What Leads the Straw Hat Crew to Alabasta?

After their adventures in the East Blue, the Straw Hat Pirates finally reach the Grand Line. Not long after they enter the Line, the crew gets into a fight with the secret criminal organization, "Baroque Works."

During the battle, they learn that one of the enemies, Ms. Wednesday, is actually Vivi, princess of Alabasta. Vivi knows that Baroque Works is behind the civil war in Alabasta and infiltrated the organization. The boss of Baroque Works who figured her out is... One of the pirate Seven Warlords of the Sea recognized by the government, the great Sir Crocodile. Crocodile has to be stopped to return peace to Alabasta.

Luffy accepts Vivi's request, and brings her to Alabasta. After the adventures in Little Garden and the Drum Kingdom, ship doctor Chopper joins the crew. Then the Going Merry arrives in Alabasta.

The Man with Many Faces: Mr. 2

On the way to Alabasta, the Straw Hat Pirates meet a strange person who they hit it off with. They will learn after thanks to Vivi, that he is an executive of Baroque Works, Mr. 2 Bon Clay. He has the ability to change shape with the Clone-Clone Fruit.

The crew decides to make identifying marks on their left arms so he can't trick them, including Vivi and Karoo, her Super Spot-Billed Duck.

Unexpected Encounters

The Strat Hat Pirates finally arrive in Alabasta, but unfortunately encounter Smoker, the marines captain. As they flee from the marines, Luffy's brother Ace appears and stops Smoker. Ace tells them that he's a member of Whitebeard's Pirates, and is after Blackbeard for the crime of killing a crew member. When he leaves, Ace gives Luffy a piece of paper, a Vivre Card, and promises they'll meet again.

Alabasta Tense’s situation / On the Verge of a Civil War

Baroque Works plans to overthrow Alabasta by destroying trust in the royal family and instigating rebellion. Citizens are made to believe the royal family has a monopoly on the Dance Powder that makes rain fall, and begin to distrust the royal family. The way things are, a rebellion could break out at any
moment.

Vivi goes to the base of the Rebel Army with Luffy and the others to explain things to them and avoid conflict. However, the town of Yuba that houses the base was wrecked by a sand storm caused by Crocodile, and the Rebel Army had already moved.

Elsewhere, the officer agents of Baroque Works gather in the desert oasis of Rainbase. As the final step in the plan, Mr. 2 uses the Clone-Clone Fruit to turn into the king and set fire to the harbor city of Nanohana, implement Project Utopia to make the citizens disappointed in their king, and create the Rebel Army. At the same time he orders the deaths of the Straw Hat Pirates and Vivi so they don't get in the way of Baroque Works's plans.

The Involvement of the Crew in the Conflict

Luffy suddenly changes his mind as he goes to keep Vivi from stopping the Rebel Army. Luffy grabs Vivi in excitement and warns her. Pirates like them have no way to stop the Rebel Army, and even if they could, that wouldn't stop Crocodile. Then he'd have to go knock him out himself. Luffy tells Vivi this because he sees that she's still trying to do all the fighting herself so no one will die. Let's try putting all our lives on the line! Vivi tries to shoulder everything herself, and Luffy's words move her. 

Then the crew change their destination to Rainbase. The Straw Hat Pirates set off to get Crocodile, but they fall into a trap and are shut in a cage. Meanwhile, the Rebel Army travels to the capital of Alubarna. If they get into a full conflict with the Royal Army waiting there, many innocent people will die. With conflict looming, Luffy and crew struggle with Smoker, who has been made aware of the situation, to escape the cage. They hurry to Alubarna, but Crocodile stands in their way. Luffy sends the crew ahead so he could face Crocodile alone, but loses. Luffy is about to be swallowed by quicksand, but is saved by Ms. All Sunday.

The Race Against Time Begins!

Crocodile announces his intention of firing a cannon on the Palace Square in 30 minutes to eradicate both the Royal and Rebel Armies. With both forces gone, he will be able to take over the country. The Leader of the Rebels, Koza, learns of the truth and tries to stop both armies. He raises a white flag and tries to reveal the whole situation, but falls to the Baroque Works' scheme. Vivi continues to resist, but she is finally brought down when Crocodile pushes her out of the palace. Vivi falls with tears of anguish, but Luffy arrives on the back of the Royal Army's vice-commander Pell to save her in the nick of time.

Luffy leaves the rest to Vivi and his crew as he faces off against Crocodile once more. This is Luffy's second fight against Crocodile, and this time he has his moisture sucked dry by the Sand-Sand Fruit power. Meanwhile, Ms. All Sunday captures King Cobra and heads to the Royal Mausoleum. She has him lead her to the Ponegliff and begins to decode the writing on the tablet.

Final Battle Around the Clock Tower

Only two minutes until the Palace Square will be destroyed. The Straw Hat Pirates enlist the help of the marines and look for the explosives. They must be somewhere a large cannon can be set and still be able to aim at the plaza during a dust devil. Vivi is confident that place is the top of the clock tower. Nami proposes a plan that would help Vivi jump up to the top of the tower. They defeat the agents waiting for them and Vivi manages to cut the fuse with one second left. However, the cannon is on a timer that will explode after a set time. The Royal Army vice-commander Pell appears as Vivi crumples in defeat, carrying the cannon up into the sky. The cannon explodes in the sky with a thunderous roar. Pell sacrificed his life to protect the people. However, the fighting does not cease. Vivi screams as hard as she can to stop the fighting, but her voice is lost in the mayhem.

Cobra activates the device that will collapse the Underground Mausoleum to stop Crocodile from finding the ancient weapon Pluton, which is hidden in Alabasta. However, Crocodile sneers that he can escape if he changes the bedrock into sand. Then Luffy appears to fight Crocodile, and their final battle begins in the Royal Mausoleum. However, Luffy is badly wounded from the damage he has accumulated and Crocodile's poisonous hook. When he gets up yet again, even Crocodile is taken aback, 

"Who do you think I am?!"

"I don't care who you are! I'm gonna beat you!"

They both unleash powerful moves, and it is Crocodile who is knocked out by Luffy's Gum-Gum Storm.

Rain falls as if to answer Vivi's prayers, and both armies cease fighting to look at the sky. The people of Alabasta then learn from a young boy who saw the evil deeds of Baroque Works that they had been tricked. His secret war ended, Crocodile is stripped of his title as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

A Farewell and a New Ally

A blessed rain falls on Alabasta. The people tend their wounds, and a feast is held in the palace to celebrate the end of the war. Then the Straw Hats leave the palace under the cover of night to escape the marines. Vivi has to make the choice of becoming a pirate and sailing with them, or remaining in her country as princess. 

The next day, the crew receives Bon Clay's friendly support to break the marines' blockade. Even being pursued by the marines, they keep their promise to Vivi and head for the harbor. Vivi appears and tells them she can't go with them because she must stay for her beloved Alabasta. “...but we'll meet again! Will you call me one of the crew again?! “

With marines nearby, the Straw Hat Pirates can't reply to her out loud. Luffy and the others silently remove the cloths from their left forearms, and raise those arms high. There’s an X to mark their friendship. Vivi also raises her X with tears in her eyes as she sees the crew off.