141 Alabasta

Looking on the side, she sees Vivi start to stir. About the same time, Chopper suddenly irrupts in the room, looking frantically around.

"Wapol is back!"

"Calm down Chopper, look over Vivi, I will get rid of the problem. If she is in condition, we will depart as soon as possible."

Leaving a saddened reindeer behind from his words, he takes a turn around the castle, rapidly founding the particular room he knows the hippo will be looking. Taking all kind of weapons in, he made to the front door just in time to see the two and the white-furred hippo stop.

"Maaahahahaha! Finally, I'm back to my rightful place! I will teach to pirates to raise their hand on royalties! They will pay for Chess death! I will bury them under a sea of irons with the power of Drum weaponry! Kuromariomo you..."

*Bang!*

Before he could finish his evil monologue, his trusty left, right-hand man head expose ina shower of red, white, grey and black, piece of afro send everywhere alongside what had been his head not a second before.

Sprayed mainly with the blood due to the proximity, Wapol was astounded at sight, before glaring at the original location of gunshots.

At the foot of the doors, Alex was standing his rifle' cross sinking on the snow.

"You! How dare you to kill my right-hand men..." Start Wapol angrily, before hurriedly jump on the side, barely dodging the blade than leave a bloody gash in the flank of his mount, turning the white coat, red.

"No one told you to not strat evil monologue? That they lead to rapid death?"

"I will have your head for this mongrel, Baku-Baku factory! Baku-Baku shock! Wapol house!"

Using his devil fruit to turn into the integrated material, he turns into a two stories-hight house, with cannon for hands and chimney sprouting from his head.

"Maaahahahaha! Fear before the might of my power..!" Drunk in his power-up, Wapol starts his evil monologue again, only to barely react at Alex slashing.

As the first blade cut through the rise cannon in attempts to protect his body, he didn't see the four other blades coming from all corner. His transformation cancelled by the Kairoseki weapons, four large gashes heavily blooding appears on his torso, as the stump of his previous hand was staining the snow with the precious liquid.

Wapol could only look dumbly at Alex, never in his wildest dreams would he have thought to be taken down by a mere commoner, not with his powers!

His thoughts fade to nothingness as Alex strike the last blow, separating the head from the body. Taking the head in hand, he stores the body inside his storage, making his way back the castle.

##################################

"Would it be sufficient for payment?" Say, Alex, putting the head on the table, in front of Kureha.

"Will do, but don't think that I didn't see that the weaponry brat!"

"Take care of Chopper, Or I will hunt you myself." Say her, throwing a small bag at him. "Show him the cherries trees he had waited all his life."

He didn't reply but wave his hand to catch it, his back still turned.

"Cheeky brat." Chuckle her, taking a sip of the bottle in her hand.

##################################

"How do you feel Vivi?" Asked Alex when entering, seeing that she was completely awake, Choppe giving her the last check.

"Good." Smile her kindly at Alex, after being told what had happened the last few days when she had contacted the ship, relieving Igaram that everything was fine.

"Great, let go; we had a kingdom to save."

Nodding, she wears the coat he was tending her before they made their way. Stoping on the doorpost, he looked at Chopper.

"So, what are you doing?" Asked Alex intently at the furball.

Clenching the hem of his hat, shadowing his eyes, he says in a quivering voice.

"Is it the best decision? the doctrine had raised me, and ..."

"Chopper." Say Alex softly, making the torn eyes reindeer raise his gaze to him." While the doctrine had raised you, so does Doctor Hiluluk. It had been his dream to set sail and see the world, your is to found a cure, you have still a lot to learn, and apprenticeship could only lead you so far. At the end of the road, it's your choice, just know that we will be here to help, the world his vast as so his the diseases plaguing it. Without moving on, you will be forever unable to realise your dreams. We may not be the best crew for you, but we will bring you all the help you would need."

##################################

Is the decision made, he rapidly gathers the last of his equipment, stored by Alex, before the trio made their way off the castle. If he had looked behind, Chopper would have seen the woman who raised him, standing on a window, watching as he adoptive son depart to realise his dreams.

Before they made entirely to the cable car station, a group of villagers appears, led by a buff man, the handle of something visible on his back. Some of the villagers sporting rifles shout when seeing Chopper, remembering him.

"Haa! Monster!"

One in particular fumble with his weapon for a bit, seeing this, Dalton turns around.

"No! Wait.!" But he was too late.

*Bang!*

Two shots resound nearly at the same time. Chopper, who had closed eyes, crack an eyelid open from the lack of pain expected by bing shooted. He was surprised when he realises that his body wasn't touching the ground and he was behind Alex back, held by a tail.

On the side, Vivi gasp at sight in front of her. The one that had tried to shot Chopper was lying dead on the ground, headless. All were broken out of their stupor when a growling, threatening voice lowly resound.

"I don't take well that some piece of shit threatens my family on baseless ideas and lack of knowledge. You are the real monster here, now move before I decide to wipe you out and every village on this island!"

Tears broke silently on Chopper at Alex words. The villagers, on the other hand, all move from their way, completely frightened.

As he made his way, Alex but Chopper on his shoulders, taking out three knives, ready to clive down anyone putting a toe out of the line.

"Wait!" Shout Dalton. "What about Wapol, Cocoa Weed had been attacked by him on his way here!"

Alex didn't turn around and resume his walk. "He is dead like the rest of the crew he had on his ship, I left the doctors out of this, but everyone else is gone." Hearing this Dalton bow to him, before leading the people to the castle, not that Alex would have acknowledged him if he knows.

##################################

In the cabin, Vivi was staying silent; the sudden cold-blooded murder was hard for her to accept. As a caring Princess for her people's well-being, such an act was difficult to accept, but she knows better than saying something, not that she didn't want to, but the cold face of Alex was cutting the wind under her sails, leaving her worriedly munch on her lower lip.

Once on the village, they could see the after-match of fires and destroyed houses cutting straight to the outside of the town. Taking the cabin in his storage, Alex made a sledge on Chopper demand.

Now travelling on the sledge pulled by the reindeer in his natural form, the group of three made their way to the large ship of Wapol, leaving Alex store it, before finally making there way to the boat.

When he sees it, Chopper was awed at sight, being the first pirate vessel he sees, and his future house.

Boarding it, he led Chopper to the infirmary, for him to establish his kingdom. While Alex was retrieving and placing things were CHopper wanted them, the reindeer was marvelling at the sight.

Looking at the little lab, supply storage, beds and even a small operating block, this was way more than he expected.

"Everything for me?"

"As our only doctor on board, it's your domain, turn it as you like.

##################################

After the vessel sails toward the Sandy island, everyone had was called to introduce the new crew members, leaving the four guests to their things as it didn't concern them.

The moment they exit the waters of the kingdom, Alex receives the same message than on Little Garden. By taking down Wapol, befriending Kureha, Alex had completed the pre-requisite to had the island on his territory, bringing yet again a variety of unexisting animals and weather.

"I have something for you, Chopper, from the doctrine." Say, Alex.

"Really?!"

Nodding, Alex transmutes a large globe of glass between his hand the size of a basketball. Inside, a replica of the island soon forms from some stored rocks, the castle visible on the more massive mountain and a particular pirate flag hoisted on the tallest tower. Unseen to the eyes sparkling reindeer, runes were inscribed on the lower surface. Once completed, a gem hidden in the landmass and the forming base would power them.

Snow-like weather starts to form, rapidly recovering the entire landscape in a thick layer of snow.

"Here, it came."

Chopper had barely the time to turn to Alex, before hearing muffled shots. Three seconds later, all the mountains peak had large blooming pink balls forming, giving the illusion that the dreary mountains had transformed into a cherry tree. The sight brings tears to the young reindeer, finally able to see the lifetime work of his 'father' becoming a reality.

"It enchanted to replay the scene as much as you like, all you need to do is to put the powder there." Say, Alex, showing a well-hidden trap, and giving Chopper a large pot of the transmuted powder from the pouch provided by the witch.

"Thank you!" Shout the reindeer, with snot and tears running freely from his face.

"Your welcome." Say, Alex, giving them all to Chopper who run back the infirmary and display the orb on his deck, the pot on the side, ready to use.

##################################

In the following days of travel, Igaram would tell them all he know about the three sides of the conflict. On one side was the royal family with the guards of the kingdom. Baroque Works and it's 2,000 strong Men and officers, and finally the rebellion. An ever-growing side pushed by Crocodile and his minions.

They know that their arrival was blown away when they cross the path of a fleet containing the called back 1800 some men posted on the borders islands of Grand Line. Being nothing more than cannon fodder, they made quick work of the incoming force, leaving Alex enough time to interrogate a few.

That how they understand that Crocodile was aware of them coming. From what they know, Mr.2 had been sent to Little Garden and see what take Mr.3 so long to finish his task. When he sees that there was nothing left on the island, he had sent a report back, and the boss had linked them to it.

That was terrible news for them as they lost their effect of surprise. Only the past partner of the two ex-agent wasn't accounted for. Being in the middle of the sea at the time, they couldn't stop transmission.

Now that Crocodile knew they were coming, it leaves three possibilities. First, he deems them inconsequential and continues as they were going. Two, he took the opportunity and had someone assassinate Vivi while in their midst. Three, he forwards his plan and attack.

Thankfully for them, the attack had happened not far from the coast of the island, letting them with only an hour or two of sailing before they land.

##################################

"Alright, it's evident that we can't land as we are. We need to separate. Nono-chan, you will go with Miss Monday, a disguised Vivi and Chopper, try to gather some info as to were the rebellion is. Igaram, Mr.9, you two go to Alubarna, warn the king of everything, be careful, Baroque Works agent should have infiltrated the rank of the soldiers, be sure to made investigation to separate them and withdraw as much as info on the other you can." The two groups nod at this."During that time, Kitten, Chi-chan and Ku-chan will raid Rainbase. I don't think we will able to take Croc their, but if we can cripple some of the leftover agents before any conflict happens, it good in my books.

The plan did the group break free on three different mundane vessels. The first group would be the first to stop, docking at Nanohana, the nearest town on their way.

The two other would go up the river, before separate, one group to go to Alubarna, the capital and the second to the croc casino.

##################################

Separating on the middle of the river, Alex and his group sail straight from there, leading them to the shortest route they could find to Rainbase, from there. Without exiting the boat, he transmutes it onto a vehicle able to ride on the sand, propelled from the same type of motor present in his cabin.

By using three wide, long treads, two at the back and one in the middle of them, at the front, the rapidly glide on the sand. All in the shade of the cabin and the fresh air provided by the formation on the walls, the girls relax, enjoying the sight of the endless landscape.

Their travel was cut short, when two lizard giants burst through the sand, ready to pounce on them. Barely avoiding them, they nonetheless fall into the appeared pit, when the two enormous lizards lands, breaking what should have been a roof.

Looking around, Alex could see the sand still falling from the top of the dome.

'Could it be...'

Before he could finish his thought, his gaze caught the sight of a half-buried large cube of stone sporting foreign inscription.