Emma and I ran through the chaos, trying to find a way out.
"Why does every place we visit turn into a war zone?" Emma yelled, dodging a blast of gunfire.
"Maybe we're cursed!" I shouted back.
We turned a corner and stopped. A group of rebels were surrounding a girl with long blue hair and a white cloak. She was on the ground, trying to cover her head as the rebels closed in.
"Stay down, princess!" one of the soldiers yelled, but he was knocked away before he could reach her.
Princess?
I didn't think. I jumped in, knocking two rebels aside with the back of my sword. The third swung his weapon, but I blocked and kicked him back.
Emma moved fast, slashing the spears out of their hands and flipping one of them over her shoulder.
When the dust settled, only the blue-haired girl was left, staring at us with wide eyes.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
She nodded, breathing hard. "Thank you… but you shouldn't have done that! You'll be targeted too!"
"Too late for that," Emma said, brushing sand from her hair.
The girl stood, clutching her cloak tightly. "I'm Princess Vivi of Alabasta. I need to stop this war before everyone dies."
Princess Vivi. The name hit me like lightning. I remembered her from the anime — Luffy's friend, the one who tried to save her country from Crocodile.
She looked desperate, her eyes full of worry. "Please… I need help. The Straw Hat Pirates are fighting to stop the real enemy, but they can't do it alone!"
Emma looked at me. "Straw Hat Pirates? You mean that Luffy guy?"
I nodded slowly, hiding my surprise. "Yeah. Sounds like we're in the middle of their mess again."
Vivi stepped closer, her voice trembling. "Please, I beg you. Help me save Alabasta. Crocodile plans to destroy everything. My people… my father… they'll all die if this continues!"
Emma sighed, resting her hands on her hips. "Well, captain? What now?"
I looked at the princess, then at the burning city behind her. "Guess we can't just walk away."
Vivi's eyes widened with hope. "You'll help me?"
"Yeah," I said. "We'll help you save your home."
She smiled — it was weak, but real.
"Thank you," she whispered. "The Straw Hats are already fighting in the palace. If we hurry, we can stop Crocodile."
I glanced at Emma. "Looks like we're heading right back into the fire."
She groaned. "You really know how to pick our adventures, captain."
We followed Princess Vivi through the burning streets of Alubarna. Every few steps, another explosion shook the ground. The city was falling apart.
"Stay close!" Vivi shouted as we ran. "The palace is just ahead!"
Emma sliced through a broken cart blocking the road. "You sure it's still standing?" she asked.
Vivi didn't answer. She just kept running.
We turned a corner and saw a huge group of rebels fighting soldiers in the street. The air was full of dust and smoke. There was no way around.
"Guess we're going through," I said.
Emma smirked. "Finally, something simple."
I charged forward with my sword. The first rebel swung at me, but I blocked and shoved him aside. Emma moved beside me, cutting down anyone who got too close. Vivi stayed behind us, ducking under a fallen beam.
"You two are amazing!" Vivi said, panting.
Emma grinned. "We try."
After fighting our way through, we reached a quiet alley. Vivi leaned against the wall, catching her breath.
"The palace is just over that hill," she said. "But Crocodile will be there… and he's dangerous."
I looked at her. "We know. But we're not turning back now."
Vivi hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. But please—don't die for me."
Emma rolled her eyes. "You say that like we plan to."
We started climbing the sand hill leading to the palace. The heat was brutal, and the sounds of battle echoed behind us. Smoke rose higher into the sky.
As we got closer, I could see the palace walls. Big, tall, and cracked from cannon fire. The gates were half open.
Suddenly, the ground shook again. A sandstorm began to form in the distance — no ordinary one.
Vivi froze. "That's him…" she whispered. "That's Crocodile's power."
Emma squinted. "Sand powers, huh? Great. Just what we needed."
I tightened my grip on my sword. "We'll deal with him when we get there."
We pushed forward, shielding our eyes from the blowing sand. Every step felt heavier.
Finally, we reached a small archway near the palace courtyard. From there, we could see everything — soldiers fighting, Straw Hats clashing with Baroque Works agents, and in the middle of it all… a tall man with a golden hook for a hand.
Crocodile.
He stood calm in the storm, his coat blowing in the hot wind.
Vivi's hands clenched. "That's him. He's the reason for all this!"
Emma looked at me. "So… what's the plan?"
I smiled faintly. "Same as always. Try not to die."
Emma groaned. "You're terrible at giving orders."