Chapter 159: A short break

Dialogue "sample"

Thoughts 'sample'

Author notes -sample-

Disclaimer: One Piece and all of its characters belong to Eiichiro Oda.

Chapter 159: A short break

"Sorry you have to see it in this poor state…this used to be a magnificent place when Master Ivankov was here," Inazuma said.

The place was tidy enough but completely empty. No music, no patrons, and no one on the stage. It looked like an abandoned cabaret club.

"But we have plenty of food and other resources. Although with how much your Captain eats that may change…" Added the girl.

Vivi spotted her friends eating at a corner table.

"You guys are taking a break already?!" Shouted Vivi.

They all turned around after hearing her voice.

"Vivi!" Exclaimed Nami in joy.

"You are alive?!" Saldeath looked up from his plate and stared at Vivi with shock.

"I knew you were going to be fine. See?" Luffy told the others.

Chopper ran to her side in order to make sure she was okay.

Sanji had his eyes on the food, unable to look up.

'We are going to need a solution for that before going to the mermaid island…but first…' Thought Vivi.

"Why is our prisoner eating at the table?" She asked.

"What happened to the poison guy?" Inquired their Captain.

"Yes…that man looked very dangerous." Commented Sanji.

"Of course, he is dangerous! He is the Chief Warden. You had an encounter with him?!" Inazuma got into their conversation and stared at Vivi with surprise.

"Well…since you all want to know that much…he is dead." She said nonchalantly.

"You killed the Chief Warden?!" Exclaimed Nami.

"You killed my uncle? impossible!. I won't believe that!" Saltdeath shouted.

"The Chief Warden is dead?...that's…" Inazuma could not believe what she just heard.

"Believe it or don't believe it …I really could not care less. What I want to ask is…why are we stopping to rest? we should be close to Ace by now!" Said Vivi.

"I didn't want to stop either," Luffy mumbled while eating another piece of meat.

"But that weird chick told us that she had a faster way to get to Ace!" He pointed at Inazuma.

"And you guys immediately trusted this 'weird chick' and followed her to her hideout?..." Vivi crossed her arms in disapproval. They may have some allies within the revolutionaries but they have their own goals. And it's unclear whether Sabo will regain his memories if Ace ends up surviving this ordeal.

"We are not that naive, Vivi." Defended Nami. "But she knew Sanji."

Vivi's eyes moved to the cook, who looked away in shame.

"I don't know what she is talking about."

Inazuma laughed. "I have never met Mister Sanji in person but I heard talk about him a lot for the past two years that he spent in Master Ivankov's kingdom. I receive reports every few days of the happenings of the outside world"

"You were in a Kingdom?" Asked Chopper with interest, maybe remembering his own island.

"Why haven't you told anything about what happened to you in the last two years?" Asked Nami.

"Yeah, we asked him several times, but he refuse to talk about it." Said Luffy.

"There is nothing to talk about!" Shouted Sanji.

"Anyways…" Vivi decided to change the subject since Sanji wanted to avoid the subject.

"You know a better way to reach Level 6, right? What are we waiting for?"

"Indeed, follow me. The preparations should be ready by now." Inazuma guided them to another room that lead behind the stage.

Vivi took hold of Saldeath again.

"Hey!, let me go already!, you don't need a guide anymore, you have that human!"

"No, but we cannot have you running out to warn everyone about our position. Or maybe I just want to keep you as the crew's pet..." Vivi chuckled.

"That position is taken!" Chopper gave Saldeath a deadly stare filled with bloodlust.

"Don't even think about becoming the pet of this crew!" Heshouted.

"Yezz Chopper, I didn't know you felt this strongly about it…" Vivi made an exasperated expression.

"I won't be anyone's pet! " Saldeath cried with anger, but he was also looking scared of Chopper now.

Sanji rushed to his side. "Hold on kid, don't discard that so easily. Becoming a pet of a beautiful girl could be a go-"

Vivi smacked him on the head. "Don't corrupt the kid!."

"But he is already a demon!" Said Sanji.

"Would you two stop already?!" Exclaimed Nami.

"Your crew seems very interesting Mister Luffy." Said Inazuma.

"Shishishi, of course, they are!." Said Luffy with pride.

"By the way, Miss Inazuma. Why are you in this place alone?. Especially if you have ways to move so freely around the prison. Can't you escape?" Nami had been wondering that for a while.

"I was left here with a mission when Master Ivankov and the others left. I needed to attempt to recruit any important prisoners that I found here. Unfortunately, there weren't that many who were worth recruiting, but I still found some. We were also getting ready to save Portagas D. Ace and Marco the Phoenix before your crew came here." She explained.

"You were going to save Ace? why?. They are pirates and you guys are revolutionaries." Asked Sanji, who for some reason was able to look at Inazuma with no problems.

"Our Supreme Commander gave the order. Apparently, he owed a favor to White Beard. He did not give us any more details, other than the possibility of your crew showing up. I didn't understand why…but now I see that Mister Luffy sees Portagas D.Ace as a brother."

Luffy frowned at the comment.

"I don't see him as a brother. He IS my brother!"

Inazuma took a step back.

"My apologies, I meant no offense…I do understand having a family bond despite our differences. Everyone in the revolutionary army is also my family as far as I'm concerned."

Luffy seemed to calm down a bit after he heard her answer.

They reached a giant door and Inazuma stepped first to open it.

"Oh and…I wasn't really alone." She smiled and opened it.

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