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Deadly Drinking Pirate

Desert Trek To The Mouth Of A Crocodile's Den

Previously on Deadly Drunken Pirate,

"Remember everyone; we will go this way until the sight of a small town is in sight." Vivi said once they were getting suited up to head from the port of Nanohana, where they docked at, through the desert to stop at the little town of Yuba, then head to where Crocodile's base was; the capital of the Sandy Kingdom, Alubarna. "We do have enough water for the trek so we should restock in Yuba."

"And you guys should know that since I am sure Nami didn't let Sanji chose the clothes for the crew." Luffy said responded with a huff. He was a guy who will hold a grudge once his crew disobeyed his word.

"But Luffy…!"

"While I can't deny that Nami, Vivi, Alvida, Kaya, Grace and Carol are mature women," Cue the blushing women. "Even desert dancers where heavy clothing. I don't want them getting burns because you didn't think of that, genius." Now cue the remaining Straw hats nodding. If only Sanji wasn't just a shameless pervert, he will actually get pity; and if he wasn't a good cook or a strong fighter, he would have been left behind.

"Another thing to remember you guys." Zoro then said. "No doubt that copying crossdresser is going to be our enemy if he works for Crocodile. But even if they do figure out how we can tell each other apart, he still won't fool any of you."

This time, no one argued or glared. Just looked at the white cloth on their left arms. This was more than a way to stick out in a crowd or fool the world's best impersonator; it was something else entirely. Something that will bond them forever.

"Hot…" The Straw Hats groaned, not only because they feel it but they have to hear that complaint for the thousandth time since they started to travel through the desert. And they already had gotten on to a bad start with the Kung Fu Dugongs.

That type of dugongs has evolved and passed down fighting prowess that closely matches actual Kung-Fu fighters. And they even that his still code of honor, that if they should lose to any fighter, they must learn from the victor. Luffy actually defeated them all so they didn't have to waste any more time after Usopp lost with a narrow defeat.

They all begged for the captain to train them expect Luffy talked them out of it by saying he will train them once they find and destroy any of the minions of Baroque Works named Millions and Billions. It helped that Ace had purposely let one of the sails from those ships he blew up so that the Kung-Fu Dugongs will able to follow the scent like bloodhounds, even under the sea.

They were able to find a town, named Erumalu, but there was no chance to even get out of the hot sun there. It was ravaged by the encroaching sea and the extended drought. Vivi knew this town since she was born in Alabasta. But no sandstorm or natural drought can cause the damage to the town that they found. Vivi could only say, "Dance Power."

She explained on the way out of the Erumalu town that Dance Powder is a substance created years ago, in an entirely different region; one that had no rain at all during any season or month of the year. When the people, with their knowledge of the weather and chemistry, begun to create Dance Powder. It was supposed to force clouds above the land to sprinkle rain and solve all the drought problems. But there was something terrible about Dance Powder, which soon made the substance illegal in the Grand Line.

The problem with Dance Powder is that it doesn't create water or rain as the creators have thought. They soon learned, from another different region, that rainstorms stopped falling there once they started using Dance Powder. After some testing, the creators were horrified to find that Dance Powder actually steals rain from one area and sends it where the substance has been used.

Some say that the land was ruled by a king who received negative press from his people and those of the land that lost their rain for his own. That was why he decided to ban the use of Dance Powder, have it destroyed and finally move to where it rains naturally. But like with narcotics and other illegal substances, Dance Powder only became an item to buy in the black market. And soon made its way to Alabasta.

Vivi said that she has been reading of Alabasta receiving rain in one section while the other is forced to suffer a sudden drought. The only answer was that Baroque Works, under the rule and word of Crocodile, have been using Dance Powder illegally while convincing the people it was orders from her father, the current king of Alabasta.

She had hoped to infiltrate the ranks in order to find the shipment of Dance Powder and prevent Baroque Works from using it to cause a false civil war. And for a criminal under the Government's blessing, AKA Crocodile, when Alabasta does start that civil war; it will mean that everyone will want their nation hero to take the king's place. Vivi wishes to stop all this from happening, with the Straw Hats' help.

XXXXX

Now the rest of the trek was difficult since there were dangers more than the lack of water in sight and the merciless sun basking down on them. There were Warusagi Birds, trying to steal their belongings only to end up as meat for the next meal, the Desert Strawberries, poisonous spiders until Luffy drained them of their venom, and then there was the Great Sandora Lizard that was in the middle of eating its prey. Luffy used one of his sword techniques to both subdue and poison the Great Sandora Lizard's innards that were otherwise inedible.

And then there was the beast's prey. A creature that said, according to Chopper, to be grateful to Luffy for the rescue. Too bad that he said he will give rides, only to women. Luffy wasn't pleased with that ungratefulness and neither did the other male Straw Hats. They all had their fun insulting the perverted animal when Nami kindly asked to name it,

"Moron."

"Idiot."

"Pervert." (Little ironic, even hypocritical coming from a certain blonde cook)

"Stupid Animal."

"Bastard."

Nami got a free ride and called him the best name she can think of; Eyelashes. Not quite better than an insult like Luffy and his fellow men came up with. The captain just poked the ungrateful animal with something that made it more afraid of the pirates than anything, especially looking at the women with hearts in place of eyes.

Eyelashes is a light brown camel who wears a bridle and saddle. His saddle is square shaped, with a fur seat. Under the seat is a purple blanket, with a yellow stripe with an orange diamond pattern on it. There is also a silver seat with an orange cloth on it. Eyelashes has noticeable eyelashes on the bottom of his eyes, which he is named after.

Thankfully, this camel named Eyelashes didn't do anything funny with Nami and Vivi and especially with the other women who decided to keep walking. This satisfied Luffy a little while Sanji just keep glaring at the camel, for carrying the women when 'it should be him'. Good thing that it seemed to only be a walk's trek to finally reach Yuba, only to see that the town was deserted like the last one; this time, there was no sand build-over so that they can at least use the abandoned houses.

Then there was the only resident of the town, who was digging through the sand without even paying attention to the Straw Hats. The pirates were clueless to who he is but Vivi knew him perfectly. That only made her worry even worse,

"Toto! What happened to you!?" Vivi was aghast and was pale like a ghost to behold this digging man in the middle of the Yuba town.

Originally, as Vivi knew him, Toto was a relatively fat but healthy looking old man. However due to the three-year drought brought about by Crocodile's scheme, Toto's body definitely and completely shriveled up from thirst and starvation to a point that he no longer resembled his former self. He has an elderly looking face, and a thick fuzzy mustache. He wears a white wrap around his head, and another grey wrap around his forehead. He wears black robes, that are torn in some places, and a green robe underneath with a dark red lining. Under that, he wears a vertically striped black and white shirt. He also has a turquoise sash, with blue dots.

Toto said that while everyone, including his son, left the town when a freak sandstorm hit Yuba and drained all life from it. But he was stubborn and looked for water, even if it means that he will dig for days without stopping. Then the Straw Hats told him about the previous town being dry from not only a sandstorm but also a drought which made Toto look like he suddenly lost more life than weight.

"Crocodile is doing this for sure. I heard that one town had found a cart with bags filled with Dance Powder, pulled by suspicious people. They said they were going to deliver it to the king until the wheel broke off and the powder was spilled for all to see." Toto said and Vivi was sweating up a storm. "But while that town is losing faith in the king, I will never turn my back to him! He said both me and my son so my life-long loyalty to him will stand! Even through Crocodile's storms!"

This was a hint as to Crocodile's power which is supposed to make him nigh invincible and undefeatable by regular pirates, especially those from the Blue Seas. But that only meant the Straw Hats have to find Crocodile soon, before that criminal mastermind causes another drought and series of false doubt in the king's rule.

XXXXX

Toto waved them goodbye until both he and Yuba were out of sight, doubt that he is going to keep digging for more underground water. And as long as Crocodile is doing as he pleases, he will be doing it forever. That was why Vivi wants to stop the Shichibukai (Sea Warlord). But,

"No. I quit." Luffy then stopped, sat down in front of a tree and got comfortable. When nobody said anything, "I mean it. I am not going to the rebels. If they are going to get themselves killed because they also believed what bullshit that is Crocodile, then it is not my problem anymore."

"But they are going to get killed! My friends have joined the rebels and Crocodile will kill them!" Vivi retorted. "I just want to meet up with them and stop this war from happening! Nobody is going to die!"

"Yes, they are." Luffy grimly argued. "It is either by the sun or the sand here in Alabasta, they all are going to die. So why aren't you showing us the way to the real problem?"

"The fact that the rebels are going against my father's soldiers is the real problem! Why don't you see it that way!?" Vivi was persist and Luffy was stubborn, shaking his head in disagreement.

"Are you sure this is just you and your subconscious wanting to do the opposite of what a certain tyrant did without a second thought. You just don't want to look in a mirror and see Wapol as your reflection." Luffy then said which caused something to snap in Vivi's mind, which caused her to whip out and strike Luffy on the check.

"You jerk! How dare you say such a thing! I am thinking of my people and my friends here!" Vivi shouted, punching Luffy over and over again. But she knew that it was useless to try and knock Luffy out with just punches, they weren't even leaving bruises and smidges on his face.

"Then think about us!" Luffy then shouted through the weak beat-down and used his legs to send Vivi off of him and back a couple of feet. Sanji almost lost it to try and stop Luffy from rough-playing with Vivi. But his fear of the captain soon got his ego to win against his Id so the cook stayed in one place. "You are the one dragging us in this stupid war expecting no one to die. That is naïve and stupid!"

Vivi growled before trying to get up. That double kick to the stomach came out of nowhere so she was a little dizzy and wobbly. "I am! You're strong! You can stop armies with just a glance! I know from your crewmates!" Vivi wondered why Luffy turned over to his crew, glaring something fierce and told them that they are to be punished for something; they all looked rather sheepish. "Surely to can handle a couple of armies!"

"Then what am I to you!?" Luffy argued. "I am not a friend when you just want my power to knock out those rebels and soldiers? That won't stop Crocodile, only make things worse! It can even send you and your father to jail by just being seen with someone like me! Am I your friend!?"

"Yes, you are. Why are you asking?" Vivi was getting a little exhausted from so much verbal trauma from the captain. "Don't you want what is best for me, your friend?"

"I want that for all my friends and I am not going to send them to fight an entire country just for a friend. That is not the way to stop a war." Luffy then answered but a little softer. "Trust me, I have been in a war and my instincts were telling me this. The way to stop a war to is to focus on what or who started the war. In this case, Crocodile."

Vivi gasped and before she could comment. "Yes. I want to beat up Crocodile for what he already done to your home. Once he is done so will be Baroque works and then you can try to stop everyone from killing each other. Then the war will truly end once it just begun."

Everyone was silent and then, through a glint of the sun's rays into their captain's eyes, saw that he had seen the horrors of war. All those people who died, killed off and slain in the most horrible ways just so the side with the most numbers left will win the war. And that either side doesn't care about the casualties, just to get what they wanted which was denied and caused them to start wars over.

"So…" Luffy then said, walking over to where Vivi had been sitting and thinking about how a child she has been about the war. He gave her his hand, "Where is Crocodile?"

Soon enough, and without any more marines to watch out for, Luffy found himself standing in front of what was known as Rain Dinners Casino in the city of Rainbase. The exterior of the building is shaped like a large pyramid. There is a golden crocodile head at the top and is patterned in blue and gold.

"Crocodile is here. I knew how to tell as soon as I contacted him on Little Garden." Luffy then said and the Straw Hats said nothing. They just waited for their captain's orders, they need to decide on how to stop Baroque Works once they find out what is going on in the Sandy Kingdom of Alabasta.

End of Chapter 22

*Thanks for the support! I am working hard to juggle these last updates so that I can take a break for my Finals until the 19th, my latest Final Exam this semester. All I ask is for your patience and understanding in my absence. I might even publish a chapter once I return home from that date. Thank you! *