Smoker, still holding Crocodile's hands, was ecstatic. "Tashigi, you're alive! Why didn't you come back to the Marines?"
"Let go of me!" Crocodile said, a look of disgust on her face. Smoker was too strong, and she couldn't break free.
"I see, Rodin's gang forced you to join them!" Smoker said, his heart aching. He immediately released her and shielded her with his body, pulling out his Jitte and pointing it at Dove. "With me here, they can't threaten you anymore!" He believed Tashigi had suffered unimaginable humiliation and was being forced to serve them.
On the shopping street, a crowd of civilians and Marines gathered to watch the unfolding drama.
Dove smirked at Crocodile, "Hee hee hee, I didn't know you had an old friend outside, behind the Captain's back."
"Die, pirate!" Smoker said, turning into smoke and rushing at Dover.
"You just shut up!" Crocodile said, drawing the famous blade Shigure from her waist and slashing Smoker.
"Puh!"
Blood splattered from Smoker's back. He hadn't elementalized and was caught completely off guard. Just as Crocodile was about to strike again, he grabbed her wrist.
"Tashigi, what are you doing?" he asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Don't look at me like that, you're disgusting," Crocodile sneered, pushing against his sword with all her might. Smoker, however, was stronger and gradually gained the upper hand. He turned into smoke and appeared behind her, but hesitated to strike her neck. Instead, he kicked her white leg.
She fell, and he subdued her. "What's wrong, Mr. Smoker?" she asked in a gentle, flirty voice. "You look so fierce."
Smoker was taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor, but then Crocodile grinned. Smoker elementalized, but she was too fast.
"Puh!" Another spray of blood. "You can use Haki, who are you?" Smoker said, his face a mix of confusion and pain.
"Have you seen enough, clown?" Crocodile yelled at Dove.
"I thought you weren't fighting enough," Dove said, getting up from an unconscious Marine. She had unleashed her Conqueror's Haki, knocking out the surrounding Marines.
Smoker launched a smoke fist, but Dove simply held it in the air with her fingers. "Fruit ability?" Smoker's heart tightened.
"I'm not going to play anymore," Dove said, and with an invisible line, she sent Smoker flying, leaving five deep gashes in his abdomen.
Crocodile then approached the fallen Smoker, putting her foot on his chest and placing the tip of her sword against his neck. "Do you have a cigar?" she asked.
Smoker was bewildered. "What?"
"Enjoy yourself, my Mr. Smoker," she said with a malicious grin.
Suddenly, a group of black-clad bodyguards arrived, yelling, "Out of the way and kneel down! Saint Charles Rosward is here!" The crowd quickly knelt.
The bodyguards, however, were shocked to see the defeated Marines and recognized the woman with the pink flamingo cape. "It's the Rodin Pirates!" they said, running back to their master.
Charles Rosward, holding an ice cream, said, "I've never heard of them. Just kill them."
Meanwhile, on another part of the island, at Shakky's rip-off BAR, a man with long curly white hair drank his last glass of wine. "There are guests coming, I'll go out and have a look," he said.
It was Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Roger Pirates. Just as he reached the door, it opened automatically, revealing a woman with a familiar scent. Rayleigh's old face twitched.
Ms. Rayleigh... no, it's Mr. Rayleigh!
Baki was the first to recognize the man standing in the doorway of the bar. "What are you doing here?" she asked, glancing at the name "Shakky's Rip-off BAR."
Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Roger Pirates, stepped back in surprise. "You... you're Buggy?" he asked, unable to reconcile the beautiful woman in front of him with the little blue-haired boy he once knew.
Shakky, the bar's owner, sidled over and playfully touched Bucky's face. "What a beautiful little girl! This figure... even better than mine," she said, winking at Rayleigh.
"I'm not a little girl!" Bucky exclaimed, pulling away from Shakky. She pointed at Rayleigh. "I challenge you again, Mr. Rayleigh!"
"Again?" Rayleigh was speechless.
Rodin and Sakazuki, Bucky's companions entered the bar. "Haha, it's not the first time I've seen you either," Rayleigh said to Rodin. "I see you in the newspapers often."
"Captain Rodin, won't you come in and sit down?" Shakky asked.
"I have a feeling you won't let me sit peacefully," Rodin replied, "especially if I ask for a Log Pose to the island where Pirate Empress Hancock lives."
Rayleigh's eyes narrowed. "What if I don't give it to you?" he asked.
"You can't be that slow, Silvers Rayleigh," Sakazuki interjected. "You've already seen what happens to pirates who stand in our way."
"If she quits, the Marines will hunt her down," Rodin explained. "If she doesn't, I will. Which do you think she'll choose?"
"We'll talk to her and try to persuade her," Shakky said, trying to diffuse the tension.
Rodin smiled. "Then I'll leave the persuading to you. My two crew members will stay here and sit with you." He turned to leave.
Rayleigh, seeing the danger, quickly grabbed Shakky and jumped out of the bar just as a fiery breath erupted from Sakazuki's right hand.
"Let me!" Baki yelled, and with incredible speed, she appeared beside Rayleigh and swung her sword. The swords clashed, sending a gust of wind howling through the street.
"You're not as strong as I remember, Buggy boy," Rayleigh said, pushing her back.
"Mr. Rayleigh, don't you want to see your weapon?" Bucky grinned.
Rayleigh's double-edged sword, which had just clashed with Bucky's, suddenly fractured. With a snap of her fingers, the sword shattered into pieces. Bucky, using her Bara Bara no Mi powers, had developed her ability to not only split her own body but also to tear inanimate objects.
Rayleigh, holding the empty hilt, was stunned. He was surprised by her powerful attacks, which were far more potent than Buggy's.
Meanwhile, in a Marine meeting room in Mariejois, Zephyr, a man in a purple suit, walked in. Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru were already waiting.
"Haha, it's so rare, Zephyr, I didn't expect you to really come!" Garp laughed.
"Let's get down to business, Sengoku," Zephyr said. "I'm here for the Rodin Pirates."
"We were planning to invite you to hunt them, but the Five Elders just..." Sengoku said, but was interrupted by a general.
"Marshal Sengoku!" the general yelled. "A group of pirates has captured a Celestial Dragon in Sabaody! They're demanding Devil Fruit in exchange for the hostage!"
Sengoku and Zephyr were shocked.
Kizaru, who had been napping, put down his tea. "You guys can handle the important stuff first. I'll go and be right back."
"Admiral Kizaru," the general added, "it seems to be Rodin's crew!"
Kizaru, who had already risen, immediately sat back down. The situation was escalating, and he knew this was no ordinary pirate attack.