Chapter 22: Misunderstanding

Hours prior to Ace and Luffy meeting up Ace had been in the rebel camp watching as Sabo negotiated with the leader of the rebels. The desert dweller was distrustful, but had heard of the Revolutionaries and knew they could be useful in a real fight. Sabo quickly learned the man's name was Koza. Sabo quickly understood why this young man was the leader and not someone older. His sense of justice matched that of the revolutionary army. He saw an injustice going on here in the Alabasta Kingdom and wanted so desperately to change the course of which the supposedly king was taking it.

Sabo still didn't believe it was Cobra but in fact Crocodile that was behind the drought in the kingdom. There was just too much evidence against Cobra though. After Koza had told Sabo how he had gone to speak to King Cobra only for the king to attack him was when Koza started to believed that the king was capable of destroying their kingdom.

Cobra is a friend to dragon. Sabo thought as a scratch the side of his head, trying to make sense of this. Cobra has never done anything like this before, why would he do it now? Sabo was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a loud crash outside of the tent they were in. The two men jumped from their seats and rushed to the flap of the tent. Once outside, they saw a young boy rushing into one of the guards.

"There's a devil fruit user outside of the camp!" he yelled fear upon his face.

Sabo sweat drip down his neck. He wouldn't be that stupid would he? He thought as he spotted Ace standing at the entrance of the camp.

"He's just like his brother." Sabo heard Ussop mutter next to him.

"Do you know that man?" Koza inquired as he spotted Ace.

If I say yes, we might get into trouble and then they'll have a hard time believing us when we do find real proof about Crocodile. Sabo thought. If I say no, I might get a beating from Ace. An image of Ace beating him up, appeared into Sabo's mind. "No, i've never seen him before in my life." Ussop gasped at the blatant lie. Was he really going to throw his brother under the bus for this? The answer was yes.

Ace looked over his shoulder and saw a group of the rebels, coming towards him with weapons drawn. Oh shit. He thought as he spotted his brother looking up and away from him. That fucking idiot.

"Stop! Do not come any closer or we will shoot you!" One of the guards yelled in warning.

Ace glared at his brother. You are so fucking dead when I get my hands on you. He thought as he turned and ran.

I'm so dead! Sabo thought with a mental scream as he turned his head away from watching Ace run.

He is so dead. Ussop thought thankful for once that he didn't have any brothers.

Back to the present, Ace looked over Luffy and noticed that he looked a little like he had been in a fight. "So where are your friends?" he asked still trying to figure out who had Luffy and left him looking a little ragged.

Luffy giggle"Shishishi." Before he scratched his head and smiled at his brother. "Don't worry, they know how to take care of themselves. I think I know how to fight and win in a battle with Crocodile now."

"What do you mean?" Ace asked as he pulled his cloak off.

"Have you noticed that the entire kingdom is made out of sand?" Luffy inquired.

His brother looked at him with a deadpanned look. "No, I thought it was made out of sugar." he said with sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Huh?" Luffy said confused. Shaking his head, he continued. "There's an old man in the village back there that told me about how Alabasta used to be filled with greenery. That the rain used to fall monthly. Then one day it stopped." Luffy grinned. "Basically Crocodile stop the rain when he came to Alabasta. I think water is his weakness."

That would make sense. Ace thought. "How?"

"He's a devil fruit user." Luffy explained. "He's able to create sand and use it to his will." Lucy looked at his hands as he allowed the sand to fall through his fingers. "All I have to do is spray him with water to ensure that he won't be able to use his devil fruit power."

"You're forgetting something." Ace said while looking at his brother, as he tried to remind him of the obvious. "You're against weak against water too."

"Yeah, but I won't be the one drenched in it!" he laughed.

"How the hell do you plan on drenching Crocodile in water?" Ace asked starting to sound annoyed.

"Hmm.." Luffy thought. "Not sure yet. But I'll figure it out!" he exclaimed, sounding very excited.

Ace sighed though a groan came out instead. "I don't think I'm going to survive this." he said mostly to himself. With Luffy, getting excited about fight that he might lose and Sabo trying to kill me with the rebels; I might as well leave. His thought process was interrupted when Luffy suddenly spotted a cave in the distance.

"Gomu Gomu no Rocket!" Luffy launched his hands outward grasping two boulder rocks and then released his feet from the ground, sending himself and Ace shooting them both towards the cave.

Landing face first into a pit of sand Ace growled.."I'm going to kill you. I swear before this is over. I. Will. Kill. You." With Luffy landing on top of him as a cherry on top.

Luffy laughed. "I don't think so." Ace sighed as he resigned to his fate.

M-Angel: Poor Ace got picked on in this chapter. Sabo is SO going to regret his decision.

Kharaki Taken - Yep and now he's two for two in this chapter. He and Sabo better hide once they're done in Alabasta.