"What'll we do? Nanohaha is a big place." mumbled Vivi worriedly, an arm around Alice, who shed fat tears, dropping in pearls. "How will we ever find Luffy?!"

This made Alice let out a sob, making Vivi flinch, as she had momentarily forgotten about the sensitive girl forgotten by her brother. "No, no! I'm so sorry Alice! Please don't cry!!"

Karoo came beside Alice, patting her head with its wing making her look at the duck in appreciation and blew her nose in its feather making it let out a loud shriek in horror. Sanji jumped down the ship, taking something out of the small pouch he carried and held it out for Alice.

"Hmm? I don't need them anymore..." Said Alice as she stared at the ear monitors in his
hand. He just smiled and gently placed them in her ears, securing them. "It's for safety. Just because you can hear properly doesn't mean your hearing isn't sensitive anymore."

With that, he turned the ear monitors on, making her squeeze her eyes from the sudden buzz but then it went silent. The noise around her now felt like it was underwater. With a pat on her head, he turned to Vivi.

"Don't worry, Vivi. Just look for the noisiest place in the town. He's bound to be there."

Usopp let out a laugh from Sanji's words. "Hahaha!! You got that right!"

"Let's hope not!" Nami remarked. "Luffy needs to remember he's got a price on his head. There could be bounty hunters around!"

"Don't worry about Luffy. Let's eat. We can make plans after that." Zoro suggested, bored and hungry. He motioned for Alice to follow along, who gracefully followed him with her arms wrapped around her bag. "Why the hell do you have so much stuff? We are just gonna eat."

"I need them!" Said Alice defensively, cradling her camera and messenger bag filled with sketchbooks and pencils. "I can't just leave them behind! I need to capture everything!" He sweat dropped but didn't stop her. Letting out a sign, he pushed her in front of him and continued to walk into the city, followed by the crew close behind. Vivi turned her towards the sound of water hitting a ship and widened her eyes. "Wait, that's....Mr. 3's ship!!"

"What?"

"You mean that jerk is still alive?" Questioned Usopp bitterly, eyeing the ship in disdain. Vivi narrowed her eyes on it.

"That ship runs on Mr. 3's wax-wax powers. He's
somewhere in this kingdom."

The group split into two groups. One will fill the rations. While the others collect any information they could get. Sanji, Usopp and Chopper decided to go shop for the crew. While Nami, Vivi, Zoro gathered information with Alice and Karoo messing around to get the younger girl out of her depression.

"You mean you have a team? What kind of team?"

Karoo quacked, making Zoro slowly grow annoyed by the duck. Alice let out a gasp making him sigh. Well, guess as long as the little one is happy, right?.

"That's so cool! Ahh, it must be fun to have a whole squadron. Are you the leader?" Karoo nodded proudly. Alice let out a chuckle. "But aren't you a bit timid for that, Karoo?"

He hit her head with his wings making her pout and look at Zoro's head. "Sorry."

Zoro looked at the stall selling a barbecue grill. Seeing the owner distracted to lure the customers around, he picked the two sticks and held it out for Alice. With a delightful gasp, she accepted. "Thank you, Zoro!!"

He hummed in reply, a small smirk on his lips watching as she shared the other stick with Karoo. Nami stuffed her pocket with a necklace, accidentally making eye contact with Zoro. Both looked away, not saying anything. Vivi was particularly pleased with the crowd around here, relieved to know it wasn't ruined by the rebel army. She asked around for more information regarding the welfare of the king and the capital. So far it seemed alright, nothing too risky or dangerous. Though, there are marines around the city, scattered around trying to find someone.

"Alice, I need you to do me a favour." Vivi spoke,
making the group turn to her. Alice blinked at her and nodded. "Sure, what is it?"

With the rest of the group reunited with an exception of Luffy, in a small broken compound wall, they prepared for their journey. While Nami and Vivi tried the dress that Sanji bought for them, others were stuffing their faces with the food with the exception of Sanji, who was admiring them and Chopper, who seemed to be struggling from the smell of perfume. Alice wore a hair clip on her nose to block out the smell. Other's outfits weren't all that eye-catching like the girl's.

With a protective thought, Sanji brought a dress which wasn't revealing for Alice. A plain white wide pants, blue blouse and a white
robe with a sun on the back with a hood as well.

Her and Chopper went back and forth fighting for the hair clip, both sensitive to strong scents. Zoro spared a glance at their war beside him and chomped on the meat in his hand before getting annoyed by the cook's word about looking like a theif.

"And you don't?"

Usopp turned to the two, raising a brow in confusion and concern.

"What is up with you two?"

Chopper let out a whine. "My nose feels like it's going to fall off." He said, trying not to breathe while reaching for the hair clip and pushing her head down with his hoof making her yelp.

"Cut it out!! I'm dying too!"

"But I'm an animal, I have a stronger nose!"

"I'm practically an animal too, ya know!?"

"And I was born an animal, ya know!?"

"Chopper!"

He successfully took it making her grumble behind the group, in a corner.

"It makes sense since those two have a sensitive nose. Plus the fact that Nanohana is famous for perfume.

Alice shoved off Zoro's hand, who tried to comfort her when she let out a scream when the scent got stronger. She turned around to see Nami spraying it on her and around her.

"Nami!! You...!"

She let out tears of suffering and hugged Zoro, who glared at Nami and placed a hand on her head in comfort. He had already grown irritated with the duck and now he had to deal with an already emotional Alice.

"You had to make stuff worse, huh?"

Nami blinked innocently. "Eh? What did I do anyway?"

He rolled her eyes and tried to pull her off of him but she refused to let him go. She tilted her head up to look at him. Her nose red from crying and placing the clip, tears glistening near her eyes, not falling down. "Get off."

"No!"

She buried her face in his chest, rubbing her runny nose making her scream.

"AHHHH! DON'T DO THAT!!"

"All right, we have all the supplies we need to cross the dessert."

"Vivi, where did you say we're headed?" Nami asked, her arms on her hips. Alice stood behind Zoro, arms around him, still grumbling to herself. Though he didn't mind and let her be, listening the plan they had.

"First of all, we have to stop the rebels before they bathe the land in blood." Vivi stated firmly. "So, we're going to their base and find their leader. It's an oasis known as Yuba. But as Alice said, if we made no progress, we won't be staying there any second longer."

Alice smiled against Zoro's shoulder, admiring the princess for her words. Vivi blushed at the look Alice gave her, a soft look in her eyes as she returned the smile back. Zoro pulled Vivi inside the compound, pushing Alice in front of him as he let out a shout to Nami and Sanji to hide.

He, Usopp and Alice peeked through, looking at what made him act up.

"It's the navy," He said as they looked at the Marines as they caused a mess around the middle of the street. "What are they doing here?"

"There's a ruckus over there," Usopp commented.

"They are after someone." Alice added.

"Maybe it's a pirate." Zoro finished.

But they all sweat dropped when they saw who it was and grinding their teeth. All except Alice, Chopper and Vivi.

Alice stood up, grinning widely and waved her arms. "Lu-!"

Usopp pulled her down, clamping her mouth shut with his palm. "Shhh!! Don't attract the Marines here!"

While Zoro was distracted by this, he gave out his location to Luffy who immediately called him out. "Hey!! Zolo!!" He looked away, stunned and angry.

"There's strawhat's crew!!!"

"Don't lead them to us, you idiot!!"

"Hey, guys! You're all there!"

"Stay back!" Smoker yelled at the marines and charged forward. Alice got away from Usopp's hold and ran towards Luffy grinning carelessly.

"Luffy!"

"Alice!!"

"I won't let you get away!!!" Smoker yelled, sending his first towards Luffy making Alice and Luffy freak out. Luffy pulled her close and held her close to him and kept running.

"White fist!!"

"Sun flare!!"

All of a sudden a figure jumped down the rooftop, stopping the smoke fist with his own fire shot. Alice looked at the man in awe. Amazed by his powers to stop Smoker's attack.

"Wahh!! So cool!!"

Smoker, however, did not share Alice's excitement. "You."

"Give it up." He said, his arms out as the fire danced around him, not affecting him at all. Luffy placed Alice down and turned around in shock and surprise while his own sister was confused but very excited.

"You may be smoke, but I'm fire. We're too evenly matched to settle this now."

The crew, minus Luffy questioned the man's presence. He had his jaw dropped, speechless.

"Ace!?"

Alice snapped her head at Luffy too fast with a very shocked yet flabbergasted expression.

"You never change, do you?" The man turned his head back, smirking. "Eh, Luffy?"

He glanced at Alice who stared back at him with a shocked face, tears filling her eyes already at the sight of him. He smiled softly, his eyes dropping at the figure he saw in front of him.

"This is no time to talk, Luffy. Make your gateway. I'll catch up to you later....after I take care of these guys." He said before turning back towards Smoker.

Luffy nodded and started to move along with his crew, who started to carry the heavy stock back to the ship. He grabbed Alice's wrist to pull her along but she stayed put.

"Oh, and," Ace turned back to Alice. "Please leave my baby sister here."

Luffy grinned and laughed in understanding, walking backwards to look at the show Ace was making while Alice took a step forward, tears rolling down.

"Aniki..."