One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Twenty Nine [Rewritten]

-Chapter Twenty-Nine-

"Every living thing in this desert has it the same way—you know, long ago, I used to feel like the desert belonged to everybody" Barbarossa confessed. "But when I think about it nowadays, I begin to think that that was somewhat conceived. When I look at the desert now, I wonder if perhaps it doesn't really belong to anybody at all" he pondered. "That's why we can live here freely, it belongs to no one, so it's free itself."

"Like the ocean?" Nami inquired.

"That's a good question, I suspect that's something you'll have to find out by yourselves" he smiled.

"Hey" I piped up, catching both of their attention. "I see Luffy and them" I pointed.

"You're right, they finally made it back" Nami sighed in relief the moment she spotted the four returning. 

-The Next Day-

"Ahead is a village called Ido, you should be able to get water there without much difficulty" Barbarossa informed us as he anchored the ship.

"Does that mean you're not coming with us?" Luffy asked.

"We sand pirates cannot travel beyond the desert realm" Barbarossa explained. "You see, this land belongs to my people—brave souls that live and died here for so many generations."

"Oh yeah" Luffy smiled.

"Nothing much actually, we survived freely on the ocean of sand and that's exactly what we plan to keep doing" Barbarossa smiled right back.

"Wow! You sound just like my crew!" Luffy laughed.

"Well then, we're kindred spirits!" happily did the two burst out into shared laughter.

"See ya around, umbrella guy! Bye!" Luffy waved once the sand pirates set sail.

"Here" I said, climbing aboard Eyelash's back and settling behind Nami before helping Vivi who gave a grateful smile at my offering hand.

"They were great" Luffy hummed.

"Yeah" Usopp agreed.

"By the way, where did your brother go?" Sanji suddenly asked.

"Huh?" I turned my head, letting my gaze wander over our little group as I did so. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen Ace this entire time" I said, realizing that the blond was right and the older male was nowhere to be seen.

"You're right, you think he's alright?" Vivi worriedly asked.

"I don't know where he went, but there's nothing to worry about—he'll show up sooner or later" Luffy said, brushing away everyone's concerns.

"Another bold claim you can't prove—why do you do that?" Nami frowned.

"I don't know, let's get to this Udo village as fast as we can" Luffy shrugged with a smile.

"It's Ido" Nami corrected.

"Ido?" Luffy repeated.

"Yeah" she nodded.

-Later-

"Hey, hey!" Ace waved as he came riding toward us on the back of what appeared to be another overgrown lizard, though this one was considerably smaller compared to the Sandora Dragon.

"It's Ace!" Luffy smiled as he quickly rushed toward his brother, wasting no time in closing the distance.

"So that's where he was" Nami said.

"He was off making himself a new friend it seems" I chuckled.

"Haha! What's this thing?" Luffy laughed, poking at the lizard his brother had brought back.