"I can see light up ahead!", Luffy shouted, having walked a few meters ahead of the rest of the group, along with Navirou and Nami.
By now the light-giving algae had vanished, left behind in the lower recesses of the waterlogged cave system. The only remnant of the depths was the faint scent of fresh water lingering in the air. The barely noticeable breeze had increased in strength, beckoning the pirates out of the cave. Luffy was the first one out, running out into the open with Navirou on his shoulder. For a moment the duo were blinded by the harsh sunlight. When their vision cleared, they were met with a most peculiar sight. Stretched before them was a massive desert, sloping downwards from the cave's exit. Despite being a desert, Luffy could clearly see countless ponds and lakes dotted across the sand. The only plants he could see, however, were clustered around those watering holes, with the exception being large swathes of green algae that formed thin mats on the desert floor. The air was humid and sticky, immediately coating Luffy's skin with a thin layer of sweat.
"Woah!!!", Luffy gasped, in awe of the bizarre landscape before him.
"It's a desert, but there's water everywhere!", Navirou exclaimed.
The other Strawhats caught up with them, becoming equally baffled by the alien environment before them.
"What the hell is this weird place?", Sanji questioned, "It's a desert but it's practically soaked. There's algae all over the sand."
Usopp took a few steps forward, only to slip on the sloped, algae-coated sands. He grabbed onto Zoro as he fell, sending the duo tumbling down the dune they were on. The others carefully followed after them, digging their heels into the sand to avoid slipping.
Zoro and Usopp continued rolling down the hill before landing in a shallow pool of water, kicking up a thick slurry of sand. They were caked in the prolific algae, which they immediately began trying to wipe off. The others soon joined them, with Sanji smirking at Zoro.
"Hey look Marimo, you found your mossy brethren", Sanji mocked, earning a pissed off glare from Zoro. The Swordsman got right in the cook's face, algae sliding down his forehead.
"You wanna go, stupid love cook?!", Zoro snarled, hand resting on Wado.
"Why would a desert be filled with water and algae?", Nami questioned. Curious, she knelt down.
"Hmmm... Hey Usopp, can you dig me a hole please?", Nami asked, "I'm curious about the soil."
"Huh? The soil?" Usopp asked, confused. He obliged regardless, scooping up thick handfuls of moist sand. Luffy and Chopper helped out too, digging a hole about a foot deep before Nami stopped them.
"Do you see it?", she asked, "There's no soil, only sand."
"Okayyy...?", Luffy commented, befuddled.
"Now, look at the algae, most of it is on the surface of the sand. Not only that, but this isn't like desert sand, it looks and feels closer to the sand you'd find on the beach. Which as you know, isn't a great place for plants to grow. Now look there", Nami said, pointing to the ponds and lakes bordered by narrow tree lines, "those lakes are probably the only places larger plants can get a foot hold here, meaning even with all this water, it's still hard for plants to grow. But algae don't have this problem, since they don't need roots to anchor them. If I had to guess, the sand here may be constantly moving and shifting, which would uproot most plants."
"Moving, from what? Earthquakes?", Chopper asked.
"Probably not something as dramatic as earthquakes", Nami said.
YOU ARE READING
Monster Hunter: Open Ocean. (One Piece x Monster Hunter)
FanfictionA rider and her monsters become stranded in a world covered by oceans. This world is locked in a Great Pirate Era, and, with the help of a certain pirate crew, Saurus and Navirou must make there way through this unknown world. Will she ever leave...
