Two Piece: A One Piece Story

Chapter 42 (Whiskey Peak Arc: Part 4)

In a secluded alleyway, hidden from prying eyes, the six Straw Hats and Princess Vivi were discussing recent events. Well, almost all of them—Luffy couldn't contain his laughter, finding the situation amusing. He understood why everyone kept it from him (after all, he did have the second-highest bounty), but he also had to admit, it was hilarious.

"Stop laughing already, it's not funny!" Zoro yelled in frustration.

"But they were bounty hunters the whole time!" Luffy chuckled. "I just thought you beat them up because they didn't have the food you wanted."

Zoro's eye twitched, while Shiki couldn't help but chuckle.

"Regarding the money... that's impossible, but I am grateful for saving my life," Vivi interjected.

"So, what's a billion berries?" Nami inquired.

"Wow, Nami, you are evil," Shiki muttered under his breath.

Nami's response was a swift, hard punch to Shiki's head, rendering him unconscious.

"He'll be fine in a minute. He has fast healing," Nami reassured the group.

Vivi sweatdropped at Shiki's prone form, then shook it off.

"What do you know about my country, Alabasta?" Vivi asked.

"Never heard of it," Nami replied.

The others (those still conscious) shook their heads in agreement.

"Alabasta was the most civilized and peaceful island in the Grand Line... at one time," Vivi explained.

"At one time?" Nami questioned.

"Ow, my head," Shiki groaned as he regained consciousness.

'I'll never call her evil again,' Shiki thought, holding his head in pain.

"Yes," Vivi continued, ignoring Shiki's discomfort. "In recent years, the citizens have become rebellious, and riots and uprisings have thrown the kingdom into turmoil."

"That's crazy," Shiki remarked.

"Then, one day, I learned of a secret organization called Baroque Works. Rumor had it that agents of Baroque Works had been stirring up the citizens. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't uncover any information that would help us fight these criminals," Vivi explained. "So I went to Igaram, who took care of me as a child."

"You mean the guy with the big curls, right?" Luffy chimed in, using his hand to mimic Igaram's hair.

"I hoped to find the source of the rumor so I could expose Baroque Works. Then I could uncover who was pulling the strings and learn their intentions," Vivi explained.

"That's pretty brave for a princess," Shiki remarked.

Nami felt a twinge of jealousy but tried to ignore it. "But isn't Baroque Works just trying to create their own ideal country?" she asked.

"That's how the boss is deceiving them," Vivi clarified. "Baroque Works' goal is the conquest of Alabasta. I've got to return to my land and stop the rebellion."

There was a moment of silence, broken by Shiki.

"I guess I was right," Shiki said.

"What?" Nami asked.

"The first time Vivi appeared, I noticed something off about her, like there was an aura of sadness around her... like she doesn't want to be the bad guy, but instead, she's a spy doing it for a noble cause," Shiki explained.

Everyone stood in shock, especially Vivi, who couldn't understand how he suddenly knew.

Nami sighed. "So, with your country in chaos, there's no reward money," she observed.