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Day 9

It took us nearly a month to reach Alabasta.

If Drum was a frozen wasteland, then Alabasta a burning wasteland. I could see nothing fields and mountains of sand all over the place. I'm amazed that anyone, much less a civilisation is able to flourish here, though I guess I could say the same from Drum.

Roy and Goji have been here before while Captain Jones has also never been here before. From what Roy told me that Drum and Alabasta are both extreme opposites. Not only the weather of both countries is the exact opposite of the other, Alabasta has a larger population than Drum, at least a 100 to 1.

We weren't planning to head too far into the desert, so we docked at the mouth of a river called the Sandora River. The Captain, Roy, Cook, myself and a few others headed towards a town called Nanohana.

The town's pretty big and there were lots of stuff to see. They had this shop that made perfume, another one that made glass from sand and another one that sold these big, smelly animals called camels. But I was more interested in sampling the local brew. I kept pestering Captain and Roy to let me go visit the bar or a restaurant for a quick drink and they finally let me go.

When I got to the bar, it's called "The Oasis", I saw that its entrance was being flanked by two marines, rookies by the look of them. Both of them were about the same size and they were both as big as I am, only shorter.

One of them had a scar across his left eye, he had black hair cut short and was munching on a donut which he had taken out from a box near his feet. He looked bored and grumpy. The other marine stood tall with his hands clasped behind his back. He's got this afro which might have made him look comical if it weren't for his stern expression. His eyes seemed to scrutinise every passer-by through a pair of round glasses he wore.

As I got closer, I could hear the marine with the donut whining at the other.

"I don't get it, Sengoku," whined the marine. "I joined because I wanted to kick some pirate ass! I don't want to just stand guard, polish cannon balls, scrub the deck and wash clothes!"

"Be quiet, Garp!" barked the one called Sengoku. "We are still rookies, and must accept whatever tasks our superiors give us. That way, we can work our way to the top and become more…"

The afro man prattled on, not realising his companion had fallen asleep while biting into a donut. Apparently he noticed the sudden silence, and turned to look.

What happened next was pretty funny.

When he found his companion sleeping, his face turned purple and he ground his teeth so hard that I could hear it from where I was standing.

"Damn it, Garp!" shouted Sengoku. "Wake up! You can't just fall asleep while on duty! You'll get us into trouble again!"

The marine called Garp woke up and resumed munching his donut as though nothing had happened.

"With you nagging every few minutes, it already amazing that I haven't fallen asleep more often," grumbled Garp.

Sengoku just let out an exasperated sigh. He looked up and suddenly spotted me.

"Move along, sir," he said politely but firmly. "There's nothing to see here."

"Oh, but I was just looking for a drink," I said.

"I'm sorry, but this establishment is currently being used by the marine Vice-Admirals for an important meeting," answered Sengoku. "I suggest you find a drink elsewhere."

This piqued my interest. Why would a bunch of marine Vice-Admirals use a bar as a meeting place? I couldn't help but ask.

Sengoku shook his head.

"I'm sorry sir, but we are not permitted…" he began when Garp interrupted.

"They're here because three of the five Royal Shichibukai have been sailing up the Sandora," he said, taking a huge bite out of a donut. "Apparently they've been plundering a few villages along the way."

"Garp!" shouted Sengoku with frustration. "We're not supposed to tell anyone about this!"

Garp blinked at him for a moment before swallowing.

"Oh, right," he said. "Forget I said anything, then."

Sengoku smacked his forehead.

I couldn't help it; I just laughed my ass off then. Those two just reminded me of a bickering couple. Sengoku was like the strict housewife and Garp was like the absent-minded husband.

Sengoku sighed before turning his attention to me.

"In any case, you'd best be moving along, citizen," he said.

I chuckled for a moment and would have laughed when Garp spoke up.

"You're not from around here, are you?" he asked.

I looked him in the eye and asked him what would give him that idea.

"Well, you don't talk with same accent as the locals," answered Garp. "You don't look like the locals; you don't seem to know your way around so I just thought you might be a foreigner."

"I am," I answered. "Just checking out the sights before moving on."

"How old are you anyway?" Garp asked.

"I'll turn twenty in a few months," I answered.

Garp whistled. "Heh, I thought you might've been sixty, with that white moustache of yours."

I bristled a little at the comment.

Sengoku shot Garp a reprimanding look.

"You'll have to forgive Garp, stranger," he said. "Somehow, the fact he's an idiot escaped my superiors when they took him into the Navy."

"Speaking of which," interrupted Garp. "You look pretty tough, why don't you join us? You could be a great marine yourself!"

"Garp," said Sengoku sharply. "We're not here to recruit people, so hold your tongue."

To me, he said: "You'd best be moving along now."

I nodded and was about to move one when Garp grinned broadly at me as he waved goodbye.

That grin reminded me all too much of the punk I met in Loguetown…what was his name again…Roger, that's it. Gol D. Roger.

Before I knew it, the question slipped out of my mouth.

"What's your full name?" I asked Garp.

Garp blinked in surprise for a moment before replying with same grin.

"Monkey D. Garp," he answered.

The name's completely different except for the D. I wonder what does that stand for. I don't know why, but something that initial just gives me a feeling of destiny of sorts. Why do I even use the word "destiny"? What I'm trying say is that so far the two people I've met with D in their names; they just make feel as though they're destined for…something. I'm not sure what, but something.

Anyway, I'm going off topic.

I asked Garp if he was related to Roger.

Garp just blinked again before shaking his head.

I shrugged and just walked off.

After the encounter I just lost my interest in drinking and headed back to the ship…just to write this.

I walked right to bunk and took out this journal and started writing this.

I need another hobby.


Just to make sure we're all on the same page, there are big time gaps between each entry, ranging from days to months and even a year. I was thinking that writing isn't really a pirate's forte...and that it'd be more realistic that way....

next chap coming soon