~Y/n pov~

"Well, we should be off." Vivi told Toto.

"Luffy, take this with you." Toto gave him some water.

Luffy smiled.

It was so hot but I could probably manage an hour or so.

I tried to keep up with everyone as I walked in their shadows.

Luffy stopped walking and sat at a tree.

I paused when I saw him stop, gaining the attention of the others.

"Luffy? What're you doing?!" Usopp asked.

"What's wrong, Luffy?" Vivi asked when he remained silent.

Luffy frowned, "I quit."

"What do you mean?"

Sanji tried to pull Luffy up but Luffy simply pushed the blonde away.

"Vivi.. I wanna kick Crocodile's ass. If we stop the people rebelling, will that stop Crocodile?" There was a serious expression on his face, "Besides, as won't be able to do anything in Katorea anyway. We're pirates, you see. Things are better off without us around."

"He can really get straight to the point without thinking sometimes.." Sanji stated.

"You want it so nobody dies in this fight." Luffy continued, "None of the citizens, and none of us! Even when we're up against a Warlord of the sea and a million people are going wild, you hope everyone will stay safe and sound. Don't you think that's too soft hearted?"

Vivi clenched her fists, her arms shaking.

"Hold on, Luffy. At least show some sympathy for Vivi." Nami told him.

"And what's wrong with thinking that? What's wrong with not wanting people to die?!" Vivi yelled.

"People die." Luffy responded bluntly.

Vivi slapped him, "Say that again and I'll make you pay! That's exactly what we're trying to stop here! The rebel army, the royal army and the people of this kingdom haven't done anything wrong! So why do people have to die when it's all Crocodile's fault?!"

Luffy jumped up and whacked Vivi around the face, "then why are you putting your life on the line?! Just one look at this kingdom and even I can tell... what most needs to be done."

Vivi pinned him to the ground and started hitting him.

"At least try putting all of our lives on the line too! Aren't we friends?!" Luffy yelled angrily.

Tears ran down Vivi's cheeks as she stared at Luffy in shock.

~*~

"I know you're in there, Crocodile!" Luffy yelled as we ran towards the casino.

Luffy was holding my hand and half pulling me along.

Running in this heat was exhausting.

"Get back here, you!" There were people running after us and shooting.

"They're damn annoying." Zoro complained, cutting them down.

We entered the casino.

"I came all the way to kick your ass!" Luffy yelled angrily but everyone ignored us and continued to gamble.

"I've got you now, Straw hat!" Smoker ran toward us.

We all quickly ran through the building trying to escape him.

We kept running and then entered a room named the VIP room.

They welcomed us in as we ran past.

The passageway split into two paths.

"VIPs go left." Usopp stated.

"And it says pirates go this way!" Nami added.

"We're pirates. Pirates to this way." Luffy decided last minute, dragging me with him.

The other followed.

The floor opened up and we fell.

Of course it was a trap. Only Luffy would fall for such a thing.

I sighed and peered around the cage we were in.

I noticed Smoker had fallen with us.

"A clever trap." Luffy stated.

Usopp immediately agreed, "Yeah. It wasn't our fault."

"We could have avoided it! We did exactly what the enemy wanted! I can't believe how stupid you are!" Nami scolded them.

I sat down against the wall and decided to get comfortable.

We'll probably be here a while.

"Anyway.. I'm suddenly out of strength." Luffy's body became weaker.

"How come? Are you hungry?" Usopp raised an eyebrow at him.

Smoker stood up and whacked Luffy in the face, knocking him to the ground.

"It's Sea Prism Stone." Smoker stated, "A strange type of stone that supposedly only exists in one certain sea. Not much is known about it, but it basically gives off the same energy as the ocean."

Luffy weakly stood up when Smoker stepped away.

Nami yelled at Luffy again for getting us into this situation.

Luffy frowned and sat himself in my lap, "Nami's mean."

I rubbed his back to comfort him as he rested his head on my shoulder and sulked.

"You're going to die together.." a new voice spoke, "so why not get along first."

Luffy's head perked up and looked as the chair span round, revealing Crocodile.

Luffy glared at him.

"I'll have to add you to my accidental death list.. Smoker." Crocodile smirked, "Straw hat Luffy. You've done well to come this far. I promise to get rid of you, so wait a little more. Our guest of honour has yet to arrive."

"Guest of honour?" I asked.

Could he mean Vivi?

"I just sent my partner to pick her up." Crocodile smirked at us.

~*~

We knew he had been here a while so we all sat down.

Luffy got bored and started doing a Sanji impression.

Usopp laughed hysterically when he saw it.

I smiled slightly.

"Act like serious prisoners!" Nami whacked them over the head angrily, "How can you act like that in such a serious situation as this?!"

"We can't get out. What else is there to do?!" Luffy huffed.

"The fact we can't get out is what makes it serious! And why are you sleeping?!" The angry girl hit Zoro over the head this time.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly and sat up, "Oh, is it morning?"

"It's noon!"

"You're a high-spirited girl." Crocodile stated as he observed her.

"Whatever! Go ahead and act confident while you still can!" Nami glared at him and placed her hands on her hips, "Once these guys get out of here, they'll kick your butt and send you flying above the clouds!"

You're not even going try and fight? We can't protect you forever.

"Crocodile!"

I looked at the top of the steps and noticed Vivi coming down them.

There was someone stood behind her but I couldn't tell who it was as they were so far away.

I only knew it was Vivi because of her voice.

"Welcome, Vivi, Princess of Alabasta!" Crocodile spread his arms out and showed off the plates of food in front of him, "No, Miss Wednesday. I'm impressed you managed to evade our assassins to come this far!"

"I would go as far as it takes. Because I want you to die, Mr. 0." Vivi glared at him, her voice wavered slightly as she spoke, "If only you hadn't come to this country.."

Vivi charged at him with her weapons.

"Wait! Vivi!" I yelled.

The person who was behind her easily stopped the attack and restrained her.

"It just turned noon. Operation Utopia is beginning." Miss All Sunday smirked.

"What is that?"

Crocodile laughed.

"Just what are you planning to do to Alabasta?!" Vivi asked angrily.

"Would you like to know the type of people I look down on most of all?" Crocodile asked but I knew he was going to answer the question anyway, "Hypocrites who treasure the so-called happiness of the people."

"You intend to kill my father?" Vivi's facial expression darkened, "As if you could ever do that!"

"There's no need to shout. I have no such intention." Crocodile lifted up his gold hook.

We all stood there silently, watching the interaction between Vivi and Crocodile.

"He's not even worth killing. I'm going to let Cobra taste humiliation crueler than death." Crocodile continued, "That's no way for a princess of a kingdom to look."

Vivi was staring at him with an expression of pure rage.

"I'll ask one more time! Just what is Opertation Utopia?! Tell me."

"Do you realise where you stand in this situation?"

"Answer the question!"

"Ah well. The operation has already began. I'll tell you about my plan to end this country..." Crocodile eventually agreed and told us everything.

"Well.. do you like it?"

~*~

The room started filling with water.

Crocodile flashed us one last smirk before leaving us to die.

There were these weird crocodiles with banana heads.

What are we meant to do? We're trapped in this cage.

Not to mention the room is filling with water.

This is bad...

"Once this cage is submerged, it's all over for us!" Usopp yelled.

"Calm down. Panicking isn't going to solve anything." I told him.

"Easy for you to say! You're strong." Usopp protested.

"Not in water I'm not."

Usopp gasped, "Oh no!"

"Hey, you stupid gator! Come and get me!" Nami yelled, provoking the crocodiles.

One of them charged over and bashed itself against the cage.

Nami jumped back as Usopp let out a yell.

"I'm making that guy mad, to get him to bite the cage apart." Nami explained.

"Great idea." Usopp agreed.

"Come here, you stupid banana! You rotten banana!" Luffy yelled loudly.

"No, that's wrong." Usopp huffed, "I told you, he's basically a crocodile with a banana on his head."

"What? Would you shut up." Luffy gave him an annoyed look and ignored Usopp as he continued to talk.

The cage didn't break at all when the crocodile bashed into it again.

"Hey.. you guys.." Smoker spoke up.

"How can you stay so composed?!" Usopp yelled.

"How much do you know? What is Crocodile after?" Smoker ignored his yelling, "That woman who was at Crocodile's side... She's had a price on her head by the World Government for twenty years. The price was over seventy million, as I recall."

Luffy let out a scream when he noticed how high the water had gotten, "It's up to my thighs now."

It was up to my knees.

My legs were beginning to feel weak but I tried to ignore it.

"We're gonna die! We're gonna die!" Usopp ran around yelling.

"Try as hard as you can not to make any noise during mealtime. Bad manner kick course!" Sanji suddenly appeared and kicked the huge crocodile away.

There was a huge splash as it landed and a huge wave of water went into us.

I would've fallen over if Zoro didn't wrap his arm around my waist.

We need to get out of here and quick.

Soon Luffy and I will faint.

"Hey there. Been waiting long?" Sanji smirked at us.

"Prince?!" Both Usopp and Luffy yelled.

"Stop goofing around and find the key already." Zoro glared at Sanji.

More of the banana crocodiles appeared.

"Take out the third one. It's growl is the same as the one who ate the key." Smoker stated.

Sanji did just that and this weird ball flew out of its mouth instead of a key.

It suddenly cracked like an egg and out came Mr.3.

"I'm alive again. I thought I was dead there." Mr. 3 sighed in relief.

That was meant to be our key.

Wait....

I gently pushed Zoro away and walked towards the edge of the cage.

"Come over here." I told Mr. 3.

He glared at me, "Why should I?"

I shot him a glare.

He yelped and quickly scrambled over.

"What do you want?"

"Make a key to get us out of here." I demanded.

"And why would I do that?" He smirked.

I glared, "Do you want to die?"

"What are you doing to do from in that cage?"

"Don't test me."

Mr. 3 hesitated under my glare before agreeing.

"Alright! Fine!"

He made a key out of wax and unlocked the door.

It had taken him so long the room was almost completely filled with water.

My vision was fading out.

I was about to faint but the cage was unlocked.

There was a quiet click and the door opened.

My eyes closed and I felt my body start to sink into the water.

I felt an arm wrap around my waist and pull me towards them just before I fainted.

~*~

I coughed, a bit of water coming out of my mouth, then looked around.

We were on a huge crab.

"You're okay." Zoro sighed.

Everyone was here but...

"Where's Luffy?" I asked.

Zoro laughed slightly, "About that..."

Well, I can't say I'm surprised that's he's run off.

We started going through a river and the crab started sinking.

"I know. Pincers love dancing girls." Chopper exclaimed.

Did Nami name the crab?

What an awful name...

Nami pulled off her top layer of clothes to reveal the dancer outfit underneath.

She kept that on?

"Will this do?"

The crab started to run faster.

"All, right! Pervy power!" Chopper exclaimed.

What the hell...

Though at least it was working.

We made it to the middle of the water and started to sink again.

"Is this my imagination or are we sinking?" Usopp asked before shrieking, "Ahh! We're sinking!"

My eyes widened as we started to touch the water.

My body started to sink into the water and black spots appeared in my vision.

Zoro wrapped his arm around my waist and swum up to the surface.

I coughed slightly and took in a deep breath of air.

Zoro gently pat my back.

We're okay.

My body was leant weakly against Zoro and I let my head rest of his shoulder.

Usopp had saved Chopper from drowning luckily.

"Aren't there any ships?" Usopp complained to Vivi.

"Thanks you, Pincers!" Chopper waved cheerfully.

"This is no time to be waving goodbye..."

There was a huge ripple in the water and this huge fish creature emerged.

Chopper and Usopp let out terrified screams.

"It's a rare Sandoran catfish! They're only very rarely seen!" Vivi yelled over all the noise.

"You don't have to explain that." Usopp cried.

There was a huge splash as it dove back under the water.

"Also their favourite food is human." Vivi started to swim away.

"You might tell us that first!" Usopp yelled starting to swim away too.

Zoro held me closer and started to rapidly swim away.

The fish let out a roar and sunk into the water.

On top of it we're the Kung Fu Dugongs.

They saved us.

~*~

After a long fight we had defeated Crocodile and saved Alabasta.

I'm glad we survived.

Luffy was still asleep so I was a bit worried but I knew he'd wake up.

I sat next to his bed and watched his chest rise and fall.

He kept muttering in his sleep.

Abruptly he turned on his side and his face twisted into a frown.

Was he having a bad dream?

"Y/n." He whimpered.

I ran my hands through his hair to try and calm him down but his body kept shaking.

This has actually happened a few times come to think of it.

Though Luffy always acts cheerful even when he wants to cry.

I crawled into the bed and pulled him into a tight hug.

Luffy sniffled and then his body relaxed as he snuggled into me.

My hands moved on their own as they wiped the tears off his face.

His face was peaceful again as he slept.

I rested my head on his and rubbed his back every now and then to comfort him.

This had also happened quite a few times.

The door suddenly opened.

And there were footsteps walking towards the bed.

"What are you doing?"

I tilted my head and saw Zoro smirking at me.

"Luffy was having a nightmare." I stated.

Zoro hummed and gently ruffled my hair.

I slowly turned to face him, Luffy still curled up against me.

"Jealous?" I stuck my tongue out at him.

Zoro didn't respond.

"Zoro?"

He appeared deep in thought.

"I'm glad everything worked out." Zoro eventually spoke.

"Were you worried?"

"Something like that."

I reached my hand out and held his hand, squeezing it reassuringly.

~*~

Most of the crew were stood around Luffy's bed waiting for him to wake up.

I was stood next to him and Vivi, Usopp, Chopper and Sanji we all spread around the room.

Nami was sat a few beds away.

"I slept really well!" Luffy stretched as he sat up, "Oh? My hat? Where's my hat?!"

I grabbed his hat from the bedside table and placed it on his head.

He grinned at me, "Thanks, N/n! I'm starving.."

Luffy stretched his arms up in my direction and wrapped them around my neck, launching himself at me.

I stumbled slightly but managed to catch him.

"Oi, Luffy. Don't hurt Y/n." Sanji scolded him but we both ignored him.

I wrapped an arm around Luffy so he wouldn't fall as he wrapped his legs around my waist.

"I'm glad you get well, Luffy." Vivi told him.

Luffy turned to face her with a confused expression, "Got well? I've always been well."

"You idiot." Nami sighed, "You we're in serious condition with a high fever and stuff. Chopper and Y/n looked after you the whole time."

"Really? Thanks."

Zoro walked in, "Oh hey, Luffy! You woke up?"

He walked over to us and patted our heads.

"You went out training again, didn't you?!" Chopper yelled at him, "No means no! I'm the ship doctor! And don't take off the bandages, either!"

"It's hard to move with them." Zoro complained.

"Don't move!" Chopper retorted.

I laughed at them.

My arms were getting tired so I sat down on the bed.

Luffy stayed curled into my side, half sat on my lap.

"You slept for three days." Usopp told Luffy.

"Three days?! Did I sleep for three whole days?!" Luffy exclaimed, "I missed fifteen meals."

"How come you can calculate so quickly when it comes to food?!" Nami put her hands on her hips.

"On top of that, his calculations are five meals a day." Usopp added.

"Did I hear that right? The captain is up? It'll be dinner time soon, so would you wait a little?" This huge cart of fruits came in.

"Oh hey, old tube hair guy! You're alive?!"

"No. She's Teracotta." Nami corrected, "She's Igaram's wife and is also head of the palace's servers."

"Thank you for helping Vivi and my husband." Teracotta thanked us.

"No way! A wife could resemble her husband, but this is too much." Zoro sweatdropped.

"I heard you ate a lot." The cart was rolled next to Luffy, "Would you have some fruit to hold you over until dinner time?"

"Okay." Luffy ate the food really quickly, "Lady, I'm gonna eat three days worth of food."

"Looking forward to it!" Teracotta replied, "I've devoted my past thirty years to the job of serving! I won't lose against a youngster's stomach, so eat to your heart's content!"

~*~

I sighed as I watched Luffy almost single-handedly eat all of the food and everyone else's.

His hand came towards my food so I smacked it away.

Zoro glared at Luffy when he stole his food.

He took a big swig of his drink and demanded for more.

I smiled as everyone laughed and had fun.

~*~

"This feels good! I wonder if a ship with a big bath like this exists." Nami sighed as Vivi washed her back.

"I'm sure it does since the sea is so vast." Vivi replied, "Y/n, I'll do you next."

"Thanks." I replied shortly.

I felt a bit uncomfortable but I wasn't going to say anything.

My face was blank so I didn't show how uncomfortable I felt.

"We saw giants.. we saw dinosaurs.. We also saw cherry blossoms bloom in a winter land..."Vivi had a child-like excitement as she talked on all the adventures we went on.

I smiled softly at her, "Yeah. It was fun."

Vivi moved to scrub my back and Nami scrubbed Vivi's.

Then we all headed to the showers.

Nami turned her head up just as we were about to drop our towels and saw some of the boys looking over the walls.

I kept my blank expression but I was dying on the inside.

"It'll be one hundred thousand per person, okay?!" Nami stated.

What was she talking about?

She quickly dropped her towel.

I turned my head away with a startled expression.

"Nami!" Vivi yelled in shock.

The boys on the wall fell back onto their side.

We quickly showered and then got into the bath.

"I'm thinking that we might wanna leave here tonight..." Nami stated.

"What? Really?" Vivi asked, shocked.

"Well yeah. We have no reason to stay now." I explained.

Vivi frowned.

I placed my hand on her head, "It's okay."

"Huh?"

I smiled, "I could tell you were feeling down. But now everything's okay."

She seemed shocked that I had smiled and smiled back at me.

"What?" I asked as they were both staring at me.

"Well, you don't smile much. You've smiled a few times when with the crew but we haven't really spent that much time together." Nami smiled, "Your smile is really pretty."

I felt my cheeks getting red.

Vivi laughed and poked my cheek.

~*~

We were all riding on ducks and heading towards the docks.

"So this is finally farewell to the sand kingdom..." Usopp had tears running down his cheeks, "Hey Luffy, when are you going to stop eating?"

I'm glad. Sure I'll miss Vivi but it's way too hot here.

Luffy was still stuffing food into his mouth, "The Alabasta dishes are great. Sanji, make them sometime..."

"Yeah, I was interested, too, so I got some recipes from Teracotta. Some spices, too."

Chopper noticed Nami's sat expression.

"Nami, are you feeling sick?"

"You're thinking about Vivi, right?" Sanji guessed, "I understand how you're feeling... but thinking doesn't get you anywhere. Yeah. I know... you two were really close..."

"For Vivi's sake... I'm willing to give up... on the one billion berries."

What?

"Ah! Usopp fell!" Chopper yelled in shock as Usopp fell.

I managed to catch him by the collar and fling him back onto the duck.

He had tears in his eyes as he clung to the duck's neck, "Thanks, Y/n."

"Huh? What're you guys so worked up about? Nami asked.

We arrived at our ship to see Bon Clay there.

"I've been waiting. Long time no see!" He grinned at us.

Am I missing something?

"We're here." Zoro stated ignoring him.

"Okay, let's unload." Sanji also ignored him.

"Have a safe trip back." Usopp told the ducks.

"Hey! Wait a sec!" Bon Clay yelled.

"What?" I asked.

"Don't 'what' me! That's not how you should treat your friend, is it?!"

"Friend?!" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"What do you mean friend? We were enemies. You lied to us!" Luffy added.

"I didn't lie! I didn't know it, either."

"Why are you on our ship?!" Luffy asked with an annoyed expression.

"If I wasn't on this ship, what do you think would've happened to it?"

"It might've been taken by the Navy." Nami stated.

"Thanks." I stood next to him, "Now get off."

He gasped at me but complied when I narrowed my eyes at him.

Everyone else got onto the ship.

"Okay, let's go." Nami said once everything was on the ship.

"Wait!" Vivi yelled.

Everyone smiled excitedly.

"I came to say goodbye!"

Luffy's smile dropped.

"I can't.. go with you! Thank you so much for everything! I'd like to go on more adventures, but there no ignoring.. that I love this country! So I can't go!" Vivi yelled.

"I see." Luffy sighed.

Tears started flowing down Vivi's cheeks.

"But if we ever meet again some day.." she continued, ".. will you call me your friend again?"

I knew if we responded the marines would probably get the wrong idea.

I sent a small smile at Vivi which made her eyes widen.

We all turned around and pulled the bandage off our arm, showing the cross we had all drawn.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vivi do the same.

Goodbye, Vivi.

Our ship sailed off and left Vivi behind.

~*~

Everyone was sulking except Zoro and I.

"What's with those expressions?" Zoro asked.

"I miss her!"

"Don't be whiny! If you wanted her to stay with us that badly, you should've taken her by force." Zoro told them.

"Ahh! You're such a savage!" Chopper yelled.

"You're the worst!" Nami added.

"Moss head."

"Three-sword style.."

"Hey, wait, Luffy. That's not an insult."

"Four-sword style."

"The number isn't the problem."

"Looks like we finally made it off the island."

I whirled around at the familiar voice.

It was the girl with Crocodile.

He called her Miss All-Sunday.. right?

Everyone jumped up and stared at her in shock.

"Why are you here?" Nami yelled.

Hands emerged and whacked the weapons out of everyone's hands.

"Didn't I tell you before not to point such dangerous objects at me?" She smirked, "Monkey D. Luffy. You haven't forgotten what you did to me, have you?"

Sanji gasped, "What did you do to her, you bastard?!"

"Hey, you! Don't lie!" Luffy frowned, "I didn't do anything to you!"

"Yes, you did. Take responsibility."

"You don't make sense. What do you want me to do?"

"Let me.. join your crew."

~*~

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4219 words

A/n finally finished Alabasta arc. I had no motivation to do anything for like a week but I pulled through in the end.