Rush!!

Inside the Rain Dinners casino, the giant Bananadile that swallowed the key suddenly burps loudly, "URP!", and spits out a large, round object. "Something came out!" The object, a massive sphere, splashes heavily into the flooding water of the room. Sanji, standing on top of the iron cage, looks down at it. "IS IT THE KEY!?" Inside the cage, Nami, Usopp, Luffy, and Zoro stare at the floating sphere in confusion. Nami asks, "WHAT IS THAT!?" Zoro replies, "THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANY KEY I'VE EVER SEEN!"

The large sphere floating in the water suddenly cracks open. A voice from inside gasps, "W... water...! I'm saved, aren't I...!?" "Release! DORU DORU BALL..." Sanji looks at the opening sphere in shock, "WHAT THE HELL!?" To everyone's surprise, Mr. 3 emerges from the wax ball, covered in slime. Smoker, still trapped in the cage, asks, "What was he doing inside a bananadile!?" Nami exclaims, "Mr. 3!?" Luffy yells, "It's 3!" Zoro adds, "Hey, that's...!" Mr. 3, striking a pose, explains, "I used the last of my strength to make a Doru Doru Ball to hide safely inside, you see...! Just before I was eaten, Heh heh... You've underestimated me, Crocodile! I thought I was a goner for the longest time! AHHHH! I'M BACK, BABY!"

Mr. 3 notices something stuck to the side of his wax ball. "Hm? What's this odd key stuck to my Doru Doru Ball...?" He boasts, "Even for me, this was a most brilliant plan, if I must say so myself!" Suddenly, Sanji delivers a powerful kick to Mr. 3's face, sending him flying. "GIVE IT HERE!" Sanji shouts. Mr. 3 screams, "AHHH! THAT KEY! AGHHHH! YOU PIRATES ARE...!" Mr. 3 lands hard on the ground. "Hm? You want this key? Hold on..." Sanji stands over him menacingly. "A quickly-flooding room, An iron cage... And a key... Ah, of course!" Mr. 3 realizes. "I've now grasped the current situation, I believe..." Sanji demands, "So you're Mr. 3... Hand that key over already." Mr. 3 smirks and tosses the key away. "Fine, here you... GOOO!" Sanji watches in shock as the key flies through the air. "WHA!?"

The key splashes into the deep water, out of reach. Nami panics, "SANJI, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE TIME!" Usopp remarks, "Whoa, that guy's brain works fast!" Luffy growls, "That bastard..." Mr. 3 laughs triumphantly, "Hahaha! I don't know who you are, But you look like one of their pals! Go find the key if you can! But... I can't guarantee you'll have the time to search for it leisurely!" Usopp yells, "SANJI, WAIT!" Sanji glares at Mr. 3, "Son of a..." Mr. 3 continues to laugh, mocking them. Sanji then gets an idea. "I think it just might be possible, For Mr. 3 to create a duplicate key for us using his Doru Doru power..." Mr. 3's laughter abruptly stops, his eyes widening in horror as he realizes Sanji's plan.

Sanji forces Mr. 3 to use his wax powers to create a key in the cage's lock. With a "CREAK..." and a "CLICK!", the cage door unlocks. Mr. 3, battered and bruised with a lump on his head, sighs, "Aww, shucks. Eheheh." Sanji pats him on the shoulder, "Oh, pretty good, Candle-man." Inside the cage, Nami points out, "But the problem is it's still blocked by all those bananadiles!" Sanji replies, "I think the underwater passage they were planning to walk through is the way to Alubarna! Let's hurry!" Sanji then leaps into action, delivering a powerful kick to one of the giant bananadiles, sending it flying with an "UGH!"

Sanji continues to beat up the bananadiles, shouting, "HAHHH! ANY MORE LEFT THAT WANTS A PIECE OF ME!?" Nami, watching the defeated creatures, says, "...I don't think we need to worry about that anymore." Usopp reassures Vivi, "Don't beat yourself up, Vivi! It's these guys that are weird for being stupidly strong!" Vivi, sweating, replies, "EVEN RUNNING AWAY FROM ONE OF THOSE GAVE ME SO MUCH TROUBLE..." Mr. 3 struggles in the water, "Dammit, I can't use all of my power with all this water around!" Suddenly, the room begins to collapse further. "THE UNDERWATER PASSAGE COLLAPSED TOO!" someone shouts. "RUN! RUN THROUGH THE OTHER EXIT!" Vivi cries out, "AGHHH! THE WALL JUST CRUMBLED! IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR GOING OVERBOARD AGAINST THE CROCS!" Zoro is seen carrying Smoker through the water. "AGHHH!" "DAMN IT!" "GYAA!" Nami yells, "USOPP'S HIT HIS HEAD ON A ROCK!"

Outside the collapsing casino, Sanji pulls a waterlogged Luffy onto the dry ground. "You alive, Luffy? You devil fruit users are a real pain in the ass..." Luffy spits out a fountain of water. Nearby, Nami drags an unconscious Usopp out of the water. "Usopp! Please hang in there! For god's sake! Wake up and swim on your own, you doofus!" Zoro hauls Smoker onto the shore. Smoker gasps for air, "...Pfah! GASP!" Zoro looks exhausted beside him.

The group is now outside in the streets of Rainbase. Smoker coughs violently. Usopp notices him, "Aghh, it's Smoker!" Luffy asks, "Zoro, why'd you save the enemy!?" Zoro replies, "Shut up, I didn't want to! Not like I give a damn if he dies." Luffy dismisses it, "Whatever, we need to quickly get a move on!" Sanji turns to Vivi, "We've lost quite a bit of time... Can we still make it, Vivi!?" Vivi looks unsure, "I don't know." Vivi then asks Nami, "Nami, do you still have the perfume you bought at Nanohana?" Nami is confused, "Hm? Yes, but why?" Vivi urges, "Put some on right now!" Sanji eagerly sprays the perfume on himself, "Like this?" Zoro is disgusted, "Ahhhhh! I'd follow your scent to even hell itself!" Sanji swoons. Zoro retorts, "Fine, then go to hell already. Seriously." Meanwhile, Smoker stands up, drawing his jitte weapon. "RORONOA! What reason do you have for saving me?"

Luffy yells at Zoro, "HEY ZORO! SAVE HIM TOO! WHAT!? HE'S OUR ENEMY! JUST LEAVE HIM BE! WHAT!? HE'LL DIE IF WE LEAVE HIM HERE! HE CAN'T SWIM, YOU KNOW! YEAH, I KNOW... WHAT I MEANT WAS THAT..." Zoro explains to Smoker, "I was only following my captain's orders... There's really no need for thanks. It was just one of his whims. Don't think too much on it." Smoker glares at them silently. Sanji points out, "See what I mean! This is what happens when you rescue a marine!" Smoker readies his weapon and says, "Then... You don't have any complaints if I arrested you right now...?"

A group of Marines arrives on the scene. "Straw-Hat Luffy is here!?" one yells. "Yeah, and I also saw Smoker with him too!" another confirms. "Let's go back up the captain! Gather the troops!" "Yes, sir!" Luffy ignores them and shouts at the top of his lungs, "ALRIGHT! FULL SPEED AHEAD TO ALUBARNA! WHERE'S CROCODILE!?" Sanji sighs, "Oh, they finally woke up." Smoker watches Luffy, thinking, "IS THIS BRAT EVER SERIOUS...!?" Usopp panics at the sight of Smoker, "AGHH! IT'S SMOKIE! YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME TOO!? OH CRAP! LUFFY, NO! LET'S JUST RUN AWAY INSTEAD!"

Luffy turns and starts running. "THIS WAY! HURRY!" Smoker watches him go, his expression unreadable. Luffy suddenly stops and looks back over his shoulder. "Hm?" Smoker lowers his weapon and says, "Go. Just this once... I'll look the other way..." The rest of the Straw Hat crew and Vivi stand silently, looking at Smoker, surprised by his decision.

Smoker glares at Luffy and warns, "The next time we meet, consider your life forfeit, Straw-Hat Luffy..." Luffy stares back seriously for a moment, then breaks into a wide grin. "Right." Suddenly, more Marines spot them. "OVER THERE! IT'S THE STRAW-HAT PIRATES!" Zoro smirks, "Haha!" Sanji, Nami, and Usopp look alarmed. Luffy shouts, "Come on, let's go before the marines get here! Which way's Alubarna!?" Vivi points, "This way! We have to head East!" Usopp yells at Luffy, "Hey Luffy! What're you doing? We've gotta get going!" The crew dashes off down the street.

As Luffy runs away, he turns back and yells, "I don't think I hate you anymore, Smokie! Shishi shishi!" Smoker angrily shouts back, "I WON'T LET YOU ESCAPE NEXT TIME! GET LOST ALREADY!" Luffy yelps, "OH CRAP!" and keeps running. The Marines rush past Smoker. "AFTER THEM! THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!" One Marine stops and asks, "Captain! Why aren't you chasing after them!?" Smoker replies, "...I'm tired." The Marine is shocked, "TIRED!?" Smoker glares, "You heard me..." The Marine salutes, "Yes, sir!" Smoker then orders, "Call back the marines chasing after them since it's pointless... Also, contact HQ. And tell them to get all Marine ships in the vicinity of Alabasta to gather here in this country."

The Marine is hesitant, "You want to call for reinforcements!? B-but I'm not sure if the higher-ups will agree to send so many ships just to catch a few pirates..." Smoker grabs the Marine by the collar, his face furious. "SINCE WHEN THE HELL DID I CARE FOR THE OPINIONS OF HIGHER-UPS?" The terrified Marine salutes frantically, "I'LL GO CONTACT THEM RIGHT AWAY!" Meanwhile, Chopper, in his Walk Point reindeer form, is sniffing the ground. "Gotta hurry! Gotta hurry! Hm... This way! I can smell Nami's perfume growing stronger!" Elsewhere, the crew is running. Usopp pants, "Hey guys! We're not gonna run all the way to Alubarna now, are we?" Vivi realizes, "Oh right! Where's Eyelashes!?" Sanji suggests, "Isn't there like a stable in this town!? Let's borrow some horses!" Nami worries, "But the marines are swarming all over..." Zoro points ahead, "Don't worry, guys... Take a look in front of you!"

Chopper, riding on top of a massive crab, spots the crew. "Ahh! They're over there! HEY GUYS! OVER HERE!" The giant crab, Hasami, bursts out of the sand in front of the running crew, its huge claws raised and a wide grin on its face. The crew stops in their tracks, staring up at the enormous crustacean.

The crew reacts to the giant crab. Usopp screams, "A GIANT CRAB!?" Sanji yells, "Chopper!" Luffy drools, "DAYUM! THAT LOOKS TASTY!" Vivi identifies it, "It's an 'Itinerant Crab!'" Chopper calls out from the crab's back, "Get on!" Luffy cheers, "WE CAN RIDE IT!? WOOHOO!" Usopp is hesitant, "Its face looks sort of sketchy, though..." Nami smiles, "Looks like you brought back something amazing again!" Chopper explains, "He's one of Eyelashes' friends! Eyelashes was born in this town so he's got lots of friends here!...They're all perverted though." Sanji is impressed, "Amazing! Itinerant crabs are always hiding below the sand so most people have never even seen one before!" Zoro notes, "This crab's pretty fast, isn't it?" The camel, Matsuge, is also seen riding on the crab.

Chopper takes the reins. "Alright then... LET'S GO!" The giant crab speeds off across the desert, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. "AND WE'RE OFF!" The crew rides on its back. Suddenly, Luffy realizes he's not on the crab. "Huh? AHH!" He is left behind in the dust. Luffy runs after them, shouting, "VIVI! CHOPPER, STOP THE CRAB! VIVI!" As he runs, a figure appears behind him. "IT'S HIM!" Crocodile uses his golden hook to grab Luffy from behind, pulling him back.

Crocodile's golden hook firmly grasps Luffy. Vivi looks back from the speeding crab and screams, "LUFFYYY!" Sanji curses, "That idiot!" Luffy struggles against the hook, yelling, "YOU BASTARD!" Realizing he's caught, Luffy shouts to his crew, "GO ON AHEAD! I'LL BE FINE BY MYSELF!" Crocodile stands menacingly, his eyes narrowed as he holds Luffy captive.

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