+~*~*~*~*~*~+

After sailing for a couple of hours, we have reached the shore where we will start the journey into the desert to head to the town where Vivi says we will find what we need to stop the rebels. Luffy has been bugging me constantly about what Ace talked with me about. Each time I don't feel like we are alone enough for me to reveal the new information that has been given to me. As much as I trust the rest of the crew and know that they are my friends that have my back, I can't even fully grasp what Ace has told me. I want to keep it to myself for a little while longer.

"We're here!" Luffy exclaims as he looks at the ghost town in front of us. He's now wearing a light blue head scarf over his hat and a red with white accents long coat. "That's Yuba! Whoa, kind of a ghost town!" He's carrying a barrel of water and a backpack full of supplies.

"I don't think that is Yuba, Luffy," I chuckle. As with the other girls, we have put on headscarf body coverings to match our clothes underneath. "On the map it was farther into the desert."

"Time to find that damn rebel leader."

"We aren't in Yuba yet, Luffy," Vivi confirms my thought. "It is still a least a half day journey to the northwest. All we did is sail up the Great Sandora River to reach the Green City of Erumalu," she pulls out her map. "I can show you on the map if you'd like."

"This doesn't look very green," Luffy frowns.

"It used to be," she sighs.

"Hey, what is this thing!?" Usopp shouts. "It looks like a turtle and a seal!"

I whip around to see the cutest seal with a turtle shell getting ready to fight Usopp by the look of its stance.

"That is a Kung Fu Jugon! Don't go near it!"

It is too late, as the creature easily defeats Usopp without even really trying.

"They're dangerous," she sighs.

"You let that beat you?" Zoro shakes his head.

The seal makes it over to Luffy and I, making my heart swell with how cute it is.

"Why must everything cute want to fight?" I pout.

"That includes you," Luffy says, easily defeating the seal.

"Luffy beat it," Nami points over to us.

"No!" Vivi exclaims. "It is the code of Kung Fu Jugon to become the apprentice of the person who defeats it."

"A disciple of martial arts then," Zoro says.

The seal bows to Luffy, who starts to mimic the fighting stances that Luffy is showing. Eventually, we are surrounded by numerous Kung Fu Jugon, and I can't stop smiling and wanting to hug them all.

"This is the stance you want to achieve," Luffy teaches.

"And remember," I add. "Protect your friends."

"Akari is right," he chuckles. "She's my girlfriend, so she knows what she's talking about."

"More apprentices!?" Vivi screams.

In the next couple of minutes, Luffy explains a few more fighting techniques, and then Chopper has to tell them that we have to be on our way. I get a few hugs, which makes me squirm with happiness. Our new friends have to be left behind to stand watch over the Going Merry.

"Alright, now we can get going to Yuba!" Luffy chuckles.

"Nice going, Luffy," Sanji glares at the boy. "That was half our rations!"

"If we didn't have Chopper, we would have been in big trouble," Nami scolds.

"They really wanted to come with us, so I had to bribe with food," Chopper says.

"That was good thinking, Chopper," I pat the top of his hat.

"We should have let them follow us," Luffy says.

"No town would let all those things in," Nami snaps.

"They sure were strange," Sanji says. "Do they live in the river?"

"No," Vivi shakes her head. "Long ago, the Sandora River made this land flourish, but recently, the sea is pushing in as the river has lost its force. The spot where we found the Jugons was sea water. A person can't drink it and crops can't be watered with it."

"That is why the city dried up, right?" Zoro asks.

"No, there used to be enough rainfall to sustain this city. Erumalu was green and full of life not that long ago."

I grimace as we walk through the decimated city that is overcome by sand and spots no green anywhere. "I wish we could have seen this place then."

"However, not a single drop of water has fallen in the past three years. This entire region has been completely dry."

Luffy holds up a skull, grinning like a madman.

Chopper grabs my hand in fear, and I pull him away from the sight.

"The other port that we stopped at look okay," Chopper says.

"Nanohana receives water from the nearby oasis of Katorea," Vivi explains. "Throughout the long history of my country, Alabasta has never suffered from a drought. That is until a few years ago, and then one place got an amazing amount of rain. It was in Alubarna, the capital where the palace resides. The people were calling it the King's Miracle. Well, until the incident causes chaos. It was two years ago in Nanohana. A shipment was received, and it was said to have been going to my father, the king, but the cart it was on lost a wheel, and the bag spilled it's contents. Inside was a substance called Dance Power, and everything fell apart at that moment."

"Dance Power?" I ask. "What is that?"

"They call it the Powder that Summons Rain," Nami answers.

"Summons rain?" Luffy asks. "Like magic?"

"It was developed by scientists in a country where they never see rain, so not magic really. The powder turns to a mist and goes up into the sky where the clouds are to trigger ice particles to grown into clouds and fall as rain. Dance Powder is not naturally bringing about rain. It is creating artificial rain."

"A mysterious power," Luffy giddily says.

"That makes rain," Zoro grumbles.

"That's just what the kingdom needs, is it not?" Usopp asks.

"At first the people rejoiced, in the land where the powder was invented, I mean, but then they discovered a horrible side effect to the countries upwind," Nami explains. "They were suffering from a Dry Curse. The artificial rain stole the moisture form even the smallest clouds."

"Ah, so it steals the rain that would normally fall! It is messing with the cycle of rain."

"Precisely. When neighboring countries started to understand what was happening, they attacked, causing large loss of lives. After that, the World Government banned the production, and thus the use, of the powder all over the world."

"It causes untold happiness and sorrow at the same time," I sigh.

"When that huge load was dropped in Nanohana, the only rain that had been seen anywhere was the city where the king live," Vivi cries.

"It would only be natural for the people to suspect that the king was using the powder to take all the rain for himself," Zoro says.

"That means it's all your father's fault, Vivi!" Luffy blurts out.

"He was framed, you dumbass!" Sanji slams his foot on Luffy's head. "Do you really think the father of Vivi would do something evil like that!? No!"

"I know it was all Crocodile," Vivi stops, dropping to her knees in front of a hangman's platform, picking up a skull. "My father didn't know, but a large stash of Dance Powder was placed inside the palace as well." She brings the skull up to place her forehead against it's forehead. "It was all a trap by Crocodile! He planned for a drought to ravage this land. That anger of the people increased with hunger, and it lead to a rebellion! The people lost faith. Peace was shattered. Many towns, many people, have been lost. Who was responsible for all this? Crocodile! He has been behind it all!"

I stand up straighter, feeling an anger welling up inside me that makes me want to fight.

"I will never forgive him!" Vivi drops the skull, bending over as tears threaten to spill.

Luffy, Usopp, and Sanji rush over to a nearby building and completely take it out. It is clear that their anger couldn't be contained any longer.

"Stupid kids," Zoro grumbles.

I smile, giving him a small shove. "I'd say passionate."

"What are you three doing!?" Nami shouts at them as they walk back towards up.

"Let's get moving," Luffy clenches his fist, grabbing that bicep with his other hand. "I am itching for action."

"Isn't that always?" I smile, stepping up to Luffy. "You're going to get your fight, so just hold it together for a little longer."

"Come on, Yoba is this way," Vivi points ahead of us.

I'm not sure how long we are walking through the desert, but it gets old quite fast. All that surrounds us are sand dunes, and sometimes there are ruins of long gone cities. It is also hotter than I have ever experience. There is no shade to save us from the tormenting sun. Our skin might be protected, but I can't remember the last time that I sweated this much.

Luffy is gasping for breath as we trek forward, really making me feel the effects of the heat. Chopper overheated fairly into the journey, so is now being carried on a sled that Zoro is pulling. I've had a lot of moments of tripping, but Sanji has always been right there to help me up out of the sand. The only one not struggling is Vivi, but this has been her home for her entire life.

"Luffy, stop gasping already," Nami groans. "You are tiring me out."

"I'm so hot," Luffy lets his tongue hang out of his mouth. "I think I'm out of sweat."

"I can't keeping going," Chopper cries. "I am adapted for the cold not the heat."

"It's all your fur," Usopp says. "Just take it off."

"I'm a reindeer, idiot!" Chopper bursts up into his biggest from.

"Monster!" Usopp screams.

"Chopper, if you get big, I will not pull you!" Zoro shouts.

"I'll take your place Chopper," I tease.

"The heat isn't getting you it seems, Vivi," Sanji says.

"Well, this is my home," Vivi flashes a smile. "I'm used to this kind of heat."

"But why are there so many dunes?" Luffy groans. "This is like climbing mountain after mountain."

"This is an ancient desert, so the dunes can get to over a thousand feet in some places."

"A thousand feet," I hum. "That is a mountain."

"Water," Luffy groans, taking the straw out for his barrel.

"Only a little sip, Luffy," Nami says. "Wet your lips and that's it."

"Sure, whatever," Luffy takes the biggest gulp of water, filling his cheeks to the brim.

"Just to wet your lips!" Nami punches the back of his head.

"I want to drink too!" Usopp slaps the boy as well. "That was like thirteen gulps!"

"No way!" Sanji glares. "It is my turn to drink! You just had a sip!"

"Hey, Sanji, how about we break into the pirate box lunches?" Luffy asks.

"Vivi is the one who will make that call."

"Vivi, we should eat. I need energy if we keep walking."

"We're only a fourth of the way, though," Vivi says.

"You must not have heard the old saying, 'When you get hungry, you should eat.'"

"You made that up," Usopp grumbles.

"When we get to the next crags, we will take a rest and refuel," Vivi says.

"Okay, the next crags it is," Luffy nods. "Wait, crags?"

It doesn't take long after that for tensions to rise again, and then Luffy is losing a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors and has to pull all the supplies behind him on a sled. He trials behind everyone, except for me who stays behind to keep him company.

"You shouldn't have taken such a large sip," I shake my head.

"Heavy...hot...heavy and hot..." Luffy gasps.

"That's what happens when you lose at Rock, Paper, Scissors," Sanji taunts.

"Don't drop anything!" Nami orders.

"Hey, crags ahead!" Usopp calls out.

"Really!" Luffy in a burst of energy, throws me onto his back, and then rushes to the shade of the crag. "Finally! The shade feels so good!"

"Oh, sweet cool," I hum, settling into the shade.

"Hm?" Luffy looks around our space. "Akari, what are all these birds?"

I focus in on dying birds that surround us. "I mean, I don't think we should concern ourselves. They've made it this long without help from anyone."

"Hey!" Luffy runs away, leaving me with all the stuff. "This is bad! Chopper, you have to help all these dying birds!"

"Wait, Luffy!" I cry as the birds jump up like they are totally fine, stealing all of our supplies. "Help me!"

"Those birds are fakers!" Vivi screams.

There's nothing I can do against countless birds, and all our stuff is gone in the blink of an eye.

"Thank the seas I kept my shurikens on me," I lean against a stone wall.

Everyone is at the crag seconds later, and the fighting ensues. If I wasn't so tired, I would try to stop it, but at this point, there's no use.

"Our supplies!" Sanji bellows.

"They got us," Usopp cries.

"The birds were dying!" Luffy defends himself.

"Those are Evil Herons," Vivi says. "They are desert pirates that trick travelers in order to steal their supplies. I should have warned you all about them."

"Birds pretending to be on the brink of death!" Usopp screams. "That makes them con artists!"

"Pretty good ones too," Vivi nods.

"That was three days' worth of supplies!" Sanji grabs the front of Luffy's shirt, pulling him close to get in his face. "They were your responsibility! We are in the middle of a damn desert! They even took our personal belongings! We have no food! No water! How do you expect us to survive!?"

"It isn't my fault that I was tricked!!" Luffy screams back.

"You were outsmarted by birds!"

"Shut up!"

"Cut it out!" Zoro demands. "Both of you!" He plops down next to me. "We all need rest. The heat is getting to us. Cool down. We'll be in Yuba by tonight, that's for sure. There will be water in Yuba, we just have to pull it together until we get there." He places his hand against my forehead for a second, pulling my head covering off in the next moment. "Forget about what just happened. Thinking about it will only make you thirstier. We will rest for ten minutes, get cool in that time, and then get back on our journey."

"It's them!" Luffy screams, rushing off into the desert. "Give us back our stuff!"

"No, don't go," I mumble.

"Luffy, don't go!" Nami screams. "You will only get lost!"

"Nami is right!" Vivi says. "Come back!"

"Wow, it's almost like he only listens to himself," I groan, standing up and stretching out my legs.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Luffy's scream fills the air as he is running right back to us. Right back to us with a giant desert monster chasing him.

"Something is chasing him!" Nami exclaims.

"That's a giant Sandora Dragon!" Vivi cries.

"It's huge!" Chopper shouts.

"Is that a camel running with him?" Sanji asks, stepping up next to me.

"Akari, you know him better than us, what star was he born under?" Zoro asks. "He's a magnet for trouble."

"Always has been," I pull out some shurikens, "always will be."

The four of us jump right at the monster, screaming the moves that we are going to use in order to take down the giant lizard. It feels good to finally name a move as the Shuriken Flurry, and for me to be apart of the bigger fighting. I think knowing that I'm not just some random girl, but that my lineage runs deep with pirates has helped my confidence, and I am going to show that I am worth being here.

"Nice going guys," I grin, looking over the now dead dragon that will be helpful for food since we've lost it all.

"Do you think we can eat it?" Luffy asks.

"I think so," Sanji says.

"That's good luck," Zoro says. "I'll cut it up for us."

"Well, you are the only one with something to cut it up, so I guess I'll let it slide," Sanji takes a drag of his cigarette.

"You did great, Akari," Luffy bounds up to me. "What made you jump in with us? We could handle it."

"I just wanted to help," I pout. "Did I get in the way?"

"No, no, no," Luffy quickly shakes his head. "It was perfect, I promise. You were a great help."

"My darling," Sanji spins up to us, "you are amazing when fighting."

I chuckle, grabbing Luffy's hand with both of mine, "Thanks boys. I'm sick of being on the sidelines."

Over the next ten minutes or so, Zoro expertly cuts up the dragon, and then Sanji is able to find the perfect rocks that have been out in the sun that are hot enough to act as a grill. All of us are nibbling on meat as we try to get our strength up.

"So, what's the camel's story?" Zoro asks.

"I'm not sure," Luffy shrugs. "I was chasing those birds, but they flew away, and then I saw him running from the dragon, so I turned and started running too."

"Well, it's not wild, since it has a saddle," Usopp says.

"Oh, what a relief that will be to ride him," Sanji sighs.

"There's room for two on his saddle," I say.

"A camel is needed in the desert," Zoro says.

"Then I'll just," Luffy tries to climb up onto the camel's saddle, but it starts to bite his head.

"Chopper, can you talk with him?" I ask as Luffy rubs his head.

"Of course," Chopper walks up to the camel and starts talking with him. "Okay, so he says that he was passing through, and he thanks you for saving him. He is willing to give rides, but only to women."

"That's ungrateful!" The boys rush at the camel and start beating him up. "Who saved your life anyways, camel!?"

"Cut it out!" I shout, and the boys step back from the animal.

Nami walks up to the camel, a soft smile on her face. "Were those pirates being mean to you?" she coos. "Such a good boy you are. What is your name?"

"Idiot," Luffy suggests.

"Moron," Sanji says.

"Jerk," Usopp says.

"I know," Nami climbs into the