"Set sail!"
"Our destination — the Kingdom of Alabasta!"
Once the decision was made to aid Princess Vivi, there was no reason left to delay.
Before departure, Ron had a private talk with Laboon.
He promised the great whale that when the Themis crossed the legendary Devil's Triangle, he would rescue Brook and reunite the two lifelong friends.
As Laboon's excited roar echoed across Twin Cape, everyone waved farewell to Crocus.
The old doctor watched the Themis drift farther and farther into the horizon, his heart heavy with emotion.
"Perhaps," he murmured, "he really is the one Roger was waiting for."
A thought that would haunt him again later when he found himself wondering, which one of the new generation truly was that "chosen man."
Onboard the Themis, Nami and Nojiko took Vivi by the hand, smiling brightly.
"Come on! You need a proper room!" Nami said cheerfully.
Since their voyage to Alabasta would take time, a cabin for Vivi was essential.
Mr. 9, however, was not so lucky — he remained on his small boat, tethered to the Themis by a thick rope.
The sisters had made it very clear: no other man was setting foot on their ship.
Practicality aside, the little boat was still seaworthy — and someone had to guard it.
The ship's interior was vast and elegant, shaped like a perfect grid with nine rooms in total.
"There are four rooms left," Nami said, proud as a hostess. "You can pick whichever you like!"
She treated Vivi as a younger sister, enjoying the rare joy of being the big one for once.
Nojiko's eyes softened with warmth.
Faced with their kindness, Vivi was flustered but grateful.
After some hesitation, she chose a room — one right beside Ron's.
And on his other side, of course, was Nami's.
When evening came, the four of them gathered in the dining hall.
The candlelight danced between laughter and silence.
It was only then that Vivi finally voiced what had been on her mind all day.
"Why… why would you help me?" she asked softly. "After everything I did…"
She looked down, her voice trembling.
"I tried to steal from you, and you still forgave me. Now you're even willing to fight Crocodile for my sake. I don't understand."
Nami smiled faintly.
"Because we know what it's like," she said.
"To fight when you have nothing left — to stand against a monster and realize that even your best isn't enough. That kind of despair…"
Her voice grew quieter. "I know it too well."
Vivi blinked, eyes wide. "Nami… you mean you—?"
Nojiko chuckled softly, resting her chin on one hand. "You two really are alike," she said, and began recounting Nami's past.
Word by word, she told the story of a girl who fought for her village
who traded freedom for the promise of saving others.
By the end, Vivi's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
She understood now.
Their pain came from the same place.
"And besides," Nami added with a firm tone, "defeating Crocodile won't just help you — it'll help us too."
She ticked off the reasons on her fingers, just as Ron had once done.
"First, fame. Once Ron's mastered even the basics of Armament Haki, there's no need for us to hide anymore."
"Second, justice. Exposing Crocodile's crimes means the World Government will have no choice but to strip his Warlord title and reissue his bounty."
She smiled slyly. "Which means money."
"And third…"
Her eyes gleamed. "The Sand-Sand Fruit itself."
"Hmm?" she said suddenly, noticing Ron quietly eating in the corner. "You haven't said a word. What do you think?"
Ron looked up with a grin. "You can't fight on an empty stomach."
He took another bite, then added casually, "And besides, I'm already working out what comes after Alabasta."
To be precise, he was refining a new idea — his "Authentic Desert Queen Wind Dancer" plan.
Nami and Nojiko both blushed furiously at the phrase, though they pretended not to hear it.
The first half of his sentence — about "what comes after Alabasta" — had already made their hearts flutter.
Nami glanced at her sister, confused. Why is she blushing too?
Nojiko, catching that look, immediately buried her face in her plate, pretending to be deeply interested in her food.
Vivi, innocent and curious, blinked in confusion.
She could feel the odd tension at the table but didn't quite grasp it.
Still, one phrase echoed in her mind: After Alabasta.
Was Ron truly planning that far ahead?
That confidence — no, that certainty — was beyond belief.
Crocodile wasn't some nameless pirate; he was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
How could this man face him so casually?
And yet… when their eyes met, Vivi's heart skipped a beat.
There was something unshakable about him.
By the time dinner neared its end, she finally found the courage to ask:
"Um… once you drop Mr. 9 off at Whiskey Peak, could you bring my guard captain, Igaram, back with us to Alabasta?"
"Of course!" Nami replied instantly, before Ron could even speak.
Time flowed easily aboard the Themis.
The weather of the Grand Line was unpredictable — clear skies, then storms, then snow — but to this crew, it was just another rhythm of adventure.
Within days, they reached their next destination: Whiskey Peak.
The island was exactly as Vivi had warned them — a paradise of smiles hiding the scent of danger.
As the Themis approached the port, a crowd of strangers cheered, waving and shouting in welcome.
"Welcome to the Grand Line!"
"First time here? You've made it farther than most!"
Hands clapped, laughter rang, barrels rolled down the pier — a celebration that felt almost too warm.
Nami frowned slightly. Nojiko crossed her arms.
Even Ron's smirk turned cold.
Because all of them understood.
Beneath the cheerful greetings, the air was thick with intent.
Every bounty hunter on that island was smiling but each smile hid a knife.
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