Chapter 21: Luffy Has a Plan
The scream of freedom could be heard as the boy who ate the devil fruit Mythical Zoan Human Human Model Nika flew through the sky. His fist coming down as he grinned at the dragon before him; Kaidou, King of the Beast Pirates. The beast took the fist to the face as beyond them flames from another scorched his kingdom of Onigashima with fire. As his body went crashing down into the fiery pit below he could feel the flaming energy that was King die out as a darker fire burned through his fortress kingdom. Surrendering to his fate, Kaidou knew now who this Strawhat Luffy was. After hearing how he took out Crocodile in Alabasta two years prior, he really should have taken the boy seriously.
Luffy sighed in relief as he drank the water the old man had given him as his eyes scanned the barren land. The old man was going on saying how only a few short years ago this was a thriving city, with markets, city council and even a nearby lake. Yuba was nothing like it once was. Sand was everywhere with tumbleweeds blowing in the winds. Wild animals now walked or crawled the town streets. Above him the vultures flew above them waiting for new prey. He watched the old man pick up the shovel once again to begin shoveling the well to find water once more.
There's no water anywhere in this country outside of the capital. Luffy thought. This means that Crocodile has control over the only source of water. Luffy stood up and began to dig in the sand with his hands in order to help the older man with the well.
"STOP!" The old man cried out. "You're just burying what I just unburied!" The outcry causing Luffy to fall onto his ass.
"I was just trying to help." Luffy explained.
"If you want to help, defeat crocodile!" The old man yelled. "He's the reason, the real reason that this country is in such desolation." The old man stared off into the distance, as if remembering something. "King Cobra would never betray this country. Not when he loves it so much."
"How can I defeat him?" Luffy inquired. "I fought him once and he is very strong. Even stronger with that woman next to him."
"I've heard whispers on the wind about that woman." The old man stated. " Rumor is her name isn't Miss All Sunday. Instead, her name might be that of Nico Robin." The old man began to dig once more. "Of course I'm just a fool out here in the desert, digging sand. Who would believe me that the demon child is actually here in this country?" He chuckled at his own words.
"Demon child?" Luffy inquired, having never heard of this person. "Who is that?"
"Who indeed." The old man said no longer wanting to talk to this young man. Luffy stared at the old man for a moment, confused as why he would even bring up this. "If you want to defeat crocodile think about what his weakness should be or could be?" The old man stated as he continued to dig. "Just like all of us have our weaknesses, so must he."
Luffy thought about this for a moment before grinning at the old man. "Shishishi." he laughed. "Oh I get it. What's the opposite of dry? Wet!"
The old man stopped digging for a moment. Thinking about what the young man just said. Wet? His eyes widened and realization. It couldn't be that easy. He thought. Incredulously, this young man may have just saved them from a war. If they could just defeat crocodile. Shaking his head, old man knew that no one would listen to him. People had stopped listening to him along time ago.
"Why do the rebels believe that king cobra is the one responsible for the destruction of this country, and not crocodile?" Luffy asked.
"Dance powder." The old man growled. "When the powder is burned, it takes the form of a vapour which can be released into the air. It accelerates the creation of ice particles in subfreezing temperature clouds, resulting in immediate heavy rainfall. The process in which the artificial rain is created artificially matures clouds which allows them to release rain. However, this powder cannot create new rainwater entirely. If the powder causes all rain to fall in one location, it will deprive other locations of rain, causing droughts." Luffy cocked his head confusedly at the information that the old man was giving him. "A wagon filled with the stuff was found. It had the royal seal upon it." The old man gave us a sigh of sadness. "People believe that King Cobra was seeding the clouds around the capital in order to keep it healthy while allowing the rest of the kingdom to go into a drought."
"How do you know this was not the work of the king?" Luffy asked.
"Because I personally have met the king and he is not that sort of man." The old man looked off into the distance sadly. "I just can't prove it."
"You don't need to prove it to me." if he stated with a grin. "I've met Princess Vivi and if her father is anything like his daughter, then I know he is not doing this."
The man froze at these words before spinning around and looking at the young man. "P-Princess Vivi is alive!?" he cried out tears of joy appearing in his eyes.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned. "She's with my friends headed towards the capital to stop the war."
"Impossible!" The old man exclaimed. "She was supposedly killed a long time ago."
Luffy chuckled. "Nope. She's alive." His grin becoming wider. "But now I have an idea as to how I can defeat crocodile." Luffy jumped up off of the ground and dusted his butt off. "I just have to find my friends and tell them how we can defeat him!" He thrust his hands up into the air in his excitement. Suddenly, he realized he didn't actually know which way the capital was. "You wouldn't know where the capital is would you?"
The old man felt his nerves shake a bit. Lifting our old decrypted finger, he pointed the way. "It's about a day's ride that way." he stated still feeling a little nervous.
Luffy looked in the way the old man had pointed. "Yosh!" he grinned. "Thanks old man!" He screamed as he ran off into the direction that the old man had pointed.
"Don't tell me he's gonna run the whole way!?" he thought loudly his nervousness increasing.
Ace stared down at the giant lizard with annoyance evident on his face. His eyebrow twitched at the creature. "Do you want to end up like your friend?" He asked as he pointed towards the giant crab behind him that he had just cooked with his devil fruit. The giant lizard looked a bit frightened as it backed away from Ace. "Smart." He stated as he walked past the creature. Pushing out his observation Ace could feel one of his brothers was ahead of him and gaining speed.
As he had towards the haki energy Ace realize that's who the person wants. Luffy was spending more energy in the desert than actually helping anyone. Ace groaned at this. Lu what the hell are you up to? He thought as he continued his way towards his brother. He found Luffy in a cave, sheltered from the sun. "What the hell are you doing?" His voice, causing Luffy to startle slightly.
Luffy jumped into the air at the sound of a voice. Spinning around he released an attack onto his brother. A jet of water was spat out of fluffy's mouth and into Ace's face. Upon realizing that it was his brother that he just attacked Luffy backed away from him several feet. "Oops sorry Ace." Luffy apologized.
Ace with his face dripping wet, looked at Luffy annoyed. His face his hat his clothes were wet now. Technically he couldn't use his devil fruit either at least until he was dry. "Run." he warned Luffy.
Looked at his brother with nervousness. "Wait, Ace don't." he begged his brother as he waved his arms in front of him to defend himself. "I know how to defeat Crocodile!"
"And that had you fill your mouth with water and spit it at me?" Ace asked, still annoyed with his brother. He began whipping his face with the sleeve of his jacket. He guessed he should really be used to Luffy's antics.
Luffy started giggling. "Shishishi!" The young man spun around. "I had to test it." he pulled his cheek, which stretched like a rubber band. "I'm not affected by this water."
"Hmm?" Ace questioned as he took his hat off and shook it. "What do you mean?"
Luffy began to explain what dance powder was, and how crocodile was using it to cause droughts around the entire kingdom. However, this water was not like normal water. Luffy stuck his hand into the barrel that he had before retracting it. He then stretched his arm out without any problems. "For some reason it does not affect me."
"Question is, does it affect Crocodile?" Ace wondered out loud before placing his own hand within the barrel and quickly retracted. It seemed to affect him. Ace looked at Luffy incredulously. What made his baby brother different?
Luffy giggle at his brother's antics. "Don't know, but I can't wait to try it on him." His laughter, gaining in volume.
"Tch." Ace said with annoyance. "You better not do something stupid." Unfortunately Ace knew that was probably what was going to happen.
"Don't worry, I got a plan," Luffy scratched his head before cocking it to the side. "I think." Lucy began laughing again.
Ace slapped a hand over his eyes in defeat. Seas help me. He prayed.
"So why are you out here by yourself? Where is Sabo and Usopp?" Luffy inquired.
"Sabo is an idiot." Ace solely replied his facial features showing that he was quite annoyed.
M-Angel: Hmm…Wonder what happened for Ace to say that? ^_^ Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Don't worry, I already have the next chapter in the works.
Kharaki Taken - Yeah, he kind of did.
Ashlee - Glad I'm not the only one to hear that theory, but yes.
Garcalomorata - Sorry, I'm not interested. Thanks for the review though!
JJ - Aw! Thanks for the follow! Yeah, I'm sorry for jumping around the fandoms. I know I have a few unfinished stories. I do plan to finish them, I just haven't returned to them yet. I will though!