a thud before he threw out a long ranged kick at Zoro who used his bladed to block it but was sent flying back crashing into a rock with a groan.

Drax reappeared beside him rubbing his jaw, "Damn rubber-band-brained idiot, he's not pulling any of his punches." He said with a smirk, "If we want to survive this we're going to have to fight as seriously as him."

Zoro groaned rubbing his back, "Looks like it, sorry about this?" he said taking off his bandana from his arm and putting it on his head.

Drax shook his head, "He's the idiot who started this mess, if he gets cut up for it then it's his own damn fault."

Luffy got up from the ground dusting himself down, his body having returned to its usual shape as he glared at Drax and Zoro as they both round on him as the three had a stand-off for several moments before they all raced at each other.

Zoro moved in, all his swords out, as he tried to go for Luffy, but was caught, only for Drax to come in from behind and smacked the flat of his blade into Luffy's face sending Luffy flying backwards, only for Luffy to return by sending out twin Gum-Gum pistols socking both Zoro and Drax in the guts as they were all send in opposite directions crashing into buildings and destroying walls.

With the spectators

The straw hats and others watched on not sure if anyone should step in or not as they watched on as the three powerhouses went at it in what was essentially a bare knuckle brawl for them.

Vivi gulped and looked to the nearest straw hat which happened to be Darrius and asked, "Why are they fighting? Aren't your captain and commander brothers, and the swordsmen friends with them?"

Darrius just gave a shrug, "Don't ask me, I've only been part of the crew for two days, I'm still trying to figure this group out." He said as he watched the fight waiting for something to happen.

Gin, who was next to Darrius, sighed, "Luffy, the main captain, can be a dipstick some times, and the commander, his brother, has to keep order when Luffy doesn't. It's a full time job, and it looks like the commander has his job cut out for him this time."

It was at this moment that Rose had come to after facing Drax's disappointment, and had kept low and was crawling over to the group wanting to keep low in case the fighting started up again, but stopped when she came face to face with one of Gin's spiked Tonfas pointed at her, she looked up past it to see Gin looking down at her with watchful eyes.

"Like the commander said earlier, if you want to get to these two you'll have to go through me." Gin threatened, "Friend to the commander or not."

Rose quickly sat back on her knees shaking her head rapidly, "No-no-no, wait-wait-wait, I'd have to be nuts to keep going after them with La cross-sensei guarding them that's a suicide mission, screw that shit, I don't have a death wish."

Gin and Darrius shared a look before looking back at her with raised eyebrows.

"What do you mean sensei?" Genin asked curious as to how she and the commander knew each other.

"Well du, La cross sensei," Rose explained like it was the simplest thing in the world, "he taught me for six months when I was just starting off as a bounty hunter, worked my fingers to the bone, but it was worth it."

Gin lower his tonfa hearing that, "I see, well if the commander vouches for you I won't argue" he said before holding his hand out, "Names Gin."

Rose smiled taking it, "Rose Valentin."

Their conversation didn't get a chance to continue as the walls of the building burst open anew as the fighters came out of them ready for more fighting, which is exactly what they did.

Luffy burst out fist's flying with a Gatling gun, Drax raised his blade and used the flat of it as a shield as he deflected the punches as he moved in close, Zoro just dodged as best he could.

Getting in close Drax smacked Luffy across the face with a haki backed fist, and received a rubber one from Luffy in return, but the punch broke Luffy's attack and Zoro moved in taking a swing with his swords which Luffy used the bottom of his sandal to push down and deflect the attack, but Drax saw the opening and swung his sword into Luffy's gut the flat of it smacking him hard and breaking the stale mate that they had found themselves in.

While the fighting is going on Nami and Nojiko have managed to sneak around and come out behind the group, and Nami groans seeing the three way fight, "Oh great what has Luffy done this time?" she asks seeing the fighting.

Gin looked to her and sighed, "the commander was in the middle of reminiscing with Rose here," he said gesturing to the girl who waved Hi, "after beating down her partner, both of them had been sent to kill the princess here," gestured to Vivi, "and the curly dude for some reason, apparently finding out stuff they weren't meant to know about the boss, when Luffy comes in after finding out the commander and Zoro, were fighting with the bounty hunters, not realising what was really happening, he won't let them explain and they've been fighting ever since"

Nojiko groans, "What an idiot, but then again Luffy really is that dense sometimes."

"Tell me about it," Nami added before looking to Vivi, "So you're a princess Hm? What're you doing with a group like baroque works then? Not somewhere you'd expect to find royalty of all places."

Vivi frowned, "it's a long story, but I must return to my kingdom, many lives are at state because of the information I carry."

Nami smirked, "including your own by the sounds of it, if this boss is so dangerous, you'll need protecting on the way there, as you no doubt have seen that's something our crew can easily provide, for the right price of course, well think of it more of a reward fee, for us safely returning a princess to her kingdom, I'm sure the reward for that would be pretty high."

Vivi frowned, "You're right I could but even so, I'm not sure as to how much I can promise."

"Oh that's just the semantics," Nami rushed it off, "we'll have plenty of time to come to a figure later, for now though let me just go and break these three up so we can discuss the details." She said as she started to walk towards the fighting.

Vivi watched in shock as Nami walked confidently over to the still fighting trio, before looking to Nojiko, "Isn't that a bit dangerous, she could get hurt?"

Nojiko smiled, "oh don't worry she'll be fine, Drax won't hurt her." She said before giggling, "And as for Luffy and Zoro they don't stand a chance.

The fighting had once again come to a stale mate, Luffy with one foot on the ground had one foot up blocking Zoro's three blades, with one of his hands gripping Zoro's arms keeping him from pushing forward, which his other hand was occupied with holding back Drax's swing by the handle of his sword gripping tightly preventing Drax from removing one of his hands to swing a fist at Luffy.

The three of them were so focused on each other at that moment that they didn't see the two fists coming at them.

*CRACK* *CRACK*

Both Luffy and Zoro were sent flying from the fists knocking them both out of the three way dead lock as Drax stumbled for a moment before righting his footing and looking around to see Nami smirking at him with her hands on her hips.

Drax chuckled for a bit as he looked to the groaning Luffy and Zoro as he sheathed his sword, "thanks for that, thought Luffy would never quit, I forget how thick headed he can be at times, sometimes fighting is the only way to get through to him."

Nami smirked, "Well you would know best being his brother and all."

Drax smirked back, "Ouch, that's a double sided complement if I've ever heard one, not sure how to take that."

Nami grinned and stepped up to him giving him a quick kiss on the lips, "I'll make it up to you later, for now we have a contract to negotiate with the princess over there." She smirked.

"Contract?" Drax asked in confusion.

Nami smirked, "Yep, for the return of a princess to her home kingdom for a reward of an amount yet to be negotiated, I can almost smell the freshly printed berries."

Drax chuckled, "I should have known." he said rolling his eyes.

Nami patted his cheek with a smirk, "Yes you should, now come on and bring those two knuckleheads, we have a contract to negotiate." she stated in a business like manor.

Drax shook his head chuckling, "You got it." he stated as he walked over gripping both Luffy and Zoro by the collars of their shirt and jacket and started to drag the pair with him following Nami.

Scene break

After things were explained about what had really been going on in town while Luffy was asleep, Luffy seemed to finally understand and burst out laughing in response.

"Ha-ha-ha, why didn't you two just say that's what happened." Luffy laughed, "I just figured you two just beat up those guys because they didn't make any food you liked."

Drax's eyebrow twitched in response before he drove his Haki encased knuckles down on Luffy's head, right alongside Zoro's regular fist as Drax raged at him, "You idiot, you didn't give us a chance to explain, you dumbass!", "who in their right mind would think that!"

Luffy winced from the pain of the punch but just kept laughing anyway, "Shishishishi, my bad."

"Will you shut up, Luffy!" Nami yelled as Luffy's boisterous laughing was making it hard to her to talk with Vivi as all this was going on as they tried to negotiate.

Drax just smirks as he plonked himself down on a bail of straw next to Zoro, Darrius and Gin as he watched Nami at work.

"Well there it is," Nami stated, "In exchange for taking you home, I'd like one billion berries." She stated as Vivi looks somewhat conflicted hearing the amount Nami wanted, "You saw how strong these guys are, if you ask me it isn't a bad deal."

Vivi shook her head, "I'm sorry but I can't, I appreciate the help you've given me so far."

Nojiko raise an eyebrow, "And what's the problem, you're a princess after all." She stated.

Nami nodded beside her, "Yeah, a billion berries is nothing to royalty. Aren't you rich?"

Drax smirked at that statement, "Last I checked, the Nefertari family is one of the oldest reigning monarchies in the grand line, hell eight hundred years ago it was one of the twenty families that founded World Government. They are the only family that remain to rule their country, rather than move to Mariejois and letting "new" royalty take over. Rich is the biggest understatement you could make."

"You see," Nami piped up with berri signs in her eyes at Drax's last sentence, "so what's the problem."

Vivi frowned, "Do you know much about Alabasta kingdom?" she looked to Drax, "you said you had business there before you fought Mister five, surely you know about what's going on there?"

Drax looked at her with a somewhat curious gaze, "Not exactly, I know if its history mostly, that's how I know of your family and who you are, but I've never been there before nor do I know of any recent events, but I take it from your tone that things aren't going well in Alabasta at this time."

Vivi frowned grimly as she looked down for a moment before speaking, "Alabasta is a great nation, a peaceful kingdom. At least it used to be."

Drax raised an eyebrow at the comment as did Nami who spoke first, "Used to be? And now?"

"We're in the middle of a civil war." Vivi stated plainly, a hint of anger clear in her tone directed towards the obvious troubles in her homeland, taking a breath she continued her voice more calm, "In recent years signs of discontent began to appear, finally the people revolted and the kingdom revolted into utter chaos. Then one day I learned of a secret organisation, called baroque works." She stated spitting out the name of the company with hatred. "I found out our people were being manipulated by this organisation, but that was the only information I could gather about them, I didn't know what to do so I went to Igaram for help. You see he's kept a close eye on me ever since I was a child, I asked him if he would help me to infiltrate baroque works, to see if I could find out who was pulling the strings behind the scenes, and what exactly they were up to."

Zoro smirked, "You've got some guts considering you're a princess."

Drax nodded before he turned his gaze to Rose who was currently sitting on a downed barrel who gulped under his gaze, "And this is the company you decided to join, did you know this was what you'd end up helping with?" he asked with a dark under tone.

"Hey yeah?" Nami said looking to Drax, "who is she? I've been meaning to ask?"

Drax sighed, "This is Rose Valentin, remember I told you back on the ship of my time as a bounty hunter in my last year on the grand line? And how I trained some and shows them the ropes?" getting a nod of understanding from Nami, "Well Rose here was my star pupil who stuck with me for six months of training, though she seems to have fallen a fair bit if she's working for these clowns." He said making Rose flinch at his tone, "So answer my question Rose. Did you know?"

Rose gulped shaking her head, "No way, at the start they were preaching about some ideal nation philosophy, how all who helped in the creation were guaranteed places in the status quo when it was complete, the pay was more than I ever got bounty hunting, and you know I needed the money if I wanted to try for my dream."

Drax nodded in recognition of that fact, "True but you could have made it if you kept training and working on your skills, instead you chose the easiest route that is not why I taught you Rose"

Rose lowered her head, "I'm sorry sensei."

Drax sighed, "What's done is done, but understand this now, that as of this moment you're cutting all affiliations with them, I won't have a student of mine associated with scum like that," he said in a dark tone before looking at her with narrowed eyes, "If not," he held up his hand as it started to spark, "I can always leave you like your former partner, and it will be me who cuts all affiliations with you."

Rose quickly nodded her head rapidly in agreement with him, "Yes Sensei." She said not wanting to give him any reason to turn his devil fruit powers on her, he had done so often in the past, but those had only been in training, and in joking matters, she knew that if he did so seriously she wouldn't stand a chance not even with her own devil fruit powers, she'd be out before she even got a hit in.

Luffy laughed seeing Rose nod her head so fast, "Ha-ha-ha, she'd funny. Hey what's this dream you mentioned you had that you need all that money for?"

Rose's eyes lit up at the mention of her dream and Drax smirked seeing the passion in her eye's remembering how passionate she was when she talked about it.

"I want to be the world's greatest chocolatier, and make the most delicious chocolates all around the world," Rose stated with passion, "I needed the money to buy a sea restaurant and get a crew and pay for the traveling, chocolate making has always been my passion."

Drax chuckled to himself seeing her go on, her eyes sparkling as she talked about chocolate, "Well next to your bounty hunting skills, when I trained you, your chocolate making skills were first rate, some of the best I've tasted to date actually." He smirked seeing Rose's eyes brighten at the complement.

"Right that settles it then." Luffy stated as he caught his fist in the palm of his hand, "Since the main crew already had a cook, you can join the first division as a desert maker then." He states openly and plainly making everyone blink looking at him.

Drax blinked for a moment before speaking, "Actually, that's a logically sound and reasoned idea… Oh dear lord, did… did Luffy actually just come out with a stream of thoughts and words that actually benefit the crew?" he stated in disbelief and shock as the rest of the crew, bar Luffy, dumbly nodded in return, equally as shocked as Drax breathed out a sigh of relief, "Oh good, I'm not going mad then, but that is actually a good idea." He stated before looking to Rose, "So what do you think Rose, want to travel again, but only this time on the other side as a pirate?" he offered.

Rose blinked for a moment, "Pirate?" she questioned slightly confused before thinking it over for a moment before smiling and nodding, "traveling again together dose sound fun, just like the old days, sure I accept"

Drax nodded, "Good now that that's settled, lets focus back on this Alabasta mess, so princess, just what part did you play in all this, that ended up with you two as part of their officer division, and finding out some information that obviously had got a price put on your head by the boss because of it, so what information did you find out"

Vivi frowned, "That the whole ideal nation philosophy they were spouting, was just the cover story concocted by the boss, a lie to cover their tracks." She spoke grimly.

"And their true purpose?" Nojiko asked not really liking any answer but asking anyway.

"Their true purpose is to take over Alabasta Kingdom." Vivi answered angrily.

The others looked on in shock while Drax nodded, "it makes sense in a way if you think about it, the fake goal and their real one are one in the same, if they want to create an ideal nation they first have to have a nation to start with."

Rose gulped, "This is all news to me. I never knew any of this." She said grimly.

Drax gave a light chuckle, "No shock there Rose, they probably sold this cover to bring people on board of their little scheme, I doubt is anyone out of the top three or four in the company actually know what the real end game is."

"That's right." Vivi said as she sighed, "Now you see why I have to get back to Alabasta, I have to warn everybody, to tell them the truth, and stop the fighting. If I don't to something. If I don't tell them." She said biting her bottom lip as she tried to fight off her tears thinking about what was going to happen.

Nami looks to Drax who was listening the whole time, and looked to her giving a small nod making her sigh, "Oh ok then, I get it. I see how it is. Yeah it's all starting to make sense now, I guess you wouldn't have a lot of money just laying around in the middle of a civil war no matter how well off you are."

Drax sighs and looks up at the night sky as he thinks over the information he's just been told and shakes his head in disbelief, 'Well looks like I'm going to have to put my goal to the side for now, and sort this mess out before I can go looking for answers.' he said before rubbing the back of his head, 'things just get more and more complex don't they'.

As Drax is thinking to himself Luffy looks to Vivi with an interested look in his eye, "Hey, so did you find out who's in charge?" he plainly asked.

Hearing his brother Drax's attention was immediately pulled out of his thoughts as he looked to him and smirked, "Damn Luffy, that's actually surprisingly direct for you Luffy, but I must admit it I'm curious as well to who would be behind such a plot to over throw an entire country, so would you care to enlighten us, Miss Nefertari"

"W-What, the B-Bosses identity?" Vivi asked in complete shock, "You shouldn't ask that!" she stated her face going paler than before.

"But you know don't you?" Luffy asked not one bit put off by her fear.

"Ask me anything but that!" Vivi said sounding near hysterical, "If I tell you then your lives will be put in danger too."

Nojiko smirked, "I'm gonna go with the princess on this one, if we knew, we'd all be number one on that guy's hit list, and I like living."

Nami nodded in amused agreement, "Yeah I'll pass, this guy is trying to take over a whole country after all. I don't want someone like that chasing after me."

"No you don't, I don't care how strong you people are, you wouldn't stand a chance against one of the seven warlords of the sea, against Crocodile" Vivi openly stated, and for three long seconds before the silence was broken by Luffy.

"Who now?" he stated and everyone realised she had just spilled the secret.

Vivi's hands instantly covered her mouth as her eyes and face paled white as a ghost. Both Nami and Nojiko's mouths hung open in disbelief, Rose and Darrius blinked for various reasons, Rose because she was confident in her skills, and Darrius just didn't care, a fight was a fight, Gin seemed to pale at the mention of the boss being a warlord as he had a flash back of hawk eye and shivered at the memory gulping slightly.

Luffy of course looked like a happy idiot realising he now knew the secret to, and Drax started to chuckle darkly before it burst into a full blown belly laugh as he processed just what was said and he found it absolutely hysterical.

Zoro groaned in disbelief, "You just had to say it."

It was at this time that everyone went silent as they all looked up as yet another strange and weird sight caught their attention, on the roof top above them sat a large, black-feathered vulture, with white feathers toward its neck. Its skin is pink, and her beak is a light yellow. Wearing a yellow aviator cap dotted with red flowers, and black goggles.

And next to it was a small, brown-furred otter with white fur around its snout. Wearing a long-sleeved, light blue coat with purple dots, as well as black sunglasses carrying what looked like a white Bivalve sea shell.

Both were looking down on the scene as the sound of Kakegoe Yooo was headed echoing followed by the sounds of Kabuki drums as the pair took to the air and flew off into the night sky.

Drax blinked strangely not sure what to make of it, "Um did anyone else just notice the vulture and the otter, and hear that very strange music just now?"

Although to everyone else it was like he never spoke as Nami and Nojiko pounced on Vivi shaking her screaming at her almost in verbally , as Drax was just able to pick out the "odd what was that!" as the other words were said to fast, and Vivi's crying was blocking most of it making it inaudible noise.

Luffy looked to Drax and Zoro with an almost kid like sparkle in his eyes, "Hey that's cool! Do you think a warlord is strong?"

Zoro chuckled, "Bound to be with the way she's acting." He said as he gestured to Vivi who was crying hysterically.

Gin and Darrius looked to each other as the both seemed to share a simultaneous thought, 'what kind of crew have I joined'

Rose seemed to chuckle somewhat nervously at the whole idea but didn't seem too fazed by it all.

After Nami and Nojiko had successfully shaken Vivi hysterical, Nami burst into hysterical tears of her own as she lunged and hung onto Drax as she cried in worry, "Being hunted in the grand line by a warlord is more than I can handle!" she cried out not believing this was happening less than a week into their grand line voyage.

Nojiko just leaned against the closest wall her head shaking in disbelief as she chuckled nervously at it all.

Drax gave a light laugh as he rubbed Nami's back trying to console her as he took a quick glance at Vivi who was currently on her knee's her mouth wide as she cried muttering "I'm sorry" over and over.

"So when do we get to see this guy?" Zoro asked.

"I wonder what he looks like." Luffy mused.

Darrius smirked, "I just want to know if I get to fight him?"

Nami seemed to snap out of her hysteria hearing them so unworried and pointed at them, "Will you three shut up!" she cries unable to comprehend how anyone could not be scared about something like this.

"Hey. Why don't we just leave?" Nojiko voiced, "This crocodile guy doesn't know what we look like yet. We could just disappear and he'd never find us." She said sounding hopeful.

Nami seemed to brighten up at the idea, "Great idea Sis, let's move everyone back to the ship let's get the hell out of here." She started to order as both she and Nojiko started to head back to the ship only to stop as they both came across the Vulture and Otter from before as the Otter was sketching on a pad before turning it to show life like sketches of each and every one of them.

Nami and Nojiko's faces fell as the vulture took to the sky once more with the otter on its back sketches in hand, as Nojiko and Nami collapsed to their knees, ""We're doomed!"" before Nami rushed back to Drax and continued to cry hysterically into his chest.

Zoro smirked, "Well it looks like the lot of us will be at the very top of Baroque works hit list, not too shabby our first week in the grand line" he commented with slight amusement.

Drax chuckled dryly as he rubbed Nami's back, "Not helping here Zoro," he said as Nami's crying doubled.

Vivi seemed to have overcome her own crying and was approached the pair, "Um I do have five hundred thousand berries in savings I could give you?" she offered as an attempt to try and help Nami, but she was so far gone even the offering of money wasn't enough to snap her out of it.

Darrius shook his head at the scene, "I don't know what you guys are so worried for, you've got five devil fruit users on your crew, and the others all know how to use weapons in some form, those who don't have devil fruits should just learn how to use their haki and they'll be fine, cause as far as I've seen besides me and the commander here, none of you guys can which is kind of pathetic if you ask me."

Drax chuckled at that and looked at Darrius with a sweet smile, "Why Darrius, thank you for volunteering to teach your fellow crewmates how to use haki. I'll expect results with in the week." He stats it as in not leaving him any room to reject the idea.

Darrius face palms with a groan, "Me and my big mouth."

"You have nothing to fear!" came another voice as everyone looked to see it's source, only the second Drax saw it he hit the ground laughing.

"What the heck is he wearing?" Drax laughed unable to contain himself at the sight before him.

Igaram, who had left them to "prepare something", had returned now only he was dressed very differently, wearing a somewhat warped version of what Vivi's outfit that looked hilarious when worn by someone of Igarams size and gender, hence Drax's laughter.

"It's," "Ma~ma~ma~", "it's going to be alright princess, I've come up with a plan" Igaram began to explain over Drax's laughing fit.

"Igaram? What are you…?" Vivi replied seeming a little disturbed by what Igaram was wearing.

"That's a really funny outfit old guy." Luffy adds seeing the outfit with a wide grin of his own.

"My dear princess Vivi, please listen to me carefully," Igaram started to explain his plan, "Once Baroque works intelligence network learns what has happened here. Agents will be sent after you immediately. And since they've learned you've learned the boss's true identity, you must…" Igaram lead on.

Vivi nodded in agreement, "yes, they're bound to send a thousand agents after me" she said seriously.

Both Nami and Nojiko stiffened with wide eyes hearing that statement, as Drax stopped laughing and started to take the conversation seriously, one thousand heads after you was not a laughing matter.

"Thus my plan," Igaram continued, "Disguised like this I shall pretend to be you, taking these dummies with me," Igaram gestured to the dummies under his arms, "and the others already on the ship and I shall sail a straight course to Alabasta"

"So these dummies are meant to be us?" Luffy asked poking them in amusement.

Zoro nodded as he seemed to get the idea, "A decoy?" he reasoned.

Igaram nodded, "yes, while baroque works is busy chasing after me, you lot will take princess Vivi to Alabasta following a less direct route."

Drax nodded understanding but with a frown "it might not work if they're an intelligence network is any good, they won't be easily fooled",

Igaram nodded, "be that as it may it's a risk we have to take." He sighed.

"Hold on here just a second!" Nami piped up, "Who said we were going to take her with us?" Nami started, "we still haven't.." she started only to stop when Drax gave her a less than gentle slap to the back of the head making her wince, turning to berate him she freeze seeing his disapproving glare on her and gulped as she suddenly felt like she was four years old again being scolded by Bellmère.

"There's no if, ands or buts about it. She's coming with us, payment or no", Drax stated plainly keeping his glare on Nami the whole time shooting Nojiko a look when she went to speak up as well.

"B-But Crocodile will be after us." Nami tried to argue trying to reason her point.

Drax looked at her and raised an eyebrow, "You're point being? Let him come, he'll be after us either way." Drax stated the facts.

Luffy looked to Igaram, "Is this Crocodile guy really that dangerous?" he asked curiously.

Igaram nodded, "One of the seven warlords of the seas, he is a legally recognised pirate, and because of that fact there is no bounty on his head, however before he became a warlord his bounty was worth eighty million berries"

Hearing that Dra gave a bark of laughed, "Ha, so the little snapper got his bounty raised did he, not bad. For a warlord I'd expect seventy million or higher for this side of the grand line at least." He smirked.

Both Nojiko's and Nami's eyes widened hearing that, "Eighty million, that's four times Arlongs bounty, there's no way" Nami said as Nojiko shook her head trying to think of anything else.

Drax sighed rubbing his brow before he looked to them both getting a little tired of their constant lack of faith, "Are you two both forgetting what my previous bounty was?" he asked looking at them both as they both looked to him shaking their heads, before Drax nodded, "then do either of you think that even for a second, that I would let Crocodile even lay one finger on either of you after my words back on Cocoyashi, he would die before he even set his eyes on you." Drax said darkly his eyes serious making both Nami and Nojiko frown and look down as they both felt a pang of guilt in them for doubting his ability to keep them safe.

Nami stepped close to him and wrapped her arms around him hugging him as an apology, after a moment Drax returned the hug with his own holding her close as he kissed the top of her head, "I will never let anyone hurt you as long as I can help it." he said in a low voice.

Nami nodded into his chest, "I'm sorry I doubted you, it's just I feel so out of my league, I can't help but worry."

Drax nodded in understanding, "And I get that, but you'll both always have me to protect you, even when you've both learned to protect yourselves, I'll still be there, never doubt that fact."

Nami nodded again hugging him closer as he did the same. Drax kissed the top of her head once more before looking to Nojiko who gave him a sad smile and nod as means of silent apology which he returned in acceptance, no more needed to be said between them.

Scene break

With plans set, the group started to make their way to the cove where Igaram had his ship ready to make way. As they walked Drax looked to Nojiko as a thought crossed his mind.

"Hey Nojiko, where's Eva, last I checked she was cuddled up with you back after the party?" Drax asked wondering about the crew's smallest member.

Nojiko smiled, "oh don't worry about her, I left her to snuggle into a sleeping Kaya before Nami and I went to raid the town of all its loot."

Nami sighed, "Oh don't remind me of that." She shook her head, "I swear this town is completely useless, you'd think for a bounty hunters nest they'd have more than just a couple hundred thousand berri in their vaults, I've gotten more from a day's worth of pick pocketing."

Drax raise an eyebrow at that comment, 'that dose seem a little odd, you'd think with all the pirates they collect the bounties on that pass through here they'd have a little more to show for it, hell even if they bounties weren't that high, the funds they'd get from salvaging the ships and cargo would still be worth something' he thought to himself but put it aside for later thought as they came into the cove the large ship was docked in.

As they got to the edge of the coast Igaram turned and started to rub his throat as he adjusted his voice, "Ma~Ma~ma!", he sounded his voice getting higher pitched as he went, "now I Vivi will leave from here." He spoke his voice higher pitched.

Luffy chuckled, "Great imitation old guy." He laughed.

Zoro groaned, "imitation of who?" he asked as Igaram's voice was nothing like Vivi's.

Turing to Vivi Igaram held out his hand, "Princess, please give me the eternal pose." He asked seriously.

Vivi frowned for a moment before reluctantly reaching onto her coat and taking out an object, a larger hand held version of what looked to be the display of a log pose.

Hearing the mention of some kind of pose Nami perked up for a moment interested, "what's an eternal pose?" she asked not having heard of one before.

Drax smirked, "think of it as a more fixed version of a Log pose, while the Log pose lets you travel from island to island following the magnetic routes, an eternal pose is modified to always follow a specific magnetic course leading to one specific location. They're useful as they allow for direct travel to specific locations, the majority of pirate crews in the second half of the grand line use them mostly for travel to their own little islands that they either use as a base of operations or to store their haul from battles and such," he said before pointing to the small sphere around his neck, "this is a more customisable version that I got back during my time with my last crew, that allows for two magnetic locations to be stored on it, one permanently set and the other can be changed, the more permanent one is set to point to my own private storage island in the second half of the grand line that's located in the calm belt there, the second one isn't set to anything at the minute cause I cleared it when I left the grand line the first time."

Nami took great interest in the device looking at it as the gently lifted it while it was still attached around Drax's neck and inspected it seeing the rings and the unique arrows on them, "it looks pretty fragile" she worried.

Drax shook his head, "no need to worry about that, the glass on these are more sturdier than regular poses, I'm pretty sure you could drop a building on this and it wouldn't even get a scratch, though I don't want to test that" he smirked. "but we should try and collect some eternal poses in case we want to go anywhere specific in our time on the grand line, I have a couple in my vault on my storage island but we won't get there for a good while yet, so better to collect others if we get the chance."

Nami nodded in agreement, "sure thing, I'll keep my eye open for them."

Igaram looked at them all as he spoke next, "Please take care of the princess on your journey, I've never gone via the indirect route before, but you should only have to pass two or three islands before you reach Alabasta if you follow the log." He said before looking to Vivi who was looking to him with a sad frown, he gave her a reassuring smile, "I'm sure your journey will be a difficult one, please be careful." He said as Vivi looked ready to burst into tears but nodded none the less before smiling and holding out her hand.

"See you soon" she said as she put on a brave face.

Igaram nodded taking her hand and smiling, before turning and heading for the ship and pulling the ladder in.

A few moments later the ship was casting off as the others looked on as it pulled out of the bay and set off out to sea setting its course right to Alabasta as it did so.

"And off he goes, he was a very funny old man," Luffy grinned as they watched him sail off.

Vivi smiled, "what's more he's a very reliable old man." She said thinking fondly of her friend as she watched the ship sail out into open waters away from the island before…

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

The ship exploded in a huge fireball that shook the very air and lit up the sky with flames. Drax raised his hand to his eyes from the heat of the flames before looking back his eyes wide realising what he had just witnessed his fists clenched as he realised what had just happened.

The others looked on just as stunned and shocked as they witnessed the ship that Igaram had just departed on had just been blown to pieces in a fiery explosion, likely taking the old man's life at the same time.

"That's impossible!" Nami said as she realised what it meant, "they're already after us?"

Drax gritted his teeth before closing his eyes as he reached out with his haki, reaching out over the ocean trying to find any sign of life and he released a faint breath when he did, Igaram was still alive after somehow surviving that. Shaking his head he realised he couldn't focus on that now the old man would live, he could swim to shore if he wanted to, what mattered now was they get moving, if the enemy was already here and they were able to do this, there was cause to worry.

Luffy turned with a serious expression on his face as he walked back and picked up his straw hat which had fallen off due to the shock wave the explosion released, putting it on his head he looked towards Drax who nodded before Luffy turned to the others "Let's go!" he ordered.

The others nodded and started to move following their captain, Zoro looked to Nami, "what about the Log?" he asked.

Nami looked to her wrist where the log pose was seeing it was registering the next island, "its fine we're all set!"

Zoro nodded before seeing that Vivi was still standing in shock, "you two get the girl, we gotta go!" he ordered before following Luffy.

Nami and Nojiko looked to see Vivi and went to pull her to follow, "Vivi, we gotta go!" Nami said going around her.

"If they get us now it will all be for nothing! Nojiko added as she went around her as well.

But both sisters stopped when they saw the look on Vivi's face, one of sadness, terror and fright, and rage, having just seen one of her oldest friends die in an explosion, she was biting her bottom lip to keep from crying out, she bit so hard she was actually drawing blood, both sisters reacted and hugged the princess on either side holding her close to them.

"Don't worry we are going to get you home." Nami said to her reassuringly as Vivi's eyes finally rimmed with tears as her fear and sadness gripped her.

"The others are strong, they defeated Arlong and saved the east blue," Nojiko added, "if anyone can protect you it's them"

"Baroque works, Crocodile, Ha, give me a break," Nami said darkly, "it's them who should be worried."

Drax looks at the scene before smiling and turning heading toward the town, Luffy sees him go and calls out, "Bro where are you going! The ships this way!"

Drax turns his head, "I know, but there's something I want to check out first, I'll catch up, just keep the ship a hundred meters out if I don't get there before you set off and I'll static aboard, just focus on getting everyone on the ship and getting underway."

Luffy nods before looking to Gin, Darrius and Zoro, "Get the others, we've got to get to the ship!" he orders taking command as the others nodded and started to rush to follow out their orders.

Scene break

Drax landed on the roof top that Miss Monday had lost to Zoro on, her body was gone so that told Drax that she had woken up and left some time earlier, obviously not wanting to continue fight them.

Turning away from the spot Drax walked over to retrieve his coat that he had left handing on the building and put it back on as the others continued their way through the town.

As he did he paused to think about what Nami had said earlier, the loot this town had should have been so much more than Nami and Nojiko had found, and it was annoying Drax that they got so little for their troubles.

Fixing his coat he walked to the edge of the building and looks out over the rest of the small town before closing his eye and taking a breath before letting it out followed closely with a pulse of static energy that resonated from his feet that pulled down the building and into the ground continuing on as it radiated outward.

After several second Drax smirked, "I see so that's how it is, very smart" he said mysteriously before bursting into static.

A couple of minutes later Drax reformed outside of relatively plain building on the outer limits of the town, the only things making it different from the others was the relatively new door and it's lack of windows and other ways in.

Drax looked at it for a moment before smirking as he gripped his sword handle and with a single motion slashed the door, as the next second it fell away to reveal a second door behind it, only this one was iron plated with a heavy set lock on its front.

Drax grinned seeing it, "hiding the vault in plain sight, cleaver for some, stupid for others" he said before he placed the tip of his sword at the lock of the door and seconds later the tip glowed a bright red as it radiated heat as well as a few sparks of discharge as the red glow grew to cover the whole of the blade before it was thrust forward melting its way through the lock, and with a slice the locking mechanism fell apart.

Seeing the lock destroyed Drax pulled his sword out before pushing on the door as it swung open for him, and he grinned, "Piece of cake", he laughed before waking inside.

Pulling on the hanging light switch inside Drax was slightly impressed at what he saw. The whole room was completely insulated with iron and there was no other way in bar the door he had just came through, and he could clearly see why given what was in the room.

Stacks on stacks of gold bars, and piles of cash of varying heights filled the shelves on either side of the room, which lead up to two display cases at the far side of the room.

Walking over and peering inside one Drax's grin grew as he saw it's content, several eternal poses, 'this must have been how they sent out ships to get resources, or orders, makes sense' he thought to himself as he opened the case as he looked over the poses before stopping on one, and his eyes widened seeing the name, "Drum kingdom, well I'll be damned" he said lifting it, "this could come in handy, better just keep it safe for now, never know when I might decide to see how the old quack and witch are doing" he grinned before he pulled a bag out of his pocket and proceeded to pocket the others.

With the eternal poses safely bagged up he moved to the second display case and his eyes bulged as he couldn't believe what he was seeing inside it, three devil fruits all lined up in a row, each looked like the oddest fruits Drax had ever seen, one was a black pear with purple markings on it, and other was a pink banana with red stripes and the third was a white pineapple with a black swirling stripe around it, each giving off an aura of power.

Drax grin widened more and more seeing them "Ha! Triple jack pot, three devil fruits all in a row. Useless town my ass" he said before he quickly opened the case and bagged the fruits.

With the most valuable items bagged Drax turned to the gold and the cash and smirked as he pulled out another bag, "let's get you all sorted." He said with a smirk and started too bad as much as he could.

Five minutes later Drax let out a breath as he looked at the three very large bags filled with the loot from the vault, each were bigger than he was there was so much, it'd definitely made up for the rather crappy experience of this town, though Drax had to laugh, first they had come, eaten all their food, drank all their booze, then kicked their asses, now they were robbing them blind, this was the definition of being a pirate, eat and drink your hosts out of house and home before robbing them blind, kicking their butts if they try to stop you, what a life.

Looking to the two smaller bags he was carrying he grinned, the eternal poses and the devil fruits were just the icing and devil fruit cherry on top, they were probably the best thing he could have wanted from this town, he couldn't wait to see the looks on the others faces.

With a grin, Drax reached out grabbing the tied knots of the three bags and lifting them with little difficulty over his shoulder before he dispersed into static with a loud crack almost like thunder.

Meanwhile with the others

While Drax was busy the others were all rushing about the ship, Gin had returned with Kaya and Eva who he had woken from their sleep to get them back to the ship.

Eva yawned as she clung to Kaya as the older girl climbed up the ladder to get onto the ship just as Luffy arrived with Sanji and Usopp dragging them rather uncomfortably behind him all the way there.

Arriving at the ship Luffy called up, "hey I got these two?" he called.

Zoro who was hauling the anchor up and fixing it in place looked down, "Bring 'em up were almost ready to go!"

Luffy nodded and looked back at them only to sigh, "What? They're still sleeping?" he said not realising that they weren't sleeping they were just unconscious due to the pain of being dragged half way through the dirt town.

Zoro winced seeing them but shrugged it off when he saw Nami and Nojiko arguing with Vivi, "What's the hold up?" he called

Nami shook her head, "Apparently her duck's gone missing and she's refusing to leave without it!" she called back.

Rose who was already on deck blinked and looked to see the yellow duck was standing beside her, "Um you mean this duck?" she asked pointing to it.

"""I/He's already here""" Nojiko, Nami and Vivi yelled seeing it.

Rose blinked, "made it here before we did?" she sweat dropped as the other girls started climbing to get on.

Kaya still holding Eva who was still between sleep and awake frowned, and looked to Nami as she climbed up, "I'm going to take Eva below deck to sleep, she's still exhausted from this evening" Kaya reasoned.

Nami nodded, "that's fine, just hurry back, we need all hands at work if we want to make a quick getaway." She said as she and Nojiko made their way up to the upper deck.

Darrius gripped Usopp by the nose as Luffy passed him up and threw the sniper onto the deck besides the unconscious cook before gripping Luffy's hand and pulling him up, "what about the commander, will he make it here in time?" he asked while doing so.

Luffy grinned, "Yeah there's no need to worry about Drax, he'll get on board as long as we're within range of the island he's just cool like that"

Zoro nodded hearing that not so worried about the commanded making it on board having already seen him use his traveling ability more than once and looked to Vivi as the princess climbed on board, "Hey, how many people will baroque works really send after us?" he asked trying to get an idea of the fight they had coming their way.

Vivi looked unsure for a moment before reply, "I'm not sure. Baroque works has over two thousand loyal employees and I know there are a number of bases like this scattered across this area of the grand line alone."

Nami gulped hearing that, "so they really could send a thousand people after us?" she stated in fear.

Rose nodded to her left, "Yep, baroque works is a large group, we're all targets now, they don't take kindly to people nosing about in their business," she said before smirking, "or deserting like me, I've probably got a bigger price for that, on top of knowing the bosses identity"

Nami gulped not liking the sound of all the trouble heading their way and looked up to the sails that Gin undoing the rope holding them, "Get those sails undone we need to be moving now!" she called up wanting to be moving sooner rather than later.

Gin nodded before pulling the final rope unfurling the sails as the ship pulled forward catching the wind as Luffy pulled the rudder control directing them out to the channel heading out to sea.

It was at this time when both Sanji and Usopp finally managed to waken up from their unconscious state, curtsy of Luffy's travel methods and looked around realising what was going on.

"Hey the ship's leaving!" Usopp said looking around seeing things moving around him. Nami and Nojiko on the front deck turned to them.

"Oh so your finally awake." Nami said with a sigh,

"Took them long enough" Nojiko rolled her eyes from beside Nami.

"Hold on a second, can't we stay just one more night!" Sanji started to plead to which Usopp added "Just one night!", "this town is full of amazingly cute girls!" Sanji tried to plead his case with Usopp backing him up with, "who knows if we'll ever have this much fun again!", "even pirates deserve a vacation!" Sanji yelled not wanting to leave as the others sweat dropped at their hopeless actions, but Usopp just had to take one more shot at staying, "come on it's not even morning yet!"

But their plea's and cries fell silent when the fists of both Nojiko and Nami descended on both their heads laying them out flat on the deck nearly enough to knock them back into dream land, both girls having had enough of their begging.

Rose smirked at the scene and knelt down and poked their collapsed forms checking to make sure they were still alive, like a kid poking something with a stick to check the same thing, only stopping when she saw movement.

After another few minutes of sailing they finally reached the end of the channel, "we should be reaching the open sea soon" Vivi informed Nami as they tried to see through the fog and mist that was starting to clear.

Nami let out a breath of relief seeing the fog was shifting and the sun was starting to come out, "Looks like a new day is dawning, that should clear up the fog and it should be smooth sailing for now." She said feeling a lot better about sailing away from the island.

As they were making their way, a new voice spoke out from behind everyone.

"I'm just glad we got away from the people who are chasing us." The voice spoke out.

"That's for sure" Nami said in agreement automatically.

"With all this fog still about, we need to be careful to avoid the rocks" the voice spoke out again.

"I'll take care of it" Nami said only to blink as the new voice finally registered with her and the realised she didn't recognise it. Turning she looked to her left to see Luffy and blinked, "Hey did you say something?" she asked checking.

Luffy shook his head "Nope?"

That was when the others took notice and everyone turned to see where the voice came from only to all look on wide eyes seeing a complete stranger sitting on the upper deck railing outside of the kitchen and mess.

The stranger was an older woman, with shoulder length black hair, and blue eyes, wearing a skimpy cowgirl outfit consisting of a purple cleavage-exposing corset and matching miniskirt, both with white ornaments hanging from them, and matching purple knee length, high heeled boots.

Seeing the woman both Rose and Vivi paled slightly recognising her as she smiles sweetly over them all, "This ship is nice." She said breaking the tension as everyone seemed to gasp at the same time.

"What! Who's that?" Zoro asked his hand going for his Wado pulling his blade out of its sheath an inch reach to pull at a moment's notice.

"It… It's you" Vivi sounded finial finding her voice.

This made the newcomer chuckle slightly before she spoke, "I just happened to run into your dear Mister Eight a whiles back, he didn't look so good." She said resting the side of her face on her hand in amusement of it all.

Vivi's expression darkened, "So it was you. You killed Igaram!" she declared that seemed to make the others stiffen before Luffy reacted.

"You! What are you doing on my ship! How did you get here?!" Luffy demanded pointing at her.

"Answer him!" Vivi demanded, "What are you doing here? Miss All Sunday!"

Hearing the code name Nami and Nojiko look to Vivi. "So she's with Baroque works?" Nami stated to which Nojiko added, "Which of the numbered guys is she partnered with?"

Vivi glared at Miss All Sunday heatedly as she spoke, "Her partner is Mister Zero, the boss." she stated plainly making, the sisters look at her in shock.

"Ah, you mean!" Nojiko started

"Crocodile's her partner!" Nami finished now in fear that the warlord was going to show up any minute.

Luffy looked to his left glancing at Vivi, "So, she's a bad guy then?" he asked wanting clarification.

"She was the only one who knew the boss's identity," Vivi started to explain keeping her eyes on the woman, "that was how we found out who actually is, by following her back to him."

Miss All Sunday smiled slightly at that, "to be accurate I allowed it."

"So she's a good guy then?" Luffy asked confused by that statement.

"I know you knew we were there." Demanded Vivi, "You're the one who told the boss what we knew. Weren't you?"

"That's right" Miss All Sunday replied in an amused tone.

"Alright so she is bad" Luffy settled on the fact now.

"Luffy would you cut it out already." Zoro sweat dropped at Luffy not taking the situation seriously.

"Tou still haven't told us what it is you're doing here" Vivi snapped her anger boiling ready to explode at her friend's killer.

"Oh right." Miss All Sunday said sounding rather board now, "You were just so serious about this whole thing that I couldn't help myself. A princess doing whatever it would take to help her country, while making herself an enemy of baroque works, the idea was just so… ridiculous"

Her words sparked Vivi's rage as Igaram's face flashed before her as she yelled out, "You killed him!"

At that everyone reacted on instinct.

Zoro pulled his sword out at the ready, Gin had his tonfas out and hanging ready to swing, Nojiko pulled her pistols and took aim, Sanji pulled a pistol from somewhere and was standing on one side of the intruder with it aimed at the side of her head, while Usopp was on the other side his sling shot pulled back and loaded.

Rose had lowered and spread her stance ready to move her parasol ready to open and take her into the air, while Darrius had pushed himself off the railing his hands now hanging loosely by his sides ready to move as he watched the situation carefully, something not sitting right with him about this new woman, and one thing he knew was to follow his instincts, they'd never lead him wrong.

Nami had pulled segmented staff out of her waste and had it connected and pointed at the ready as Luffy stood beside her and Nojiko ready to move.

Usopp glanced passed the intruder looking to Sanji for a moment before speaking, "Um Sanji, you do realise what you're doing here right?"

"Nope, not a clue. I just know that the beautiful Miss Wednesday needs me." Sanji replied keeping his sight down the barrel of the pistol.

The whole scene seemed to irritate Miss All Sunday as she closed her eyes, "I would really appreciate it…", "if you would stop pointing those things at me" she said sounding irritated, and in the spit second between her words. Every member of the crew with a weapon suddenly found themselves disarmed of it, as guns, swords, staffs, parasols, slingshots and tonfas hit the deck knocked from their owners hands, and both Sanji and Usopp were thrown from the upper deck to the lower by the same unseen force that disarmed everyone, as the sky's above seemed to darken for as a dark cloud cover comes over them unnoticed by the others.

"You mean she's..." Vivi started

"Eaten a," Nami added her staff knocked to the ground

"A devil fruit" Zoro finished as he flexed his hand after his Wado ichimonji was forced from it.

Nami quickly looked to Darrius, "Which one has she eaten what's her power?" she asked quickly.

Darrius just kept his gaze on Miss All Sunday as he replied, "I'm not sure, it's strange, I can't really describe it."

Nami turned back to the enemy with no new information to help as Sanji was looking up at the enemy with a heart in his eye, "wow now that I get a look at her, you're beautiful!"

Miss All Sunday seemed to just brush off the complement with a smirk before looking over them again, "Now there's no need to get so excited, you can all calm down, I haven't been given any orders to follow here. I've no reason to fight you"

Suddenly the dark clouds above them let out a loud rumble of thunder, which gets most of the crew's attention looking up.

Luffy grinned seeing the clouds as he spoke, "Big bro's back" he commented just as a steak of lightning shot from the clouds above and hit the front deck of the ship, but not damaging it.

Everyone shielded their eyes from the flash, but as it faded a figure of sorts forms facing towards the back of the ship, Drax smirks as he reforms setting the bags down on the ship as soon as he arrived chuckling as he brushed the static off his coat, "Well that was fun, thanks for waiting guys." He said as he headed towards the stairs down not seeing what was going on because of the sail in the way.

"Let's get this voyage… under… way?" he state as he reached the bottom of the steps but stops seeing everyone looking rather uneasy and facing in one direction, "hey, what's everyone looking so… scared… for…" he asked as he looked in the same direction as everyone else only for his eyes to widen and feel himself go cold with shock as he set eyes on the woman everyone else was looking at, like he had seen a ghost, 'it… it can't be, she's… she's meant to be dead.'

Swallowing deeply, Drax quickly composed himself as he schooled his features and smirked, "Oh, I see we have a guest. Who might this lovely lady be?" Drax asked as he moved his hand to rest on his sword, "Friend or foe?"

Miss All Sunday looked at Drax with a slightly curious gaze, not one for someone who'd just appeared out of a lightning bolt, but more out of mild interest, she'd see his look of shock on his face when he first saw her, but she knew how to school her features also and had caught his small slip before he got himself under control, and the slip had her curious as to why he looked at her that way, she was certain she didn't know him, but brushed it off for another time before smiling, "That remains to be decided handsome, though if your friends pull their weapons on me again they will have decided that for themselves"

Drax raises an eyebrow at that, "Oh. And why would my friends here be raising their weapons against you? Last I checked they don't do so without good reason?"

Miss All Sunday seemed to smile then, "I believe it was because I was the one responsible for blowing up Mister Eight's ship killing him in the process." She stated rather plainly like she wasn't talking about having just killed someone.

Drax blinked once at that before raising an eyebrow, "ah, that was you was it? Well my complements on a specular explosion," he stated getting looks of shock from the crew for what he just said, before he continued, "but I'm afraid if that was your attempt at killing someone you need to practice a little more, I know for a fact that Igaram survived that little explosive attempt on his life, better luck next time." He stated with a smirk.

"What!" Vivi looked at him shocked, "Igaram survived?"

Drax nodded, "He did, my abilities allowed me to reach out and search for any signs of life in the after math of that explosion, I felt him out there among the debris, I didn't say anything at the time because I realised what the explosion meant and we didn't have time to send out a search party looking for him. He's a strong man, I'm sure he'll be able to swim to shore and get another ship and make his way on his own." Drax stated to Vivi who had her hand over her mouth tears of joy streaming down her face, knowing that her friend hadn't been killed.

Miss All Sunday didn't seem shocked by the news and simply smiled, "Well that is a pleasant surprise, oh well it doesn't really matter to me, killing him was never part of my orders, in fact as I was explaining before you arrived, I don't actually have any orders at the moment, and thus no reason to fight any of you, not that I would even need to due to where your ship is currently heading."

Drax smirked at the underlying tone, "and pray tell, just where are we bound my fair lady." Drax asked in an amused tone.

His tone made Miss All Sunday smile, as she replied, "the next island you are bound is called little garden, and if even half the stories about that island are true, we won't even have to lift a finger, you'll all be dead long before you reach Alabasta, including you handsome."

Drax crossed his arms, "I wouldn't be too sure about that, I can hold my own in a fight, and so can the rest of the crew, don't underestimate us."

Miss All Sunday smiled at that, "Oh I'm not, but out of the matter of fairness, here." She said as she tossed an eternal pose to Drax as he caught it and looked at it, "using that you can just skip right past little garden without stopping straight to an island near Alabasta. The pose points to a place known as Nanimonai, none of our agents know that route so you won't be followed."

Drax looked at the pose with interest in it, as Nami moved to him looking at it like it was their saviour.

"Why are you giving this to us?" Nojiko looked at the pose suspiciously.

"It's gotta be a trap." Zoro stated his arms crossed.

Miss All Sunday looked mildly amused, "Oh dose it?"

Drax smirked looking at it but movement out of the corner of his eye made him look to see Luffy coming over to him with a determined look in his eye as he reached out to take the pose, as he spoke, "Keep your thing, we don't need it."

But Drax quickly pulled his hand and the pose back, "Whoa easy there little brother, I get what you're saying but these things are hard to come by, even if we don't decide to use it. It's better to keep it and have it, than destroy it and need it later, for all we know the next island could have a long waiting period for the log to reset before we can travel again, and the last thing we need is to be stuck on an island when we need to be moving." He explained logically to Luffy who was still glaring at the pose, or was for about five seconds after Drax's explanation before Nami drove her foot into his face sending him to the deck.

"Don't destroy it you idiot, we might need it!" Nami raged, pissed off that Luffy nearly destroyed a piece of valuable equipment that was given to them.

Looking back up to Miss All Sunday Drax smirked, "Doesn't look like we'll be using this, but thanks for the pose. Why are you trying to help us anyway?"

Miss All Sunday just smirked, "Use it or not it makes no difference to me. As for why I'm helping you, well call it curiosity, this group of your intrigues me," she said before swinging her legs over the railing and standing up, "no matter what course you decide to follow, I hope to see you all again." She said as she headed towards the railing stopping to cast one move glance at Drax to find that he was still watching her with interest, before she moved back to the railing and threw herself over it, with a call of, "let's go Bunchi."

Everyone moved to the railing as she did so to see where exactly she went and the sight of a giant turtle with a saddle on its back and with a large white cowboy hat and cigar raises more than a few eyebrows as it swam away from the side of the merry.

Looking over the side Drax raised an eyebrow, 'What a way to travel, by turtle' he mentally chuckles amused as they watch her disappear into the fog. As he watched her go he couldn't help but let a look of worry cross his face, worry that he wouldn't be able to find her again, a look that Nojiko noticed but it was gone after a second as Drax turned away from the railing the woman and turtle out of sight now as he rubs the back of his head with a sigh, "That woman is going to be trouble."

The others looked to him at the statement, Nami was the first to speak, "Do you know her Drax?" she asked shocked thinking he did and didn't say anything.

Drax shook his head, "Not personally no, but if she's who I think she is, then things have just gotten complicated in a whole new way that I don't even want to think about right now." He said with a sigh at the end.

The others just looked at him strangely at the statement, but before anyone else could ask anything else, Darrius screws up his face in disgust waving his hand in front of his face like there was a foul stench in the air, "Oh man, what the fuck is that smell?"

Attention was now given to him as the others didn't know what he was talking about, "Um Darrius, what smell are you talking about?" Usopp asked the obvious question everyone was wondering about.

"You can't smell it, damn surprizing with the nose you got on you?" Darrius comments getting a face flaunt from Usopp as Darrius takes another sniff of the air before pegging his nose and pointing, "Drax what the hell is in those bags you brought on board it smells like week old sea king dung."

That's when it hit Drax what Darrius was only now smelling and he chuckled, "Ah that's what your smelling, I wondered if you'd catch whiff of them, didn't think it would happen till someone ate them." He commented as he headed up the steps gesturing to the others to follow.

Getting up they all gathered in front of the bags Drax brought on board Darrius still pegging his nose, Drax looked to Nojiko and Nami, "I thought it was odd that you two weren't able to find much in the way of loot while you were ransacking the town. So I decided to do my own sweep. Low and behold I found their main vault hidden in plain sight, you guys probably missed it of if you did find it you probably weren't able to get in given the first door was locked up tight, and even if you did the next door would have blocked you completely given how thick it was, I had to force it with a super-heated thrust from my sword to bust the lock before I could get in. But I can see why they had it, cause of what was inside, well we hit the jack pot three times in a row" he said with a smirk, and gestured to the three bags behind him, "three bags filled with gold and berries each roughly filled with seventy million berri each for the first jackpot"

Both Nami and Nojiko's mouths were open at that as their eyes shown with berri signs hearing Drax had just brought a money hall of two hundred of ten million berries on their first island.

Nami quickly snapped out of her state and jumped for Drax planting a huge kiss on his lips making practically snogging him for a minute straight before she stopped needing air, "Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" she said, though it would have been better said if her eyes weren't still golden berri signs, which the others sweat dropped to.

Drax chuckled, "Well that was only Jack pot one of three," he said as he lifted one of the other two bags and opened it to reveal its contents, "I found a whole collection of eternal poses for different islands, not sure if we'll ever need them but it's best to have them and not need them than need them and not have them, plus they fetch a pretty high price on the market depending on where they lead, so it's good either way" he said with a smirk before lifting the other bag, "This bag is what you're probably smelling Darrius." He said opening it up to reveal the multi coloured fruits inside.

"Devil fruits!" the others all say in unison when they see them.

Drax nodded, "yep, the idiots just had them lying around in their safe, likely they were afraid to use them not wanting to risk getting a bad deal with their powers"

Rose smirked, "I can understand that, I was one of the lower ranked agents partnered with one of the guys in the top twenty before I took a chance at eating a devil fruit, after I got my powers they pushed me up to the top five, so it was worth the risk in my case, not many others want to risk it."

Finally noticing Rose, Sanji's eye turned to a heart, "Oh wow when did you get here angel." Which made Rose look at him with a "what-the-hell" face.

Drax chuckled hearing that before looking over the others, "Well they're ours now, so anyone want to risk it and take a bite of one?"

As soon as Drax said it each one of the crew that hadn't already eaten a fruit backed away looking rather hesitant to volunteer, and those who had eaten, Drax, Luffy, Darrius and Rose couldn't help but laugh at them.

"Ha-ha, not right away of course, ha-ha-ha" he said whipping a happy tear from his eye before looking to Drax, "Hey Darrius, anyway for you to tell what powers these'll give, maybe it'll help us decide who gets them."

Darrius shook his head, "Sorry but that's not how it works, until one of these pansies eats ones they all smell the same to me and that's fowl."

Drax sighed, "Well that's fair enough," he said before closing the bag up, "If anyone's interested in changing one, come see me about them, they'll be in my quarters to keep them safe. But don't make this decision lightly, eating a devil fruit is a life changing event so think it over long and hard, you can't try one and then decide it's not for you, once you swallow a single bite that's it what you get is what you're stuck with. Back in my last crew, it was an un written rule that whoever found the devil fruit eat it, they were encouraged to do so, devil fruits can help make a crew stronger, but it's no substitute for proper training, even if you eat one, haki training and daily training will still be mandatory."

Everyone nodded knowing that Drax was talking about a serious matter that many of them would have to think about considering.

Sanji chose that moment to continue his conversation with Rose, "So lemon drop, are you here for a single trip or are you joining up." he commented seeing the lemons on her clothes.

Rose looked at him sweetly before launching a high kick right between his leg making Sanji's one visible eye bulge before he dropped to the ground holding his pulverised manhood between his legs as Rose smiled down at him, "I've signed up for the first division as the chocolatier and desert specialist, so I'm here for the long haul blondie. Oh and don't ever call me that again ya perverted cook, or next time I'll turn those little hazel nuts of yours into ice-cream topping got it."

Sanji nodded whimpering in response before Rose smiled and walked off happily with an applauding Nami and Nojiko clapping in approval, while Kaya and Vivi just gasped behind hands at the brutality of it.

Drax chuckled as he started down the stairs heading to his quarter's devil fruit bag in hand as he went he had a mind to check something in his books after his meeting with "that" woman.

Nami went and took her post with Nojiko at the top of the back deck in front of the mess as she started to give orders "right it's time to get moving, Zoro, Sanji get that treasure below deck, so we can set sail, Gin, Darrius full the sails, Usopp rudder, let's get moving people." She ordered as everyone nodded and started to rush to do their job. Nami Nodded in approval as she saw everyone moving, and her eyes cast to Drax as she saw him go below deck a look on his face that had her worried and she frowned before taking off her log pose and handing it to Nojiko, "hey see if you can keep them on course, I'll be back in a minute"

Nojiko nodded with a "sure thing" as she watched her sister go after Drax.

Below deck in Drax's segment of the woman's quarters, Drax had just hung up the bag with the devil fruits in it before he moved to his chest, quickly he put his hand on the lid taking out all of its charge before opening it.

His hand running across the journals inside he comes to the very first one and pulls it out, and stands up and he quickly flips through the pages, 'I had to be seeing things I just had to be,' he things before he stops flipping the pages when he comes to a picture set inside the pages of the journal in front of another folded up piece of paper.

Taking them both out of the journal Drax looks at it with a narrowed gaze, it was of a woman who looked a mirror image to the woman going by the codename of Miss All Sunday, except her hair was white with more of a ripple effect to it, her skin tone was also lighter, and judging by the wear on the photo it was from taken many years before.

Letting out a sigh Drax shook his head, "just like I thought," he stated in a low tone, "it's not Olivia, then that can only mean." He said as he opened up the folded paper behind the picture revealing it to be an old wanted poster, with the image of a young girl on it with shoulder length black hair and blue eyes, the name below the photo read "Nico Robin" and a wanted dead or alive bounty of seventy million berri.

Drax sighed, 'so after all this time, I finally found you, Nico Robin.' He thought to himself before chuckling slightly. "To think after two years of looking for you on the grand line when I first heard your name, never finding you, only to find you so early on in this voyage, it's got to be some cruel twist of fate." He said in a low voice, 'I hope we do meet again Robin, I have so many questions that only you can answer, in order to know the truth we must work together' he thinks as he stares at the wanted poster.

Unbeknownst to him Nami is looking in through the gap in the unclosed door, having been watching since he took the journal out of his chest, she was curious as to just what had Drax acting so strange, it had been going on ever since they entered the grand line, and she wanted to get her answers now one way or another, so knocking on the door she pushed it open and entered the room.

Drax hearing the knock on the door looked away from the poster and looked up to see Nami entering the room with a concerned look on her face, "Nami? What's the matter, is something wrong?" he asked worried about what had her concerned.

Nami looked to him and crossed her arms, "You tell me. You've been so secretive lately. When we got to the grand line I thought you'd be happy but you seem to keep hiding more and more from me"

Drax sighed shaking his head, as he sat down on his swinging bed, "Sorry. I don't meant to be, it's just the kind of guy I am with some things. I like to play things close to the chest. Guess that comes off the wrong way some times."

Nami smiles, "yeah it kind dose, but I understand that, I just want you to know you don't have to keep things from me, if there's anything troubling you I can help, you just have to talk to me about it you dummy."

Drax chuckles at that, "I suppose I've got a bit of explaining to do then first," he said as he gestured to the spot beside him with his hand for her to sit down, when she did he put the journal in front of her and let her look through its pages.

Flipping through the pages of the journal in front of her Nami could see it was all hand written notes, and diagrams, some depicting a code of some sort, and diagrams of large cubes with strange markings and symbols that she couldn't recognises that just looked like weird lines to her, she looked back to Drax even more confused than before, "Drax, what is all of this?"

Drax smiled, "My dream. Something that I've searching for, for over seven years, but others I suspect have been searching for a lot longer than I." he said as he put the picture and wanted poster to the front.

Nami sees the picture of Nico Robin and the other woman and blinks as she can see the resemblance to that woman, Miss All Sunday, and looking at the wanted poster she could clearly see that it was that woman as a child, "That's the woman from before, "Nico Robin"? How did she have that scale of a bounty at that age that's three times Arlong's? What could she have done?"

Drax shook his head, "No it's not what she did. It's what she is able to do." Nami looked at him confused, but Drax just gestured to the notes, "You see these writings, these symbols. These are ancient Glyphs that relate to a very old civilization centuries old that have been erased from history. The only proof it even existed are the ancient writing inscribed on indestructible cubes, nodes, which are scattered throughout the world, called Poneglyphs"

Nami blinked, "Poneglyphs" she muttered as Drax nodded.

Seeing her getting it Drax continued, "You see years ago, the government put out a complete ban on anyone trying to read the poneglyphs without giving any reason as to why they did so. The people listened for a time, but others didn't, I recon in the world today there are only two people in it that can read these ancient texts, and I'm one of them."

Nami looked to Drax in shock, "You can read these," she said gesturing to the symbols on the page.

Drax nodded, "I can, I learned how to in my early years, and years on the grand line, after studying my father's messages and notes in these journals, between him and Nico Olivia," he said as he pointed to the picture of the white haired woman, "Robin's mother,"

Folding she wanted posted and placing it and the picture back into the book Drax closes it and sighed, "Though I wasn't the first to attempt to do so." Drax said as he shook his head thinking about the conclusion he came to but had never been able to confirm and only speculate on, the one that could have no other explanation, from what he had read.

Nami put her hand on his shoulder, "Drax what's wrong?" she asked not liking the look he had.

Drax clenched his fist tight around the journal in his hand and sighs, "You remember when Darrius joined, I mentioned his island wasn't the only one to suffer a buster call"

Nami nodded in recollection, "Yes you mentioned an island in the west blue, twenty years ago Ohara."

Drax nodded, "The government said the people of Ohara were trying to bring about the end of the world and so were dubbed the Devils of Ohara. When in reality all they were trying to do was learn how to read a Poneglyphs."

Nami's eyes widened, "But why would they do that then"

Drax shook his head, "I've tried to figure that out myself. But so far all I can figure is that it's a cover up of some kind. The island of Ohara was where Nico Robin was born she's the only survivor from that buster call. I spent my year as a bounty hunter looking for any connection to find her." Drax said before a smile comes to his face as he stands up to put the book away, "low and behold she joined the very organization I refused so long ago, you have to admire the irony there."

Nami looked to Drax, "but why exactly are you looking for her, she was only a child at the time, surely she wouldn't have anything to do with reading the poneglyphs."

Drax smirked as he slipped the journal back into its spot and closed the case, "If my suspicions are correct, and they usually are, Nico Robin is the only other person in the world besides me, who can read the poneglyphs, and it's for that reason the government placed such a high bounty on her head at such a young age. My dream is to find out what the secret is that has been hidden from the world on those nodes and to do that, I'll need her help, there are simply to many texts to do it alone, she's been at it so much longer than I have, she must hold some of the answers to my questions"

Nodding slowly as she stood up Nami smiled, "Then I'll help in whatever way I can, I may not be able to read these texts as you can, but I can't let you do this alone" she said as she stepped forward and hugged him.

Drax smiled in response returning the hug and kissed her forehead, "Thank you Nami, I don't deserve you."

Nami smiled and gave him a squeezed, "Yes you do, and you're the only one who ever will" she said before she lay her head on his chest.

Drax smiled to her at the statement, but unseen to her after the smile turned into a small frown ad her rested his chin on her head, as he glances at the bounty posters book he had taken from the marine offices in Log town as a single thought went through his head. 'Do I really?'