Chapter 23: Meeting Vivi

In the shadows near Twin Capes, two figures lurked, observing Laboon closely.

"Miss Wednesday, bringing such a giant whale to Baroque Works so soon after joining, you've really hit the jackpot! This beast could feed a small town for years! Ho ho ho..." Mr. 9 exclaimed with an exaggerated grin.

"Hi, Mr. 9! I spotted a man surfing this whale out at sea. Hohoho," Vivi chimed in, mimicking Mr. 9's grin, though she was still relatively new to the act. Secretly, she was astonished; having just joined Baroque Works, gaining trust was crucial.

They had spotted a man riding the whale through towering waves ahead, prompting Vivi to notify Mr. 9 and split up to follow.

"If we bring this whale back, it'll bolster our standing in Baroque Works, right?" Vivi mused cautiously, mindful of the organization's powerful leader, whose recent appearances had unnerved her.

"Miss Wednesday? Miss Wednesday!" Mr. 9's voice cut through Vivi's thoughts, snapping her back to attention.

"What's wrong, Mr. 9?" Vivi swiftly regained composure.

"Don't zone out. Arm yourself—we're capturing this whale. You still have a lot to learn, baby!" Mr. 9 directed, prompting Vivi to nod determinedly and grab her handheld cannon.

At the Twin Capes, Ace and his crew bid farewell to Crocus and Laboon after ten transformative days. With the Realm of Understanding's blessing, Kaya had absorbed Crocus's vast medical knowledge in record time.

"You've done marvelously, Kaya," Crocus praised warmly, eyes still tinged with fatigue from relentless teaching.

Crocus admired Kaya's unparalleled talent, marveling at her ability to grasp in a day what took others years to learn. He had sacrificed sleep, pouring hours into her training, fostering a mentor-student bond.

"How's that for a ship's doctor, huh?" Ace beamed proudly, slinging an arm around Kaya.

Kaya blushed deeply at Ace's praise, taken aback by his spontaneous affection.

"Haha, indeed! Given time, Kaya will surpass even me as the world's finest doctor," Crocus chuckled with genuine delight, reveling in his role as mentor.

Laboon's emotional farewell tugged at everyone's heartstrings. Kaya, Nami, and Nuoqi Gao approached Laboon, offering heartfelt farewells, promising to return soon.

Tashigi hesitated, then tentatively placed her hand on Laboon's massive form.

Suddenly, two figures leaped out from behind the rock wall, startling everyone.

Ace's lips curled into a knowing smile at the interruption.

"This whale belongs to us! Hand it over! Baby!" Mr. 9's exaggerated declaration rang out as he aimed a cannon at Ace's group.

Vivi joined in, her gaze faltering briefly before steeling with resolve, thinking of her people back in Alabasta.

Bang! Bang! Gunshots echoed, causing Mr. 9 and Vivi to cry out in pain as their weapons were knocked from their hands.

Nuoqi stood tall, smoke curling from her firearm's muzzle. "Hmph, slow on the draw with those weapons. Surrender peacefully," she commanded, aiming confidently at the disarmed pair.

"We surrender! Please don't kill us!" Mr. 9 sobbed, crumpling to the ground.

Ace approached Mr. 9, seizing a recorder from him with a sudden realization. "The recorder! How could I forget this?"

Crocus slapped his forehead in dismay. "I've been so absorbed in teaching Kaya, I forgot such an essential item!"

"Nami, as a navigator, this item is crucial," Crocus addressed her urgently.

Taking the recorder from Ace, Nami murmured to herself, finally grasping its significance.

"In the Grand Line, islands are linked by magnetic fields. This recorder will guide you accurately to the next island," Crocus explained solemnly.

Nami nodded, understanding the gravity of their situation. "So, we choose our route carefully from this starting point."

"Please, don't take the recorder! Without it, we're stranded!" Mr. 9 pleaded tearfully, Vivi echoing his plea with unsteady resolve, still acclimating to her new role in Baroque Works.

"Ace, let's choose Vivi's town as our first stop. Seems like fate has brought us together," Ace suggested, smiling at the perplexed Vivi.

"Why?!" Vivi and Mr. 9 exclaimed, exchanging a brief glance before nodding in resigned agreement.

As they realized their mission to procure food would be jeopardized if they returned empty-handed, Ace watched Vivi closely, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

In front of Twin Capes, Ace regarded Vivi with a glint in his eye.

"Being destined to become the King of the World, I can't afford not to have a Celestial Dragon on my crew," he mused, reflecting on the importance Im had placed on Vivi in the original book.

Vivi harbored secrets unknown even to himself, making her an ideal crew member.

Several days ago, Ace's Observation Haki had sensed Vivi while riding Laboon through the waves. Pretending not to notice her, Ace had subtly guided her here.

"Now that Vivi's recently joined Baroque Works, she's eager to prove herself," Ace observed with a slight grin.

Meanwhile, Crocus, the seasoned veteran, cautioned Ace about making hasty decisions in the Grand Line.

"You can't change course once you've chosen it," Crocus warned solemnly.

Ace smirked. "I guess I'll have to be decisive then," he replied nonchalantly.

Crocus chuckled at Ace's response, admiration gleaming in his eyes.

"Shall we head to your town, then?" Ace suggested, tilting his head and flashing a smile at Vivi.

Vivi hesitated, her crimson lips pursed in silence. She felt like Ace could see right through her.

"Thank you so much!" Mr. 9 interjected emotionally, fearing Ace might change his mind.

"With the route decided, let's set sail!" Ace declared, pointing eagerly toward the horizon.

"Since the captain's spoken, we're bound for that town," Nojiko affirmed with a smile.

Although Nami remained wary of the newcomers, her trust in Ace kept her objections silent as she studied the charts.

Kaya, always obedient to Ace, and Tashigi, deep in thought with her sword in hand, prepared quietly for departure.

As the Going Merry departed, Crocus and Laboon watched solemnly.

"Don't worry, Laboon. They'll be back," Crocus reassured the massive whale with a laugh.

Laboon responded with a soft cry into the sky.

"Portgas D. Ace, Roger... Is he the one we're seeking? I sense your presence in him. No,even you didn't possess such grace in your youth," Crocus reminisced, wiping a tear from his eye with a smile.

"He's destined to make waves across the seas," Crocus reflected brightly.

The journey to Whiskey Peak began smoothly, until suddenly, thick fog engulfed the sea.

"Wait! Hold on!" Nami exclaimed, spotting the record pointer on her wrist.

"Nojiko, turn the ship 180 degrees immediately!" Nami commanded urgently.

"180 degrees? Are we going back?" Nojiko questioned skeptically, but promptly obeyed.

"We were going the wrong way. How did this happen? We must have missed the pointer for a moment," Nami murmured incredulously.

"In these waters, trust nothing but the record pointer. Are you really our navigator?" Vivi and Mr. 9 looked on oddly.

Nami snapped, "Watch your words or I'll throw you overboard!"

"Sorry," Vivi and Mr. 9 apologized quickly, realizing they had touched a nerve.

As dark clouds gathered overhead, snow began to fall unexpectedly.

"What's happening in these waters?" Nami exclaimed in frustration, her once-proud navigation skills failing her.

But Ace intervened, placing a comforting hand on Nami's head.

"You're my navigator," he reminded her gently.

Nami looked up, meeting Ace's reassuring smile. "Yes, I am the navigator of the Entei Pirates!" she affirmed, stroking the symbol on her arm.

With Ace's encouragement and the Realm of Understanding aiding her focus, Nami swiftly corrected their course despite the tumultuous weather.

Impressed by Nami's newfound confidence and skill, Vivi watched in astonishment.

Could Ace's mere words have sparked such a transformation in their navigator?

Soon, with Nami and Nojiko's expert navigation, Cactus Island and Whiskey Peak appeared on the horizon.

"Haha, well done, Nami, Nojiko. You truly live up to being my navigator and helmsman," Ace praised warmly.

Nami and Nojiko smiled proudly at the recognition.

"Kaya and Tashigi handled the ship perfectly as well," Ace acknowledged, turning to them.

Kaya beamed gratefully at Ace, but Tashigi's expression remained guarded.

"Hey, you two did nothing," Mr. 9 and Vivi, who had been relegated to menial tasks, complained bitterly.

"I'm the captain. My beloved crew takes care of the hard work at sea," Ace responded with amusement rather than annoyance.

Even Nami and Nojiko couldn't help but smile at Ace's easy confidence.

Tashigi's expression grew even more conflicted.

"Mmph, dimwitted pirates. Miss Wednesday, what's the matter?" Mr. 9 muttered softly, noticing a change in Vivi's demeanor.

"Nothing," Vivi replied quietly, burying her emotions.

She pondered Ace's words about destiny and couldn't shake their resonance.

"Let's move out quickly," Mr. 9 urged, escorting Vivi to the ship's edge.

"Thanks for bringing us back. Farewell!" Mr. 9 laughed oddly, jumping into the sea with Vivi and swimming towards shore.

"What are those two up to?" Nami wondered aloud, watching them go.

"Don't worry about them. Let's start our landing," Ace dismissed casually, gazing toward Whiskey Peak with a smile.

In the next instant, cheers erupted from the crew as they set course for their next adventure.