"Vivi, you know why we came, don't you? Have you made your decision? Will you come aboard my ship?"
Gato did not waste words and went straight to the point, because Vivi should already have known why he had come.
Seeing Vivi hesitate as she glanced at Cobra, Gato's heart skipped a beat. Is this the prelude to rejection? He could use force to make Crocodile and Enel submit, but if it was Vivi, he was somewhat at a loss.
Cobra shook his head firmly. Vivi walked up to Gato with disappointment written all over her face and spoke her refusal.
"I'm sorry. I'm the princess of Alabasta and a member of the World Government. I can't possibly associate with a band of pirates. Although you helped Alabasta immensely, our positions have been opposed from the moment we were born."
Strangely enough, Gato smiled after hearing this, because after Vivi finished rejecting him, she quietly said another five words to him.
"Just take me away."
Her voice was so soft that even Gato, standing closest to her, could only tell what she meant by reading her lips. But that was fine. Gato could feel her resolve.
"Is that so? I never thought you'd really dare to refuse... Crocodile! Take her away already! What are you talking about? We're pirates, after all! Gahahaha!"
Crocodile curled his lip. They might have been pirates, but he had never done anything so tasteless before. Still, Gato was the captain, so there was nothing he could do.
In an instant, a raging sandstorm rose and blinded everyone. When the yellow sand dispersed, the civilians discovered that Crocodile and the other two had vanished. Princess Vivi had vanished as well.
"This is bad! Princess Vivi has been taken away!"
"Ah! Damn it, those cursed pirates!"
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