Thrown into the Blue

The pirates and Vivi trudged through the sand, their footsteps slow and heavy. Usopp, far behind, leaned on a crooked stick like it was the last thing keeping him alive.

"You can do it, Usopp. Just a little longer!" Mel cheered him on, her tone overly dramatic like a stage performance. Drama trotted beside her, shaking his stubby arms like pompoms and chirping encouragingly. Mel patted Usopp's back lightly as if he were an exhausted toddler climbing a staircase.

"T-Thanks..." Usopp wheezed, a tear of gratitude sparkling in his eye... or maybe it was just sweat. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Luffy. "Oh yeah, Luffy. What was that thing your brother gave you?"

"Huh?" Luffy blinked and reached into his shirt. "Oh, that. I dunno. It's just a scrap of paper."

"A scrap of paper?" Chopper tilted his head, his nose twitching.

"Let me see that." Sanji plucked the paper from Luffy's fingers and held it up to the light like he was trying to read a secret code. "It really is just a scrap of paper. It's not a memo or anything."

"What's with that?" Usopp asked between gasps, squinting at it.

"I'm not really sure either," Luffy said with a shrug.

Before anyone could say anything else, a gust of wind snatched the paper from Sanji's hand. It danced through the air like a leaf until it floated toward Eyelashes, who promptly caught it in his mouth and began to chew.

"Hey! Don't eat it!" Luffy smacked the camel on the side. "Jerk!"

Eyelashes spat out the half-chewed paper with an offended grunt.

Mel bent down and gently picked up the now slightly soggy piece, brushing the sand off. "It's a Vivre Card," she said casually, handing it back to Luffy.

The others turned to her, blinking in unison. "A what?"

"I don't know everything about it," Mel said with a little shrug, "but it's made from someone's fingernail or something gross like that. It shows you where the person is—like, it always points in their direction or something. If the paper burns or crumbles, it means the person's in trouble."

The crew collectively shivered at the "fingernail" part.

"Wait... made of what?" Usopp asked, paling.

"Don't worry, it's not like you eat it," Mel grinned brightly.

"Still disgusting," Sanji muttered, flicking his fingers like the paper contaminated him.

"So this paper will show me where Ace is?" Luffy asked, wide-eyed as he held the card protectively.

"Yeah," Mel nodded. "So don't lose it again. Or let a camel eat it."

"Luffy, give me your hat." Nami smiled sweetly, holding her hand out toward the rubber boy.

"If it's that important, I'll sew it onto the back of the ribbon."

"Oh, thanks! Do it tight!" Luffy beamed, handing over his treasured straw hat like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Yeah, yeah," Nami said with a fond sigh. She pulled a needle and thread from her pouch, sat down cross-legged, and began to sew the Vivre Card securely into the ribbon of his hat. After a few focused stitches, she stood up, dusted her knees off, and tugged the hat back onto Luffy's head—pulling it down over his eyes.

"There you go."

"Thanks. Now I won't have to worry about it." Luffy grinned, fixing the brim as he tilted it back.

Just then, Usopp dragged himself forward dramatically and latched onto Mel's shoulder with a loud, exhausted groan. "Meeeeel," he whined, barely able to stand. "Carry meeee."