One Piece (Love Story) [Part One]

Chapter Thirty Eight [Rewritten]

-Chapter Thirty-Eight-

"You all, Luffy was right—I've made up my mind now" Vivi sniffed, wiping away her tears as she started to pick herself back up. "Change of plans, we're going to go find Crocodile" she huffed.

"Yeah!" Luffy nodded with a cheer.

"That does seem the quickest way of stopping the fighting from happening" Nami remarked, quick to agree with the princess' change in plans.

"I guess it does—take down the boss and the cronies won't know what to do or might not even have a reason to continue with the plan" I nodded.

"And we can quit wandering around the desert too, it was beginning to get old" Zoro said.

"Agreed..." I muttered, ready to be done with the vast wastelands around us.

"So where is he anyway, this damn Crocodile guy?" Sanji asked.

"Let's see" Vivi hummed as she laid the map of the land out before us, motioning for us all to huddle close. "This is the capital city, Alubarna, where my father rules...and the Rebel Army is camped here, getting ready to invade Alubarna..." she explained, pointing at the capital before moving her finger along the map and towards the city where the Rebel Army's base was now located.

"So we just need to get to Crocodile before the Rebels can get to Alubarna" Sanji summarized for her.

"This is where Crocodile is, over here—Rainbase" Vivi nodded as she pointed elsewhere on the map.

"Rainbase?" Usopp questioned.

"It's a city, a bit north of us—about a day's journey from here" she explained.

-Later-

"Okay, did I or did I not tell the two of you to quit with the pathetic moaning all the time?" Nami irritably asked, causing Usopp and Luffy to angrily snap at her.

"Shut up! This arguing isn't helping any of us with this bothersome heat!" I snapped right back which only caused them to turn their anger towards me. "I don't really care!" I shouted, not caring to hear about how fair it was that Nami got to ride atop Eyelash's back and they didn't or how annoying the desert sun was.

"Hey, Chopper, you managed to make it all day without complaining" Zoro pointed out, quick to note how the reindeer hadn't once asked to be pulled today.

"He's right" I nodded, unable to keep the worry out of my face the moment I looked down at the reindeer and saw how exhausted he look even as he pushed himself to walk alongside us. "Don't push yourself, okay—I understand not wanting to feel like a bother, but you should know better than all of us to prioritize your health."

"Yeah, I'm trying hard not to and I won't" Chopper panted. "Vivi, does this Rainbase city have a water supply?" he wearily asked.

"Oh, yeah—no shortages there" Vivi nodded, causing the reindeer to sigh in relief upon knowing that there was actually water finally waiting for us in the next city. "It's a gambling town, almost completely isolated from all the fighting" she explained, instantly catching Nami's attention.

"Ah! Gambling!" the navigator happily clapped, her eyes as bright as beli signs as she visibly started to get excited.

"You do realize that you're more likely to lose more money when gambling than gaining some, right?" I asked with a raised brow. "Like those games are absolutely rigged in the house's favor" I point out, not understanding why she was getting all excited by the thought of gambling.

"Not if you're good at it, then you can get lots of money" she happily hummed, practically ignoring me.

"No way, Nami, we're not going there to gamble" Zoro glared.