Thrown into the Blue

still walking through sand

Mel looked at him deadpan, eyes as dry as the desert around them. "Do I look like I have muscles?" she asked flatly. "It's a miracle I can carry Drama around and still walk in a straight line."

Drama, perched on her shoulder like a smug little prince, puffed up with pride.

Vivi turned back toward the group with a soft smile. "Everyone, once we pass that large rock over there, we'll almost be at Yuba. Let's just keep going a little more," she said, pointing toward a set of large rocks in the distance.

"Yeah!!"

"Yuba!" Luffy cheered and took off sprinting ahead, kicking up a small trail of sand behind him.

"Yuba!" Chopper echoed, hopping excitedly on his tiny hooves before latching onto Mel's hand like an overexcited toddler. Mel chuckled warmly and gave his hoof a gentle squeeze, letting him tug her along.

Meanwhile, Usopp limped behind them like a dying soldier. "Zoro... carry me?" he moaned hopefully.

"You wuss," Zoro muttered without even glancing at him.

"Can we?" Luffy suddenly skidded to a stop and turned around with a huge grin. "Carry me too, Zoro!"

Zoro let out a groan and rolled his eyes. "We'll do rock, paper, scissors."

Luffy's eyes lit up instantly. "Really?!"

"No."

Mel snorted, covering her mouth. "You really walked into that one, rubber boy."

Zoro smirked and marched past them, the sun casting long shadows across the sand as they finally neared the promise of water and rest. A breeze tugged at Mel's hair, and for once, it wasn't carrying sand—just the scent of possibility.

"You think Yuba's got snacks?" Mel asked hopefully.

"Water first," Nami replied. "Then snacks."

"Ugh. Fine. I guess we'll do survival your way," Mel muttered dramatically as if it were the biggest sacrifice of her life.

—

Night had finally wrapped its blanket around the desert, the stars glittering across the ink-black sky as the last golden sliver of the sun dipped beneath the dunes. The moon rose high and full, casting a silver glow on the sand like a blessing from the heavens.

"Ah, over there." Vivi pointed toward the flickering shimmer ahead, her voice uncertain. "I see something shining."

"Are we at Yuba?" Luffy squinted into the hazy distance, holding a hand above his eyes. "There's so much sand in the air, I can't tell."

Mel narrowed her eyes, her brows furrowed as she studied the glint through the rising dust. "No... something's not right. That's a sandstorm—Yuba's being swallowed by one right now!"

Vivi turned pale, her eyes wide, and her hands began to tremble slightly.

When the sandstorm finally passed, the group stood in stunned silence, staring at what was left of Yuba. It wasn't the oasis they had hoped for. Half the town was buried under dunes, and the parts still standing looked worn and forgotten.

"Oh no..." Vivi's voice cracked, her eyes welling up with tears. "This... this isn't what I..."

"This is pretty bad," Zoro said bluntly, glancing around. That earned him an immediate nudge from Mel, who elbowed him hard in the ribs. She shot him a glare and tilted her head toward Vivi.

"Alright, alright." Zoro raised his hands in surrender. "I get it."

"Where's the water?" Luffy moaned, tongue lolling from his mouth like a tired puppy.