One Piece – Halfway Broken

Summary: Well now, let's see what will happen with Vivi...shall we?

Warning! Chapters 33-35 were all posted back-to-back! Make sure you don't miss one!

Lemon Warning! There is a short lemon in this chapter. It is labeled with -Lemon Starts Here- and -Lemon Ends Here- so you can skip it if that's not your thing.

Chapter 35: Clean Up

To everyone's surprise, the entire operation had been pulled off cleaner than they'd expected. Aside from the fighting on the river, and Crocodile and Luffy's conflict, everything also had been contained to the Rain Dinners Casino. Since the fighting around the Discovery hadn't involved any innocents, and the strike team had actually been pretty careful in their initial assault, the grand total of innocent casualties from the affair was below twenty. Every single one of which was being pinned directly on Crocodile's indiscriminate attacks as Luffy pushed him out of the city. There were a few cases in which there was a little doubt about that, close to the Casino itself. But both the local authorities in the form of Vivi and the Marines in the form of Hina weren't about to point that out. Particularly as Hina's investigation team had discovered both a large supply of Dance Powder, and quite a bit of a paper trail proving the Princess's accusations.

The result, so far, was the tensions were lowering everywhere. It would be some time until everything was fully resolved, but the crisis had largely been diverted. Broad pardons had been offered to the Rebels if they laid down their arms, and the vast majority had taken them. There were a few strings to the whole mess that had escaped. Such as Mr. 2 never having showed his face, and the remaining agents that were still enroute to Alabasta. Now that Baroque Works was officially declared an enemy of the Marines, however, most of that would take care of itself.

That said, there was also the issue of payment…which had gotten some pushback from the King when Robin had shown up to make good on the promise of getting access to the Poneglyph. Luffy had needed to lean pretty hard on the man, along with Vivi standing firm, in order to get that concession fulfilled. But now, as they stood in the hidden Tomb of the Kings, Robin was getting her wish. Though she was also slumping the more she read.

"Not what you were hoping for?"

Robin's voice was frustrated, but not fully despairing, when she replied.

"No. It is as you said. This Poneglyph contains only a few fragments of actual history, and not about the Void Century. It does contain the details Crocodile had wanted. Though the fool wouldn't have been able to do anything with them."

There was a hard edge in King Nefertari's voice as he interjected.

"Explain."

Robin shrugged and waved at the Poneglyph.

"It contains the basic details on Pluton. That it's a battleship of immense power. And it lists the final resting place it was left in. But that resting place is deep into the New World. Crocodile would never have been able to reach it as he was. Neither would I, for that matter. Nor did I read enough details to find it myself, even if I had a clue how to navigate in the strangest of seas. I have no interest in it, and it would be better for everyone if it never saw the light of day again."

The King looked dubious, but Luffy shrugged.

"I'll remind you again, that Robin has never been accused of trying to take over islands or similar, King Nefertari. The World Government has done their dead level best to turn her into a boogie woman. But even they've never tried to say that. She also actively betrayed the chance at helping rule Alabasta in favor of just getting a look at the history on this Poneglyph. She's an archaeologist, not a revolutionary."

The King frowned but nodded slowly.

"I think I can believe it. I certainly know to take the WG's words with a grain of salt, and she was instrumental to saving my country." His gaze sharpened as he locked it onto Robin. "Just don't betray that trust, or you'll have Alabasta out for your blood completely outside the World Government or Marines. And we have far fewer commitments to spread ourselves thin on."

Robin nodded with suitable gravity, even if she still looked a bit depressed. Within minutes, the small group was filing back out of the Tombs of the Kings and parted ways. There would be a celebratory dinner tonight. But Luffy was more interested in talking to Robin for the moment. She didn't seem to mind, seemed in fact to have half expected it, leading him out of the palace to a small café. She ordered a coffee, while he decided on something ridiculously fruity and sweet.

What? Just because he was a manly pirate didn't mean he couldn't appreciate cocktails and milkshakes. They were delicious! Besides, as a Zoan, he needed more calories than most. Tons of sugar was a good compromise, right?

"You want to know if I'm interested in your offer to join your crew."

Luffy reluctantly stopped savoring the fruity treat and tried to nod seriously, even if his tongue getting some sort of cream off his upper lip probably ruined it just a bit.

"Yep! Now you know what I said about the Poneglyphs is probably true. Better yet, we're not villainous pirates likely to stab you in the back at the first chance!"

Robin's lips quirked.

"Instead, you're bounty hunters, likely to turn me in at the first chance."

Luffy snorted, waving the spoon from his sugary treat.

"We're only technically bounty hunters, and I doubt it will last that much longer. I'm honestly expecting a 50/50 chance that we get labeled as pirates after this little adventure. Just so the WG can save face. Closer to 80/20 if you decide to join, but we're fine with that."

This time, Robin's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Why?"

Luffy smirked and leveled his spoon at her for emphasis.

"Because we aren't really bounty hunters. What we are, at the core, is Dreamers. In any decent age of humanity, we'd have been labeled Adventurers, Explorers, or even Spiritual Pilgrims of a sort, in a few cases. Kaya is seeking to learn more about her spiritual powers, Chopper wants to cure every disease, Zoro, Usopp and Kuina are all on journeys of self-improvement, seeking to become the best. Nami, myself, and Sanji are all explorers. I want to see the whole world and all it has to offer. Nami wants to map the entire thing, and Sanji is seeking the All Blue, a chef's paradise where the fish of all four blues can be found in one Ocean. Honestly, Nojiko is the biggest outlier, as she actively wants to eliminate evils in the world that the World Government ignores. If not for Nami being with us, she might well have joined the Revolutionary Army instead."

Robin was blinking rapidly at the list of dreams, and Luffy pushed ahead to strike while the iron was hot.

"The simple truth? Your desire fits in with all of ours. Several of which aren't going to please the WG if we get them even halfway right. Nami's most of all. Besides, if I understand you right, you don't even care about what to do with the information of what happened during the Void Century. You just want to know. Am I wrong?"

Robin's expression was startled by this point, and she slowly shook her head.

"You aren't wrong, Captain-san. I will…consider your offer. If I decided to take you up on it, I'll find you before you leave Alabasta. Your ship is rather distinctive, after all."

Luffy grinned and nodded at that, before returning to his delicious treat before it could melt too much. He was pretty sure she'd join and, one way or another, he'd done his best to sell the idea to her. He doubted she'd trust them just yet, even if she joined. But given that there wasn't any nefarious plot for her to find and none of his crew were ever likely to turn on her, trust could come in time…

... ...

-Lemon Starts Here-

Nami moaned as Luffy firmly mauled her breast with one hand, his other busy holding her wrists above her head as he pressed her back into the wall of their suite. She moaned more deeply a moment later when one thigh forced its way between her legs and rubbed her firmly through the thin cloth of the dress she'd worn to dinner. No panties under it, from what he could feel, which only sent his own passion rising higher as it added to the lack of bra he'd discovered when he pulled down the top of that dress. Clearly, she'd been after this encounter from the start.

In fact, he hadn't been too surprised when his girlfriend practically jumped him the moment the door closed. While Nami could drink like a fish without acting more than mildly tipsy at worse, Luffy had already discovered that the one thing that did happen, particularly if the alcohol was wine, was that his lover got horny as fuck. Not that he was exactly complaining, at the moment. Nor was he complaining about the little details he'd discovered when he finally let himself look into Nami's kinks. He hadn't been overly surprised to discover a strong bi-sexuality streak…but he had been a little startled to discover that she was almost wholly submissive.

He understood how it had happened, and likely would have even if his System hadn't spelled it out in detail. The simple truth was that Nami was normally so tightly wound and programmed for hyper-vigilance, that the idea of just…not being that way for a little while…was something of the ultimate forbidden fruit for her. With Luffy, she could let go for a while, and she reveled in every second of it.

Pushing aside any such thoughts on 'why,' Luffy whisked both her clothes and his away into his inventory, causing Nami to gasp as his grinding thigh found sensitive flesh with no more barrier between them. Letting her pull away from their kiss with that gasp, he began kissing and nibbling his way down her throat, getting renewed moans and mindless grinding as a reward. Finally pulling away only when he couldn't descend farther while still holding her wrists, he twisted and pulled her away from the wall. Sweeping her into a brief bridal carry, Luffy made it to the bed in just two long striges and tossed her on it…face down.

Not giving her the chance to roll, he straddled her from behind and recaptured her wrists, pulling them down to trap them with one hand at the small of her back. Spreading her legs with his knees, he used his other hand to lift her hips up, pressing her breasts down into the bed even as his rock-hard cock brushed her entrance. Grinning as she twitched backward, seeking more contact, he gently spanked her…then gave her what she wanted anyway. She moaned into the bed, even as he groaned deeply himself as his inches slid into that tight sheath. As he finally bottomed out, he gave her just a few moments to adjust, before he began to slowly thrust.

He knew she wanted more, but he could be patient and tease this first round. They had the rest of the night together, after all. And he had no intention of stopping until Nami passed out…

-Lemon Ends Here-

... ...

The entire crew was gathered together in the largest of their rooms, the suite that was being shared by Nami and Luffy. It was a bit crowded with the entire crew present, but needs must, and they needed to talk about something important. Specifically, Vivi had requested to speak with them, and most of them had a fair idea about why. Now, she shuffled under their gazes, acting much more like the teenager she was than the Princess whose royal mannerisms she could summon up from time to time. Finally, she blurted out the problem, one that Luffy had been expecting.

"I want to go with you!"

There was only a heartbeat of pause before several members of the crew responded.

"You should come!"

"You wouldn't be unwelcome."

"We'd love to have you!"

"We must continue to build our numbers to make sure the guys don't win! Join us, sister!"

Everyone stopped to stare at Nojiko for the last one, but the bluette just grinned and winked. Doing their best to shrug it off, everyone turned their focus back to Vivi. But it was Luffy who spoke.

"You want to come, but you also know you have a responsibility to your people."

Vivi, who had turned watery-eyed at the instant acceptance of the others, simply nodded. Luffy nodded back and took his best stab at guessing her reasoning.

"You enjoy the adventure, you want to get stronger, and frankly were always more of an action girl than a diplomat. Our lifestyle appeals to you, and you like us. Yet, at the same time, you are the only heir of Alabasta and the kingdom is going to be a long time recovering. Worse, you're the greatest link between the Rebels and Royals because your old friend is the Rebel leader. Torn between adventure and responsibility, right?"

Vivi looked stricken as he laid it all out in unflinching words but nodded again. Then looked confused as Luffy only grinned hugely in response.

"It would be a tragedy! If, that is, my looting of Wapol's stuff back on Drum hadn't turned up something~! Nami missed it, and I didn't want her to be tempted to just sell it until I knew what it did…"

Luffy reached under the bed he was sitting on and pulled out a small chest. It hadn't actually come from Wapol, but the System Store. But no one needed to know that. Sitting on top of the chest was a book, the Devil Fruit Guide that Nami had, in fact, been able to acquire back in Lougetown. He cracked the chest open first, making everyone stare at the large Mango with swirls on it as they slowly all realized what it was. Then, he opened the Guide to the spot he'd bookmarked, to the specific page that detailed everything known about the Devil Fruit in question, and handed it to Vivi. Nami and Nojiko were quick to scramble around behind her to read the entry, and Luffy gave them a few moments to get a start on it before turning to answer everyone else's curiosity.

"That is the Doa Doa no Mi. The Door-Door fruit allows someone to open doors on virtually any solid surface, doors that lead elsewhere. According to the Devil Fruit Guide, once the user gets a good handle on it, they can open a door to anyplace that they know well enough. Meaning that, at least in theory, Vivi should be able to open a door between her room here and her room on the Discovery. It would likely take some time and training for her to be able to do that. But once she can…"

Kuina, to absolutely no one's surprise, got it instantly.

"She can both travel with us and spend time here in Alabasta. However much of each she wishes."

Luffy grinned.

"Yep! Of course, it's also an incredibly valuable fruit for things like resupply. At the same time, its combat applications are limited. As members of the crew, all of you have the choice to request it. We could also open the doors for her, after all. But…"

Kaya was the one to answer his leading this time. She'd been raised with a business-focused mind, and it showed clearly in her answer.

"But it's not really that valuable for us, outside of its obvious utility uses. Yes, being able to restock would be useful. But Vivi is only a Den Den Mushi call away, and Alabasta is a trade hub. That means we can restock from here easier than almost any other island on the Grand Line anyway. All the while, the more places that Vivi can connect to by traveling with us, the more valuable the Fruit becomes for Alabasta as well. As it can allow the country to stock exotic goods for its trade!"

Luffy didn't bother to speak, simply making a half-bow with a flourish of his hat toward Kaya, which caused her to giggle. Vivi, Nami, and Nojiko had all gotten a chance during this to fully read the entry, and all of them were clearly working through the same thoughts. Vivi, in particular, recognized that it was also an extremely valuable Fruit for a Royal that might be targeted for assassination, as one of the higher-end uses allowed the user to vanish into some sort of an alternate dimension for safety. Right into thin air.

"C-Captain Luffy! This is too much! You've…Alabasta owes you more than we can possibly pay already! Let alone a priceless gift like this!"

Luffy reached out and flicked her on the noise.

"Don't be silly. If you agree to this, you'll also be agreeing to remain a member of the crew! Which means your strength is our strength...and as you've just heard everyone say, it would be a good utility power to be able to call on. If we ever run low on supplies, or even if the Discovery is sinking and we're in horrible trouble, a simple Den Den Mushi call and we can be safe back in Alabasta! You'd be a lifeline for us, which is a hell of a strong benefit for any crew, now isn't it? Triply so on the Grand Line, where so many things can go wrong in an instant!"

There was so much blatant truth in those words that Vivi could only gape like a fish, unable to form an argument against them.

"So, what do you say Princess? Want to be a member of the crew, have adventures and see the world, all while making your Kingdom stronger than ever?"

Luffy's answer was swift as Vivi practically tackled him in a hug…

... ... ... ...

A/N 1: The Doa Doa no Mi, for those that remember, would have been in use by CP-9. However, multiple of their fruits were given to them right before their fights with the Straw Hats. Which, to me, says that the Doa Doa no Mi was up for grabs right up until then. Thus it became my personal solution to the Vivi Crew vs Alabasta drama. This way, she can have her cake and eat it too. All the while providing a big boon for both her Kingdom and the Strawhats, who no longer have to worry about supply issues or having a Quick Escape option if things go pear shaped. A win all around, I feel. It also sets certain things up for later. One thing that always bothered me about islands behind taken under the protection of specific powers, for example, is that it's sort of hard to believe unless those powers have either a LARGE fleet, or a way to quickly reach the islands in question...

A/N 2: Once per release, I remind people that...I have a Patreon! Nothing I write, fanfiction wise, is ever permanently paywalled. That said, I do have Early Access chapters. There is, in fact, roughly another 14,000 words of One Piece - Halfway Broken currently in Early Access (Chapters 36-39). There are also early access chapters of my other works there as well, typically totaling 40-60k words of various works in early access at any one time. I always appreciate any support, since it helps me free up more writing time...but most of all I hope you just enjoy the stories!