Angel's True Face (One Piece)

Sand Pirates!

Iris had completely lost consciousness however, the sound of something smashing entered her ears and had her sitting up straight with eyes wide open due to surprised "W-Wha...!" It was then when she looked around, only find a bunch of unfamiliar men surrounding her, not to mention the broken a mass, Nami and Vivi tied to the part that hadn't fallen, Eyelashes tied upside down.
"Sorry, my bad." and Luffy sitting in the middle of it all. She can't say she was all that surprised. "My throat's so parched I couldn't tell where I was going. Anyway, you guys have any water? Water..."
"Hey, didn't you come to save us?" Nami and asked, a bit annoyed.
"I just came to get some water." Of course that was his answer.
"Luffy, save us. I think they're going to eat Eyelashes." Vivi was trying to tell him.
"Can you even eat that thing?" He had answered her with a question, "Anyways, Don't you have Iris? She's far stronger then me." He had admitted
"Iris' unconscious!" She snapped at him.
"No she's not." Iris had had spoken up.
"Iris! You're okay!" Vivi had cried out to the blond hair woman, as she was sitting on a bench in the shade.
"Yeah, but I do feel a little light headed." She had to be honest with them. It's true Iris might be use to different environments but she guess that she wasn't as used to it as she though. That's when all their attention turned upwards, were the man that was demanding they handed over Eyelashes was standing,
"We, the Barbaro Sand Pirates, have a saying!" He was shouting down to Luffy. "'There is nothing that moves on the desert that is inedible.'" He had stated, which did make a lot of sense, since most living things are edible.
"I even eat stuff that falls on the floor!" Luffy had admitted without any shame.
"You'll get a tummy ache." Was the guys response.
"Then, I'll be careful." But that wasn't the point in the conversation.
"Strange lad!" The guy had burst into laughter
"You're pretty strange yourself!" As did Luffy, "Let's eat!" He was pointing at Eyelashes, who had then bursted into tears.
"WHY!?" Nami was kicking him the back of the head. It seemed when everything had claimed down, the guys had caught up with them on the ship as well. The crew had moved to being in front of the large man
"I am the captain of these Barbaro Sand Pirates, Barbarosa." He introduced himself. "You're Luffy, right? I apologise for the rough treatment of your friends." He seemed to be very kind. "So you said you were hungry?"
"Aw, don't worry about it!" Luffy was laughing sitting cross legged in front of him.
"Like you can talk!" Iris chucked at Nami smashing her fist into his head.
"But, Captain... we don't have any planks left in the ship to repair the main mast." A tall, tan, muscular man was saying to Barbarosa. Like every member on the crew, he was wearing a small umbrella on his head. His umbrella was yellow and tied on his head with a purple string. "And without the main mast, we won't have enough propulsion to sail."
"He's right! He's right! What should we do?" The crew members behind him were all screaming and shouting at one another.
"At this rate, we're going to die meaninglessly our here in the middle of the desert!" The man had informed him, now making all the men burst into tears.
"We're going to die meaninglessly! We're going to die meaninglessly in the middle of the desert!" What in interesting crew.
"We, the Sand Pirates, are born on our Sand Pirate Ship! And we die on the Sand Pirate Ship! Who would even think of throwing away our ship?" Barbarosa's speak had stopped everyone from crying.
"Yes! Yes! We'll die on this ship!" And now they were overly excited. "We'll die meaninglessly on this ship!" Although it wasn't something to be excited about.
"Yes, That is the destiny, and so is this! We, the Sand Pirates, shall not defy the flow of the sands!" This captain sure was an odd one, interesting, but odd. "But if we make the trek to the Melias Oasis, we can resupply our timber."
"Where is that place?" Luffy had asked standing up. It was clear to why he was asking that question. "I'll make a run."
"Eh? Well you see... the flow of the sand has been strange lately." Barbarosa was saying, telling him it would be too dangerous for an outsider, such as Luffy, do go at there.
"It's my responsibility. I'll do it!" But Luffy had already made up his mind and that was all it took for Barbarosa.
"I see! You'll do it?" At that, they had began to lower something like a bout onto the sand after we had moved down off the sand ship. "Bring the timber back in these sand sleds."
"They look more like rowboats than sleds." Nami was staring, which was very true.
"Zaba and Rasa will show you the way to Malias." A man had flicked his two fingers to us.
"Rasa?"
"Yeah, Rasa is the best sand sled navigator on our ship." Barbarosa had explained to Luffy. "Who will you be tandem with?" He had asked after explaining that.
"I'll be fine by myself!" Luffy was saying with completely confidence. But that was when Vivi gone up and stood beside one of the sleds. Her hand was placed on it, she seemed to be happy but at the same time sad. It was then when Iris felt something approaching that bared bloodlust.
"Vivi!" Pulling out one of her swords Iris had leaped in front of her and slashed away the odd shape dagger that had been aimed for Vivi. The dagger had hit right into the side of the sand ship. Looking up to where the dagger had come from a single silhouette, caused by the sun, of a woman stood on the broken mast before she leaped onto the sand.
"That was great! Rasa." The woman had turned around showing a woman with dark purple hair where a pink umbrella was placed in acting as a hair pin. She wore white blouse over the top of a purple shirt, red scarf and long, crimson pants. She also had on a pair of curved, brown boots.
"The others seem to be outsiders..." The woman Rasa, was speaking directly to Vivi. "...but you are from this Kingdom." She had another weapon and had it pointing at Vivi.
"You're pretty sharp!" Luffy didn't even hesitate in speaking out,
"You seem to know a little about how to use a sand sled. I'll take you along." She was being very forceful but that wasn't what bugged Iris. The woman's attitude towards Vivi was what it bugged her.
"Vivi can't do such a dangerous thing!" Sanji was shouting against it.
"Yeah! That's too much!" Nami was also against it, however
"Very well, I'll go with you." Vivi had agreed with it, causing the woman to smirk.
"So this thing glides on top of the sand? How the hell do you use it?" Luffy had gotten into the sled and was playing with the rope.
"I'll handle steering the sled." Vivi had told him stating that she had done it before.
"That's amazing." Iris had told her.
"It's not much different from a ship, right?" Luffy had began to lift up the small mast with the rope. "You just pull this thing..."
"Lu, that wouldn't be so wi-" The moment Iris was saying that, the wind had picked up and he was off beyond site. "I don't know how, but I had a feeling this would happen." She had honestly said. It wasn't long after that the sled was heading back, but this time it was being pushed,
"I... I'm back!" Luffy had the most terrible look on his face as it was covered in sweat,
"Welcome back." Iris had said before he collapsed to the ground.
"DON'T WASTE YOUR ENERGY DOING STUPID THINGS!" Nami, Usopp and Sanji had all snapped at him. It was after that, he had been placed into the sled but Iris, allowing Vivi to take the lead.
"Luffy, you just rest there. I think first you have to do this..." the wind picked up once again and they were screaming off into the distance.
"Good grief. Zaba, here we go!" That was when Rasa and Zaba had token off after them both. Now that only left us standing there.
"But, what are we gonna do while we wait?" Chopper had asked curious.
"Let's have some camel!" Barbarosa had happily suggested, and his whole crew cheered in agreement, but they weren't the only ones.
"We concur!" Both Usopp and Sanji had raised their arms in agreement. It only made Eyelashes cry.
"Don't be pick on the poor thing." Iris told them off as she was patting to comfort him
"Just kidding!" Barbarosa had then shouted and anyone of his men got depressed,
"It didn't sound like you were kidding." Nami was right about that. They really weren't joking about eating him. Time had passed since Luffy had left with Vivi and those that were left behind had once again boarded the sand ship. Iris had been sitting in the shade since then, having the men on it waiting on her hand and foot. However, she didn't know that at all.
"Let me cool you, Miss." one of the Pirates were fanning away, causing a breeze to coolly hit her face.
"That's nice." She was smiling at him.
"Here's some water." Another one had brought her water.
"Well isn't someone getting the royal treatment." Usopp was stated as he was sitting a bit further away watching the pirates completely head over heels in love with her.
"Can't blame them, after all, Iris is extremely beautiful." Nami was saying before walking over to Barbarosa.
"Iris is super nice too!" Chopper was saying all happy, thinking that she. Was just like a sister or mother. That was when the two of noticed her walked over to the side railing.
"Is something wrong?" Usopp had asked, a bit worried at the expression that she was making, it was quite serious.
"We have some company and they don't look like they want to be friends." She had stated, and the guys could now see the cloud of dust in the distance. But it wasn't just coming from.
"Boss! It's them!" One of the men were shouting. "They're coming! Everyone to the starboard bow!"
"Hurry!" They had began to run around as a long line of men riding on camels were heading right down to them.
"Look at 'em all!" Usopp was freaking out.
"Who are they?" Nami had asked.
"They're a pack of desert thieves." Barbarosa was explaining how they only survive by stealing from them. Iris thought he was right in calling them a pathetic bunch. "Nowadays, the country has been getting ready for war. They've been preparing to clear us out."
"Looks like they're marooned! Today, we'll settle this once and for all!" One of the bandits were laughing in joy
"Okay, boys! Don't let even one of those animals escape alive!" Barbarosa was shouting as he stood high above the rest.
"Aye!" They were all cheering. "Gladly!" Pulling out guns that they were pointing at the thieves. "Gladly!!" Along with their cannons.
"Do these guys think they're in a tavern or something?" Usopp was asking himself watching them, with cold sweat running down his face.
"We live off the desert! Will it choose us, the Barbarosa pirates, or you lowlifes?!" Barbarosa was shouting out to them. "We shall fight and let the desert decide our fates!"
"Fool! Fool! There's no way the desert would choose you!" At that moment, something round had appeared from on top of the sand dooms.
"What is that?" Iris was asking seeing only its outline due to the sun.
"BigDung Roller sighted! BigDung Roller sighted!" It had been repeated.
"BigDung Roller?" It was the first time Sanji had heard of it.
"What the hell is that?" As was it the same with Zoro. The two of them had just gotten back onto deck only to be hearing BigDung Roller.
"I'm pretty sure they're insects that roll giant balls of dung across the desert." Iris had stated remembering reading about them. "From what I've read, at least over 100 people get run over by those balls." She had added that fact. It was on that note, the dung began roll down the kill, crushing a few thieves on the way, however, it was heading right for the Sand Pirates' ship.
"Boss! At this rate, it's going to hit our ship straight on!" The man in look out had informed Barbarosa. It seemed to anger him and before anyone could say or do anything, the giant man had leaped off the ship and began running towards the giant dung ball. Shouting to them to leave it to him. Barbarosa made contact with the ball and with all his might had stopped it...
...
...
That would be nice at least, the dung had completely squashed him. Nami, Usopp and Chopper had began to scream in terror as the ball came closer. "I'll have to do something." The one to spring into action was Zoro as he grabbed two swords from the other pirates and leaped off the ship, in seconds he had sliced the ball that came to pieces, most of it landed on the ground after he did, however, two bigger pieces were sent flying towards the ship in two different directions. One was heading right for Sanji, who had kicked it to piece and wiped his shoes on the side railing. As for the other piece, it had be blasted to pieces after something shining had pierced right through it.
"That would have been unpleasant." Iris was saying, with a ball of light floating above her left hand that's elbow was on the left one.
"Thank you, my guests." Barbarosa was still on the ground as he thanked the three of them.
"I'LL LET YOU LIVE THIS ONCE!" The leader of the thieves was shouting with proud as if he hadn't just been crushed by dung. "YOU HAVE BARELY ESCAPED WITH YOUR LIVES!" With those final words he had ran off followed by his men.
"Let's give a warm round of applause." Usopp was saying as sweat drop fell. The sun had began to set. It was extremely beautiful to watch as Iris was sitting down on deck, with Chopper on her lap, Nami sitting beside her and Barbarosa standing on the other side.
"They ran off with their tails between their legs! Well, sorry we can't give you food, water, or timber." He had told them.
"You Sand Pirates have it tough, don't you?" Nami was saying to him, Iris would have to agree.
"Everything that lives on the desert has the same problems. Long ago, I thought the desert belonged to everyone. But when I think about it now... I say 'Damn, What a ridiculous thought!'" Barbarosa had then stated that he began to think it belonged to nobody and it was because of that they can live freely.
"Isn't that the same about the sea?" Iris had spoken, thinking about it properly.
"Maybe. You guys will have to find that one out for yourselves." He was right. Either way, it was fun to see what the answer will be to it.
"You know, I feel like someone's missing." The Angle came to notice the group being one person down. "Where is Ace?"