"Who is Blackbeard, by the way?" Luffy questioned, holding his sister on his back. She placed her chin on his shoulder and hummed.

"He was someone from his division. He betrayed their crew, not sure how or why but that's what he said. That guy must be really bad for big brother to leave us so fast," She replied making Luffy tighten his hold, who knew all too well she still was upset with Ace leaving quickly.

"Yeah, but we also saw his devil fruit power so that's cool!"

The two siblings chuckled to themselves when Vivi approached Luffy with a set of clothes.

"Luffy, I want you to wear this."

Luffy's brow furrowed as he turned to face Vivi. "Huh? Why? It looks thick."

Vivi's gaze softened as she met his, "It's meant to be. During the day, it can be over 120 degrees in the desert. Your skin will burn if it's exposed."

"What!?" Alice shrieked in horror.

"How come you guys get to wear cool clothes and I don't?" Luffy whined, pouting back and forth at Vivi and Nami. Alice clung on Luffy's back as he took the dress from Vivi.

"We'll be covered up, too."

"Oh well, can't be helped."

Alice got off and was about to walk away when Luffy dragged her along with him towards Chopper, who was looking over the rail and at the same time Sanji ran down the stairs, horrified by the news from Nami. "WHAT!?! You'll be covered up!!?"

While Luffy wore the dress Vivi gave. Alice and Chopper watched as they neared the bank.

"By the way, Vivi, where is Karoo?" Alice questioned, missing the obnoxious duck. Vivi turned to her confused before realising that she wasn't present on the deck when she sent Karoo.

"Oh, right, you weren't here. Karoo has left to Alubarna to deliver my letter to my father."

"Oh, okay."

Vivi smiled at Alice softly, knowing all too well that even though the two had multiple arguments and in Karoo's case, scared from Alice, they had grown pretty close over time.

"Wait!! We're at the edge of the island!" Chopper commented making Vivi shake her head at him. "This isn't the edge of the island. This is the bank of the sandora river. You can see the far bank over there."

"Oh, you're right." Alice helped Chopper stand on the rail before taking her camera and clicked some pictures of the bank and the rocks.

"Chopper, over here!" Alice called making him turn around and immediately smiled widely while blushing from the fact that Alice wanted to take his picture. One hand on the back of his head and another near his mouth while he swayed from the fluster. She clicked the picture, smiling at it.

"Oh!! Me too!! Me too!!" Luffy quickly joined Chopper, sitting behind him and stretched his grin wide by his hands. Usopp jumped from the last staircase and ran over to the group right before the camera clicked, almost pushing the devil fruit users off the deck making Chopper's soul almost leave his body but Luffy shoved it right back in, laughing while he did so.

Alice chuckled at the picture and showed it to them who laughed at how ridiculous they looked. Nami, who was watching the had another idea popped in her mind. She pulled Vivi towards them and together they took a girl's picture.

"You can print them out when we are going to be in the main city." Vivi stated making Alice nod happily. "Okay!"

Vivi took a map from her pocket which she had drawn earlier that morning. "Look, I drew a map of this region." She said, placing it on the barrel.

"This is our destination. The oasis town of yuba!" She said, pointing at the left side of the Sandora river. They will be docking on the rocks by Erumalu, which they were approaching in a couple hours.

"That's where we'll find the leader of the rebels." Zoro mumbled, with his arms crossed.

"Yeah! We're gonna kick his butt!!!"

"No!!!"

"We're going to reason with him. I don't want any more bloodshed!" Vivi argued with a frustrated expression.

So the leader is a guy, Alice, Nami and Zoro thought to themselves.

"There are about 700,000 rebels, right? You really think we can stop that many?" Zoro asked Vivi, who frowned immediately from the question she was most definitely not sure about. Alice stepped forward, walking over to Vivi.

"Well, It doesn't matter," she spoke. "If they don't listen to us, we aren't gonna be camping and begging for their attention."

Turning to Vivi, she gave her a stern gaze. "We are gonna go to the place Crocodile is, got it?"

Vivi gulped and nodded with great efforts. Sanji uncrossed his arm, taking a puff, not liking at the tone Alice spoke with to Vivi but knew she wasn't saying anything wrong.

"It's just....the baroque works have done such horrible things to this kingdom and how much the people of Alabasta have suffered. You'll see when we reach Yuba." Vivi shared and gripped her coat making Alice soften her gaze and grip her arm. "I'll have to stop them!! I'll stop this senseless violence! I won't let baroque works have their way in this country anymore!"

"Vivi..." Nami mumbled solemnly. Usopp observed her carefully, determined to help his friend.

"We are here, Vivi. You aren't alone." Alice said, smirking.

"Vivi!! You can leave the meals on our desert journey to me!!"

"Yay! I'm so excited."

"I didn't know,"

"All right! We gotcha, Vivi!! Let's go!" Luffy cheered, his arm high up. "To Yupa!!"

"That's 'Yuba'....."

"Yuba!!"

"Oh boy..."

That same afternoon, they finally reached Yuba and docked their ship. As the crew got off one by one, Zoro and Alice dropped the anchor down.

After she gave a thumbs up, he jumped down beside her. "Did you get everything you were supposed to?"

"Yep! Camera. Sketchbook. Pencils. Eraser. Pen-"

Zoro hit her head lightly and handed her the barrel of water she was supposed to carry and moved her forward.

"-reached Yuba yet, Luffy. It's still half a day away to the northwest." Said Vivi to Luffy who wanted to find the leader immediately.

"Half a day?!" Usopp questioned in horror.

They had to walk the desert in thick clothes with hot weather for half a day with a guy who needs 5 meals a day.

Chopper walked over to Alice, who shared the same sentiment as him. "How do you think you will hold up, Chopper?"

"I can't guarantee anything, Alice."

Both half-human half-animal members let out a sigh in disdain, not sharing the same enthusiasm as others. When Chopper jumped on her back, she was quick to shake him off and place him down by his bag with a annoyed look.

"Walk on your own!! You are too warm!"

"Ehh!? That is rude!"

"I'll show you rude-eh,"

Just before she launched at Chopper Zoro held her up by her hood and glared at the two of them, a menacing auro emitting from him at their stupid fight making them look away.

"Sorry..." Said the two.

"Go to your brother," Zoro said to Alice who was quick to join Luffy while Chopper stayed by his side. Luffy patted her head to which she immediately melted and closed her eyes, relishing the moment.

"Hey!! What's that!? A turtle??!" Usopp yelled before taking a stance in defence, narrowing his eyes down at it. "Or a seal?!"

"That's a Kung Fu Jugon!!" Vivi yelled back, moving towards him concern for some reason. The crew turned back in confusion. "Don't go near it, Usopp!!"

"Kung Fu!?" Usopp questioned in horror but it was too late as the turtle guy beat him up within no time.

"It's dangerous..."

"You let that thing beat you?" Zoro asked, sweat dropping at his state. Alice and Luffy blinked at the turtle before they walked over and punched that thing in the head for hurting Usopp.

"Luffy and Alice beat it." Nami stated indifferently, pointing at the siblings who high-fived each other.

"Bad turtle-seal! Usopp didn't do anything!" Alice scolded the turtle, who nodded in agreement.

"No, guys!!" Vivi ran a hand down her face, already drained from their situation. "It's the code of the Kung Fu Jugon to become the apprentice of anyone who defeats it."

Luffy narrowed his eyes at the turtle while Alice was not interested in being the master of the turtle-seal while they had to go to Yuba.

"A disciple of the martial arts, eh?" Zoro mumbled, staring at the siblings, wondering what they'll do. Alice blinked at it when it talked about being a loyal apprentice to them. "Eh, no need."

"This is the stance you want!!"

"ARF!!"

"MORE APPRENTICES!!?"

There was Luffy, who was already teaching the turtle-seals how to fight properly. Chopper walked beside Alice to talk to them when he realised that they weren't ready to leave the two alone.

"YOSHHH!!! Everyone, follow me!!" Luffy yelled at the them before punching the air to demonstrate how to punch. They fiercely joined in and mimicked his punch.

"Now do this!!"

"And from there on, do this!!"

"Good, now this!!"

"This!!!"

Alice and Chopper sweat dropped at the Kung Fu Jugon as they followed Luffy's movements.

"Yosh! We're heading to the Yuba!"

Luffy stood in the front with an army of turtle-seals behind him, cheering. Zoro's eye twitched in disbelief. "Now wait a damn minute, YOU ARE GOING TO BRING THEM ALONG WITH YOU!!?"

Nami and Vivi shook their heads immediately, denying his idea.

"No, you can't, Luffy!!" Nami argued.

"They can't walk through the whole desert." Said Vivi.

Chopper tugged on Alice's coat, who crouched down to listen to him. "I think we should trade something in order for them to stay here."

"Hmm, good idea."

The turtle-seals jumped on Alice, hugging her and rubbing their face against her's making Nami and Vivi's eyes sparkle.

So cute....

Nami snatched Alice's camera from her shoulder and opened it. Alice turned back, wondering what she was doing only to have the camera flash on her face.

"Nami?"

"You looked adorable." She smiled making Alice blush in embarrassment and look back at the turtles as Chopper brided them with their food.

"Alice, say something to them." Chopper said, frowning as they weren't agreeing.

"Could you guys take the food and not follow us into the desert? The place isn't for you. We promise to come back." She said and they were quick to agree and attack her with hugs. Chopper laughed at her predicament but didn't bother helping and informed others about the situation.

"Good job Luffy. There goes half our rations!!" Sanji complained, throwing the bag over his shoulder, securing the strap carefully.

"If it wasn't for Chopper and Alice, we would've been in big trouble!" Nami added, walking past Luffy. Chopper nodded in agreement. "They insisted on following you two. I had to bribe them with our food."

"You mean me. I was the one who convenced them." Alice said smugly, side eyeing the raccoon making him snap at her and lounge at her once again but Zoro like earlier held Chopper by his bag.

"STOP FIGHTING FOR STUPID REASONS!!"

"We should've let them come with us." Luffy pouted innocently, letting Alice hold his hand. Nami snapped her head at him in annoyance. "No town in the world would let all of those things in!!"

"Those Jugons sure are strange, Vivi. Do they live in the river?" Sanji asked.

"No, the sea." Vivi replied before furrowing her brows. "long ago, the Sandora river nourished this land. But in recent years, it's lost much of its force. It is being overcome by the sea."

"Then the water where we found all those Jugons," Sanji spoke, pointing his thumb back where they were. "That was sea water. You can't drink it or water crops with it."

"Is that made this city dry up?" Zoro asked.

"No. There used to be enough rainfall to sustain the city. Until recently, Erumalu was green and full of life."

Passing by the ruins, Alice imagined how it would've looked with Vivi's description. Letting go of Luffy's hand, she drew a rough sketch of the layout before adding details of the 'green and full of life' description.

"However, in the last three years, not a drop of rain has fallen in this entire region."

Luffy took a skull out from under the sand making Alice take a picture of him. Capturing Chopper as well who was looking at it horrified before he ran back over to Vivi.

"But that port looked okay.."

"Nanohana gets it's water from the neighbouring oasis of Katoria."

Alice remembered where Katoria was from her visual memory of her making a makeshift map like Vivi's but very small comparatively.

"Throughout it's long history, Alabasta never suffered from drought, until recently. But one place got plenty of rain." Vivi informed. "Alubarna, the capital. Where the king's palace is. The people called it the king's miracle, until the day of the incident."

Vivi recalled the incident to her friend's making them realise what must've happened.

"Dance powder!?" Nami questioned.

"Yes."

"That must have turned the gears in people's head but in the wrong direction." Alice remarked, pausing in her sketch to take a glance at Vivi.

"So....what's that?" Luffy asked confused at what they were speaking about.

"They call it, the powder that summons rain."

"Summons rain?!"

"But isn't it not possible to do that? Rain happens naturally, you can't just bring rain unless you have powers to make rain clouds." Alice questioned, finding the whole dance powder quite ridiculous like Luffy did but for different reasons, which we don't speak as of now.

"It was developed by a scientist in a country where it never rains." Nami explained making Alice look back at her sketch, dead panning. "Of course, it was a scientist."

While Luffy nodded like he understood what she meant. "The powder turns into a mist and rises up to sky, where it triggers ice particles to grow in the clouds and fall as rain."

"Oh, that makes more sense." Alice said, drawing rain.

"Dance powder creates artificial rain." Nami added, sharing her knowledge on it.

"A mysterious powder..."

"....that makes rain."

Alice sweat dropped at Luffy and Zoro before giggling at them and turned to Nami.

"It isn't exactly artificial if it is happening, you know. I think it is pretty much real. Does it have any side effects though?"

"And hey, isn't that just what the kingdom needs?" Usopp questioned, getting curious.

"That's about to come." Vivi said.

"At first, people rejoiced in the land where dance powder was invented by then," Nami spoke before looking at Vivi to confirm if she was right to which she nodded. "They discovered a terrible side effect."

"The countries upwind suffered the 'dry course's!! Get it?" Nami asked, this made Alice confused, not understanding the meaning behind upwind. "The artificial rain stole the moisture from even the smallest clouds."

"Ahh! I get it now." Alice exclaimed, glad to understand but not happy at the reality behind it before getting dragged by Luffy.

"I get it!! It steals the rain that would normally fall on surrounding lands!" Usopp exclaimed, the bulb turning up upside his head.

"That's right. And when the neighbouring countries realised that was happening, they attacked.....and many lives were lost. After that, the world government banned the production and use of dance powder worldwide. So this stuff causes happiness and misfortune at the same time." Vivi frowned in frustration and guilt. "When that huge load of dance powder got dumped, it was a time when not a drop of rain fell anywhere except upon the city where the king lived."

Zoro hummed in understanding and said, "It's only natural that people would suspect that the king had used the powder to take all the rain for himself."

Luffy's gears turned, "HEY, IT'S ALL YOUR FATHER'S FAULT, VIVI!!"

"HE WAS FRAMED, YOU IDIOT!!" Sanji yelled at Luffy, chopping his head with his shoe. " Vivi's father would never do something so evil!!"

"I know now that it was all part of crocodile's scheme." Vivi stated, falling to her knees when she saw a skull. Digging it up, she pulled it out. "The king had no idea...but a huge quantity of dance powder had been placed inside the palace too."

Tearing up from the pain of her father being framed, Vivi placed the skull against her forehead in sympathy and guilt. "It was a trap set by crocodile!! And just as he planned, drought ravaged the land. The anger of the people increased with their hunger. Ultimately, a rebellion broke out!! The people lost faith in the royal family, and the peace of the land was shattered!! Many towns...and people, too, were lost and who was responsible for all this misery!? CROCODILE!! HE WAS BEHIND IT ALL!!"

Alice clenched her jaw in rage, anger burning inside her for Crocodile who hurt her friend and the people of Alabasta. The misery that these people have lived in for god knows how long.

"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE THAT MAN!!" Vivi screamed making Alice frown, her heart aching to see her. Kneeling down beside her, she placed an arm around her shoulder.

It hurt her to imagine the pain Vivi is in. She gave off the personality of a people pleaser, the one who wants to make things better. She understood how Vivi must be feeling. Thinking that this is her fault and that she is the one that is supposed to be making everything back peacefull. Vivi is taking unnecessary burden, when she should just let them take care of stuff as well.

Vivi melted into her arms unable to stop shaking. Looking up at Nami, Alice questioned her with her eyes if she is doing an alright work at comforting Vivi to which she nodded.

Maybe sometimes all you need is a shoulder to let it out, right?

There was a loud bang before a building started to collapse. Turning their head, they saw Luffy, Sanji and Usopp walking back over to them and a falling building.

"Hmph...stupid kids." Zoro mumbled, his eyes twitching at their itching anger which was slowly burning up.

"What're you doing?" Nami questioned them with furrowed brows. Vivi turning over while bitting her lower lip to hold herself back from breaking down again.

"Let's get moving," Luffy said, flexing his fist. "I'm itching for action."

They all agreed that they took were itching for a fight. After seeing Vivi's mental condition, they knew they are never going to forgive Crocodile.

ᕙ⁠(⁠ ⁠ ⁠•⁠ ⁠‿⁠ ⁠•⁠ ⁠ ⁠)⁠ᕗ

"Haaa..." Luffy huffed, his tongue out from the intense heat glaring down at them.

They were now in the middle of a desert, way past three ruins with the sun beaming brightly down on them. No shade, nothing else on sight except the mirage they keep seeing from the heat and the haze.

"Stop gasping, Luffy. You're making me tired..." Nami complained, fanning her face. Almost everyone was having a hard time dealing with the heat. Luffy continued to gasp.

"I'm so hot...I'm out of sweat."

"I can't go on. I can't take the heat. I'm adapted to the cold." Chopper said, laying on a makeshift sledge while Zoro pulled him. Alice casted a jealous look over at him for being pulled while she has to walk.

"It's your fur, why don't you take it off?" Usopp asked, walking with a stick to keep himself upright and not fall.

"I'M A REINDEER, YOU IDIOT!!"

"Agh!! Monster!"

"Chopper, if you get big, I'm not pulling you!!" Zoro yelled making Chopper get smaller before falling limply on the sledge.

"Zoro, if he gets bigger again, can you pull me instead?" Alice asked cheerfully, walking up to him, making a hopeful face.

"Eh? Yea, sure."

"Yes!!"

"The heat doesn't seem to be getting to you as badly, Vivi." Sanji remarked.

"This is my home. I'm used to the heat." She replied.

"Makes sense, but like, is your skin really not burning?" Alice asked making her shake her head.

"It's tolerable for me. What about you? You seem fine as well."

Alice smiled wickedly and lifted her sleeve to show her skin. It had greenish black scales, partially visible from her forearm to up her shoulders. "They are all over my body. It's a gecko's scale. Since they thrive in warm, humid areas, this heat isn't making me suffer like the others, though my feets are burning since they are exposed."

Sanji and Nami screamed loudly making some of them flinch. Chopper sat up abruptly, concerned and terror latching over his expression.

"Who's hurt!?"

The two immediately came over to Alice and checked her feet to see them red from the hot sand. With another scream, they started to tie a cloth around her feet while she watched them with a sweat drop. "Guys..?"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL SOONER!?" They yelled together at her face making her look away.

"Gomen.."

Now with thick cloth covering her feet, it was easier for Alice to walk as she happily walked past Luffy and jumped up and down while cheering at herself. Her feet were comfortable since the soft sand made it easier to walk on.

"Well, at least one of us is alright." Usopp commented, watching the younger girl tiredly. "But why are there so many dunes? It's like climbing mountains."

Straining her ears, Alice listened to the sand and the desert which made a shiver run down her spine from the sound of the terrifying breeze which was empty and eerie quiet.

Sounds have meaning for Alice. Since she is sensitive to touch, sound, taste, hearing and vision, she can identify if there is anything wrong or hollowness in the place.

Like this desert for example, the sound of the air passing by the thousand feets of tall dunes create a eerie sound which sounds like someone crying. Helpless, alone and loud. Water is calming but also dangerous, depending upon the situation.

But right now, this feeling was not very pleasing so she just let her senses drop to just enjoy her walk in the desert.

"Water..." Luffy huffed, taking the water barrel he had in his arm.

"Just a sip, Luffy." Nami ordered, not wanting to finish the water for the rest of their journey. "Just enough to wet your lips."

"Yeah." He agreed before taking a large sip by puffing his cheeks with the help of his devil fruit making Nami and Usopp hit his head.

"JUST ENOUGH TO WET YOUR LIPS!!!"

"I WANT SKME TOO!! THAT WAS 13 GULPS JUST NOW!!"

"NO WAY!! You just had a drink!! It's my turn!!" Sanji yelled along with them.

"Hey!! You made me spit it all out!! That didn't count!!"

"Why, you!!!"

All of them, except Nami started to fight each other, punching randomly, letting their first hit their target.

"Stop fighting!! You're wasting energy!!" Vivi yelled, trying to be the sane one amongst the chaos.

Back to walking, then.

Alice glanced at Chopper to see how he was holding up and he seemed like was still unable to tolerate the climate but he was better now that he was being pulled.

"Hey, Sanji, let's eat your pirate box lunches." Luffy suggested, his stomach growling at the thought of eating.

"Not until Vivi says we can."

"Vivi!! Let's eat! I need energy to keep walking!!"

"But we're only a forth of the way to Yuba."

Alice turned backwards and took a picture of the crew and their miserable self and chuckling to herself.

"Haven't you ever heard the old saying?" Luffy asked, offended. "When you get hungry, you should eat?"

"You just made that up, liar!"

"When we get to the next crags, we'll stop and rest." Vivi said considerately.

"Okay!! The next crags....crags!?"

"Alice, are you sure you don't want some water? You haven't even had a sip yet." Sanji asked, looking forward towards her. She turned around, walking backwards.

"Nope, I'm fine. I'm not thirsty yet." She replied, giving an assured smile to let them know she's alright. Nodding, Sanji let it be. "Just drink some if you want, alright."

"Alright!"

I apologise, I'm a professional at procrastination.😔✊