Chapter 62: Crossing the desert

The crew continued walking across the vast desert under the scorching heat. Luffy was panting dramatically while leaning on a stick.

"I'm burning... I don't even sweat anymore..." Luffy complained, exhausted.

"Stop whining so much, Luffy. You're only making yourself more tired," Nami told him, but he kept on going. "He's not even listening to me."

"I can't take it anymore. I can't stand the heat. I'm better off in cold places," Chopper said, exhausted, as Zoro dragged him on a small bed made of sticks.

"That's because of all the fur you have. How about shedding your coat?" Usopp said, angering the reindeer.

"What did you say, idiot?! Don't mock reindeer!" Chopper shouted, transformed into his Heavy Point.

"MONSTER!" Usopp screamed in fear as Zoro pulled the rope tied to the stick-bed, but it wouldn't move.

"Chopper, don't grow big! Otherwise, I can't pull you!" Zoro said, irritated.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A MONSTER, BIG NOSE?!" Chopper yelled.

"D-don't be ridiculous. In case you didn't know, this nose..." Usopp started, but Zoro interrupted by pushing Chopper down so he'd shrink again.

"Go back to normal!" Zoro shouted angrily.

"You don't seem too affected by the heat, Vivi-chan," Sanji said, noticing the princess looked quite unfazed despite the high temperatures.

"I was born and raised here, so it doesn't bother me much," Vivi replied. "What surprises me is that Oliver-san doesn't seem affected either."

"That's because my body isn't affected by heat or cold, so I don't need to cover up like you guys to protect myself from the sun," Oliver said without a drop of sweat.

"That makes no sense," Sanji said.

"Well, what can I say, my body adapts to different situations. If you don't want to believe me then... what a shame," Oliver said.

"Why are there so many slopes? I thought deserts were flat," Usopp said while Luffy kept complaining.

"This is a very old desert. The tallest dunes are 300 meters high," Vivi told him.

"300 meters?! This is like climbing a mountain..." Usopp said, shocked.

"Complaining won't make them smaller, but if it's that hard for you, I can carry—"

Oliver didn't even finish before Usopp jumped into his arms, who carried him like a princess.

"You're my hero, Oliver," Usopp said with princess-like eyes and sparkles around him, one hand on Oliver's cheek, while Oliver looked disgusted.

"Don't ever do that again. Pick back or I'll carry you by the nose," Oliver said without changing his expression.

"B-Back," Usopp said, getting down and climbing onto Oliver's back.

"That's better," Oliver said, still a bit grossed out.

"I can't take it anymore... It's so hot... I need water..." Luffy said, tired and panting.

"Luffy, drink a little. But just one sip," Nami told him, to which Luffy filled his mouth with water.

Seeing this, Nami and Usopp—who had gotten down from Oliver's back—ran up and smacked Luffy on the head, making him spit out the water.

"DON'T DRINK TOO MUCH!" Nami shouted angrily.

"Give me some! You already took thirteen sips!" Usopp said, just as annoyed, which made Sanji step in.

"Wait! You just drank, it's my turn!" Sanji said, and the three of them started fighting.

"Well, at least I don't have to carry Usopp," Oliver said as he kept walking.

"Hey, you made me spit the water! That sip doesn't count!" Luffy said.

"That's your fault!" Usopp replied.

"Don't fight! You're just wasting energy!" Vivi said, getting them to calm down.

"Hey, Sanji. Make a pirate lunch," Luffy said, hungry with his tongue hanging out.

"Not yet. Not until Vivi-chan says so," Sanji replied, rejecting the idea.

"Vivi, let's eat. I've got no energy," Luffy said, walking up to her with a smile.

"But we've only covered a fourth of the distance to Yuba..." Vivi said, a bit worried about how much was left.

"You're so silly. Don't you know the saying? If you're hungry, eat," Luffy said seriously.

"Stop making stuff up!" Usopp shouted, swinging the stick he was holding as Oliver carried him again.

'Carrying him again... At least this time he chose the back,' Oliver thought.

"Alright. How about we rest at the next rocks we find?" Vivi said.

"YEAH! Rocks!" Luffy said, looking around. "Guys! Let's go to the next rocks! Whoever loses rock-paper-scissors carries everyone's luggage!"

"You don't get to decide that alone!" Usopp shouted.

After a quick round of rock-paper-scissors, Luffy ended up losing and had to carry everyone's luggage.

"So... heavy... It's so hot..." Luffy complained as he dragged the luggage, suffering from the heat.

"Well, you shouldn't have picked a game you suck at," Oliver said.

"Don't drop it!" Nami said as Luffy panted, exhausted.

"I found some rocks up ahead!" Usopp announced, which made Luffy's attitude completely change as he smiled energetically.

"Really?! Break time! FOOD!" Luffy shouted, sprinting ahead at full speed, leaving dust behind.

"He's so fast!" Usopp said, seeing Luffy run.

Luffy, who had run to the rocks, stayed there for a bit while the others kept advancing, until he came running back again shouting.

"CHOPPER, THERE ARE LOTS OF INJURED BIRDS THAT CAN'T MOVE! Alright, Chopper! Let's go!" Luffy shouted, making Chopper start following him.

"Yeah!" Chopper said, running after Luffy.

"Let's save them!" Luffy said as Vivi realized what birds they might be.

"Birds?! Wait, Luffy-san! Don't tell me those birds are...!"

The whole crew ran to the rocks, but when they got there, all their things had disappeared.

"Our luggage is gone!" Zoro said, surprised.

"They tricked us..." Nami said.

"It's true! There were birds dying over there!" Luffy said, trying to find the stuff by moving rocks.

"I'm sorry. I should've said something earlier. Warusagi birds are desert thieves that trick travelers and steal their luggage," Vivi explained, feeling a little guilty for not warning them earlier.

"Don't worry. You can't tell us about every threat in Alabasta. We just should've been more careful," Oliver said, trying to ease her guilt.

"Luffy! That was our supply for three days!" Sanji shouted, grabbing him. "How could you let a bunch of birds rob you?!"

"They tricked me! I couldn't do anything!" Luffy said.

"Let it go!" Zoro shouted at them, then sat down. "Let's rest for a while. You're hungry and overheated. Calm down a bit. We'll reach Yuba by night, right?"

"Yes," Vivi replied.

"If it's an oasis, we just need to be patient. We're not going to die," Zoro said. "Also, Oliver said he has extra supplies stored."

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Luffy shouted, running to Oliver. "FOOD!"

"I didn't think we'd need it this soon," Oliver said, a little disappointed. 'That, and I forgot about the birds. We could've saved money to buy more Tokens.'

Oliver was about to get the food when the birds reappeared, drinking water.

"THERE THEY ARE!" Luffy shouted, starting to chase them.

"Don't chase them, Luffy! How will you get back?!" Nami shouted after him.

"I'll go get him," Oliver said.

He ran toward Luffy and saw that he was already coming back—being chased by a gigantic lizard.

"It's huge!" Usopp shouted, seeing the lizard.

"A Sandora Lizard!" Vivi shouted when she saw it.

Zoro and Sanji got ready to attack, but Oliver moved ahead, using Geppo, and after spinning mid-air, launched a Rankyaku that sliced the lizard in half.

"Wow, I really do lose some attack power when I'm sick," Oliver said as he carefully landed. "Well, now we've got food."

Oliver started laughing, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.