Chapter 2: Trapped.

By now, Shoto Todoroki realised just how crazy a Pirate's life could be. Marines and other Pirates were your enemies, you don't exactly have a safe haven, and you have chances of being murdered in your sleep if you're not careful enough.

Not to mention, he was a hero. An aspiring hero studying in UA; already in his 3rd year, and here he was considering whether he was going to join the crew or not— and Pirates were bad guys, Villains in other terms, and it was pretty odd for a Hero to join Pirates.

So why did it feel so right when he ran with them through Rainbase escaping several enemies? Why did it feel so fun to be around them? That, is something that Shoto could never figure out. He never had fun, he was too focus on becoming number 1 that he completely neglected everything that was essential about enjoying life

He was just glad that he was given an opportunity to catch up after all the trouble he experienced during his years in UA.

He sighed, what was the whole purpose of him entering a different world anyway? Did he have some kind of mission or reason to be sent here?

"Zoro! Shoto!"

They ran through the Casino, occasionally bumping into the gamblers who were all around the place. Behind them was a Marine chasing them, a guy who ate a smoke devil fruit and could basically filter himself to catch them.

Chances are, a new opening would get them a new path to avoid the Marine's wrath or they'll just get executed together.

"Straw Hat." The bodyguard spoke up, making them all stop as the guy opened the stuff that stood between them and a certain door. Seriously, how complicated can Luffy's life be? "VIP." He spoke up, pointing to the door.

Nami brightened at that as they all regained their breaths.

"What's VIP?" Luffy wondered, the tangerine haired woman shook her head as she glanced behind them to see Smoker pretty much closing the distance between them by a few feet.

"Don't mind that for now, stupid."

And they started running once again, this time passing through halls as they abruptly stopped by the center between two signs thats leads into two different paths.

"VIP, or, Pirates." Luffy reads outloud while everyone pondered which way they should actually go. Shoto wanted to facepalm, were they seriously falling for the trap? The changes between two signs was pretty clear, VIP were for actual VIP's and the Pirates were going straight to the trap laid out for them.

"Which shall it be?"

"VIP." Usopp firmly stated, obviously just afraid of seeing what was in store for them at the Pirates path.

"Pirates." Zoro mumbled, pretty much just guessing Luffy's mind since he was the closest to understand the boisterous Captain's way of thinking.

"We're both, Pirates and VIP." Nami intejected, shaking her head as she crossed her arms against her chest as she thought thoroughly. But she wasn't given much time to process as Luffy already pointed to the Pirates sign.

"We're Pirates!" He exclaimed before running off, Shoto just wants to hit his head on a rock for real.

"It might be a trap." Shoto grumbled as he followed behind, the rest of the crew were already trailing as two of them were cursing at how Luffy played right into Crocodile's hands.

"Strawhat!" A loud angry voice trailed behind them all, the sounds of quickening footsteps were heard as they went deeper into the pathway. Luffy slightly turned his head, confirming his thoughts about Smoker following them all the way here.

"He's still following us—!" Usopp exclaimed in panic as he ran quickly side by side to the swordsman who he counted on to protect him from any danger.

"Wait, it's a dead end." Nami voiced out as they stopped, standing directly at the square beneath the floor.

"We're practically standing on the actual square—" Shoto didn't get to finish as they all fell in, landing with a thud on the cemented floor as they all realised now that they were trapped in a cell, a cell that the Marine soon joined in.

"He's here!" Usopp erupted as soon as he saw Smoker who begrudgingly sat at the metal platform, glaring at all of them.

"As expected, you weren't very bright." A smug voice came from outside the bars, revealing a man with a long scar trailing from the bridge of his nose, not to mention, he had a golden hook with slicked back hair. His skin seemed so dry as if it never touched water for weeks, which was exactly the case.

"Crocodile." Smoker growled at the sight of the Shichibukai.

"Smoker. Never thought we would be joined with a Marine, but unfortunately, I have to keep your mouth shut as well." Crocodile told, the cockiness was evident thought it waved smoothly, it bothered Shoto to no end at how such a guy would want to blow up the whole country for cleansing.

"What are you planning, Crocodile?!" Smoker demanded, only to be ignored.

Crocodile was seated like royalty by the table, another woman with black hair and unfitting bangs standing just by the side. She was probably the Ms. All-Sunday that they were talking about.

"Crocodile!" Luffy bellowed angrily as he went to clasp his hands on the metal bars only to fall back with his energy drained.

"The cell is made of sea prism stone, a weakness to all devil fruit users— that's why Straw hat is so weak." Smoker explained, but the way he trailed off his tone gave Shoto an idea that he was about to say something about Luffy but chose to stop instead.

"Don't tell me you don't know that?" Crocodile stated tauntingly as Luffy gritted his teeth. "You can't even cut it since it's as hard as diamonds."

"I'll just eat more meat and I'll feel a lot more better."

"I wasn't aware that there was a 6th member." Crocodile told, glancing at the heterochromatic who only sat unbothered, looking entirely impassive— an expression that reminded Crocodile of a certain Shichibukai who wields a sword. "With odd hair at that."

It was probably his hair that was the most notable in his appearance, that was why they kept on referring to it. After all, it was not everyday that they could see a guy with split colored hair.

"What about my hair." Shoto grumbled, pissed at how almost everyone at that world kept on mentioning his hair.

"So everyone is present here, minus the pet of course but it'll be taken care of soon. After all, What can a mere pet do?"

The crew all shared a glance, well, except for Zoro who was already fast asleep much to Nami's annoyance. Crocodile seems to be unaware of their blonde cook, Sanji.

"We'll leave shortly to make a performance in Alabasta." Crocodile smirked. "And we're still waiting for one more guest to join us soon—"

"Crocodile!" There was an angry yell that stomped their way in the room.

"— and there she is." Crocodile gleamed sarcastically.

As the person revealed herself, it was the blue haired Princess who made her way bravely in front of the Warlord who looked utterly unimpressed as she was brought in by his lackeys.

"Princess Vivi."

"Vivi!" Luffy and the rest yelled, seemingly happy and both nervous of her appearance in front of the dangerous devil fruit user.

Shoto could only stare from inside. There was no point on cheering for Vivi, Crocodile made it painfully clear at how he had everything they lacked.

A plan.

As Vivi continued to talk and then suddenly attack Crocodile, everyone watched in astonishment as the guy turned to sand, his head disappearing before moulding itself again. This was nothing Shoto has seen before, he was almost invisible.

"Sir, there's a phone call." One of the men came with a Transponder Snail, Crocodile clicked his tongue from irritation before picking the call up.

"Hello, this is the shitty restaurant." Was the voice from the other line, they all quickly recognized this as Sanji since he was pretty much the only one who would introduce himself as someone from an eatery.

"Shitty. . . Restaurant—?" Crocodile trailed off as he remembered the last phone call he received from Little Garden. He then gripped the phone tightly as clear annoyance was on his face, even the will to murder.

"Rings a bell, Mr. 0?" The other line spoke mockingly, further aggravating the Shichibukai.

"Mind to tell me a name, Shitty Restaurant?"

There was a short pause.

"Mr. Prince."

Nami was gleeful knowing they still had hope, the others were amused but still had sparks of light. And Shoto could only feel his eye twitched at the scenery, were they for real?

"Hey, you!" Another deeper voice from the other line came, that definitely didn't sound like Sanji. Then the sounds of fists being thrown could be heard as everyone grew worried.

"What's happening?" Crocodile growled to the other line.

"Deepest apology sir, the guy is taken care of." One of Crocodile's lackeys spoke, Crocodile clicked his tongue as he straightened his back a little more.

"Where are you?"

"Outside by the bridge, sir."

"Wait for me there." Was all Crocodile said before hanging up. Turning to them, once again back to his smug personality, staring down at them like dirt.

"Mr. Prince!" Vivi went to yell.

"Sa—" Luffy was about to yell as well but Nami quickly covered his mouth before he could blow Sanji's cover. Shoto shook his head in exasperation, he couldn't imagine staying in a cell with them for any longer.

"Now that your friend is taken care of. You have no one that can save you anymore. Thinking you can save a country and feed hope to a distressed Princess." Crocodile smirked before turning away, motioning for the black haired woman.

"I'll beat your ass, Crocy! Once I get out of here, I'll beat you!" Luffy yelled with so much conviction as if he already knew it.

"Good luck with that." Crocodile could only laugh tauntingly, pushing Luffy more on edge who was pretty much more than pissed at the Warlord by now.

Soon, they were left in a cell as Vivi was stuck by the top with no way to save them as actual giant Crocodiles were released and water slowly fuelled inside, a risk of them drowning was pretty evident, unless they can get out.

"Huh? Morning already?" Zoro yawned as he sat up properly after earning a bump on his head given by Nami.

"I can't freeze the water." Shoto suddenly said out of the blue, everyone turned to him.

"Of course you can't, the metal is made of sea stone, a weakness to all devil fruit users." Nami repeated what they stated from earlier.

"We're all gonna drown!" Usopp yelped.

"Ice—?" Smoker wondered, last time he checked, there was already a person who possesses that Devil fruit, so why does the boy claim that he has that ability as well?

"I'm not affected by the sea stone, genius." Shoto sharply stated, to him, the sea stone was just like any regular metal, except it was a lot more harder.

"Huh? What do you mean? You're a devil fruit user, right?"

"And why can't you freeze the water?"

Shoto's eye twitched, Smoker could almost feel sorry for the boy since he was probably stressed by the handful crew acting like children.

"Because it'll freeze us as well." Shoto simply stated, indicating the water that started to flood in that reached right below their knees, and also ignoring the first question. "And it'll be freezing, you'll die from the cold instead. And if I surround the cell to stop water from entering, we'll be trapped."

"Then what can we do?" They paced.

Suddenly, the doors opened and revealed a panting Sanji who looked almost fine. He landed his eyes on the cell, more particularly to the tangerine haired woman he absolutely adored like any beautiful woman.

"Nami-chwan~! Your saviour has arrived~!"

"Sanji!" They all broke into grins, well, except for Zoro and Shoto with both different reasons. Smoker could only stare incredulously at the odd crew, they were indeed very different from any other crew he met.

"So that's Mr. Prince, the guy who pissed Crocodile so much." Smoker mumbled.

Shoto sighed, never had he expected to get help when he was supposed to be a hero who saves people. This only reminded him further at how he had to be stronger, he couldn't afford falling behind— especially not in another world.

That's taken care of. . . Now how do we oppose Crocodile properly when he can grow his limbs back?  Shoto wondered.