Second Wind

29

"It feels like it's warming up again," Nami said with a shiver as she rubbed her hands together. Walking through the desert at night had not been any more pleasant than doing so during the day. The atmosphere dropped below freezing temperatures not long after sunset. Apparently, even Vivi wasn't use to these harsh conditions, as most Alabastians knew to avoid being outside in the desert at night. So this time, the only ones completely unaffected were the reindeer human hybrid, the marine mammal with a passion for martial arts, and the bio regulating rubber man.

The only logic in all this is that they all defy logic, Nami thought enviously as she snuck a glance at the last of the three, who was strangely looking around for something.

"You lose something Luffy?" she asked, trying to distract herself from her discomfort.

The rubber man pouted. "I've been looking for a stick, but there are no trees in the desert," he said sulkily.

Nami looked at him oddly. "Why do you need a stick?" Usopp on the other hand, gave Luffy a sympathetic look and clapped him on the back in an attempt to console him...of what, most of the crew could only guess. Chopper and Seal looked up at the two curiously while Nami felt her brow twitch.

"Am I missing something here?" she asked.

This time, she was on the receiving end of an odd look from Usopp. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked, as Luffy continued sulking. Nami's answer was to glare at him in annoyance, and he sighed.

"Luffy has been looking for a walking stick since we started our journey to Alubarna, but as he said, there are no trees in the desert. Now we're almost there, and he still hasn't found one, so he's going to miss his chance to use one." As he spoke, Luffy's head sagged, and Seal let out a low empathetic moan.

"That's great and all, but you've failed to answer the original question. Why does he need a walking stick?" Nami asked in exasperation. Usopp sighed again.

"Because," he said, in a tone that suggested he was explaining something rather simple to a small child who kept asking questions, "We're walking, and it's a man's romance to carry a walking stick while going on an adventure, or even just a hike."

"Really!?" Chopper exclaimed, as his eyes lit up in fascination. He wasn't the only one. Seal immediately began his own fruitless search for a stick.

Unable to hold in his mirth any longer, Zoro burst out in laughter. Vivi also giggled, and Sanji's mouth quirked up in amusement.

"Man's romance huh?" Zoro asked thoughtfully, before unstrapping one of his sheathed swords from his hip and using it as a makeshift walking stick. "Then, how's this?" Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper looked at him enviously, while Seal was still too busy with his search, too hopeful to acknowledge the fact that there were indeed no trees around.

"Idiots..." Nami muttered.

The Strawhats were brought out of their antics when Vivi pointed at the horizon, and they all looked ahead to see the city of Alubarna off in the distance. "We're almost there," she whispered.

"Your majesty, I realize how severe the situation is, but what you're suggesting-"

"I have no choice in the matter," King Cobra said gravely, cutting Chaka off. "If negotiations are not to occur, out only choice is to move in against Crocodile. I will not raise arms against the people of Alabasta, however misled they may be in their assumptions."

"With all due respect," Pell began, "If we were to attempt to apprehend Crocodile now, we would merely be adding fuel to the fire. It is a long distance between here and Rainbase. Crocodile would easily be able to read our intentions, and not only would our chance of success be slim at best, but he would be able to avoid a conflict completely if he so wished. He also has the backing of the people, regrettably more so than your majesty at the moment." He paused. "Right now, the rebel army's actions are unpredictable. If we were to move our troops to Rainbase now-"