Angel's True Face (One Piece)

The Enemy Base!

Once again, the crew was walking in the scorching heat after leaving Yuba to head where Crocodile was, Rainbase. Vivi had said that it was a day's work to the north at least. The name Rainbase though... Iris thought it didn't suit since it hasn't rained in three years. Part way Iris had swapped with Vivi and was on foot. After a goodnight sleep she felt a lot better. But the same couldn't be said for Luffy and Usopp, they looked like they really were about to die. "Aaah..." they both were moaning and groaning from thirst.
"Come on, over already told you two to quit with the 'Aaah's!" Nami had turned around to others yelling out of annoyance.
"Shut up! You're on to talk, riding that camel!" Now that Usopp mentioned it, it appeared that she hasn't walked on foot since Eyelashes joined.
"Yeah, let us ride too!" Luffy was shouting.
"Did you guys forget he doesn't like having guys ride him?" Iris had asked them as she was walking in between Chopper and Zoro.
"You dumb camel-woman!" The two of them had completely ignored her as they began to insult Nami.
"Nami-camel!"
"Good one!" They are really childish.
"Chopper, you're not passing out today." Zoro had noted as the little reindeer, in his full deer form was walking without an issue.
"Yeah, I have to try harder." He had told him with determination.
"That's amazing!!" Iris had honestly praised him since they all knew that the desert was hard on him for the fact that his covered in fur and also since he grew up in the environment completely the opposite of this.
"Shut up! I'm not happy at all, you idiot!" Of course he couldn't hid his true feelings. He was really happy but that changed when he had turned to the front again. "Vivi, will there be water at Rainbase?" He was asking her.
"Yes, That area is still prosperous." She had answered him telling us that it wasn't the less affected from the rebellion and that it was renowned for its gambling. It would make sense since Crocodile was there.
"Gambling?!" Someone had completely lost sight of our goal.
"Oi, Oi. Just what are you thinking!?" Zoro was asking, not that he really needed to since it was Nami.
"So even here in Alabasta, there's still a happy city left." Sanji had spoken up saying.
"Gum Gum... No Way!" Luffy's arms were stretching all over the place with the water he had gotten from Toto in his hand. Usopp was trying to get it as he was doing this. "No! No! No! No way!"
"Give it!"
"Gum Gum No Way!" He had repeated again.
"Come on, just one sip!" Usopp was trying to tell him with tears running down his face. "He gave it to us to drink, right?"
"That dried-up old man spent a whole night digging up this water! So we're not just gonna drink it in one gulp, you dork!" At least he wasn't wasting the water anymore. This was a part of Luffy that would never change in the world. He will look after or treasure something that someone worked so hard to get or protect.
"Wow, even you can restrain yourself at times, huh?" Nami was completely shocked looking down at him.
"'Course I can! How rude!" Luffy took it as an offence. "HOW RUDE!" He had stretched his legs so that he got in her face all upset. At that moment, Usopp had fallen to his knees, sweat and tears coming from all over.
"Can't go another step... w-water!" He was puffing from the exhaustion he felt.
"So, are we at Rainbase yet!" Luffy was beginning to become inpatient as he punched both knocks together. Vivi then slide down from Eyelashes smiling as she looked at the boy,
"Luffy. Thank you. I could never have come this determined without you." She was saying all of a sudden which didn't really matter since we already knew all of that.
"Feed me." Luffy's statement had shocked her. "After I kick Crocodile's ass, you gotta feed me until I die!"
"Yes, I promise!"
"He really is simply minded, isn't he." Zoro had spoken and Iris couldn't help but chuckle before turning up to him.
"But if he wasn't like this, I don't think any of us would be here." Her words spoke true since if it wasn't for that simply mindness she would have never been free until the day she died. She's now happy where she is and it's all thanks to that stupid Captain of ours. Not much time had passed after that and the group found themselves standing before the oasis named Rainbase. "We finally arrived, at Rainbase, huh." But the only thing Iris' eyes fell on was the giant Paramount with a banana on its roof. "What a strange building..."
"Hey, you guys think Baroque Works knows we're in this county yet?" Zoro had asked the rest all a good question.
"Most likely." Nami had answered him being up how we ran into Mr. 2 before arriving on the island. Thanks to his Devil Fruit he has all our faces. All but Sanji's that was. So it was better and safer for us to assume that they already know that they were alive and here. And Nami agreed with that completely.
"What about it?" Luffy was saying with his arms cross all in a huff.
"They'll recognise our faces. We can't go running around all over Rainbase." Usopp had explained to him, since he didn't understand but
"WHY NOT!?" He still didn't understand.
"What Usopp is trying to say is, if we are seen and caught you will not be able to defeat Crocodile." Iris ended up explaining in small and easy works so that Luffy could understand.
"Assassination is their field of specialty, after all." Zoro had added on to her explanation.
"Don't forget, we have are own assassin!" Nami was looking right at Iris while saying that, which she just smiled back to her without another word.
"YEAH! COME ON OUT, CROCODILE!!" But it seemed that Luffy didn't understand still.
"Were you even listening, you dork!?" Usopp punched him across the back of his head.
"No matter who tries to come after us, I'll be the one to protect Nami, Iris and Vivi! You three can call me Prince!" Sanji was acting all charming and to be honest he would be if not for the smug look on his face.
"Prince." Zoro had called him that, only to piss him off
"I'LL KILL YOU, BASTARD!" Which it worked of course.
"I thank you for the offer, but I can protect myself and all of you as well." Iris had told him since she was the strongest on the crew... at least for now. Who knows what will happen in the future.
"Of course! Anything you say, Iris!" He seemed pleased now
"Prince! Water!" This time it was both Chopper and Usopp that had called him that.
"Shut up you two!" Zoro had been the one to snap at them.
"Calm down." Iris had tapped him on the shoulder since it couldn't be helped. "I guess the first thing we should get is water." She stated to them, since my throat was dry as well..
"YEAH!" Luffy had took of running, "Water! Water!"
"Wait, Luffy!" Usopp was running after him.
"Ah! Take some money with you!" Nami was trying to tell them but they had already took off. "Those idiots!"
"Don't worry Nami. I'll go after them." Iris had informed her, for sprouting out her wings to catch up. By the time Iris had finally caught up with them they were heading right for a cafe by the names of Sand Cafe. Since for obvious reasons she had already stated on foot when they entered a crowded area and entered the door behind Luffy and Usopp that were making a seen.
"WE CAN FINALLY DRINK SOME WATER, USOPP! IRIS!" Luffy had shouted loudly and the three of them had headed right for the counter.
"Pardon me! Pardon me, can we have some water!?" Both males were banging on the counter like impatient children, which was just how they both were.
"WATER! GIVE US WATER BY THE BARREL!" Usopp was shouting for five barrels over the slamming of their hands.
"You two, calm down." Iris had tried to tell them but they didn't settle down until the lady had brought the the barrels.
"Here you go." They had begun to chug it down like there was no tomorrow.
"Thank you." She had told the lady as she was smiling grateful.
"This is some great water, dammit!" Luffy had finally come up for air.
"Damn good water!" Then it was down their throats again.
"We should hurry back to the others, so they can have a drink also." Iris had told the pair but she had then noticed someone looking at them. That was where she saw a muscular, light blue-green hair and brown-eyed man, sitting on the other side of Luffy. For some reason he had two cigarettes in his mouth. He wore a large thick white and blue jacket which he kept opened, with greenish fur lining the neck, wrists, and hem. The jacket bears justice written on the back of it. Many cigars were strapped to the jacket. The man also wore a brown leather gloves, with a pair of blue jeans that had a brown belt, and large military-issue brown leather boots. Then there was his companion, a woman with dark brown eyes and wore her black hair between chin- and shoulder-length. She wore rectangular glasses with red frames. She had really bad clothes sense as she was wearing a shirt of varying different colour and design with a white-trimmed, waist-length blue leather coat covering over it. She had worn blue jeans with black shoes but also a paired white capris with tan shoes. However, as Iris looked at them, she felt like they were very familiar...
...
...
...
"Smoker!" It had finally come to her and since she hadn't been the only on to have noticed, Luffy and Usopp ended up spitting out all the water that was in their mouths at him.
"RUN!" Luffy had shouted throwing two barrels over his shoulder before dashing.
"RIGHT!" Both Usopp, carrying the last barrel, and Iris had sprinted after him. They had left Smoker and Tashigi back in the cafe covered in the water.
"Shit! Gather the men, Tashigi! We're going after them!" Smoker had threw her the order before chasing after the three of them.
"Why the hell are the Marines here!?" Luffy was asking as they were running through the streets for their lives. Iris was above them, flapping her wings and then gliding on the wind. The three of them were being chased by a stampede of marines.
"How should we know!?" Usopp was crying in tears.
"My question would be why have they come all the way from the East Blue after us?" Iris had asked completely calm, since they did come from their home sea. They had made it to the area where Zoro and the others were waiting but of cause hearing the sound had made Sanji look around the tree to see them running.
"They're being chased by the Marines again..."
"You have to be kidding!" Nami had jumped and to see the same thing as she didn't believe it. "So why are the running this way!?" She had then panicked.
"But, Tony hasn't come back from the toilet yet!" Vivi and shouted, noticing that they others were getting ready to run for it,
"Just leave him! He can take care of himself!" It sounded harsh in what Zoro was saying but for him it was more of a compliment Cincy trusted Chopper's abilities.
"HEY GUYS, THE MARINES ARE HERE!" Luffy had shouted out the obvious.
"BECAUSE THEY'RE FOLLOWING YOU, DUMBASS!!" Zoro snapped back to him.
"WE'LL CATCH YOU THIS TIME!" There was one thing that the crew was really good as since joining Luffy, and that was running for their lives away from the marines.
"I don't think it's a smart idea to be running around all over the city like this." Iris was saying as she fly above Nami and the others since she didn't really want to fly away on her own. But it was too late, she had noticed all those in the shadow watching them. "You know what, never mind."
"Then we've got only one choice! Let's go!" Luffy had shouted from behind, causing Vivi to look back confused. "To Crocodile's place! Right, Vivi!?"
"Yes!" She had faced front again to have pointed to the pyramid in the centre of the city. "Do you see that building with a crocodile on the roof?" She was asking them and it had pulled their attention to it. "That's the casino Crocodile runs, Rain Dinners!" She had informed them.
"So that's it? That's where Crocodile is!" Luffy was beginning to become serious looking at the building.
"We'd better split up!" Sanji had told the others.
"Sounds like a plan." Zoro even agreed to it.
"Alright! Meet you there!" Luffy shouted as they were coming to Y section.
"Right!" Nami, Usopp and Sanji had gone up the stairs on the left, while Zoro and Vivi went right. Then there was Luffy and Iris who just went straight up.
"At the Croc House!" He had shouted to them as Iris had grabbed onto the back of his clothing and fly up the Golden Slots. "Come and get me, Smokey!" Luffy was provoking the marine captain.
"You've got guts! But don't think you can run forever!" Smoker actually found it amusing as he excepted. At that moment, Iris had released Luffy onto the roof of the building. But as she did that. "White Vine!" Smoker transformed into a spiraling column of smoke that had then wrapped itself around Luffy that was still airborne.
"Lu!" Iris had call out as she dodged the smoke that was trying to do the same thing to her.
"Gum Gum..." He had took a deep breath in. "... Balloon!" He had inflated like an actual balloon. He had escaped the smoke that was now pouring into a horse stable, causing them to flip out. Luffy had landed beside all that and had deflated the Moment he took a breath out. "That was close..."
"Let's go..." Iris had swopped down and grabbed him as Smoker was pulling himself back together.
"Shit." He stood there completely annoyed once he noticed that the two of them were gone again. Time passes by when one is being chased and both Nami and Usopp found out after they got away from pursues from Barque Works by leaping over wooden cargo that had fallen over the bounty hunters.
"I-I did it..." Usopp was completely surprised.
"Great job, Usopp!" Why Nami was completely impressed before the ran out of the alley they were at and saw Rain Dinners ahead of them. "Look! There it is! The entrance to Rain Dinners! They built it in the middle of a lake!" The were heading for the stood bridge.
"Isn't anyone else here yet?" Usopp was asking as he didn't see Luffy or anyone else.
"Alright! Take aim and fire!" A group of three man had stood in front of them with rifles pointed at the pair.
"We'll start with those two!"
"ENEMIES!" Being the cowards that both Usopp and Nami were, all they did was throw their arms up crying. However they were saved by an incoming boot that sent the bounty hunters smashing into each other.
"Zoro!" The green head Swordsman had come to the rescue.
"Weren't you with Vivi!?" Nami was asking because the last time she saw them they were together,
"Yeah! She's not here yet?" He had asked since he had sent her ahead of him.
"Maybe she already went inside!" Usopp had suggested thing that was the only reason.
"We'd better hurry then." Nami had told the two of them but only seconds later the sound of familiar screaming caused the three of them to look behind Nami and Usopp and then up to see Luffy being carried by Iris heading towards them.
"Luffy! Iris!" Usopp had called their names.
"Stop right there!" But the two of them weren't along because Smoker's lower half was smoke as he tried to catch them.
"Smoker is with them!" Zoro had shouted, causing sweat for fall from they heads.
"Oi! Let's go! Everyone inside!" Luffy had ordered seeing the three of them standing there. Iris had then dropped Luffy to the ground where he had began to run. She as well had retracted her wings so that now she was running along side him.
"We're going!?" Nami and Usopp were in tears but stilled followed as the two of them ran passed. The five of them had began running across the piece of land acting like a bridge.
"He's here, right!? CROCODILE!" Luffy was the head of the pack and was like a wild animal.
"Hold it, douchebages!" The bounty hunters from before had during consciousness and had begun firing the pistols and rifles. "There's no escape!"
"Bunch of loudmouths..." Zoro had come to a stop,
"Ieró..." However, just as he was bout to do something rain made of light had began to fall from above onto the bounty hunters. "... Ntous!" (Holy Shower, Greek) Iris had called it and the lights had pieced them and their weapons.
"Peace and quiet." Zoro smirked after turning around to Iris that stood with her arm up in the direction the light had come from. That was when he took of running towards her and grabbed the hand that was up. They were heading right for the door that Luffy had just opened up.
"CROCODILE! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!" He had shouted at the top of his lungs over the sound of the machines and games that people were playing. Of cause they all looked in his direction stunned but they instantly when back to their games. "I'M GONNA KICK KT FROM HERE TK ALUBARNA!" Once again people looked at him for a second after he had yelled but then acted like they heard nothing, "I'M GONNA-" Before he could repeat it all again, both Nami and Usopp had shot him up by punching him across the head.
"You think that's gonna make him come out!?" She had asked with reason.
"The guy's the whole county's hero!" Usopp had to reminded him saying that he was going to have the customers turn against them.
"Gotcha. So, what should we do?" Luffy had turned to them both asking.
"H-Hold on a minute. Without Vivi, we won't know who Crocodile is!" Usopp was still trying to say.
"Speaking of Which, where exactly is Vivi?" As Nami was asking that she looked around the casino seeing if she could find the princess.
"VIVI! CROCODILE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?" Now it wasn't just Luffy but Nami and Usopp to now shouting at the top of their lungs.
"If it didn't work the first time, I don't think it'll going to work the next time." Iris had honestly told them as she and Zoro stood in the entry way. Her left hand was placed softly on her cheeks.
"Oi! They're not coming out! No Vivi and no Crocodile." Luffy had said after turning around to the others.
"I've got you cornered! Straw Hat!" Hearing the same voice that had been chasing them since they left the East Blue.
"Smoker!" The Captain was running right for them.
"You had me chasing you all the way here...!
"IT'S SMOKEY!"
"R-Run!" And they were off running again going deeper into the casino.
"I've been wondering this for a while, but why is he even here?" Iris was asking not understanding as it wasn't in his jurisdiction.
"You gotta hand it to Luffy for making things get way out of hand." Zoro was finding this whole thing interesting and amusing.
"This casino is surrounded by a lake. You've got no place to run!" Smoker was shouting to them, however
"Excuse me, sir! Sir, Government Officials are not allowed on these premises." A pair of employees had gotten in his way trying to throw him out. But they were both sent flying off.
"He's so persistent!" Luffy was shouting in annoyance.
"Hold it!"
"He's the only one I cant fight!" It was because Smoker was a logia type Devil fruit eat meaning any and all physical attacks have no effect on them and since Luffy uses punches and kicked it was a terrible combo. That was when three security guards had stood in the way of Luffy and the others
"Just a moment, sir. Would you be so kind as to step outside-" However, as no one was looking Luffy ran right into them, sending them off.
"Hey Luffy. Didn't you running into something?" Iris had called up to him asking, since she wasn't so sure if she heard someone talking to them.
"Hmm... don't know!" He answered looking back to her,
"Hold it!" Smoker was still chasing them and they were all still running away. People had jumped out of the way so they wouldn't get crushed all but there man that were bowing to the five of them as they were heading for a V.I.P door ahead of them.
"Oi! Look up ahead!" Usopp was shouting to the others.
"Welcome!" Flower petals were being thrown.
"Right this way, please!" Two woman were the ones throwing them.
"This way, if you would."
"Welcome to the VIP Room." The men were saying to them.
"VIP Room?"
"Is he telling us to bring it on!?" Nami was wondering since that what it appears be the case.
"Oh? There's a guy who speaks my language!" Zoro was all for it.
"I don't know. It might be a trap." Iris had told them her opinion.
"YOSH! Let's GO!" But Luffy didn't care as long as it got them away from Smoker who was confused when hearing that they were invited into the VIP Room. He wondered what relationship Luffy and Crocodile had but at the end of it he was saying that he would see all the Straw Hat Pirates sent to the execution platform. The doors began open up as they approached and they ran inside without hesitation.
"But, what's a VIP?" Luffy ended asking the others since he didn't know
"It's stands for Very Important Person." Iris had answered him since she's been in these types of places before and of course it was for work.
"Hey, the hallway splits up!" He had said noticing the closer they got.
"It says, VIPs... go left!" Usopp had read the sign.
"It says pirates the other way!" Nami also read but it was odd for that the be written.
"Which way are we going in?" Iris asked the others since it was unsure which was one the trap.
"Hurry up and choose!" Zoro had shouted to the from the back as they were closing in on the T-junction
"Of course we'll take VIP! VIP!" Usopp was sweating buckets as he told them.
"But we're pirates!" Luffy was right bait that and said that pirates go this was as he turned right where it said pirates were to go.
"Yeah, you got a point there!" Usopp was gun Oh for that and followed after him with Nami then Iris then Zoro and finally Smoker all followed but all had come to a stop. It was a dead end, which was of course confusing but when the floor come out from under them.
"What the hell's going on!?" Smoker was shouting as her fell straight down. Nami was following after him screaming her head off.
"Are we so stupid that we fell for this!?" Zoro had both his arms and legs crossed asking while falling.
"It appears that we are." Iris had answered with her legs in a position as if she was kneeling on the ground with her left cheek being covered by her hand. Even she was completely surprised with sweat from the awkwardness that they fell for it.
"We're falling into darkness! Better swim for it!" For some reason Usopp was doing the frog or breath stroke as her fell.
"IT'S A PIT!!"