The sudden rain fell like a miracle.
From the very moment the battle in Alubarna concluded, it began to pour across the entirety of Alabasta.
It was not a violent downpour. Rather, it was a quiet, steady drizzle—a rare blessing in this arid land—that seemed to wrap the kingdom in a gentle embrace, as if to heal the hearts of its people.
Alubarna: The Palace Plaza
A heavy atmosphere hung over the great plaza where the masses had gathered. It was a suffocating air, a complex mélange of joy and deep regret.
Immediately following the cessation of hostilities, those belonging to Baroque Works were taken into custody by the Marines. Crocodile was among them. unconscious and offering no resistance, he was shackled with Seastone cuffs. The process was completed quietly, though the vigilance of the captors never wavered.
The crisis of the kingdom's usurpation had passed. Yet, even with that knowledge, the air was devoid of celebration. The cost of this battle had been far too high.
Countless soldiers had fallen. The city of Alubarna lay broken, and the citizens remained refugees in the desert. Reconstruction would require an immense amount of time, physical labor, and mental fortitude. Perhaps thinking of the arduous road ahead, the expressions on the people's faces were complicated.
Gazing down at the face of a fallen soldier, Koza murmured, his voice barely a whisper.
"Everything we did... it was a mistake."
The Rebel Army's actions had often been radical. People had been hurt. People had suffered. And all of it, ultimately, had played right into the hands of Baroque Works.
What a foolish leader I was, he must have thought, unable to even realize I was being used. He could not help but be consumed by regret.
Vivi, unsure of what to say, simply watched his back in silence. This was not a situation that could be smoothed over with simple comforts. Consequently, everyone held their tongues. Looking around, she saw the same pained expression mirrored on every face; even Chaka and Pell, who had barely survived themselves, remained silent, unable to find the words to bridge the gap.
Koza was undoubtedly blaming himself. The soldiers of the Rebel Army surely felt the same weight. With no words to offer, a profound silence dominated the area.
"We've done something terrible..." Koza said, his voice trembling. "How can we ever apologize to them?"
Seeing Koza's shoulders slump, Vivi cast her eyes downward. It was then that King Cobra passed by, placing a steady hand on her shoulder.
"It is natural to feel regret. It is natural to feel overwhelmed."
As the King spoke, the attention of the crowd shifted to him.
"We have lost much, and gained nothing."
"King..."
"Your Majesty..."
Voices rippled through the crowd. In times like these, it was always his words that saved them. Feeling the gaze of his people upon him, Cobra filled his voice with strength and addressed them.
"Make no mistake, this is progress! Regardless of who the enemy was, the war occurred, and now it has ended! No one can erase the past!"
Cobra's words stirred the hearts of the people. Slowly, the despair on their faces began to shift.
"We must stand atop this war! And we must live!!"
Chaka and Pell wept quietly. This man was, without a doubt, a true King.
"People of Alabasta!!"
His roar reached the citizens. They could not simply forget everything—nor should they. They would carve the memory of this war deep into their hearts and use it to survive what came next. Watching this, a faint smile touched Vivi's lips, and she felt a wave of relief.
Slowly, but surely, the air in the plaza began to change. They had to start walking forward. And that change was undoubtedly for the better.
"Quaa~!"
"Eh? Karoo?"
Startled by the sudden cry, Vivi turned to find Karoo approaching. Riding on the duck's back was Smoker, and Tashigi, realizing they had been spotted, walked toward them. Smoker had been bandaged with emergency first aid, though the wrapping was so haphazard it had clearly been done by the duck. He, however, seemed to have no intention of fixing it.
"Smoker..."
"Is it over?"
"Yes... We captured Crocodile. Thanks to them."
"I see."
Perhaps due to his injuries, Smoker looked a little unsteady as he dismounted Karoo. Tashigi immediately rushed to his side to offer her shoulder. Under normal circumstances, he would have brushed her off, but he knew he couldn't walk without support right now. He accepted the help without a word.
Smoker scanned the plaza, grasping the general situation in an instant. He immediately shifted his gaze and spoke.
"Let's go."
"By that... which meaning do you intend, sir?"
"Exactly the meaning you're thinking of."
Leaning on Tashigi, he began to walk away. Tashigi's expression, however, was dark; she was clearly not in a good state of mind. As the two Marines moved to leave, Vivi realized something with a start.
"Wait... where is everyone?"
"Quaa~"
The Straw Hat Crew was gone. She had been so consumed with worry for the people in the plaza that she hadn't noticed their disappearance. Where on earth had they gone?
The fact that the two Marines were leaving suggested they might be heading out to capture them. A sudden panic seized Vivi, and she broke into a run alongside Karoo.
"Let's go, Karoo! We have to talk to them!"
"Quaaaa!"
They had helped with everything. She couldn't possibly accept them being captured by the Navy. Even if she were accused of neglecting her duties as a citizen, this was the one thing she would not yield on.
Vivi and Karoo left the plaza, lagging slightly behind, and began searching for the Straw Hat Crew who had quietly vanished.
Rain continued to fall silently upon the post-war city.
Having left the plaza without a word, the Straw Hat Crew had taken shelter in a relatively undamaged house to escape the rain. They sat on the floor, each nursing their exhaustion.
"Alright. All done."
Chopper, his right arm broken, had finished treating Luffy with Nami's assistance. Luffy was already dead asleep to recover; his complexion was pale, but his expression was peaceful. Exasperated, Nami took the straw hat from around her neck and placed it beside him.
Finally able to rest, and lacking the energy to even pack away his medical tools, Chopper let out a long sigh.
"Luffy is amazing... He actually beat a Warlord of the Sea."
"Yeah. He gave me a heart attack, but in the end, I'm glad we believed in him."
Nami gave a wry smile. Watching Luffy sleep, Usopp spoke with deep feeling.
"The scariest thing is that he fought in that condition. How is he even alive? This guy..."
"Since he's got nothing upstairs, he funneled all his stats into sheer survivability," Sanji muttered, slumped over. He had a cigarette in his mouth but made no move to light it. "You'd be dead by now."
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded over 30 chapters of this story on Patreon.
If you're enjoying it and want to read ahead, feel free to check them out here:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thanks a lot for your support, it really helps me keep going.