Killers' Allegiance: Dreams of the Past

(It seems some readers haven't read the title story, "Miss Golden Week: The Great Search for Baroque," so I'll just write a chapter about it; otherwise, some might find the crocodile's later transformation too abrupt. Of course, this is based on the story within the book's 'timeline.')

Just as Roman, Luffy, and their crew set sail, in Alabasta:

"Miss Golden Week, how's the situation outside?"

In a hotel in the Rapeseed Flower City, Mr. 5, with his collar turned up, furtively glanced at the little girl who entered. On one hand, she was a high-ranking member of the Baroque Works; on the other hand...

He and his partner Miss. dared not show their faces on Valentine's Day, after all, they had not completed the mission assigned to them (to take down the Straw Hat Pirates), and according to Baroque Works ' 'rules', they would be dealt with!

Miss Golden Week, who has added the 'Leisure Green' color to herself, doesn't have this concern. Unless she encounters a master, most people won't even notice her.

"There's news,"

The expressionless little girl held a newspaper in her hand, with a large headline. "The Shocking Plot of Former Shichibukai Crocodile to Establish 'Baroque Works'..."

It also features large portraits of codenamed Mr. 0 (Shakti Crocodile), Mr. 1 (Daz Bones), Miss Two Fingers (Pola), Mr. 2 (Von Clay), Mr. 4 (Beb), Miss Merry Christmas (...), and Gun Dog (Lassoo).

"Um... it's quite surprising that our boss is one of the Shichibukai..."

Mr. 5—or rather, the man whose Gem— stared at the newspaper article, flipping through it repeatedly in disbelief. Because of Baroque Works ' 'secrecy,' they only now knew who the real boss behind them was, but—

"He was Shichibukai, after all, how could he... how could he..."

So he was sent to prison?

"But anyway," the fashionable Miss Valentine—whose real Mikita —who was also being cautious, breathed a sigh of relief, "At least we don't have to worry about being hunted down by the organization."

"That makes sense," Mr.5 also breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly realized something.

"Wait a minute, look here. The Navy is still hunting down the remaining Baroque Works executives! — That is, the three of us and Mr. 3."

"Ah, this..."

Miss shed two lines of tears on Valentine's Day. Is the fate of an assassin either imprisonment or dying in a ditch?

Put it in, put it in, put it in...

"Miss Golden Week, what are you doing...?"

Looking at the little painter girl packing her luggage, Mr.5 asked doubtfully. ——Is she going to run away? That's right, Baroque Studio has been destroyed, and the Navy is wanted... It's best for me and Miss. Valentine's Day to hurry up...

"I want to go to prison."

?!

"Hey, hey, hey, what did you just say—"

"I'm going to the prison to get everyone out."

!??

"Don't be silly! Miss Golden Week," Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine quickly dissuaded the little girl. "That's a naval prison! How could we possibly break in?"

"Yes, yes, and according to the 'rules,' if we fail to complete the mission, the organization will eliminate us!"

However, the little girl Marianne Miss Golden Week, whose real name is Marianou, simply put her art supplies into her suitcase and prepared to leave.

"Them--"

"He is my partner."

There's no other reason, just this ridiculous one.

"The 'Friendship Yellow-Green' I painted here will last for another week. During this week, everyone who comes near this room will subconsciously regard the people here as 'friends,' so you should just stay here and wait for things to calm down."

Click,

Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine looked at each other, staring at the closed door in front of them.

"Us····"

"Are you just going to let Miss Golden Week go alone like this?"

When Miss asked him a question on Valentine's Day, Mr. 5 took off his brown sunglasses and combed his messy hair into a ponytail.

What are you saying?

"Send a little girl to break out of prison alone? I haven't stooped that low!"

Meanwhile, Miss Valentine, who was standing nearby, had changed into a leather jacket and picked up a parasol as a weapon. "We're high-ranking members of Baroque Works, after all; we can't let anyone look down on us."

"Let's go!" X2

Creak,

As the door opened, two figures caught up with the little girl carrying a suitcase.

"Help me~~~"

Although she went out looking carefree, Miss. ended up on the gallows by the sea on Valentine's Day! Meanwhile, Mr. 5 and Miss Golden Week, hiding in the nearby woods, looked at each other in bewilderment. The reason?

"Hina is very angry,"

A tall, sexy woman with long pink hair, holding a cigarette, points at Miss Valentine on the gallows.

"Because the Straw Hat crew tricked us! So—"

"Pass the word down: have the other executives at Baroque Works turn themselves in by noon, or I'll hang this guy!"

(Original plot, don't accuse me of dissing the Navy...)

········

The two people in the woods were naturally unwilling to watch their companion be hanged, but Mr. 5 was too weak, and although Miss Goldenweek's abilities were incredible, she was a colonel from headquarters with Observation Haki and was extremely vigilant! It would be difficult for her to fall into a trap.

What should we do...?

"Hi, have you missed me?"

A voice came from behind, startling Mr. 5 and Miss Golden Week who were hiding in the woods! Turning around, they saw not only Mr. 2 Von Clay, but also Mr. 3, who had a bruised and swollen face, being held in his hand!

"Mr. 2 von Clay? Mr. 3? What are you doing here—"

"I escaped from prison—don't forget, I'm a master escape artist!"

"As for this guy, he's trying to escape alone," Mr. 2 von Clay said, gesturing to Mr. 3 in his hand. "His abilities allow him to build candle ships or even candle submarines to evade naval capture. How inconsiderate of him, not even asking me to come along!"

"I······"

Mr. 3, who had been beaten up, dared not utter a word of anger. In the hands of Mr. 2 Bon Clay, who knew the details of his Devil Fruit ability, Mr. 3 truly had no chance of winning.

"By the way, what are you doing here?"

Mr. 2 von Clay looked at the gallows by the sea. "Isn't that Miss Valentine's Day? You're trying to save her?"

"Yes,"

Mr. 5 hung his head in frustration. "We were originally planning to rescue the others, but we ran into this naval captain, and even Miss Valentine was—"

"Hahaha~~~!!"

???

"Keep your voice down!"

"Are you asking for it?!"

Faced with Mr. 5's surprise and Mr. 3's angry rebuke, Mr. 2 von Clay suddenly stood up and stretched out his arms!

"How can we stand by and watch a colleague risk his life to save another? He's so loyal and righteous!"

Even though you say that, we're assassins, you know...

"Wait!" Mr. 3, who was being held by Mr. 2 von Clay, discovered the 'blind spot'.

"What do you mean by 'we'—"

Brush,

However, before he could finish speaking, his collar was suddenly tightened and he was suddenly "flew" up! Mr. 2 von Clay threw him like a cannonball towards the navy on the beach.

I f***

Who is it?

"Shooting!"

"Pay attention to formation—"

Boom!

"Mr. 2 Bon Clay! You damn transvestite!!"

The giant 'Candle Champion Cup' rose from the crater in the ground, and Mr. 3, who 'forced' the team fight, began to face the enemy with tears in his eyes! Meanwhile, Mr. 5, who was rushing in at high speed, bit his finger.

"Flying Blood Explosion!"

The spurting blood landed precisely on the rope binding Miss Valentine. With a few small explosions, Mr. 5 leaped forward and caught the falling Miss Valentine.

"Over here,"

Facing the marines on the warship next to her, the little girl Miss Golden Week flicked her paintbrush.

'The Betrayal Black.'

"Sir, I will obey your orders!"

A group of marines instantly 'betrayed' them, mistaking the little painter girl for their superior and forming a circle around her to protect her in the center!

"Set sail quickly!"

"Take us to the detention center where the Baroque Works is being held."

As the warship turned and set sail, under the command of Miss Golden Week, a group of naval personnel escorted her, Mr. 5, and Miss Valentine as they sped away!

"Don't even think about it—"

As the strongest fighter here, 'Black Cage' Hina certainly wouldn't let the other party leave like this, but:

Brush,

A man in prison clothes stood in front of her, his face, though painted with lipstick and eyeshadow, held a resolute, masculine expression.

"Bring it on!"

"Hina is a disgrace."

Bang!

Their two legs clashed violently together.

"This is·····"

"The new criminals arrested today."

Led by naval personnel with black '@' paint on their backs, Miss. Golden Week, Mr. 5, and Miss. Valentine's Day successfully entered the heavily guarded naval detention center.

In fact, let alone ordinary people, even those with special abilities could easily be caught off guard by Miss Golden Week's seemingly invincible abilities and suffer a complete defeat.

Everything went very smoothly. First, they rescued Miss Twofinger and Miss Merry Christmas from the women's prison, then they went to the men's prison...

Crocodile, sitting imposingly on the only chair, Mr. 1 sitting on the other prisoners, and Mr. 4 pressed against the wall like a statue—it's a scene straight out of 'Prison Break'.

It must be said that even with the Seastone handcuffs, the strong are still not to be trifled with by ants!

·········

"Reorganize the Baroque Works?"

Crocodile grinned as he saw that this group of 'tools' actually wanted to rescue him and continue to let him lead them.

"You can leave now. There is no more Baroque Works."

"Boss, don't be discouraged!"

"We can make a comeback!"

"Yes, you are Crocodile!"

Ha, if I had trusted these 'fools' even a little bit in the past, things wouldn't have come to this, would they?

Hmph, I'm so sorry, you 'fools'. The man in front of you is not worthy of your trust!

"Let's go,"

A dejected Crocodile lit a cigar and watched the many Baroque Works executives leave. Except:

"Mr. 1, why aren't you leaving?"

"My work isn't finished, so I'm not leaving, boss."

"Whatever."

The wall beside him had been blasted open by Mr. 4's Gun Dog; freedom was within reach, but Crocodile didn't want to take that step. Perhaps it was simply to preserve what little 'dignity' he had left, or perhaps it was just that he 'disdained'... or rather, 'wasn't worthy' of relying on the strength of fools to leave...

Crocodile, with a cigar in his mouth, could still see through the hole the numerous Baroque Works executives on the departing warship, as well as Miss Goldenweek standing on the ship's railing.

"Then let me add the final touch of color to the Baroque Works as a farewell 'gift'."

The little girl dipped her paintbrush in all the colors and then flung it into the sky!

Dream Rainbow!!

A dazzling array of colors fell, like a dream! They shone on each of the Baroque Works staff, revealing their innermost selves.

Miss Double Fingers for the 'Hotel Owner', Mr. 4 for the 'Deliveryman', Miss Merry Christmas for the 'Princess Dress', Mr. 5 for the 'Firefighter', Miss Valentine's Day for the 'Pastry Chef', and even Lassoo, the Gun Dog from the 'Tank'...

"Childish,"

Crocodile, with a cigar in his mouth, looked at his former subordinates.

"Your wish... so it's just to be ordinary people? Really—hahahahaha~~~"

Even with Crocodile's composure, he was amused by Mr. 1 beside him! Who would have thought that the dream of the infamous 'assassin' of the West Blue was to become a 'hero'?

That's right, Mr. 1 is now wearing a tight-fitting bodysuit, with his underwear on the outside, a mask, and a bright red cape! It's a classic hero outfit.

"Hey, Mr. 1, your clothes are really nice."

Miss Golden Week's all-out 'Dream Rainbow' has even interfered with reality, transforming everyone's prison uniforms into the attire of their dreams! And it also allowed others to see...

"I think yours is prettier, boss."

??!!

Startled, Crocodile looked down and saw that he was covered in:

A sharp sailor uniform, a wide red belt, and a black captain's coat! Adorned with gorgeous gold tassels, and a tricorn hat with his pirate symbol on it.

King of the Pirates!

Why? How could this be? This is me...

Crocodile stared tremblingly at the scene before him. Was this the 'dream' he had longed for most in his heart? What had he been doing all these years? Why had Crocodile ever set sail? And for what...?

Ahhh, so I'm a 'fool' after all~~

"Hahahahahahaha~~!!!!"

A wild, unrestrained laugh echoed through the cell, as if bidding farewell to the executives of Baroque Works. A chilling aura rose from Crocodile, who was dressed in the costume of the King of the Pirates!

"Wrong, wrong~~"

"I've been wrong all along!"

"Mr. 1, you still want to follow me—"

"Of course, boss."

Mr. 1, sitting next to me with his arms crossed, is always so serious and methodical.

"This is my job."

"Damn it! This place has been attacked—"

"Don't move! Crocodile!"

"Seastone! Quickly, bring me Seastone handcuffs!!!"

"... Why didn't you take the opportunity to escape...?"

"Heh heh heh, who do you think I am?"

"I am Crocodile!"

Crocodile, sitting on the stone slab, allowed the Marines, who were on high alert, to put Seastone handcuffs on him, glancing sideways at the two people who had been thrown in on the ground.

"Hey, Mr. 0." Mr. 2 von Clay winked with a happy expression. "We meet again."

"Damn it, why?!" This was Mr. 3, who looked completely devastated.

"It seems your cultivation is still lacking," Mr. 1 said solemnly from the side.

"Welcome back,"

After taking a puff of his cigar, Crocodile surprisingly displayed a cool 'smile'.

"You useless bunch."

"Don't be too happy yet, because of your dangerousness, you'll soon be taken to 'Impel Down'!"

Meanwhile, led by Miss Golden Week, the other executives of Baroque Works found an abandoned inn in the Alabasta desert. After renovating it, the inn, named 'Spider Coffee', officially opened!

This time, however, they were actually operating as a hotel, not as a secret hideout for assassins.

"I will draw the happy ending."

Miss. Golden Week... No, that's what the little girl named Marianne said.

P. S.: Although it's unrelated to the main plot, a 4000-word chapter is perfectly fine as a normal chapter, right?