~Third~

The group of Luffy, Zoro, Nicole, Usopp and Nami ran towards the casino Rain Dinners, which Vivi said to be Crocodile's base, they were being chased by marines and Baroque Works agents a like as they bust in through the doors "Hey Crocodile! Show yourself!"Luffy yelled but the patrons in the casino ignored him and continued with their gambling.

"Listen! I crossed and ocean and a desert so i could kick your ass!"Luffy yelled but again he was ignored "Crocodile!"Luffy yelled before Nami and Usopp bonked him on the head "That's not gonna make him come out here you loud mouth dolt!"Nami yelled at him "Don't forget we're dealing with this countries hero you wanna turn all these customers against us?"Usopp asked.

"Okay fine so what do we do?"Luffy asked "Whoa hold on without Vivi we don't even know what Crocodile looks like"Usopp said "Well my dad gave me a general description of the other warlords, according to him Crocodile has black slicked back hair, a scar over his nose and a hook for a hand"Nicole said "Did he tell you anything else about Crocodile?"Luffy asked "Not really" Nicole said.

"Okay so we do have a general description but still where is Vivi?"Nami asked and then she Usopp and Luffy yelled "Vivi! Crocodile! Come out!" Nicole and Zoro just sighed at them "Hey you know what i think they might not come just because we call"Luffy said turning to the others "I've got you this time Strawhat!"Smoker said running over and the chase started once more as the group ran away from the marine captain.

"Oh great what's that reject of an ashtray doing in a town like Rainbase?"Usopp asked "If you ask me he's developed a special affection for Luffy here"Zoro said with a smirk, Nicole snickered a bit "Oh that's so funny and gross at the same time"she said and as they continued running a path cleared to the VIP lounge, the staff welcomed them to it.

"Did he say the VIP lounge?"Usopp asked "Hold on do you think it could be a trap maybe?"Nami asked "No maybe about it this definitely a trap"Nicole said "Hey don't these lounge things usually have free drinks for their guest?"Zoro asked "It's not like we have a choice run for it!"Luffy yelled, the doors opened for them as the group ran in chased by Smoker.

"What is a VIP anyway?!"Luffy asked "Very Important Person"Nicole said "Hey the hall splits!" Luffy said "There's a sign it says VIP's go left"Usopp said "And pirates go right"Nami said "Which way do we go?"Luffy asked "Decide quick!"Zoro said "VIP's choose VIP's that's gotta be the way to go"Usopp said "That's crazy talk, we're pirates and pirates are supposed to go this way, come on!"Luffy said running to the right.

"Well you gotta point there"Usopp said as the others followed only to end up in a dead end and the floor below them opened "This is certainly unexpected!"Smoker said falling down with the Strawhats as Nami just screamed while falling down "Can't believe we fell for this old trick"Zoro muttered also falling "To be honest i think both of the paths could have been trapped"Nicole said following him down "It's an out brake of my old i end up swimming while falling down a pit disease"Usopp said "I hate trap doors!"Luffy said.

~skip~

"Pretty clever trap wasn't it?"Luffy asked as him, Usopp, Nami, Nicole, Zoro and Smoker were locked behind a jail cell of sorts, having fallen there through the trap door "Oh yeah no way to see that one coming"Usopp said almost sarcastically "What are you talking about?! I told you it was a trap in the first place what a couple of idiots you are!"Nami yelled "You?! You were all maybe and perhaps, I was the one who was SURE this was a trap!"Nicole yelled at her "The details don't matter!"Nami yelled back.

"Something's wrong here, i feel weak all of the sudden"Luffy said "Really? What's the matter you hungry or something?"Usopp asked, Smoker got up "Luffy!"Zoro tried to warn him as Smoker struck the rubber boy with the tip of the baton or whatever he caries around "Luffy?"Nami asked as Usopp screamed, Smoker put the baton or whatever's tip on Luffy.

"I'll take you on if you want you smoke filled freak i didn't do so bad against the bomb guy you know, so i'll just wait in the corner here and you just let me know when you're ready okay?" Usopp asked his voice quivering from fear and backing off even though he was picking a fight with Smoker.

"What's wrong? I feel so helpless, it's like when i fall into the sea"Luffy said "Alright just what have you done to Luffy?"Nami asked "The tip of this staff is made from a substance called sea prism stone a rare mineral it supposedly exist in one certain sea in a distant corner of the world, not much is known about it but it's believed to give off a mystical energy at the same wavelength as the ocean itself, basically you can think of it as a solid form of the sea"Smoker explained.

"So it affects Luffy the same as if he fell into the ocean?"Zoro asked "Prison cells in marine headquarters are made of the same substance to prevent any devil fruit users from successfully escaping"Smoker said "Well then i'm betting this cell is built the same way"Nami said "If it wasn't you can be sure i'd be long gone by now and you five would be in prison waiting for a date with the hangman"Smoker said.

Zoro got ready to fight but Nicole struck her hand infront of him stopping him "Fighting him here won't solve anything, besides your swords won't do anything against a guy made of smoke"she said "She's right, give it up, although i bet odds are your swords could cut him, am i right? Nicole Mihawk"Crocodile said turning in his chair to face them, Nicole glared at the scared man as Smoker was taken by surprise, he certainly had heard the name Mihawk before.

"How am i not surprised you know that?"Nicole asked, Crocodile chuckled "The resemblance is uncanny"he said walking out of his seat "So people keep telling me"Nicole said "You big old bag of wind you're Crocodile?"Luffy asked getting up "Come on and fight me like a man you big du"Luffy was cut off by himself as he touched the sea prism stone and instantly grew weak.

"Pay attention stupid you gotta remember to not touch the bars!"Usopp yelled at him "Strawhat Luffy i congratulate you on getting so far and i promise to dispose of you neatly once our special guest of honor appears"Crocodile said "A guest?"Nami asked "Why even as we speak my partner is on her way to fetch her"Crocodile said.

~skip~

"Hey look i'm Sanji"Luffy said doing an impression of the cook "Okay which one of you ate the meat?"he asked as Usopp laughed "Get serious!"Nami yelled bonking their heads "How can you two screw around while we're in this desperate situation?!"Nami yelled at them "Well we can't get out so what else is there for us to do?"Luffy asked "The fact that we can't get out is the reason it's so desperate!"Nami yelled at them.

As Zoro was napping and Nicole was just looking at the cell structure tapping the walls and bars occasionally, she definitely could cut them but with Crocodile right there what would be the point and yes she could cut him too but Luffy wanted to beat Crocodile so badly and she didn't wanna kill steal or anything since she believed Luffy could do it too.

"If we don't do something soon we're gonna wind up dead and why are you sleeping?"Nami asked bonking Zoro on the head "And you can't you cut this cage?!"Nami asked yelling at Nicole now "Nope"Nicole decided to lie only to get bonked on the head by Nami "Ugh! Useless every one of you!"she yelled.

"You're certainly a high spirited young lady"Crocodile said "Whatever you better go ahead and enjoy the time you got mister because once these guys get out of here their gonna kick your ass up and down the Grand Line like a flabby beach ball right Luffy?"Nami asked "Yeah you better believe we will buddy!"Luffy yelled.

"Your crew members seem to place a lot of trust in you Strawhat Luffy, how foolish, i think trust is completely unnecessary"Crocodile said "Who does he think he is sneering at us like that?" Nami asked "Get off Nami you're just gonna end up making him angry"Usopp said "Crocodile!" Vivi called as she appeared at the top of the stairs "My humble greetings Vivi royal princess of Alabasta, i mean miss Wednesday, i complement on you having evaded our assassins to get this far"Crocodile said.

"You have no idea what i'd do or how far i'd go to see you dead Mr. Zero, i wish you died in your cradle you monster!"Vivi yelled attacking the warlord "Vivi wait first get us out of this thing!" Luffy yelled "This country would still be peaceful if it wasn't for you!"Vivi said ignoring Luffy, Usopp and Nami as they yelled at her.

Vivi threw her attack chopping off Crocodile's head, however Smoker and Nicole knew it was pointless as the rest of Crocodile turned to sand "Feel better?As a native of this country you must surely know that i have the power of the sand sand fruit"Crocodile said reforming himself behind Vivi from sand "Want to become a mummy?"he asked.

"You leave her alone, i'm warning you right now or i'll kick your ass!"Luffy yelled "Have a seat princess, i trust you'll be comfortable there i must say your timing was perfect the party is about to begin isn't that right miss All Sunday?"Crocodile asked his partner "Yes, it's exactly noon right now, time for operation utopia"the woman said "What's an operation Utopia?"Luffy asked.

Crocodile just started laughing "It will mean the end of the kingdom of Alabasta miss Wednesday, i'm going to wipe it off the face of the map like it never was there to begin with, all people great and small will be sucked into eternal darkness as they writhe in agony, let operation Utopia begin"he said.