A/N: All right! 70,000 hits! Awesome! So enjoy the update!
Chapter 30: Journey Through the Desert
Nami was looking at the crystal Rouge gave her. It was very strange.
"Do you know what this is?" Nami asked Kuina.
"I shouldn't tell you…" said Kuina.
"What?" asked Nami.
"It's complicated…" sighed Kuina .
"Let me guess I have to figure it out to use it myself." said Nami.
"Yeah… also that crystal is rare, especially since your condition is very rare." Said Kuina.
"I guess you're right…" sighed Nami.
"Look when the time is right, you'll know when to use it." Said Kuina.
"Yeah…" sighed Nami.
Soon enough they docked in a small abandoned city.
"Is this really a good spot?" asked Tomo.
"The city is abounded, it's a good spot." Said Vivi.
"Okay that is a good point…" admitted Tomo.
That was when strange looking seals appeared.
"Wait don't fight them! Those are Kung Fu Dugongs!" said Vivi .
"What?" asked Usopp.
He easily gotten beaten up by one .
"That explains the name…" said Mari.
"You also don't want to defeat…" said Vivi.
She looked up and saw that Luffy already defeated one.
"Oh no…" said Vivi.
"I've heard of Kung Fu Dugongs…" said Pantene.
"What happens?" asked Zoro.
"They become the disciples to whoever defeats them." Said Vivi.
"What?" asked everyone else but Pantene.
"Yeah… Luffy now has a bunch of disciples who want to learn from him." Said Pantene .
And indeed more of them showed up to learn from Luffy causing almost everyone to sweat drop.
"This is weird…" said Kuina with a sweat drop.
"We'll figure something out…" said Nami with a sigh.
Vivi had to explain to Luffy that they couldn't bring them along due to the fact that they were aquatic animals and couldn't go inland without drying out, so they had to leave them with the ship and gave them food to guard the ship.
However they did look around the city were in…
It was in ruins.
"This looks like it was avoided somewhat recently…" said Mari.
"You're right, it's only been a couple of years…" said Vivi.
"What happened?" asked Tashigi.
She began to tell them about how the river lost its strength and more sea water start to flow upstream.
Because of that the city was left to ruin.
Vivi couldn't help to cry about the strife going on with her people.
"You know… you used to be a straight up member of Baroque Works…" said Pantene.
"Why are you bring that up!" yelled Tomo.
"Well considering everything…" said Pantene.
"What's that supposed to mean!" yelled Tomo.
"Well…" said Pantene.
"This is the first time I'm on this island! I was assigned Whisky Peak"! yelled Tomo.
"That might be…" said Pantene.
"Hey… can you two please…" said Zoro, "Now's not the time to be fighting…"
Both girls looked at him and blushed, causing Zoro to sigh at them…
"Honestly…" sighed Tashigi.
"Yeah…" sighed Nami.
Mari just sighed at the two as well.
"Hey! Tenshi, can you use your devil fruit powers?" asked Chopper.
Tenshi created some snow.
"I can!" she said.
Chopper breathed a sigh of relief.
"You can keep me cold." Said Chopper.
"Is that important?" asked Tenshi.
"Uh… Tenshi you don't know this but Chopper is a reindeer and Reindeers don't do well in very hot climates…" explained Tashigi.
"Seriously?" asked Tenshi.
"She did live in a snowy place after all." Said Mari.
"It would make sense she doesn't know these things…" agreed Usopp.
"Hey! I'm a lot smarter than I seem!" pouted Tenshi
"Hey! I just realized that the snow that Tenshi makes might be drinkable!" said Sanji.
"Oh that's lucky!" said Luffy.
"You know we should wait and see about that..." said Nami.
Still Vivi was saddened by what was happening in her country, but still they had to go onto their goal of a certain city where the Rebels were.
Whenever someone would get too hot (especially Chopper) Tenshi would make some snow.
Though on the way…
Kuina realized something.
"You know! Someone should ask about the wild life here!" she said reglazing something .
"Hey… Vivi… is there any wildlife we should be aware of?" asked Tashigi.
Vivi froze when she said.
"Vivi… did you forget something?" asked Mari .
"I might have forge ten a lot." Said Vivi.
"What is there?" asked Luffy who seemed excited for some reason.
"Don't excited!" yelled Nami, Usopp and Tashigi.
"Well the ones you have to worry about is the Deseret Strawberry, it's a spider that looks like a strawberry, but if you eat it you will die." Said Vivi blushing.
Everyone looked at Luffy.
"Okay IU won't eat any strawberries." Said Luffy.
"Don't eat any cacti either… you will end up seeing things." Said Kuina.
Everyone who could hear Kuina sweat dropped at Luffy, everyone else figured that he was pouting due to other reasons.
"There's also the Warusagi Birds…" said Vivi, "Their birds that fake being sick in order to trick people and steal their supplies."
Everyone looked at Luffy who understood not to fall any birds acting sick.
"But the worst are the Sandora Dragons…" said Vivi .
"The Sandora Dragons?" asked Chopper who practically covered in snow.
"Yes their massive…" said Vivi.
They hears some sort of honking sound, they turned to where the sound was coming from.
It was a camel running towards them.
"Oh… it's a camel." Said Luffy.
"But what is it running from?" asked Tashigi.
That was when a massive lizard suddenly emerged from the sand.
"Vivi…" said Pantene.
"Yes?" asked Vivi.
"Is that the Sandora Dragon you were about to explain?" asked Pantene.
"It is…" said Vivi.
"Is it edible?" asked Luffy.
"Yes… it is…" said Vivi.
Luffy grinned and looked at Zoro and Sanji who both that gotten the same idea.
"That poor lizard…" said Mari.
"That thing I giant!" yelled Tomo.
"No I agree with Mari the thing doesn't know what it's up against." Sighed Nami.
Thanks to a combined attack they were able to kill the massive dragon, and Sanji roasted the meant on some hot rocks as they took a break.
As they ate the food, Chopper talked to the camel .
"It has a saddle so it's domesticated." Said Vivi.
"So he'll help us." Said Nami.
"He will carry some of in order to help." Sid Chopper.
"All right!" yelled Usopp.
He tried to climb aboard.
However the camel started to bite them.
The camel said something in his language.
"He says women only… he won't give men rides." Translated Chopper.
"Oh come on!" yelled Luffy.
"Seriously!" said Usopp.
"Well I think he's a sweet heart." Said Nami.
The camel's eyes immediately turn to hearts.
"I think the camel's a pervert…" said Kuina .
"No kidding…" Zoro muttered under his breath.
"So who gets to ride?" asked Nami .
"Not me…" said Pantene, "I don't want to want to ride that thing."
"I can't believe I'm saying this but I agree." Said Pantene.
"I'm good.." said Tashigi .
"Vivi you're the princess… you should ride." Said Mari.
There was room for one more person.
Nami and Mari looked at each other, they played rock paper scissors and Nami won.
"Um…" said Tenshi, "Is there room for me?"
She looked at them and gave them puppy dog eyes.
"There's room for you." Said Vivi .
"Yay!" said Tenshi getting a seat.
The camel grumbled a little but it was clear there was enough room and there was no way he was going to bite a little girl.
"Zoro! I got on the camel!" said Tenshi.
"Yeah…" said Zoro.
Tenshi then smirked evilly at Tomo and Pantene.
"Why is she smug?" thought Pantene.
"I don't want to ride that camel…" thought Tomo with a sweat drop.
"Why did you have to do that him?" asked Sanji quietly.
"It was an accident!" cried Kuina.
Zoro just sighed at this.
They counited through the desert … hoping that they would make it soon to the city where the Rebels were said to be.
However when they arrived at where the base was said to be it was only a deserted landscape…
And there seemed to be only one person there.
Kuina decided to check the book.
"Um…" she said to those who could see here.
"Yuba isn't where the base is located anymore…" sighed Kuina, "It's in another city…"
They all stared at Kuina and tried not to react, after all only a small fraction of the crew coupled see her.
And because of that none of them could really react to the fact that they just traversed the desert for no reason…
Next Time: They figure out a new plan while resting in Yuba, but will have Luffy have other ideas? Find out next time!
