Waves of Freedom

Chapter 8 - Fractured Truths

"Everyone, wake up! We're here!" Aizawa yelled, his voice cutting through the sleepy haze as the ship docked at the sandy shores of Alabasta.

The students stirred, their eyes wide as they took in the sun-drenched landscape before them. The golden sands stretched out as far as the eye could see, dotted with the occasional palm tree swaying in the warm breeze.

"So this is Alabasta..." Kirishima said, his voice filled with awe.

"There's nothing but sand!" Denki yelled, his excitement tinged with disappointment. "Where are the cool buildings or the... I don't know, treasures?"

"Why do you think it's called the Sand Kingdom?" Jiro shot back, rolling her eyes.

"Just give it a minute," Momo chimed in. "There has to be more to this place than just sand."

Aizawa sighed, his usual unamused demeanor barely shifting. "Let's get to walking were not that far from the kingdom..." 

"We're walking in this heat?!" Sato complained, wiping sweat from his brow. "This is torture!"

"I know, right?" Kaminari added, fanning himself dramatically. "I signed up for special Marine training, not a desert survival course!"

"Just think of it as character building," Aizawa said dryly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Keep moving."

The students groaned but complied, trudging along the sandy path. As they walked, they began to notice the landscape shifting. The golden sand gradually gave way to rocky outcroppings and scrubby vegetation.

"Izu..." Uraraka thought, her head hung low as they walked. Memories of Izuku flooded her mind—his determination, his unwavering spirit, and the way he always stood up for his friends, even when they didn't appreciate him. She couldn't shake the feeling of guilt for how they had treated him.

As the group continued to trek through the heat, Uraraka glanced around at her classmates. They were chatting and joking, oblivious to her internal struggle. "What if he's out here somewhere? What if he needs us?" she mused, her heart heavy with regret.

"I hope we find some cool stuff in this kingdom," Kirishima said, breaking through her thoughts. "Maybe even clues about Izuku!"

"Yeah, right," Bakugo scoffed, adjusting his gloves. "As if he'd be dumb enough to come to a place like this."

"Stop it, Bakugo," Momo said, shooting him a disapproving look. "He wouldn't just abandon us. He's a Marine."

"Yeah, well, it's not like we've exactly treated him like a friend," Bakugo shot back, a hint of frustration creeping into his tone. "He probably got fed up and took off."

"Or he's out there doing something heroic," Uraraka countered, her voice steady despite the emotions swirling within her. "We can't just assume the worst."

Aizawa, still leading the way, glanced back at them with a rare flash of concern in his eyes. "Focus, everyone. The sooner we reach the kingdom, the sooner we can start looking for him."

Meanwhile, in a bustling market square within the kingdom of Alabasta, Vlad King and his class had just arrived a couple of hours earlier. The vibrant colors of the stalls and the sounds of vendors calling out their wares filled the air, creating a stark contrast to the golden sands they had just crossed.

"Umm, sir!" Reiko called out.

"Yes?" Vlad replied, turning to face his students.

"Why did we come here?" Awase asked, looking puzzled.

"Yeah, I thought Class 1-A had this under control?" Rin added.

"Maybe they couldn't handle it! See, I knew we were bet—" Monoma started, only to be interrupted by Kendo, who smacked him lightly on the back.