Kung Fu Dugongs:
-x-
North of Nanohana across an expense of desert was the city of Alubarna, Alabasta's Capital. A group of around twenty weary-looking citizens wearing heavy desert clothing were making their way up a long flight of nearly three hundred steps to the Royal Palace. The large, majestic building was made up of large blocks of – alabaster – stone and overlooked the entire city.
Two guards armed with bladed staves came running down from the top of the steps and met the group of civilians. "HOLD IT!" one of the guards ordered as the two of them crossed their weapons to keep the citizens from passing. "What business do you have here?'
"We have to see the King!" a man at the front of the group answered.
"We're dying out here!" another man at the head of the group complained, "How much longer can this war go on?"
"Between the war and the drought there's nothing to eat!" the first man stated, "Our crops and livestock are dead!"
"My baby needs milk!" a woman holding a baby added from her position behind the two men. "There must be some in the palace! Let us in!"
The group of tired and hungry citizens pressed forward and attempted to push passed the guards to gain refuge in the palace. Outnumbered over ten-to-one the guards began to give ground and were pushed up a couple of steps.
"STOP PUSHING!" one of the guards shouted, "STAY BACK!"
KREEEEEEEK! The struggling stopped and the complaints quieted when the massive fifty foot double doors to the palace slowly opened to reveal King Nefertari Cobra. King Cobra walked to the top of the steps and stared silently down at the citizens of his kingdom.
"ARE YOU GONNA JUST STAND THERE AND DO NOTHING?" a man at the back of the group demanded. "YOU CALL YOURSELF A KING?"
"SHUT UP!" one of the guards snapped, "HOW DARE YOU INSULT HIS ROYAL—"
"THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT!" the regal voice of Nefertari Cobra boomed. "ALL OF THEM!" Cobra began to make his way down the steps so he was closer to the people of his kingdom and didn't have to shout down at them.
"I'm sorry," King Cobra apologized, "You've all had to put up with unbearable suffering because of my lack of strength, for that I apologize." King Cobra motioned passed himself towards the open doors of the royal palace. "Those who wish to speak, please come inside the palace. Tell me of your qualms and I will listen. The only thing I can promise is that I will share your suffering as if it were my own. I ask that you endure a little more. Mark my words though, I will return peace to this kingdom... even if it takes my life to do so."
"Father this is an obvious setup!" Vivi had said three years ago before she and Igaram had left in infiltrate Baroque Works. "It's clear that someone is trying to throw you and this kingdom into ruin!"
The King of Alabasta made his way back up the steps and the citizens were allows passed him to gain temporary sanctuary in the royal palace. The two heads guards - one of which was Chaka the Acting Captain of the Royal Guard - who had been standing in the palace doorway to ensure that the King wasn't attacked by a desperate citizen nodded to the King and followed the civilians into the palace.
King Cobra remained standing at the top of the stairs and took a moment to stare at the sky off in a distance.
"I hope you're alright, my dear," Cobra thought to his daughter. "I wonder where you are right now, and what you're doing... even at this very moment."
-x-
"The tea's ready!" Sanji announced to Vivi as the princess sat at Nami's desk in the woman's quarters of the Going Merry while writing something. "Come on up to the galley."
