Chapter 64

Chapter contains spoilers of chapter 1097 and 1098 of One Piece! Read at your own risk.

"We are finally here." Luffy grinned wide as he rushed to the railing of the Going Merry to see the shore which they were heading to at a fast rate.

"Wow! So we are going into the desert. Does anyone know how hot it gets?" Chopper questioned with eyes shining at the new terrain which greeted him. Beside him, Bonney was also jumping up and down in excitement at the land which she can finally see. The land where the sun shines the brightest!

"It's normally over 100 degrees at the day time." Sabo answered with a smile, seeing the excitement of the three youngest ones on board.

"What?! Please tell me you are joking!" Chopper yelped in fear. He didn't want to feel that hot.

"This is the land where the sun shines the brightest." Bonney spoke in awe, not at all bothered by the heat which was already starting to make its presence. In fact, she was really happy to finally feel the rays of sun on her skin.

"But at night time, it's super cold!" Luffy added, to assure Chopper. He had been to some deserts with his brothers and he was really excited to see this one too with them.

"You like deserts, Bonney?" Nami asked as she came out of the women's cabin, wearing a long white gown over the dancer's dress which Sanji had bought for her.

"Yeah! It's where the sun god most often gives his blessings!" Bonney chimed in with a happy giggle, making several eyes snap to her. Usopp was confused not knowing about the god and Chopper felt like he should know about them while Zoro's eyes narrowed a bit, wondering if Bonney knew something. If someone would have noticed Luffy, then they could have clearly seen him flinching at Bonney's answer.

"The sun g-"

"AHHHH!! Nami, what happened?! Where is your dancer outfit?!" Sanji interrupted Usopp and Chopper at once, with his eyes bulging out of his sockets at the sight of Nami and even Vivi covering up their bodies and not wearing the outfits which he picked up. "Aghhhhh!! Vivi, you too?! Why are you wearing that?!"

"Because any exposed skin will get sunburnt. You have to cover up in the desert." Vivi answered with a polite smile, as she passed one Arabastain costume to Luffy, who happily wore the red costume on.

"But those outfits were too sexy!" Sanji whined in the corner of the ship, pathetically.

Meanwhile, Usopp and Zoro made their way to the anchor of the ship as they had finally arrived at the shore from where they would be headed to their destination, Yuba. But before Zoro could drop it, moving dots appeared in the ocean and one by one several small sea creatures erupted on the surface.

"Sea turtles?" Zoro questioned.

"Kung Fu Dugongs!" Vivi shrieked in panic.

"'If you want to come then you will have to beat me first but I doubt that will happen, you bunch of cowards.' He says." Chopper repeated what the sea turtle spoke so animatedly while blocking the shore.

"Heh, nobody calls me a coward and gets away with it." Usopp proudly announced as he stood on the railing. "Here comes me!" Usopp proclaimed jumping off the ship despite Vivi's warning to not... only to be dealt by a single kung fu dugong in seconds.

"Kung Fu Dugongs are really strong!" Vivi worriedly provided as Usopp laid with a swollen face on the shore.

"Luffy, no you don't!" Ace suddenly spoke up, seeing Luffy jump off from the ship. He really didn't want-

"Are you okay there?" Luffy asked the sea turtle after he had landed a punch on the sea turtle.

"That's bad!" Ace sighed, wondering if the turtle would even wake up, him having a concussion would be the least of their worries for the poor sea creature. Hopefully, Luffy had learnt to restrain his strength at least a little bit.

"Why is it bad?" Bonney asked, confusion written all over her face, as she tugged her Daddy's long outfit, not understanding what was wrong in defeating the turtles.

"Because it's their rule that if they lose in one of their matches then they become the winner's pupil." Kuma replied to his daughter with a soft smile but he wondered if this rule even applied to Luffy and he was proven correct when all the kung fu dugongs started to gather around the little kami with sparkling eyes filled with adoration and respect.

"I hope Luffy doesn't bring them to the desert." Ace sighed, feeling relieved at the sight of the beaten up turtle getting up. He jumped off the ship followed by the other as he was going to stay with Luffy for the journey and hopefully at the end of it he would have a little vacation and the location of Blackbeard.

"Luffy won't endanger their lives." Sabo tried to assure Ace as he jumped after him.

"They think he is his master now." Vivi rubbed her temples, as she witnessed the sight of Luffy showing the group how to throw a punch correctly.

"Don't you think he's teaching them Haki indirectly?" Zoro spoke with a sweatdrop as he heard Luffy speak to the turtles about punching the rocks and dodging the other's attacks.

"That's Luffy for ya." Sanji agreed with Zoro and took out a cigarette for himself whose tip caught fire. "Thanks, Ace." Sanji thanked the one who did it, getting a smile in return.

"I'll be going to Yuba now." Kuma declared to Sabo and Vivi, who nodded in return. They had planned that someone would go ahead and scout the situation in Yuba. It wouldn't do much good but for sure would help them to track the location and get more information about the rebel army.

Vivi gave a weak smile to Kuma and nodded. "We just need Koza and then things will be okay. I'll talk him out of this." Vivi assured him with determination. She was going to stop him by showing what's really happening.

"Ace, Sabo." Kuma spoke, gathering the attention of the two older brothers, who were watching Luffy and Bonney goofing around with the Kung fu dugongs. "I trust Bonney to you guys."

"We will take care of her." Sabo answered, with Ace agreeing with him. With that done, Kuma vanished, heading to Yuba.

"Let's get going too." Nami spoke as she stood beside Vivi, seeing the girl ball her fists in determination to stop the rebel army.

Luffy heard Nami's words and turned to the kung fu dugongs who had made a neat line just after him, hearing that they were ready to leave.

"Luffy, you aren't bringing them with us!" Sanji spoke first with his eyes twitching at the number of kung fu dugongs before Luffy could speak. Luffy wanted to bring the little ones with him but he knew the cruel temperature of the desert which was not something the sea turtles can stand. Moreover, he doesn't know if there will be enough food and water for everyone.

"I'm sorry but I can't take you guys with me." Luffy spoke softly, as he crouched to them. It would be best for them to stay in the waters.

"Why can't we, ni-chan? Let's take them with us, pretty please?" Bonney pleaded with wobbly lips. She really liked the cute creatures she was playing with just now.

"They are water creatures, Bonney. They won't make it." Sabo explained to Bonney softly, seeing that Luffy already knew that. He was proud of Luffy for not giving into his whims.

The kung fu dugongs held on to Luffy's legs and hands, not willing to let him go. Some even latched onto Bonney, pleading with her to help them in their request. The sight was so cute that Vivi and Nami began to sweat nervously, not having the guts or heart to tell Luffy or Bonney or the dugongs to leave them.

"I promise we will meet once again." Luffy gave the dugongs a bright sunny smile, but it didn't help as the dugongs really didn't want to leave, wanting to go wherever Luffy will.

"How about this?" Chopper asked, rummaging through a bag and getting food out of it. "You guys can have this, if you don't follow us." Chopper provided, with Luffy nodding, which led to the dugongs to jump at Chopper and agree with them. Soon, the food was given to all of them, which finally made them willing to leave with tears in their eyes and food in their mouth or hands.

"I honestly don't know what we would have done, if Chopper hadn't persuaded them to stay." Nami spoke as they finally headed out, away from the grasp of the sea turtles.

"Yeah! They kept saying 'Where you go, we will follow you, master!' If we wouldn't have given them food, they would have not left at all." Chopper spoke, feeling proud of helping his friends.

"Now, our food supplies have gone a lot smaller. Thanks Luffy, thanks." Sanji angrily commented with a tick mark on his head. He wasn't truly too angry but the fact that someone might starve in his presence, made him feel bad.

"He is a handful." Ace shrugged, well known with Luffy's antics.

Luffy just brushed off Sanji's angry remarks knowing his reasons very well. They will soon reach Yuba, where they can restock their supplies, so he wasn't seeing what the deal was. Above all of this, his attention was on something else, which they were approaching.

The painful hallows of the winds which were calling him and guiding to the direction which they were headed, had Luffy slightly on edge. He didn't know what sight would greet him but he knew it wouldn't be something which he would like. He was correct when the sight of crumbling houses, barren trees and land with no signs of an alive person greeted him, making him stand still.

"What happened, Luffy?" Sabo questioned, seeing Luffy's tense shoulders and him stopping abruptly. Luffy was walking ahead of them, hence they were not able to see what he was.

"This is Yuba...?" Luffy questioned, his heart sinking at the sight before him. He felt the others soon catching up to him, making him shadow his eyes with his strawhat. The cries and echoes of the broken, thirsty and wallowing souls resounded in the very atmosphere for Luffy to hear, begging for water and food.

"No, this isn't Yuba." Vivi informed, her eyes dropping with sadness at the sight she was witnessing. "This is Erumalu. It was known far and wide as the city of green."

"It was green?" Usopp repeated with confused eyes as not a single green thing appeared in his vision.

"Take a good look, everyone. This is what Baroque Works has been doing to my country. The people of Arabasta, this is what they had to go through." Vivi spoke in a sad tune and started walking ahead, leading the group through the broken city.

"There's nothing here." Bonney sadly proclaimed with her eyes wide. She tugged onto Luffy's hand as he didn't move, making him give her a smile and start walking once again but at the end of the group.

"No, it's nothing but a ghost town now." Vivi clarified to Bonney as they walked past the breaking walls. She really can't believe what had happened here, knowing first hand what it used to be before. "But up until a few short years ago, it was a thriving city full of gardens, poultries, and greeneries." She spoke with a heavy heart.

"This place?" Nami commented with disbelief.

"Yes." Vivi nodded her head sadly. "Rain has always been scarce here but by saving every last drop of water and using it wisely, the people were able to make the city flourish but unfortunately it stopped when the rain did. Not a single drop of water has fallen in any part of this country for three years now."

"Three years?" Sanji spoke in astonishment. He never thought that there would be someplace like this where rain had not blessed the lands.

"Wait! Even without rain, isn't the river another water source?" Zoro questioned Vivi, not getting why the people didn't use that.

"And it's close too. Why couldn't they just pipe the water from over there?" Usopp added to Zoro's question, pointing to the river where their ship was docked at.

"The ocean had driven it inland." Luffy mumbled, looking at the ground. His throat felt coarse and rough. He didn't want to face what was ahead of him right now. It was only making him remember the dream where he went to experience freedom which led innocent people to die out of starvation and thirst.

"The answer to that is just up ahead." Vivi answered, as no one could hear what Luffy even tried to mumble out. "Even though it's a desert kingdom, never in thousands of years of Arabasta's history has the rain ever stopped completely." Vivi continued walking, leading the group to the place which was the main source of people either abandoning the town or dying in it. "But there was a place in the country where the rain fell more than usual. Alurbana, the capital, where the king's palace is located. People called it the king's miracle. At least they did until one particular day."

With that Vivi started informing the group about the day where her father was framed of a crime which he never committed. The day where a cargo cart tumbled over and the items in it scattered on the ground. The whole cargo was filled with a green powder, the powder also known as the dance powder. The men who were supposed to make the delivery blamed the king before the civilians, saying they didn't recognize the powder and were just following the king's orders. This led to people's trust on the king to shatter.

"Dance powder?" Nami repeated with a contemplated look on her face. It was all making sense now to her.

"You heard of it?" Chopper asked, indirectly asking what it was.

"Yes, I sure have. It summons rain." Nami answered, making Luffy's attention snap to her. He couldn't believe something else could also summon rain like him. After all, the sky was under one of his sibling's domains but he hadn't heard from him since he remembers.

'What happened to you? When was the last time you responded to me, ni-chan?' Luffy thought sadly, looking at the sky. Maybe his older brother was angry with him for something he did but couldn't remember. But that didn't explain why his other siblings and mother would react the way they still do whenever he calls for him. Moreover, how does he have control over the weather, storms and rain, ever since he was a kid, when those had never been under his domains. "A powder can do that?" Luffy wasn't expecting any answers from his siblings or mother, so he turned towards Nami, who would actually have an answer to his questions.

Nami nodded grimly as she started to explain how a researcher in a country invented it as it never rained where he lived. This caused Luffy to feel angry for a moment before realizing that the country never got rain which led to desperate measures.

"But isn't it perfect for a desert country like this?" Usopp questioned, not getting why the use of dance powder would ever lead the king to be framed and a war to start.

"No, it has to have some negative effects." Luffy answered with a serious look, causing Ace and Sabo to share a look. They didn't know what was causing Luffy to get serious or angry.

"Just like Luffy said, the town that produced the dance powder was happy enough to dance as it got lots of rain. But it led to the rest of the country to suffer from drought." Sabo answered with a straight face this time. He was getting worried seeing Luffy's uncanny mood.

"Hey, Lu? You okay?" Ace whispered as he walked slowly to keep pace with Luffy, who was moving like a lifeless doll. It was really bothering him. "Want me to carry you?"

Luffy shook his head slowly, tuning out the explanation of how dance powder works. He was already avoiding looking at the crumbling houses as the lifeless corpses just swam in his vision. The least he could do was walk on the land that seemed to have been abandoned by the gods. A part of him wondered if him running away from his duties and giving up his powers had something to do with it. But why wasn't the god of rain, his favorite brother, Halad, blessing this land, even after seeing the thirsty and needy people? He knows that he might be angry at him, seeing him not responding to him anytime but his brother wasn't ever this merciless to leave the innocents this way. What was even going on-

Luffy bumped into Zoro, who had stopped in his way.

"What happened?" Luffy frowned as he noticed everyone had halted in their path and were looking ahead at an uneven road. He failed to notice the worried glances which Ace, Sabo and Zoro gave him at that moment.

"This used to be a fresh canal that used to pipe in fresh water from the Sandora river until someone destroyed it." Vivi explained, making Luffy's eyes widen and he finally understood that the destroyed canal also became one of the reasons for why people abandoned the once beautiful city. "Now do you see what happened? With its canal gone, the city of green lost its only remaining source of fresh water. People here waited and prayed, but sadly rain never came."

Luffy shaded his eyes with his strawhat, feeling a mix of sadness, worry and anger at the gods for not answering the pleas of the innocent people but he knew better than to have hope in them, especially when they had long since stopped interfering with mortals, unlike he still does. Moreover, with people abusing the technology to create artificial rain, it must not have sat well with the gods but that shouldn't have led them to abandon the innocent people in this dire state. Luffy clenched his fists when his silent pleas went unheard by Halad once again, just like always.

"Something like that and the dance powder had to make the people distrust their king." Sabo grimaced, getting the picturesque proof of Vivi's explanation of what was happening in the country.

Vivi nodded sadly at Sabo's words. "With no more water, fighting broke out here. To escape the violence, the exhausted citizens abandoned the city and left in search of the other oasis, leading the city of green to wither away." Vivi finished explaining the complete situation of Eramula and giving an overview of what's happening in other cities and towns of Arabasta.

The wind picked up, carrying the molten gold sand with it, twirling it in the hot air, as it rushed toward the group traveling through the city, compelling them to halt at their path. It almost seemed like the winds wanted some reassurance as they wailed mournfully, conveying about their loneliness and trauma, tales of war and hardship, the stench of blood and death, to anyone who could hear... or rather to a specific person whom the wind seemed to caress begging for justice.

"What is that?" Nami asked, taking an involuntary step back in fear. The howling of the winds seemed like cries of ghosts echoing throughout the city.

"Is that the rebel army?" Chopper questioned, holding the straps of his bag tightly for reassurance.

"Are there more of those Baroque Work creeps waiting for us?!" Usopp shuddered a bit, looking at each direction where the wind's cries were resounding.

"It's the wind." Luffy answered in a low voice, but miraculously his voice was heard above all the howling and wallowing cries of the gales which were rapidly moving towards them, especially after hearing Luffy's voice.

"It's the wind?" Bonney repeated, as her hold on Sabo's cloak lessened. It was her first time witnessing such a spectacular sound and sight. "It sounds like a voice..."

"Luffy! It's coming from all directions. This isn't good. What are we gonna do?!" Usopp panicked, fearing the swirling hurricane of sand which was threatening to engulf him whole.

"Don't worry, Usopp. They are just mourning." Luffy spoke sadly as the hurricane finally engulfed them all, making them instantly close their eyes to prevent sand from getting in, except for Luffy who found that even in the midst of the hurricane nothing pricked or made him feel uncomfortable. He felt like the winds were welcoming him, pleading him to do something to stop the injustice that had been done to them. It made him almost feel like the distant memories of stealing some time to play with Halad...

Luffy's pleasant memories were abruptly cut off when he saw a silhouette of a hand. Instantly his mind thought it was Halad but he recognized his favorite big brother too well. Anger welled within Luffy as he understood what was happening. He was about to run after the person who was behind the ruin of the green city. He was about to declare war on them but before he could do anything, he heard the flapping of a cape.

Despite not feeling any Haki coming from it, Luffy rushed towards the person, hoping against all hope that the person was okay.

"Someone's collapsed!" Nami voiced out, seeing the direction at which Luffy was running to, where a fallen man's cape was fluttering furiously in the windy abandoned city.

"There's someone still here?" Vivi spoke, rushing towards Luffy who had made an abrupt halt.

The sight of the crashed human, who was reduced to nothing but bones, made Luffy screech to a halt and step back in panic. The skull peeking out from beneath the cape made Luffy's past nightmares flood back to him. He didn't register Vivi standing before him and falling to her knees. He didn't notice the warm, reassuring hand that silently grounded him in his place, stopping him from going into a full blown panic attack. Hell, he even barely noticed his head hitting a strong chest, hearing the steady beats of a thrumming heart which was trying to make its way through the nightmare which he had caused in his past just to have some fun.

The barren lands, the scorching heat, the dried up trees and the howling winds where already making him walk on a land which he had once created unknowingly but the sight of the skeleton was the last nail which had teleported his mind back to the place where his 'father' was shouting at him, reminding him of the duties that he failed to perform.

"You are not there." A soft familiar voice traveled in his ear, stopping his drumming heart from going crazy or his mind to be struck at the past. When he was able to calm down, he finally recognized the voice as Sabo's and the hand grounding him as Ace's. He even heard Vivi's cries as she continued to wail about what had happened and was happening in her country.

"-What did my father... or all the other good people ever do to deserve this?! It's hard enough to live in a desert everyday but somehow the people of Arabasta found a way to do it and led happy lives but Crocodile destroyed t-those lives! What gives him the right to do that?!" Vivi cried, her voice cracking with tears welling up in her eyes as she picked up the skull in her own shaking hands. "All the while as one of the seven warlords he passes himself as the hero of the people. No one knows what he is really doing! No one realizes that he is actually deceiving the entire country as they cheer him on!" Vivi trembled, her voice increasing with each word she uttered. Her body racked with silent sobs at the desperation and sorrow of the people who died or lost their homes as a collateral of what Crocodile did.

The sound of a building falling to the ground resounded where only the winds dared to howl in agony, making Vivi who was crying lift her head to the side to witness the sight of Sanji and Usopp fuming in anger, which got unleashed on a poor abandoned house. Even Zoro, who was usually calm, had his hands on the hilt of his katana, his eyes sharp and shimmering with unsaid anger.

The cackles of fire burning to life, snapped Vivi's attention towards Ace whose body was consumed in fire and a single flick of his fist had demolished an entire line of houses, making them fall to the sandy grounds. She would have been afraid if not for the concentrated fury brewing within the eyes of the fireman. She was awed at the very display, making her chew on her lips to stop her crying and witness the anger everyone was feeling inside their heart for her people.

Ace, however, flinched suddenly at the fear which flickered in Chopper's eyes and the concerned look which Sabo gave him. He had done countless missions while being in the revolutionary army. At the beginning when their missions involved freeing slaves from the clutches of the Celestial bastards, he would get always angry at the pain the motherfuckers had inflicted on the innocents but after some years of getting a better control on his anger he had learnt to not take out his anger on someone or something else than the one who was the cause of it... but his current actions spoke otherwise.

"You are a monster!" Ace remembered those cruel words being thrown at him on the Moby Dick. The sting of the fact which he always knew somewhere deep within his heart, never left him alone and now that he stood among his brother's crew and showcased his monstrous powers, he feared that they might even call him a monster one day.

Sabo was worried to begin with as Luffy had almost went into a panic attack seeing the corpse Vivi was holding. But witnessing Ace flinch and lose control of his fire was even more distressing. The way Ace's trembling hands reached for his shorts to pull out a sea stone ring which he slipped onto one of his fingers, was making Sabo feel nervous and on edge with Ace's behavior. He had thought that his brother was coping better after their earlier conversation but it was clear that a part of Ace was still deeply affected by what had happened. Sabo gritted his teeth in anger at Crocodile and the Whitebeard Pirates. If he ever comes across any one of them, they would better pray that it was Luffy who got to them first.

Meanwhile, Luffy's fists were clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning white as his panic turned into anger. Anger on Crocodile for tormenting all the innocents only for getting his hands on that, which wasn't even in this country to begin with. He gritted his teeth as the fury inside him became uncontrollable. He got out of Sabo's embrace, telling him a silent thank you but the force at which he did was enough to create a hole in the very sand which he was standing on. The ground trembled, hidden with the sounds of the begging winds which zoomed past and through them.

"Let's get moving." Luffy spoke determinedly as he noticed Vivi burying the skull with the help of Nami and Bonney, who were visibly upset at the predicament the country was going through. "I'm itching to kick Crocodile's ass." Luffy announced, his hands twitching at his side to punch the hell out of Crocodile.

Vivi wiped her remaining tears and stood up with Nami and Bonney. She nodded determinedly as everyone gathered around her with serious faces. At that moment, Vivi felt immense gratitude towards the group which had given her a hand in the mission which she had set to, all alone in the beginning.

"Let's go to Yuba!" Luffy announced, taking the lead.

In the midst of all of this, no one noticed the water which started to bubble out of the very hole which Luffy created out of his anger.

The sound of a lighter flicking and the deep inhale of smoke, which flitted through the fat cigar, held between the sharp teeth of Crocodile, echoed in the one of the silent rooms in Rainbase, which was highly protected and impenetrable by anyone. The sounds of heels clicking on the ground was soon followed by the sliding of the curtains across a long, wide window, allowing the sunlight to peek into the room.

"Did you verify what I asked you to?" Crocodile's sharp and stoic voice broke the silence which was engulfing the entire room.

"Of course, I verified it through the fifty Billions which were stationed at Nanohana. They reported numerous broken ships floating a bit far from the port as well as the missing frontier agents and the other subordinates led by Mr. 6 and Miss Mother's Day." A calm voice made its presence known inside the dimly lit room. It belonged to none other than the partner of Crocodile, Miss All Sunday or rather known as Nico Robin by the world government.

"So, not only Mr. 6 lied to me about defeating the 3C's but also had the audacity to state thatt the Strawhat Pirates, a freaking rookie group of pirates, managed to escape from the clutches of 3C's?!" Crocodile growled as he turned to face Robin, his face contorting with immense anger as he gritted his teeth, snapping his cigar in two. His rage was further fueled by both his fear and the rare occurrence of someone escaping from the clutches of one of the 3C's. How had the Strawhat Pirates managed to escape?! Crocodile would have loved to ponder on it, to make a plan to escape from their wrath, considering the threat he had personally received from Cyra, but he doesn't have time for that.

"It looks like that, Mr. 0." Robin spoke, her hands deep inside her long coat, where she fiddled with the eternal pose which Strawhat Luffy provided her. For the first time in her knowledge, Robin couldn't tell what was actually happening behind the scenes.

"How many people do we still have at our side?" Crocodile asked after calming down from his anger with which he was hiding his fear. After all, the 3C's aren't some low key pirates. They are people who are feared and known wide throughout the Grand Line as well as the Blues.

"We currently have fifty stationed at Nanohana and 125 men scattered throughout the country but mainly concentrated near or in Katorea." Robin answered, keeping her expression as calm as possible. "As for the officer agents, they'll all be meeting at 8 at Spider's cafe tonight."

Crocodile turned back to the window, from where he could see the bustling town. He had wanted to send the officer agents to confront the 3C's but he needed them near him to protect his plan. He needed the strongest at his disposal, even though he knows that even they hold no match towards even one of the 3C's. Crocodile didn't know what he could do right now, except striking a deal with the 3C's but his plan was at its last phase and he didn't want them to get involved in it and gain more power than they already hold to scare the entirety of the globe. He had almost rang to the World Government requesting for backup to deal with the 3C's but he knew those sniffling dogs would have sniffed him out too, that's why he refused to dig out his grave too.

"The plan's set to commence soon." Crocodile declared, steeling himself. He couldn't afford to waste anymore time. Who knows where the 3C's were at the moment? If they were lurking in Rainbase or not, ready to strike? He knew he was getting paranoid due to it but what else could he do? Tell them about his plan and hope that they would let him live? Even to him it sounded like a fake reassurance. If he, even by mistake, utters anything about his plan, he might even lose the weapon as well as his life. "Reinforce the base. No one is allowed to enter the city or the headquarters without proper identification and a thorough bag check. Understood?"

"Understood." Robin repeated as she nervously left the room, scared because even Crocodile seemed to be frightened at the fact that 3C's were truly in Arabasta.

The harsh glare of the unforgiving sun beat down on the sandy desert Island of Arabasta, casting shimmering waves of heat across the never ending stretch of the sandy lands. The ragtag group of the pirates as well as the revolutionaries trudged on the scorching sands, heading northwest towards their destination: Yuba, the city where the rebel army was located, according to Vivi. Sounds of panting and dragging of footsteps could be heard as they traveled, wiping away the sweat that was drenching them and slowly sipping the scarce and precious water they were left with.

Everyone was tired due to the harsh climate and the scorching heat of the sun, except for three people. The first was Luffy, who had withstood temperatures far greater than the one which he was presented with right now. The second was Ace, who despite wearing a sea stone ring on one of his fingers was shrugging off the heat as if it didn't exist in the first place. And the last was Vivi who was born in the desert and had lived all her life under the intense and overwhelming heat of the sun.

"I thought that Luffy would be the first one to be tired." Usopp panted as he walked with the help of a stick on the sandy grounds. He regretted speaking as his throat begged for water the next second.

"I can carry Chopper if you are tired, Luffy." Zoro spoke, stealing worried glances at Luffy, who was carrying Chopper on top of a barrel and his own backpack. He was concerned for his captain due to his unusual silence. Moreover, Luffy wasn't acting like himself at all!

"I'm fine with the cold but the heat's no good..." Chopper panted, his ragged breathing showing the discomfort which he was feeling in the hot desert.

"I am not tired, Zoro." Luffy answered with a small frown on his lips. He was carrying Chopper because holding him was comforting his heart and mind, and reassuring him that he wasn't really back in the past being shouted at by his 'father' or surrounded by the cruel stench of death caused by drought or lack of sunshine which had occurred in the first place due to him. The skull at Erumalu was making him feel guilty and remember that time over and over again. He knew that the present wasn't his fault but Crocodile's, yet that wasn't stopping him from feeling deeply sad and partly guilty due to the happenings occurring in Arabasta.

There were also other things he couldn't help but question. His mother hadn't informed him anything about Ace since he entered the Grand Line. She hadn't told him that Ace was in danger or that he was off endangering his life on whim and getting beaten up by others just because he needed to feel pain. It was not like he hadn't tried to ask her in the midst of all the fun he was having on Merry. He had asked her, only for her to not respond to him. He even remembers the time when he was asking about Ace's whereabouts and well-being to his mother in Whiskey Peak but she had distracted him by telling him another interesting story. It had worried him when the pattern continued but he hadn't pressed on the issue, trusting that his mother would take care of Ace too... but now he wasn't sure what she was even doing.

"Sanji? Can we have lunch now?" Luffy questioned excitedly, distracting himself from the burdening thoughts, whose answers he knew deep down but refused to accept for the sake of his heart.

"Sorry Luffy." Sanji apologized, making sure to not look at the disheartened eyes which looked back at him at his answer. He didn't have the heart to say no to the weirdly acting teen. He wished he kept a small snack for Luffy but he hadn't, in the hurry and all the fun. "We can't have lunch until Vivi says okay."

"Vivi, let's have lunch already!" Luffy insisted, not wanting to go back to the swirling thoughts. He hoped at least eating like always would make him lose in the bliss of the tasty food.

"I'm sorry Luffy but we are only a quarter of the way to Yuba right now." Vivi explained sadly, not daring to look at the kicked puppy look which was displayed on Luffy's face. "But we can have a break and lunch at the next rock we come across, okay?" Vivi added seeing Luffy hiding his mopey face quickly by his strawhat. She was concerned with how Luffy was behaving too.

"Till then have some water Luffy." Sabo offered the bottle of water to Luffy, who hadn't had any throughout the journey.

"Thanks." Luffy mumbled, taking the bottle of water from Sabo, who was carrying an exhausted and sleepy Bonney on his back. He took a gulp of water and returned it to Sabo.

"I am surprised to be honest." Ace started as he walked beside Sabo, who had the full details of what's happening in Arabasta. "I knew that Crocodile was here but him trying to steal a kingdom and usurp the throne? That sounds like a bad joke."

"Exactly! Pirates who become Warlords often have an ulterior motive which they don't want the government to know. But what would be Crocodile's motive here in this country?" Sabo scowled at the end of his words. Seeing the situation in which the country is in, was only making him confused on what Crocodile truly wished for. It didn't even look like he wanted the kingdom to rule seeing how he had let people's houses and lives go down the drain.

Ace nodded at Sabo's words. He knew full well that Crocodile was not doing this all to just make the people against the king but there was something else which was brewing under it all. Something which Crocodile wanted, which can be achieved even if there is no person alive in the kingdom. But what is special in this kingdom for someone to go to this extreme length?

"Rock sighted at 12 o' clock!" Usopp reported the instant he found a towering rock up ahead using his goggles, halting Ace's and Luffy's thoughts.

"REALLY?!" Luffy excitedly questioned, dismissing all his negative thoughts and looking at the direction which Usopp was zooming in through his goggles and true to his words there were rocks, which means food! "BREAK TIME!" Luffy whooped, running towards the rock at full speed, where he was also feeling some faint Haki signature.

"HOLY CRAP! HE'S FAST!" Usopp shouted in shock at the sight of Luffy already having reached the rock which looked like it would take at least five more minutes to reach for him.

"That's Luffy for ya." Sabo shrugged, increasing his pace. "Ace? How about a race?" Sabo smirked to his brother, who grinned back. The whole idea behind the race was to not let Luffy be alone in his uncanny mood.

On the other side, Luffy dumped his backpack on the ground and placed the slightly sleepy Chopper on it.

"Finally! Break time!" Luffy grinned widely as he took onto the long shadow of the rock, which would suffice him and his friends for their little break.

"Goh... goh..." Sounds of panting and whimpering was heard by Luffy, making him look at the ground at the sight of several white birds sprawled on the scorching sand, begging for food and water but aside that he also registered the malicious intent of the same birds whose attention seemed to not disrupt from his backpack and the barrel of water.

"We have injured birds here! We need a doctor!" Chopper was the first one who reacted at the herons which were squeaking and twitching. He was about to rush towards them when Luffy's hands stopped him.

"Stop faking it." Luffy called out to the birds, his disappointment clearly heard in the tone he used. That was enough for the birds to stop their act and peek at Luffy with their wide eyes, not believing the one they had been found out by.

"How did you know they were faking it?" Chopper asked with astonishment, clearly seeing the birds standing up and hearing them apologize to Luffy for their deceiving acts. Chopper belatedly wondered in the back of his mind if the birds felt the same respect he always feels towards his captain.

Luffy didn't answer to Chopper as he scanned the birds, seeing their matted and dirty feathers. "Behave well and you get food and water. Deal?" Luffy asked the birds, who nodded and started crying at the sheer mercy they were being given despite their actions. "Chopper, check them over for any injuries." Luffy requested the doctor of his crew, who nodded and quickly set onto work by opening his backpack which had his medical supplies.

With that done, Luffy took a deep breath and shouted out to his friends. "GUYS! COME QUICK! WE HAVE SOME INJURED BIRDS! WE GOTTA HELP THEM!" By the time he completed his words, Ace, Sabo and Bonney had already reached him, witnessing the sight of the herons in line and getting checked and bandaged by Chopper. The sight would have been confusing if not for Luffy's recent shout.

"Injured birds?! Could it be..?!" Vivi's eyes widened at the realization which she was coming at. "NO, LUFFY! WAIT! THOSE BIRDS ARE KNOWN FOR TRICKING THE PASSING TRAVELERS TO STEAL THEIR LUGGAGE FOR FOOD AND WATER!"

That had the remaining Strawhats, who were walking at a leisurely rate, run at their top speed to the dumbass who, they thought, had probably already lost all his goodies but when they reached there, to their surprise, most of the herons had been checked and bandaged and were obediently standing at a side.

"They are all fine except for being malnourished." Chopper reported after checking the last heron. He was unsure about checking them after hearing Vivi's yells but Luffy's support and the herons' obedience made him confident enough to check over the poor desert creatures.

"They will try to trick us the moment we let our guards down!" Vivi tried once again to stop Luffy as she was very familiar with the deceptive nature of the desert creatures but she should have known that her persuasion wasn't going to work on Luffy of all people.

Luffy's face softened at Chopper's report on the herons who were just onto deceiving people because they were hungry and thirsty. He couldn't even have the guts to blame them seeing that the desert wasn't providing the herons enough food and water. So, without a word, Luffy pulled out food and water from his bag, which he kept for emergency while leaving the Merry, and provided it to the herons.

As Luffy fed and watered the herons, Ace, Sabo and Boneny exchanged knowing glances. They knew where Luffy's actions were coming from. Growing up in the revolutionary army base, going out on missions, freeing the slaves from the celestial bastards, seeing their famished self and what starvation could drive people- or creatures- to do, had made each of them understand the true value of food and water. Of how much difference a small piece of bread and a little water can make.

However, the rest of the crew were truly shocked and confused.

"What the hell?!" Sanji uttered in surprise, his cigarette falling from his mouth at the sight of Luffy of all people offering his secretly stashed snacks and water to the herons who were lined up waiting for their chances with guilty and sorry faces. Sanji was confused on what he should be more shocked at: the fact that the herons were sorry for their deceiving acts or the fact that Luffy had sneaked out some food?

"Luffy's feeding his snacks to them when he is himself hungry..." Nami gasped, feeling astonished at the sight. It wasn't like she didn't have the pleasure of witnessing Luffy sharing his food with other creatures who he deemed to be hungry but right now the situation didn't seem like it would have been best to share his own food with the herons.

"Yeah, but look how he is smiling right now." Usopp stated with a soft smile resting on his lips. He was getting concerned when Luffy hadn't interacted with anyone during the whole journey from Eramalu, except for carrying Chopper with him.

Zoro remained silent, his eyes fixated at Luffy as he happily bid farewell to the herons who now revitalized, took off to the sky, cawing gratefully. Zoro couldn't help but wonder if Luffy's actions were somehow related to his divinity. The way Luffy can captivate any and all creatures, gain their respect and seemingly talk to them, understanding their situation and helping them... was it because of his true nature as a god? The Sun God Nika?

"Well, now that's done, let's have lunch too." Sanji sighed, after getting out of his initial shock. He could see that everyone was hungry by now, especially after running in the desert.

"Yeah! Food!" Luffy and Bonney whopped excitedly as they rushed to Sanji, whose lips curled up to a smile.

With the group finally getting lunch and a break from wandering in the desert, they chatted and laughed, forgetting about the oppressive heat. But as they rested and relaxed, no one noticed Luffy having slipped away, wandering in the hot desert as curiosity guided his feet. Luffy's desire to discover more desert creatures had led him away from the group, which only noticed the missing cherry presence when they heard distant rumbling of heavy footsteps rushing towards them.

"Where's Luffy?!" Nami asked instantly, noticing the absence of her captain. She saw the wide eyes of Ace, Sabo and Bonney too, making her realize that even they didn't know where the little troublemaker ran off to.

The sand under their feet started shaking violently as the rumbling grew louder and louder with each passing second.

"What is happening?!" Vivi questioned in panic. She had never heard of an earthquake occurring in a desert.

"GUYS!! LOOK!! IT'S A GIANT LIZARD AND A CAMEL!" Luffy's voice echoed across the desert, making the group spot him running in front of the gigantic purple colored lizard and a camel.

"WHAT THE HELL LU?!" Ace exclaimed, his hand slipping out the sea stone ring from his finger and shoving it deep inside his pocket, making his flames come to life, ready to protect his troublesome little brother.

"WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?!" Sanji questioned Luffy, whose giggles and laughter resounded with the thundering footsteps of the purple lizard which was racing towards them.

"IT'S A SANDORA MONITOR LIZARD!" Vivi answered with wide eyes, seeing the reptile which was chasing after Luffy and the camel.

"Just what kind of star was he born to be fated to so much trouble?" Zoro sighed, unsheathing his katana, ready to cut the damn thing which was chasing after them.

"I think we are missing something." Sabo stated out aloud, stopping Ace from using his fire fist at the poor lizard who had the audacity of chasing their little brother. The peals of laughter from Luffy were solidifying his evidence of something being misunderstood by them, but what was it-?

"I GOT A LIZARD AND CAMEL FRIEND! SHISHISHISHI!"

Zoro, Sanji and Ace fell on the scorching sandy land, dramatically, at the revelation of Luffy not getting chased but playing with the desert creatures he befriended, while the others had their jaws dropped in sheer disbelief. Luffy, once again, had done the unthinkable by befriending a carnivore reptile who would have likely had him and the camel for its lunch.

Sanji sighed as Luffy finally came to a stop and introduced his new friends to them, animatedly. He was really surprised at Luffy's kindness which looked to be never ending. He was a tiny bit sad that they have to feed the extra mouths too but he fed them anyway. Luckily they still have some food rations for one more day and hopefully, in Yuba, they can restock their supplies.

"What's with these creatures, Luffy?" Zoro questioned Luffy who was busy climbing the camel's back with Usopp joining in.

"I wanted to explore the area and before I knew it I saw camel and lizard racing. It looked fun, so I joined in." Luffy answered gleefully, as he finally sat on the camel's back, with his legs swinging to and fro.

"You do realize the lizard was trying to eat the camel?" Sabo asked with a sweatdrop to Luffy, who gasped at the revelation.

"Bad lizard! No eating friends! Got it?" Luffy spoke with a stern expression on his childish, baby face, which had the group trying to stifle their peals of laughter. The lizard, however, nodded its head furiously in response, happy enough that his little lord was willing to give him a second chance.

"'I won't try it again, little lord.' He says." Chopper translated what the reptile answered. It would have raised certain questions right then if not for the camel kicking Usopp, who was trying to climb after Luffy, to a nearby rock wall.

"AGHH! WHAT'S UP WITH THIS CAMEL?!" Usopp shouted, rubbing his butt where he felt a throbbing pain.

"'I do give humans a ride but I'll only allow the females and the little lord.' He says." Chopper translated what the camel grunted out, confused once again by Luffy being referred to as 'little lord' but he chalked it to Luffy somehow gaining the respect of both creatures he miraculously befriended.

However, Ace, Sabo and Bonney shared a knowing glance with each other, their eyes conveying the truth which they thought was known only to them. Zoro saw this and realized that Luffy's siblings also knew that Luffy is the incarnation of Nika, the Sun God, which is why he was respected and accepted by every creature.

"Why am I not surprised?" Usopp sighed as he got up from the rockwall where he was plastered to. He should have expected that even a perverted camel would allow Luffy to do whatever he wants... just like Sanji who treats Luffy much better than him and Zoro. "But I really can't walk!" Usopp whined pathetically.

"Mr. Lizard can give you guys a ride, won't you, Mr. Lizard?" Luffy asked, seeing Usopp and the rest of his friends already tired due to the whole walking in the desert.

The reptile, whom Luffy addressed to, instantly nodded its gigantic head and knelt down at Luffy's requests, which he took it as a command.

"'I'll do whatever the little lord orders me to.' He says." Chopper repeated the Sandora lizard's words to the group, who were glad that they didn't have to walk anymore in the scorching heat of the sun.

"Why are they calling Luffy 'little lord'?" Sanji questioned, lighting up another cigarette for himself, unknowingly raising the question everyone had in their depths of their mind.

"I think they respect Luffy." Chopper answered with a shrug.

"I don't wanna know! I don't wanna know!" Usopp babbled, placing his hands on his ears to shield it. The more he thinks about Luffy's mysterious nature, the more questions always pile up and if, by chance, he manages to get a proper answer, it always ends up with a super secret which the government would kill for, if somehow they got to know about it.

"Same here." Nami agreed with Usopp with a shudder as she climbed on top of the camel, who was sitting on the ground for them. "Vivi, Bonney, get on!" She beckoned the girls seeing there was more space for two more.

"No, I'm fine-"

"Yay!" Bonney's excited cheers cut Vivi's refusal, as she climbed just in front of Luffy, who was holding the ropes.

"It's better you don't question, cook." Zoro patted Sanji's shoulder with a sigh and climbed up on the lizard. He wouldn't say that he regrets knowing Luffy's secrets but knowing that Luffy can leave them someday... Zoro really doesn't want the others to be burdened by that too, like he is.

"Let's get going then." Sabo stated, dismissing the matter of Luffy being called 'little lord', having chalked it to him being a god incarnate.

"Yes!" Ace smiled, picking up their luggage and throwing it to the lizard's back.

The journey of the ragtag group of pirates and revolutionaries to Yuba once again began but with aid now. It was more relaxing now that they don't have to walk and sweat profusely under the heat of the desert.

"Hey, Bonney?" Nami started a conversation with Bonney who was in her original kid form, playing with Luffy's hair excitedly. The sight was too cute with Luffy pouting childishly and acting like himself once again at Bonney trying to tame his untameable hair. "I am curious about how you came to know about Luffy, especially since you and he have different fathers?" Nami questioned out of curiosity, seeing clear signs of Luffy being unrelated to Bonney.

"It's a reaaalllly looong story!" Bonney answered, as she turned towards Nami, abandoning Luffy who was getting really sleepy.

"We have time." Nami shrugged, wanting to know about Luffy's past and how they eventually met.

"Okay!" Bonney spoke with a smile, as she let Luffy hug the camel's neck and she climbed near the camel's hump to talk to Nami. Bonney wondered where she should start but then remembered her Daddy's story and decided to start from there. "When my Daddy was really small, he was happily living with his family but then something bad happened and he had to work under those bad Celestial Dragons. He lost his parents too, but my daddy didn't give up hope. He had faith in Nika, the Sun God, who would save him and help him return to his merry days!"

"Nika? The Sun God?" Nami uttered in confusion. She couldn't believe that Luffy's fruit carried the name of a God, which she hadn't ever heard of. "But isn't that the name of the fruit which Luffy ate?" Nami questioned Bonney, gaining Vivi's attention through it. Both of the girls couldn't believe what they were hearing.

"How do you know ni-chan's name?" Bonney asked Nami instead, practically announcing to Nami and Vivi that Luffy's either real name is Nika or he was nicknamed as Nika based on his fruit.

"Can you tell more about Nika, the Sun God?" Vivi requested on behalf of herself and Nami to Bonney, wanting to know about the God about whom Bonney had been speaking about even before stepping foot on Eramalu.

"Nika is the warrior of liberation, who saves people in trouble and always brings a smile on everyone's faces with his silly actions!" Bonney excitedly blurted out with a giant smile, without even thinking. It was only when the words escaped from her mouth, she remembered being told to not tell about Nika to anyone she doesn't trust completely. It wasn't like she didn't trust Nami and Vivi, but she had only met them a few hours ago. "But that isn't what the story is about right now. I'll tell you about it later... if I get the permission to." Bonney uttered, looking everywhere but Nami and Vivi. "Now, back to the story!"

Nami was confused at the odd answer which she got from Bonney but this also made her stack Bonney's scarce words about Nika to her mind. She would think about it later. Meanwhile, Vivi wondered about the god who saves people in trouble and prayed silently to him to help her rescue her country from the evil clutches of Crocodile.

"So, when Daddy was still working for the Celestial Dragons, he befriended my Mommy and Iva-chan and made a grand escape after eating his fruit! Daddy even saved several people there!" Bonney told animatedly, with her hands showcasing the big escape her daddy and mommy and Iva-chan made together. "Then, Dragon-san made his army and when Daddy and Mommy were in trouble, he and Iva-chan came to help them." Bonney's smile dimmed a little as she continued the story. "Mommy was a great revolutionary like Daddy but she disappeared after some time, until I was born and returned to Daddy."

Nami hugged Bonney as the younger's eyes were a bit glossy, which had let Nami comprehend what had happened to her mother.

"I grew up in a church filled with old folks who really love me." Bonney uttered, letting a smile form on her former sad face. She misses her Mommy and would have loved to see her, but she knew that Mommy was watching her from the stars and would be upset if she was too. "The old folks tell me stories of how Daddy had to learn to take care of little me!" Bonney giggled at that, reminiscing the time where she was told that her Daddy wasn't even able to hold her properly. "I didn't get to have Daddy mostly though, because he was fighting like Nika to save other people in need but then when I hit three years old and started growing pretty stones on my skin, I wasn't allowed to go out in the sun or moon and Daddy started staying with me more often."

Bartholomew Kuma never resented his life. Even when he was enslaved by the Celestial Dragons and had to work for them, he had faith in Nika, about whom his father had told him. He hadn't even given up hope when Ginny disappeared, or rather was kidnapped by a Celestial Dragon to be his bride. Even though his world seemed to have shattered to bits, Kuma trusted Nika to help her, to keep Ginny safe in the torment which she was forced to endure once again. It wasn't like he wasn't willing to take the matter in his own hands, but he knew that going against the Celestial Dragons meant declaring war against the World Government, which the Revolutionary Army wasn't ready to.

Kuma's agony of despair and the crushing weight of Ginny having to endure everything lasted for two whole years. He had tried everything to help her, busying himself with the missions and fighting to free nations, training the new recruits and even Dragon's sons, but the oppressing sadness always lingered... that is until one day when he finally met her. He had never been more grateful to hear Dragon's youngest kid's words more than that time. Unknown to him, he would be grateful to him in the future too.

"Bear uncle should go visit his home!" Luffy had stated with a pout to him. Kuma was really confused when he heard those words. The church... his home... it was nothing without Ginny. Whenever he would go there, he would end up crying, wailing for his loss and the torment which Ginny would be facing as he rests.

Kuma was about to refuse the puppy eyes which Luffy was giving to him, but he didn't have the heart to say no. On top of that, even Iva-chan and Dragon-san told him to just have a little break there. He had listened to them and gone, only to be met with Ginny there, sick and weak, dialing a number and talking weakly to them. It was none other than Dragon-san and Iva-chan. He heard her asking for him, making streams of tears and snot flow from Kuma's eyes and nose. The sight of Ginny weak and trembling, her face and entire body covered with blue stones.

"Kumachi, I didn't want you to see me like this." The painful smile which stretched across Ginny's face had Kuma carrying her gently against his body.

"Please, don't leave me-" Kuma begged Ginny, his whole body racking with sobs.

"Kumachi, I just want you to know.. I love you.. always have, always will!" Those were the last words Kuma heard from Ginny, before her eyes became lifeless and her body fell limp. He wasn't even able to tell her how much he loves her too.

"H-How? W-What happened?" Kuma wailed.

"I-It happened when she was exposed to natural light... her face... her entire body... It turned all blue in the sun... and her skin hardened like stone." One of the old folks, who always visited them wailed, with tears leaking from her eyes.

"She burned her remaining time, exposing herself to the sun, so she could cross the ocean and make it home to us because she wanted to ensure her baby's safety." Another bawled, which made Kuma finally look at the small baby who was wailing on the ground.

"You can rest now, Ginny, I swear I'll raise her well." Kuma vowed, wiping his tears away. The loss of Ginny would always hurt him but for the sake of the little baby, Kuma was ready to do anything to protect her.

Time passed soon with Kuma learning to take care of his daughter with the help of the old folks in the Sorbert Kingdom and him going on missions for the revolutionary army as well. He managed it all well... until history started repeating itself over.

There was a blue stone just below Bonney's right eye. It had made Kuma panic and shut down all the windows of the church, not allowing any natural light to enter the room, where Bonney was. He hadn't thought that Bonney would even contract the same disease as her mom and it was sending him to an edge.

The old folks helped Kuma in searching for doctors for Bonney but none of them were helpful. Some even had the audacity to tell him to bring Bonney to the sunlight when he provided what he knew about the disease, while the others weren't familiar with the condition at all.

Seeing all doors in the Sorbert kingdom as well as the South Blue closed, and Bonney's condition not improving, Kuma decided to quit the army, having decided to dedicate his time to Bonney and finding anything that would help him cure Bonney's disease. Even the doctors which Dragon helped him reach, were unable to identify the disease which Bonney was suffering from.

Kuma traveled aimlessly in search of doctors. He went to Karakuri Island, Torino Kingdom, Weatheria, and any and all places, which had the best doctors or were more advanced than the normal kingdoms.

It continued until Bonney turned five and Kuma finally found a doctor who recognized the disease Bonney had.

"After examining your daughter, I've concluded that she suffers from 'sapphire scale'. I am afraid it's incurable." The doctor had stated, smashing Kuma's heart into pieces. "These days you almost ever see it. Those 'stones' grow exponentially when bathed in any form of natural light, like the sun or the moon."

Kuma's mind was struck to the cherry voice of Bonney wishing to go to out in the sun, to a trip with him, to the legendary sky islands, where she can see the sun and Nika, to the fishman island. It all seemed to be shattering-

"Even if you completely prevent any exposure, I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before the disease catches up." The doctor had uttered, hammering Kuma's already shattered heart. "Forgive me for being so blunt, but your daughter has another five years at best. It'll be a miracle if she reaches her 10th birthday."

"It'll be over by her 10th birthday..?" Kuma's voice trembled as streams of tears leaked from his eyes and snot dripped from his nose. His promises to Bonney about taking her to a journey, it was all shattering-

"I heard it all!" Kuma staggered at the sweet happy voice of Bonney, who appeared out of nowhere, but that didn't scare him as much as the fact that she now knew. "You said it'll be over by my 10th birthday, right?"

"Your 10th?! I have no idea what you are talking about." Kuma refused to speak about the cruel reality which he was faced with. He wanted to lie but at the same time giving false hope to his daughter didn't sit well with him.

"I heard you say it!" Bonney excitedly stated, climbing on top of him.

"Ah, yes, he said when you're 10-" Kuma sniffled, wiping the snot from his face. "It was about your illness, Bonney. That stupid doctor, he told me that your condition is going to continue as it is till you are 10." Kuma uttered the truth, but that was the big mistake which he made.

"That means I'll be all better when I'm 10, right? So we can go on those trips, isn't that right, Daddy?"

Kuma's heart cried out at the hope and smile which was on Bonney's face. He could only try to stop himself from crying at the desires which Bonney presented to him. 'Oh, Nika, what have I done?'

After that, Kuma couldn't sit still. He read all the books and visited all the Islands which he could, to find a cure for the disease but he was only getting more and more distressed by not getting a single clue of the disease. That is until he stumbled on the familiar door of the base which always welcomed him.

"Dragon-san! Iva-chan! I have tried it all but I couldn't find anything." Kuma cried to two people he respects and sees as his family the most after Ginny and Bonney. He told them his problems, cried his heart out to them. He didn't want to lose Bonney.

Unknown to Kuma, someone else heard his cries and pleas, too, other than Dragon, who had a thoughtful expression on his face and Ivankov who was wondering about something.