This is the 44th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
Great Comeback Escape!
In three years, not a drop of rain has fallen in the desert kingdom of Alabasta, the Land of Oasis. Desperate for rain and prodded by outside forces, its people have taken up weapons. The land is at the brink of war. With nowhere else to turn, the people are turning on each other. Crocodile's plan was finally being carried out. Bon Clay transformed into a false King Cobra and attacked Nanohana. In response, Koza spurred the rebel army into action. Meanwhile, Vivi escaped the perilous trap that Luffy and the others had fallen into it at Rain Dinners. Our only hope for saving our friends is to find Sanji. Will Alabasta fall or will it find true peace? Moment by moment, the sands of the hourglass of fate run down toward the final hour.
Alabasta, Rainbase
While Chopper kept running, having Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday chasing after the reindeer while Ace, Ventus, Shanise, Ivan, Pell, and Anna slow them down to buy time, Sanji gives Vivi an explanation in Rain Dinnners.
"Tony is acting as a decoy?" Vivi questions with shock.
"Don't worry, he's fine. He's buying us some time and the rest of our crew is going to help him." Sanji assures, wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "But we've gotta hurry. Take me to Luffy and the others."
"Sure, but Sanji, I thought you got shot earlier." Vivi states when she and Sanji head towards the VIP room, leaving Sanji smirked as he explains.
Flashback
Apparently, Sanji, Chopper, Ace, Ivan, Shanise, Pell, and Ventus were able to make a quick work out of the Baroque Works after meeting up with the cook at the entrance of Rain Dinners. Sanji just put an act when he fired the pistol at the sky while tripping one of the Baroque Works agents. Ventus then grabs him and dragged him up on his feet while Sanji brings the transponder snail close to the Baroque Works agent.
"Ugh, hello? We've got him, sir! And don't worry, he won't be going anywhere."
"So, where are you?" Crocodile questions. "Speak up."
"I'm...at the front of the big casino with the alligator on top at Rainbase, Rain Dinners!"
And when the transmission ended, Sanji, Ace, Ventus, Ivan, Shanise, and Anna smirked that the plan is working. Pell knew what they're planning, impressed of using a diversion tactic.
"Nice job, that was a convincing performance that your boss is on the way." Sanji praised him. "You should really consider a career in acting."
"Really? Gee thanks. Hey um, you're gonna let me go, right?"
"No sir." Sanji answered, as he and Ace knocked him out. "More of those 'Millions' creeps are checking out our handiwork, you better get going. You guys know what to do?"
"Yeah, we'll draw their attention and buy you time to get Luffy and the others." Anna nods.
"Knowing him, he always gets himself caught without thinking." Ventus groans with annoyance. "I mean, this is our idiot Captain we're talking about."
"Like I said, he does have talent for getting into trouble." Ace states with a smirk. "His head is always someone he wanted to fight."
"Yeah, I'm counting on you guys." Sanji said.
Soon as the Baroque Works agents were investigating, they saw Chopper, Ventus, Anna, Ace, Shanise, Pell, and Ivan approaching from the entrance.
"Who are you guys supposed to be?"
It got them smirked when they revealed themselves by pulling out their cloaks. The Baroque Works then widen their eyes, shocked.
"Wait...That's 'Fire Fist' Ace, he's the 2nd Division Commander of Whitebeard Pirates!"
"And over there, it's 'Raging Dragon' Ventus Starwind!"
"And our former agents, Mr. 9 and Miss Monday!"
"And there's Pell 'The Falcon'!"
The Baroque Works agents were terrified, but they drew out their weapons.
"This is our chance, men! We might get our hefty bounty!"
"I don't think so." Ventus said with a smirk, readied his lance. "See, you idiots just didn't realize who you're messing with."
"And you fools have no chance against us." Ivan adds, readied his baseball bats.
And with that, they begin make a quick work by beating the Baroque Works agents which it didn't take long. Few minutes later, both Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday arrived at the entrance, but noticed the agents were knocked out.
"What the hell?!" Crocodile growled.
One of the Baroque Works agents groaned when Crocodile questions.
"A guy...he was called Mr. Prince."
Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday turned to Chopper, who's hiding next to the building and flees.
"I see." Crocodile said as he then chases after him.
Suddenly, the bridge breaks apart which it got the people's attention, including Ms. All-Sunday when she noticed Sanji walked inside of Rain Dinners with a smirk on his face.
'That's how we did it more or less.'
'But...Are they going to be alright?'
'Yeah, they got a few tricks under their sleeves."
After Chopper manage to slip away from Crocodile in the streets, the Warlord of the Sea turns his head to look for the reindeer which he was able to blend in with the others. Many of the people of Alabasta have heard something at Rain Dinners.
"You bastard! I know you're here somewhere, Mr. Prince!" Crocodile growled with a scowl when Chopper quietly moves away. "When I find you, I'm going to introduce you to my hook!"
Flashback Ended
Meanwhile inside of the underwater base, the water kept rising to the prison cell and the bananagator is waiting for someone foolish enough to get to it. Both Usopp and Luffy kept yelling for help, but the people of Alabasta were up in the upper floor. Nami had come up with an idea...a stupid one actually.
"HEY! HEY, YOU STUPID GATOR! IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, COME AND GET ME!" Nami yelled, getting her arm out of the prison bars.
"Are you nuts, Nami?! What are you doing?!" Usopp exclaims when the bananagator chomps, but Nami quickly pulled her arm out with a panic.
"I'm trying to lure that gator in close enough, so it'll bite this cage apart!?" Nami exclaims with an answer.
"Hey! That's not a bad idea." Usopp states, agreeing.
"YEAH, COME AND GET US, YOU STUPID BANANA! YOU ROTTEN BANANA!" Luffy yelled when Usopp poked his long nose against the cheek.
"Look, I told you, that thing is not a banana, it's an alligator with a banana growing out of its head." Usopp corrects him.
"But it's called a bananagator." Luffy points out with a deadpan expression.
"Let me explain it to you, you're heard of the monkey dance, right?" Usopp questions.
"YOU DUMB BANANA!?" Luffy yelled, not paying attention.
"Shut up and listen for a second!" Usopp shouts, grabbed Luffy's shoulders with shark-like teeth. "Okay look, there's a dance called a monkey dance, you follow? Even though, it's got the word 'monkey' in it, it isn't and actual monkey-"
Before Usopp could finished explaining, Luffy purposefully placed his hand against the sea prison bars which it got him weak, causing the liar to slap his hand.
"Don't touch those bars!?" Usopp growled with shark-like teeth.
"How did you they're not bananas if you haven't eaten one?" Luffy questions with annoyance.
"WATCH OUT!?" Nami yelled.
The bananagator then opened its jaw since it couldn't wait for the prey to come out, causing Nami, Luffy, and Usopp yelled in panic as it bites the prison cell. However, instead of making a dent out of the cell, the teeth breaks and the banangator cried out in pain.
"The cage is too tough!" Usopp exclaims.
"The banana didn't even dent it!?" Luffy adds.
"VIVI! PLEASE HURRY!" Usopp yelled for Vivi.
"Hey, Straw Hats." Smoker called them, earned their attention when they noticed his legs and arms crossed with a scowl on his face.
"We're all about to die! How can you just sit there like that?!" Usopp shouted.
"You should be trying to get us out of here too?!" Luffy adds.
"Tell me something, how much do you guys know? What exactly is Crocodile after?" Smoker questions, leaving Usopp and Luffy confused. "The woman at Crocodile's side, did you know the World Governments has the sizable price on her head for 20 years? As I recall, over 70 million berries."
"70 million?!" Usopp exclaims with shock, budged his eyes. "Holy moly! But, why is it so much?!"
"That's almost as much as Crocodile had!" Nami points out, shocked.
"The moment those two joined forces, this insurrection became more than a simple coup." Smoker explains. "If they're not stopped here and now, this could very well turn into something the whole world will get dragged into."
"'The whole world'? Wait, what do you mean?" Nami questions.
"This is starting to sound a little far-fetched." Usopp states.
"I don't care if all that is true." Luffy said with a scowl, crossed his arms, earned their attention. "I don't need any other excuses, I'm still gonna kick that guy's ass!"
Smoker can tell Luffy is determined to fight against Crocodile.
"I see." Smoker said. "So, how do you intend to get outta here?"
"UWAAAAAAAH!? IT'S ALL THE WAY UP MY LEGS NOW!?" Luffy yelled in pain, looking down when he noticed the water is rising, Usopp cried for help, and starting to feel weak. "All of a sudden, I feel a little..."
"No! Hey!" Usopp shouts, grab hold of Luffy while his head stretched out. "Just stuff it out! Vivi says she beings some help back!"
Nami then turned her head at the doors upstairs with a serious look on her face.
'Vivi, I know you're doing all you can, but please, hurry back!' Nami mentally thought, pleading for Vivi to hurry.
"Damn it! If only my swordsmanship we're better, I could cut through this stupid cage!" Zoro growled in frustration, looking at his swords. "We'd be free."
"It's really impolite to make a lot of noise at mealtime like you were doing." The voice of Sanji said, earned their attention as he lifts his leg up in the air, kicked the bananagator in the stomach. "I'll teach you how to behave! Bad Manner Kick Course"
Just as the bananagator was in the air, it spit out the rubble. Nami, Usopp, and Luffy were awed while getting swept by the water, the bananagator crashed down against the ground, and them shocked, except Smoker and Zoro. Sanji then holds the cigarette from his hand, turns to his crew.
"Hey guys, been waiting long?" Sanji asks with a smirk.
"YAY, IT'S MR. PRINCE! WE'RE FINALLY GONNA GET OUTTA HERE NOW!" Luffy and Usopp yelled with a cheer and teary eyes, pumping their fists in the air.
"Thank you." Nami thanked him with relief.
"Well don't just stand there, find the key and get us out of here!" Zoro growled with a scowl.
"Nami, my dear~!" Sanji called her, gone goo-goo eyes. "Do you love me now~? Huh~? Well~?"
"Um, sure, and I'll love you even more if you hurry up and open this cage." Nami suggests with a shout, annoyed of his antics.
"He is one lovesick idiot." Zoro muttered with annoyance.
"VIVI! ALRIGHT, WAY TO GO!" Luffy called her with a grin, giving her a thumb up as she smiled and giving him a thumb up.
Until, the pack of bananagators snarled when they saw their fellow gator got knocked out, turns to Sanji with angry look on their faces.
"More diners with bad manners, huh?" Sanji states with a scowl, turns to the bananagators.
"Get 'em, Sanji! Smash those weird bananas into pudding!" Luffy shouts when more of the bananagators came.
"Don't worry, I'm gonna teach these bananas some proper table manners alright." Sanji assures his captain, raise his leg up. "Since there's are so bad, they attack a lady, I'll do it the hard way. I'll take my sweet time doing it too, because nobody does that to Nami."
"We don't have any time for chivalry!" Usopp shouts. "One second strikes! No, make that one instant strikes!"
"The third one who just came in has the key." Smoker states, observed with his eyes closed.
"Hey! How do you know that, Smokey?" Luffy questions with annoyance.
"Guess your ears aren't as big as your mouth." Smoke points out. "Isn't that one's growl the same as the one who swallowed the key?"
Usopp and Luffy then turned their heads the bananagators when they growled which differently.
"I can't really tell." Luffy said.
Meanwhile, Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday went back inside at Rain Dinners after given up on searching for Chopper since the reindeer was able to hide somewhere. Ace, Ventus, Pell, Shanise, Ivan, and Anna followed Chopper since he had an idea about getting to Alubarna. Ms. All-Sunday have given Crocodile an explanation which he was impressed of the diversion tactic by collapsing the bridge and buy some time.
"Smart thinking, collapsing the bridge to buy time like that." Crocodile said with an impressed smirk. "There obviously more Straw Hats here than we thought, including 'Fire Fist' Ace and Pell 'The Falcon'."
"So, that was all done to lure us away so they could rescue their friends?" Ms. All-Sunday questions.
"Of course it is." Crocodile answered simply.
While at the underwater base, Sanji was able to knock the number of bananagators out, but one of them was forced to spit out a ball out of its mouth.
"KEY!?" Usopp and Luffy exclaims in unison as the last bananagator crashed down into the ground.
"There it is! Get it!" Luffy demands.
They then turned their heads to the ball which it got them confused.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Usopp exclaims.
"That doesn't look like the key." Luffy points out.
"Wax-Wax: Ball" The wax ball then started to crack open, revealing Mr. 3 screaming with his fists in the air.
"WHAT THE?!" The Straw Hat pirates, except Zoro, Sanji, and Smoker, exclaims with shock while Vivi gasped.
"Yes! Water, at last! It's a miracle!" Mr. 3 wheezed.
"Hey, it's him!" Zoro exclaims with a scowl.
"Mr. 3!?" Luffy adds, points his finger at him.
"Mr. 3? What was he doing in the belly of a bananagator?" Vivi questions with shock.
Just as Mr. 3 finished drinking water, his body including his hair turns back into normal.
"Yahoo! I'm alive again! I thought I was a goner!" Mr. 3 exclaims with a cheer, but smirked with a chuckle. "Stupid Crocodile! So, you thought you could get rid of me, but you didn't try hard enough. The moment I was swallowed, I used the last of my power to create the Wax-Wax: Ball. That was how I survived."
However, Crocodile is not here in the underwater base which he and Ms. All-Sunday were about to after gave up the search for Chopper. He then noticed the key at the top of the cracked wax ball in confusion, grabbed it.
"A key?" Mr. 3 said, heard the loud shouts from Usopp, Nami, and Luffy when they demand for the key with white eyes and shark-like teeth which it got his attention with a shriek and eyes budged out. "Not you guys again!?"
'Wait, why do they want this key so bad? Hold on...' Mr. 3 mentally thought, began to think it over of the scene that's been happening recently. 'A ruin surrounded by and flooded with water? A cage full of Straw Hats? And they're screaming like mad for this key.'
Mr. 3 then smirked with his raised eyebrow, putting two and two together while figured out the current situation.
"Now I see what's happening here." Mr. 3 states.
"Mr. 3 I presume?" Sanji inquires, approaches him when Mr. 3 yelped with his budged out.
"How'd you know who I was?" Mr. 3 inquires with a sigh.
"Well, your hairstyle gave it away." Sanji answered bluntly. "I'll take the key, toss it here."
However, Mr. 3 smirked with a chuckle which he won't simply give the key to Sanji because he has plans otherwise.
"Sure thing! Here goes!" Mr. 3 shouts, throws the key in the opposite direction as Nami, Usopp, and Luffy panicked, watching the key plunge down into the water next to the bananagators. "I don't know who you are, but if you want the Straw Hats out? You're no friend of mine! If you want the key, go find it! Good luck! You'll need it with those alligators around! Trust me, I know!"
"Jerk." Sanji muttered with a deep scowl when Mr. 3 laughed with triumph.
Meanwhile, Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday continued their way toward the underwater base to get to the Straw Hat pirates and Smoker before they could escape.
"So, what happens if they rescue or was able to ascertain which the bananagator swallowed the key?" Ms. All-Sunday inquires.
"Well, even if they were able to get the key, it won't make any difference." Crocodile answered with a scoff, showed her the real key. "I've had the real one with me. The key in the gators belly is a fraud, but that's for me to know and them to find out."
"You're bad." Ms. All-Sunday states.
While back at the underwater base, Mr. 3 warn him the water is rising which it got the Straw Hat pirates angry.
"That bastard!" Zoro growled.
"That was a dirty move, even for that creep!" Luffy adds.
"We're running out of time, hurry!" Nami shouts with panic.
"Lousy good-for-nothing wax guy." Sanji growled.
Usopp then realize of Mr. 3's Devil fruit power which it got him an idea.
"Wait a minute, Sanji!" Usopp called him, earned his attention. "He might be good with something, like using those wax powers to make a key."
Sanji then remembered what Vivi told them about Mr. 3's Devil fruit power while back before reaching for Alabasta.
"Yeah...you're right." Sanji agrees with an evil smirk, causing Mr. 3 to gulp fearfully when the cook starts beating him up.
After a few minutes of beating, Mr. 3 used his Devil fruit power to make wax from his finger, unlocking the prison cell.
"Nice work, candle man. Now, there just two more things to do." Sanji said as he placed the paper next to Mr. 3 and then, sent the Baroque Works agent flying and crashed against the rubble. "Let's go! We have to hurry."
"Right, we gotta stop the rebels before they attack Alubarna." Nami suggests. "We should be able to get out through that hallway."
"There's a problem with that, namely dozens of bananagators." Vivi points out.
However, that was the least of their problem when both Luffy and Zoro made a quick work out of the bananagators.
"THAT'S IT?! I CAN TAKE ON HUNDREDS OF THOSE WEIRD BANANAS!?" Luffy yells with rage which it got them widen their eyes.
"Um, that problem solved." Nami states with the obvious.
"And I had so trouble with just one of them!" Vivi cried.
"No, don't be so hard on yourself." Usopp assures her. "Those two just have crazy abnormal strength."
"YEAH?! I'D BE EVEN STRONGER IF I WASN'T SOAKED RIGHT NOW!?" Luffy yelled with an angry expression on his face, along with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
Until, the cracks from the building is starting to grow from the ceiling and it couldn't hold the pressure, causing the windows and the walls to break as the water came out, rises even faster which it got Luffy scream in panic.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! THIS PLACE IS FALLING APART!?" Luffy yelled.
"Yeah, we can see that!" Sanji shouts with annoyance.
"Oh no! The passageway is broken too!" Usopp shouts in panic, noticed the entrance of the passageway breaks apart.
"We've got to get out of here right now!" Sanji suggests.
Suddenly, the water started washing the Straw Hat pirates, Vivi, and Smoker out of Rain Dinners while the rubble knocked Usopp out. The ground is starting to tremble and the water is spouting out. Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday finally made it the underwater base when he opens the door.
"All right, Straw Hats, time to pay!" Crocodile announces with a smirk. "If the bananagators haven't finished you off yet, you'll wish they had by the time I'm done with you!"
However, the Straw Hat pirates, Smoker, and Vivi have already managed to escape from the prison cell, the bananagators were knocked out along with Mr. 3. Crocodile was extremely furious for what he had saw.
"This can't be!?" Crocodiel growled in frustration, noticed the message on Mr. 3's which it got him even more furious.
While outside of Rain Dinners, Sanji merged out of the water and swam towards the ground with Luffy next to him when he spits out the water from his mouth.
"Hey, you alive there?" Sanji asks with a grunt. "Luffy!"
Nami and Vivi were able to swim towards the ground while pulling Usopp's nose. Ventus and Ace were given them a hand by pulling Usopp out of the water and forcing Luffy to spit the entire water out of his stomach.
"Thanks guys." Nami thanked them.
"No problem." Ventus nods. "So, care to fill us in on what happen back there?"
"Well, good news is we manage to find Crocodile and Ms. All-Sunday at Rain Dinners which it's on the underwater base." Nami explains. "The bad news is they're planning to head for Alubarna and having the Baroque Works agents take part in the fight. We were able to escape from those bananagators, but it didn't go as we had in mind."
"And let me guess, Luffy?" Ace inquires, earned a nod from them. "Sounds like you guys had it rough mostly because of my brother. Still, something tells me Crocodile didn't want his plan to go up and smoke."
"And what if Mr. 3?" Ventus asks.
"Well, Mr. 3 somehow got inside of the bananagators belly and got out alive. That jerk even threw the key, but it worked out when I beat him up and force him to unlock the prison." Sanji explains. "Good thing I left Crocodile a message whenever he gets back here."
"And you can bet he'll be ticked when he finds out we're not dead." Nami adds with a smirk.
Ventus couldn't help but shook his head with a smirk while Ace chuckled, also smirked.
"But still, why would a pirate want Devil fruit powers if it means he can't swim?" Sanji rhetorically questions.
Suddenly, Zoro merged out of the water and lands on the ground while dragging Smoker next to him with a heavy pant which it got the people's attention.
"What? Smoker!?" Sanji exclaims. "Hey Zoro, what are you doing? In case you forgot, that guy's our enemy!"
"Back off! I didn't want to do it, but he was about to die, that's all!" Zoro points out when Smoker came around as coughed.
"Whatever! We gotta get moving guys, we've lost too much time already." Sanji suggests, turns to Vivi. "Vivi, can we still make it?"
"I don't know." Vivi answered, wringing out the water out of her cloak.
"Hey Nami, do you still have that perfume Anna bought you?" Sanji inquires.
"Huh? Yeah?" Nami answered, confused. "But why?"
"But some of it on, please." Sanji suggests.
"'Kay." Nami said, spraying the perfume on her.
"Aw~! Just one whiff of it makes me swoon like a schoolboy in love~!" Sanji cooed, went goo-goo eyes.
"Not to mention make you act like an idiot." Zoro and Ventus said in annoyance.
"What's with him?" Ace asks, raised his eyebrow.
"Don't mind him, he's just womanizing lovesick idiot." Ventus told him. "He's always like that when it comes to women."
Sanji then growled with white eyes and shark-like teeth when he turned to Ventus.
"RORONOA!?" Smoker yelled when he was about to strike Zoro with his jitte, causing the swordsman to block. "Why did you save my life?"
Zoro can only be silent in respond while remembered the reason why he saved Smoker.
Flashback
After the water rises faster and the Straw Hat pirates getting swept, Luffy spoke.
"Zoro! Quick! You gotta save Smokey!" Luffy ordered with a shout.
"What?! He's our enemy! He can take care of himself!" Zoro points out, refuse his order.
"No he can't!" Luffy denies. "He's got Devil fruit powers! So, he can't swim! He'll drown if you don't help him!"
Zoro didn't like what Luffy is telling, but he does make a valid point. However, he reluctantly rescues Smoker and get him out of Rain Dinners.
Flashback Ended
Zoro then pushes the jitte aside and spoke.
"All I did was follow my Captain's orders, that's it." Zoro answered with a scowl. "So, wouldn't read too much into it if I were you. It was one of his crazy whims, pay it no mind."
"And you wouldn't have any gripes with me carrying out my duties to arrest you, right?" Smoker inquires with a scowl.
"See? I knew this was a bad idea. This is what you get for saving a Marine." Sanji states.
Zoro, Ace, and Ventus can only be silence, staring at Smoker with a serious glare on their faces. Ventus then used his dragon hearing, heard the Marines are coming this way. He was about to warn his crew, but...
"YEAH! ALRIGHT! FULL SPEED TO ALUBARNA!" Usopp yelled, raise his fist in the air.
"Where's Crocodile?! Let me at him!" Luffy shouts with angry glare when Smoker turns to him.
"Finally awake, huh?" Nami asks sarcastically.
Luffy then turns with white eyes and shark-like teeth, but noticed Smoker as he readied his fighting stance.
"You want some of this?! Bring it on!" Luffy shouts, ready to fight.
"IT'S SMOKER!?" Usopp screams in panic. "Luffy, forget him, let's just get outta here! C'mon!"
"I should, but you just save my life." Smoker points out, wanted to fight but he has second thoughts. "Go."
It got the Straw Hats, Ace, and Vivi confused, wondering why would Smoker let them go.
"This is the only time I'm letting you Straw Hats off, got it?" Smoker told them. "When we next meet, it's gonna be as enemies."
They were surprised that Smoker decided to let them go to Alubarna and fight against Crocodile since they went through the desert to find the Seven Warlord of the Sea. However, Smoker can let them go only once because they'll became enemies the next time they meet. The Marines were able to find them and about to fight the Straw Hat pirates.
"Well, that's our cue." Sanji said with a smirk. "So, Vivi, which way to Alubarna?"
"That way." Vivi told him with a smile. "To East across the desert."
And with that, the Straw Hat pirates, except Luffy, makes a run for Alubarna when Zoro turns to the rubber captain.
"Luffy, c'mon, what are you doing? Aren't you coming?" Zoro asks.
"Yeah." Luffy answered, turns to Smoker.
"They won't escape us men!"
Just as when the Marines were about to help Smoker, Luffy just grinned with a chuckle.
"Hey, you're not such a bad guy, Smokey." Luffy states, leaving Smoker shocked as the rubber Captain laughed.
"WOULD YOU GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE, STRAW HAT!?" Smoker yelled angrily as he slams the jitte down to the ground, causing Luffy to dodge and flees while Zoro follows.
Smoker was able to regain his composer for a few seconds when the Marines arrived.
"Don't worry, Captain Smoker! We won't let those pirates get away!"
The Marines then chased after the Straw Hat pirates, leaving Smoker behind.
"Hurry! Those Marines are hot on their heels!" Usopp points out.
"Yeah Usopp, we noticed!" Ventus said with annoyance.
"Where's Pell? Isn't he with you?" Vivi inquires.
"He stayed behind, tried to get the people of Alabasta calm down." Ace explains. "Not that I blame him, but he's missing the action."
"ALRIGHT GUYS! WE'VE GOT LOTS TO DO! SO, WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP UNTIL WE GET TO ALUBARNA!" Luffy yelled with determination. "ARE YOU WITH ME?!"
"YEAH!"
And with that, the Straw Hat pirates then make their journey to Alubarna.
That's it for the 44th chapter.