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Episode 206 (WJ #49, 2001)
Ignition
The city fighting continues. As Tashigi cuts down Baroque Works agents, she tells her men to see through to the enemies and don't wait for them to "show proof"... and she also notices the clock face opening up. Mr.7 and Miss Fathers-Day are laughing that they might get a promotion in the syndicate when they carry out the orders and blow up all those innocent people. 20 seconds left; they get ready for ignition. Back to Luffy vs Crocodile - Crocodile asks what he doesn't understand. Fierce hand-to-hand combat continues.... but Luffy's body starts to falter. Crocodile comments that Luffy should be starting to feel numb, and that he will be buried in the rubble that used to be the mausoleum when everything is over. Yet, Luffy manages to land a blow onto Crocodile. Crocodile wonders why... At the clock tower, 15 seconds left. The agents aim, and light the fuse. Nami piles Chopper and Vivi atop Usopp; and as the agents count down, she uses Cyclone Tempo, and (after hitting Usopp in the groin) hurls the three up into the air. As Sanji watches, Nami tells Chopper to jump to where Sanji is. Sanji gets the idea, but isn't sure if it will work... but Vivi says that they have no time to think. Chopper jumps, and lands on Sanji's right foot. With a swift kick, Sanji "passes" Chopper and Vivi to Zoro. Zoro looks up, musing that he needs to send them up to the open face of the tower. 10 seconds left. Chopper and Vivi are wondering what Zoro is going to do with his swords; but Zoro replies he will be using the back of his swords. 9 seconds left. Zoro warns Vivi of the strange ones upstairs -- Vivi replies that she remembers their faces. Just then, as they are airborne, the agents realize they are down there... Back at the mausoleum, Crocodile yells that Luffy has no reason to be in Alabasta. Luffy explains that the reason why Crocodile doeesn't understand is that Vivi tells others to stay alive, but sacrifices herself for the sake of others. Crocodile tells Luffy to leave her be; Luffy replies that because he doesn't want her to die, she is one of them... and until she gives up on Alabasta, he and his crew will continue to fight -- and if they die, that is that. Back at the tower: Miss Fathers-Day's RibbitRibbit Gun and Mr.7's Yellow Gun are pointed at Vivi. Sanji is freefalling. Vivi notes that they are the sniper pair. Zoro tells Chopper that he will lift them up and change directions, so the rest will be up to our reindeer. Down on the ground, Nami yells that they have 7 seconds left -- and Usopp yells at them to do something.
Episode 207 (WJ #50, 2001)
Nightmare
Crocodile laughs as Luffy falls to the ground from the poison, and tells our rubberband boy that everything depends on whether or not he can win -- that if he loses, everything that he and his crew did will be for naught. Back to the clock tower, Zoro catapults (with his swords) Chopper and Vivi up the clock tower; Miss Fathers-Day and Mr.7 shoots their Ready Smash (the bullets collide with one another and explode upon impact on target - in this case, Zoro) with 6 seconds left. Zoro gets hit -- 5 seconds left. The agents aim up and shoot Chopper -- 4 seconds left -- but they are surprised and wonder who was standing before them (Chopper changed from the beast form to the human form to toss Vivi up into the sky). Chopper escapes impact by reverting to his normal (beast-human) form. The agents look for Vivi above them -- 3 seconds left. Vivi attacks the agents with her Peacocky-String Slasher -- and misses? 2 seconds left -- the agents smile that she missed; but the slasher comes boomeranging back in the Slasher Runback. 1 second left. Crocodile smiles that it is the end -- yet there is silence. The battle is raging on, but the clock tower shows 4:30:01 -- Vivi had managed to cut the fuse at the very last second. Just then, she hears a loud ticking noise. Zoro lands on the ground next to Sanji (who muses that Zoro is still alive) -- and Chopper lands on the head of a Marine. Chopper runs back to join the gang, who is wondering why Vivi hasn't appeared out of the clock-face. In the mausoleum, Cobra claims Crocodile to be despicable... and Crocodile replies that he was just being cautious. He had planned for such a case, and made it so that the cannon would self-explode a several dozen seconds after 4:30:00. Back at the clock tower, Vivi peeks out from the edge and yells down that the cannon has a time-bomb feature, and that it will go off if they don't do anything -- much to the shock of the crew below.
Episode 208 (WJ #51, 2001)
Guardian Lord
Vivi stares at the ticking time-bomb on the cannonball, remembering Crocodile's words on how she can't save her country. As the Luffy fleet despairs below, Vivi curses Crocodile for making them go through all the effort for nothing... but someone arrives up at the cannon..? Meanwhile, Luffy stands up once again to Crocodile's dismay, and claims that the syndicate boss can't win against him because he will someday become the Pirate King. Crocodile laughs and attacks again with the poisonous claw -- but Luffy grabs Crocodile's arm and snaps off the claw, saying that he was going to surpass Crocodile. Back at the clock tower, the entourage notices the new arrival -- Pell. Looking into the cannon, Pell has flashbacks of Vivi in her youth as he stands in the secret hideout of the Sand Sand Clan (suna-suna-dan, the group of kids led by Kohza and Vivi). The memory of Vivi blowing up the gunpowder arsenal trying to make Pell a fireworks show for the anniversary of his joining the Imperial Guard -- how he slapped her for such an action because he was worried about her safety -- how he had to take her on a trip in the air to cheer her back up -- and how he mentioned that he undergoes combat training so he can protect the country. With 11 seconds left to detonation, Pell smiles at Vivi and says...
"Lady Vivi, I am proud from the bottom of my heart for being able to serve you and the Nefertari family."
With those words, Pell turns into his falcon form, and clutches the cannonball with his feet... and flies up into the air as everyone watches. Despair grows in Vivi's eyes, and the pillar of the falcon outside the mausoleum, which was still standing (though slanted), cracks, and falls to ruin. Pell smiles...
"I am the Guardian Lord of Alabasta, the Falcon. I am the one who defeats into ruin the enemies of the royal family."
Time runs out, and a huge explosion fills the sky.
Episode 209 (WJ #52, 2001)
Surpassing
The cloud from the explosion settles. Luffy's fleet realizes that Pell "saved" the country... but to their disbelief, the fighting between the two armies continues. Tashigi tries to stop the fighting, but is held back by one of her men. She remembers that Smoker told her to keep watch on what path Alabasta takes... and that whatever happens always happens when an era ends and another begins. She realizes that madness has taken over... and questions to herself, "why...!!? Why won't they stop...!?" From the top of the clock tower, Vivi repeatedly tells the barrage blow her to stop fighting. Nami, seeing how futile Vivi's words are now, tells Zoro and Sanji to stop the revolution with whatever it takes -- punches, kicks, et cetera -- so that they can lessen the damage even by one victim. Back to Luffy vs Crocodile -- Luffy's attacks start to land into Crocodile. Crocodile wonders how Luffy can have so much strength after being poisoned by the scorpions' poison on his hook. He remembers how Mr.5 (and Miss Valentine) were defeated by Luffy -- how they stayed alive through the next attacks -- how they arrived into Alabasta. A new pointed hook appears out of Crocodile's left hand, and demands Luffy if he knows who he is fighting. Luffy replies that no matter who he's fighting, he will surpass that person -- and kicks Crocodile up through the ceiling. Crocodile's next attack crushesdown from the sky, But Luffy bears through the attack, and combining the GumGum Balloon with a twisting of the waist, he blows out air to propel himself up into the air. Aerial combat -- Luffy's new attack, GumGum Storm (a more powerful/numerous version of GumGum Gattling), breaks through Crocodile's sand-blades -- and the force propels Crocodile through the ground into the skies above Alubarna.
Episode 210 (WJ #1, 2002)
0
Sanji points out to the others that Crocodile is now airborne. Vivi looks at the scene, and remembers how Luffy las laughing that all he had to do was to blow Crocodile away. Cobra sits in shock, considering there is a LOT of rock to bust through from the mausoleum ceiling to the ground (remember, the mausoleum is underground), but now Luffy's entourage knows that Luffy has defeated Crocodile. Vivi knows that the battle in Alabasta is over, and wants people to stop fighting. Sudeenly the camera pans high up into the sky. Droplets of water. The camera zooms onto the island of Alabasta, and further into Alubarna, and further to the palace yard where people are fighting. Rain starts to fall onto the battlefield. Kohza remembers Toto's words, and realizes that the battle will now end. Tashigi feels the madness being washed away by the rain, replaced by doubt. Crocodile and Luffy respectively land on the ground and on the mausoleum floor. Cobra rushes to Luffy's side. The dustcloud from the battle is erased by the rain, and Vivi's call to stop fighting now echoes from the clock tower down to the yard. The people of Alabasta are in shock that Vivi is there, and that Crocodile is laying in the middle of the yard, unconscious. Vivi proclaims that rain will once again fall, and that the nightmare is now over. Back at the mausoleum, Cobra gives his thanks to Luffy, who smiles and says it's all right... but just then, the walls finally give way and the palace above the mausoleum crumbles down...
Episode 211 (WJ #2, 2002)
King
The rebels argue back that they saw the King attack Nanohana, so that it's not just a nightmare. Just then, Chaka commands the entire Imperial Army to drop their weapons -- and Igaram reappears, telling the rebels to do the same. Igaram is carrying a boy -- the boy that was assaulted in Nanohana. The boy, scared, tells the rebels that he wasn't attacked by the Imperial Army, but by imposters pretending to be the Imperial ARmy. He further says that the king that the rebels saw was also an imposter (readers see it's Mr.2). Kohza wakes up and says that everything had been planned that way. As Igaram offers to explain the entire story from the beginning, the rebels drop their weapons. Meanwhile, Vivi runs down the clock tower in search of Luffy's crew, who were headed towards the mausoleum in search of their captain. In the streets, they meet up with Cobra who is carrying Luffy on his back. As Cobra asks the crew if they were the ones who brought Vivi to Alabasta, Vivi finds all of them (and Sanji is surprised to find out Cobra is Vivi's dad ^^;;) Cobra explains that Luffy managed to jump back to ground (i.e. safety) carrying two people after blowing Crocodile away (rika assumes the second person was Nico), and that his poison has been treated with antidote (and rika assumes that nico had the antidote). Cobra offers to treat everyone's wounds, but Zoro tells Vivi to hurry to the courtyard -- and Usopp agrees that the royal family need be at the courtyard right now. Vivi is worried about the group, but they all reassure her that they'll meet up at the palace. Cobra and Vivi walk off, and as soon as they are out of sight, the crew collapses to sleep. At the courtyard, everyone is shocked that Crocodile was behind everything. Tashigi stands next to the knocked out Crocodile in the rain, and announces that they have found a BW ship carrying Dance-Powder and so the Marines were revoking all honors and priviledges he held under the name of the Marine Headquarters (read: he got his Seven Armed Seas licence revoked). Camera shifts to show all BW members KO'ed (except for the hobbling Mr.2)... Meanwhile, Kohza lametns that they've done something beyond redemption -- but hears Cobra's words in reply... that nobody can erase the past, but they can stand atop the war and continue to live.
The war is now over.
Episode 212 (WJ #3, 2002)
Several Forms of Justice
North of Sandy Island, a Marine HQ Captain named Hina ("Hina the Black Cage") asks Smoker if the rain was induced by Dance Powder. Smoker replies that he isn't dumb enough to break the reason uphead by Cobra during the long drought. Hina replies that she was shocked to find her entire fleet was used to find that one ship... but Smoker doesn't care and tells her to take the BW ship "FOOL" and Crocodile over to the headquarters. While Hina laments Smoker's selfish actions, Tashigi commands her men to leave Luffy's fleet alone as they are passed out on the road. At the courtyard, Vivi worries about Kohza's health: he assures her that she will be all right, and that he will return to Yuba as soon as his wounds are treated. People all over Alabasta are happy that the war will now end with rain, and that their sons will return to their homes. The Kung-Fu Jugon rejoice around the Going-Merry, And in Yuba, Toto smiles that they only had to wait for three years. At night, Luffy's crew all sleep like a log in the palace. Igaram walks into the room to see how they were doing and finds Vivi still awake; she tells him that she wanted to keep watching the rain. They think about Pell; Vivi says she wanted to tell him thanks... The next day, Tashigi returns to Smoker's ship and says that she was ashamed to help pirates AND to let them go free. Smoker asks why she was ashamed if it was her form of justice; Tashigi replies that she did the only thing that she could do. Smoker's reply - if she was upset about that fact enough to shed tears, she should just become stronger. Tashigi promises to become stronger and goes into the cabin to rest. On the snail-phone call from the Marine headquarters, Smoker is informed that he and Tashigi were getting awarded and promoted for defeating Crocodile. HIna explains that they were trying to snuff the fact that pirates saved the day; Smoker replies that Tashigi was in tears because she couldn't do what she was going to be awarded for -- and tells the operator at headquarters to relay one message to the higher-ups at headquarters before he hangs up: "EAT SHIT".
Episode 213 (WJ #4/5, 2002)
VIP
As Chopper prepares medication for the crew, the Alabasta royal family's doctor is amazed at his adeptness, while Vivi tends to the sleeping Luffy. In Alubarna, the townsfolk are running around frantically to rebuild the city - and Usopp is amazed at the power of the civilians. In the outskirts of town, Zoro concentrates on becoming stronger... by balancing boulders atop his arms. Nami is in the palace library, where Cobra offers her all his old books of oceanology (among other things). The Marine troops are at the palace gate, demanding that the royal family hand over Luffy's fleet - but Chaka stops them at the door, saying that they know nothing about pirates (while Usopp and Sanji walk past Chaka from their shopping trip). Just then, Luffy wakes up and promptly demands his hat and breakfast. Nami tells the sanguine rubber-boy that he had a huge fever and Vivi & Chopper tended to him. As Luffy thanks them both, Zoro returns from training (and gets yelled at by Chopper for [1] training in the first place, and [2] taking the bandages off). Luffy is told that he was sleeping for 3 days straight (and the reply is "I missed eating 15 meals!"...... 5 meals a day??) Mrs. Igaram appears at the door to wait 30 minutes for a feast (while the crew is surprised that she looks EXACTLY like Igaram). At the feast, it's a battle bertween Luffy and the chefs (while the royal guard lament about lack of grace) - the entourage is in its chaotic state, with the usual boys fighting, Sanji asking for recipes, and Nami enjoying her meal. The guards wonder why Vivi can laugh through all this "disgrace"... but they notice that Igaram, Cobra, and Chaka are laughing as well. After a meal comes a bath in a HUGE bathing area. The boys run around like little kids... then they all decide to take a peek into the women's bath (where Nami promptly shows them her breasts - what she calls "Happiness Punch" - to knock all of them out - much to Vivi's surprise ^^;;). Nami informs Vivi that they will be leaving Alabasta that evening; while in the men's bath, Cobra thanks the group for saving the country as the father of a young girl. After the bath, the crew decides to leave that evening... while the latest wanted ads show Luffy at 100 million bellies... and Zoro at 60 million!?
Episode 214 (WJ #6/7, 2002)
Operation: Escape from the Kingdom of Sand
Igaram runs through the palace in the night... to find a virtually empty room. He asks Vivi, the only one left in the room, where Luffy and the gang are - she replies that they are now out to sea. Out in the sea, we see... Fullbody and Jango(!!) returning from taking over an enemy ship to Nanohana. At the shores, Hina (the female officer at the end of the Dance Heaven splashpage series) awaits - and the Marine at her side reports that 30 ships have blockaded all ports in Alabasta... but the Going-Merry (which was last seen off the coast of Erumalu) is nowhere to be found. Janog and Fullbody return - to be commanded by Hina to go after Luffy's group. Meanwhile, Luffy's entourage is running across the desert on the Super Spotbill Duck Squad... everyone looks optimistic except for Nami, who was lamenting..... about the 1 billion bellies that she asked for the safe return of Vivi to Alabasta. Back at the palace, Igaram notes that they should at least let Luffy's group know about the bounty increase; Vivi counters that it would only make them happier, and tells him she is going to sleep. Igaram feels something fishy is going on... while Vivi notes that the room is suddenly all quiet. Flashback to a few hours ago - they receive a phone call from a "Bon-chan". The reason why Bon/Clay is calling - from aboard the Going-Merry - is because (1) he has the ship, and (2) he's sailing down the Sandora River. The group decides that they need to go after the queer one right away - just then, Vivi asks them what she should do. Nami replies that they can't ask her to come, but they will give her 12 hours to think: at exactly noon the next day they will briefly get close to the shor on the easternmost port of Alabasta, and that will be the one and only chance Vivi will have at boarding the ship again. Luffy wants her to come, but the others stop his coaxing - because it was something that Vivi had to decide for herself. Back to preesnt - Vivi, going to sleep, muses that she can make it to the eastern shores if she leaves by 8:00am. Vivi thinks hard about becoming a pirate, and the state of the country... Meanwhile, on the Going-Merry, Bon/Clay gives a big welcome. Luffy and the gang sends the spotbill ducks home, and as they load the ship, they ask what Bon/Clay was doing. Luffy is mad that he was their enemy; Bon/Clay replies that he didn't know, and that without him, the ship would be trapped inside the Marine barricade by now -- and the only reason he thought of saving the ship was because they were friends (though Zoro immediately sees through to the fact that he couldn't escape due to the embargo, and wanted more people on his side for a chance at escaping). As the silly boys and the queer one decide to rush out together, the Marines find their ships - and Hina commands them to prepare for battle.
Episode 215 (WJ #8, 2002)
Last Waltz
Igaram wakes up with a nightmare of Vivi becoming a pirate - but upon going to her room, he sees her getting ready for the Determination Ceremony (think of it as a "coming of age" ceremony / debut) ... and as he gets kicked out, he spots Cobra with a bump on his head. (-_-;;) The nanny, doing Vivi's hair, notes that the speech will be broadcast all over Alabasta using phones and amplifiers. In the hallway, Chaka informs Igaram that fighting has broken out in the ports - 8 Marine ships were surrounding and attacking the Going-Merry (and Bon/Clay's ship) with large steel spears... but Usopp "accidentally" sinks one ship with a cannon, and that ship takes a second ship down - creating room for escape. Bon/Clay's crew informs the queer that it is Hina at work; and upon hearing that, Bon/Clay decides to make a run for it. As Hina gets ready to board the ship for hand-to-hand combat, Bon/Clay tells Luffy's group to get the hell outta there via the escape route to the south. Luffy and crew replies that they had to be at the eastern port at noon to pick up one of their companions, so that was impossible. Bon/Clay is shocked to hear this. Meanwhile, outside the palace, hoards of people flock to hear Vivi's speech. In the palace, Vivi tells Cobra and Igaram she has something important to tell them... Back with Luffy's crew: Bon/Clay, touched by their feelings for their friends, comes up with a plan... they split up the ships. The Marines look with binoculars to find Luffy's group all on the "duck ship" (Bon/Clay's ship) - and Hina, after confirming Luffy's face, commands all ships to go after the "duck ship". Three minutes later, the Going-Merry sets sail -- with Luffy and company -- while Bon/Clay laughs at Hina and her crew. The Marines fire their spears - Bon/Clay and crew fight - and the ship sinks in flames, leaving the Going-Merry to travel east with the crew in tears (a la "we will never forget you, Bon-chan!")......
Episode 216 (WJ #9, 2002)
Vivi's Adventures
Quite a while back - Igaram reports to Vivi about an underground syndicate that was going against Alabasta, with its leader unknown... He tells her that further investigation won't lead to any new information, as the syndicate was very secretive. Vivi confirms that Igaram has a lead -- and to make Igaram's bad hunch come true, Vivi claims that she can't stand still and watch.
People watch as the figure walks the path down the palace roof. Luffy's fleet frantically fights the Marines... It is now noon. A figure stands at the edge of the palace balcony, looking down at the crowds... it all started that day when Igaram asked Vivi if she was determined to stay alive. The speech begins, and the populace goes wild. Cobra hopes people won't riot too much, and Kohza listens from inside his room.
For just a little bit, I had an adventure.
It was a journey seeking "despair" crossing the dark seas...
The ocean that I saw, parting from my country, was so vast... and in front of me were unbelievable, powerful islands.
Creatures I've never seen before... scenery that was exactly like those in my dreams.
The music the waves performed - sometimes silently rolled along to gently embrace my smallest of worries, and somtimes fiercely laughed as if they were ripping my weaknesses apart.
Within the dark, dark storm, I met one small ship.
The ship pushed my back to move me forward... asking, "Can't you see that light?"
That wonderous ship that never lost its way in the dakness sailed over the giant waves as if it was dancing.
It never betrayed the waves, yet the bow always pointed straight forward....
... even if the wind blew against it.
And, it pointed in the distance, "Look, there is the light."
... History will someday call this an illusion, but to me, that is the one and only truth.
And......
At the easternmost port of Tamarisk, Luffy and Chopper look worried; Zoro is sure that is Vivi's voice, and Sanji laments that she decided not to come. Luffy tells the crew that they should get off the boat and look for her, because she had to be there. Usopp sees Marines off in the distance; Zoro decides that they need to give up and move along. Sanji tells Luffy to give up. Meanwhile, at the palace in Alubarna, the crowds shout out at the figure on the balcony - Igaram - as to where Vivi really was.
Guys!!
Vivi waves to the Going-Merry from the ship. The crew is elated that she came to join them, and that they needed to hurry because the Marines were hot on their tail.
I came here... to say goodbye!!
As Luffy doubts his ears, Vivi picks up the bullhorn she had been using for the speech.
I can't go with you...!!
Thank you so much for all this time!!!
A Marine spots Vivi on the shores. Igaram dances on the balcony (while the crowd boos that they came to the palace to see Vivi).
I want to go on more adventures, but I still... LOVE MY COUNTRY!!!
So, I can't go with you!!
Luffy understands.
I--
Tears start to fall down Vivi's face, as she remembers how they decided that the symbol under the bandage on the left arm would be an X. Vivi starts to cry.
... I will remain here....
But if I ever meet you again... will you call me once again as one of your companions!!!?
The Marines are surprised at what they hear - could the princess of Alabasta really be associated with pirates!? Meanwhile, Luffy starts to yell back that Vivi will always be one of their companions, but he is muffled by Nami, who says that the Marines are listening, and that Vivi will become a criminal if Luffy gives them proof that she has ties with them -- and that it is best for everyone to silently go their separate ways. Vivi initially takes this as a "no" -- but realizes that it was a "yes" with an extra dose of care, as all six members, with their backs turned against her, rsise their left arms to show their X's. Remembering that the X's were the signs that they were companions no matter what happened from when they drew the symbol, Vivi and Karuh raise their left arms as the Going-Merry sets sail.
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