Chapter 122: The Oasis That Was
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the desert as the Straw Hat crew finally approached the outskirts of Yuba. The journey had been grueling, the relentless heat and shifting sands testing their endurance at every step. Vivi had assured them that Yuba would still be a green oasis, a place of life and respite amidst the barren wasteland. But as they drew closer, the landscape told a different story.
The first sign that something was wrong came when they crested a large dune and saw the faint outline of the city in the distance. Instead of the lush greenery Vivi had described, they saw only sand—endless, unbroken stretches of it. The city's walls, once a symbol of its prosperity, were now half-buried, their weathered stones barely visible beneath the shifting dunes. The air was eerily quiet, the only sound the soft whisper of the wind as it carried grains of sand across the desolate landscape.
Vivi stopped abruptly, her breath catching in her throat. She stared at the city, her eyes wide with disbelief. "This... this can't be Yuba," she whispered, her voice trembling. "It was supposed to be green... full of life, an oasis. What happened here?"
Nami stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Vivi... I'm so sorry," she said softly, her voice filled with sympathy. "This... this isn't what you described."
Usopp, who had been lagging behind, finally caught up and let out a low whistle. "Wow. This place looks like it's been abandoned for years. Are you sure this is the right spot, Vivi?"
Vivi nodded, though her expression was filled with doubt. "This is Yuba. It has to be. But... it's not supposed to look like this. It was supposed to be an oasis, a place where people could find water and shelter. What happened?"
Goku, who had been unusually quiet throughout the journey, finally spoke up, his voice low and serious. "Let's take a closer look. Maybe we'll find some answers."
The crew nodded, their earlier exhaustion replaced by a sense of urgency. They moved forward, their footsteps slow and deliberate as they approached the city. The closer they got, the more apparent the damage became. The once-thriving fields were now barren, the soil cracked and dry. The trees that had once provided shade and sustenance were now little more than skeletal remains, their branches brittle and lifeless. The city's buildings, which had once been vibrant and full of life, now stood silent and empty, their windows dark and their walls crumbling.
As they entered the city, the crew was struck by the eerie silence. There were no signs of life—no people, no animals, not even the faintest hint of movement. The streets were empty, the only sound the soft crunch of sand beneath their feet.
Usopp shivered, his voice barely above a whisper. "This place gives me the creeps. It's like... like everyone just vanished."
Zoro, who had been walking silently beside Usopp, nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's like a ghost town. What could've happened here?"
Sanji, who had been scanning the area with a critical eye, exhaled a plume of smoke. "Whatever it was, it wasn't natural. This kind of destruction... it's deliberate."
Vivi's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her voice filled with anger and sorrow. "Crocodile. It has to be him. He's the one behind all of this. He's the one who turned Yuba into... into this, it has to be him."
Nami tightened her grip on Vivi's shoulder, her expression determined. "We'll stop him, Vivi. We'll make this right. No matter what it takes."
"How could Crocodile do this though?" Goku asked more to himself than to Vivi. "This was not the work of the town simply drying up. It's like the town was hit by a bunch of sandstorms, buried by them."
As they continued to explore the city, they came across a small, dilapidated well in the center of the square. The well was dry, its wooden frame cracked and weathered. But what caught their attention was the figure kneeling beside it—an old man, his face weathered and lined with age, his hands caked with dirt as he dug frantically in the sand.
Vivi's eyes widened in recognition, and she stepped forward, her voice trembling with emotion. "Mr. Toto? Is that you?"
The old man looked up, his eyes squinting against the sun. For a moment, he didn't seem to recognize her, but then his face broke into a wide, toothless grin. "Princess Vivi? Is that really you?"
Vivi nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "It's me, Mr. Toto. I'm here. I'm so sorry... I didn't know it was this bad."
Mr. Toto's grin faded, replaced by a look of deep sorrow. "It's been like this for months, Princess. A bunch of sandstorms came towards us every day. The town just couldn't last. The water... it just disappeared. The wells dried up, the crops withered, and the people... they had no choice but to leave."
Vivi knelt beside him, her voice filled with desperation. "But why are you still here? Why didn't you leave with the others?"
Mr. Toto shook his head, his hands still digging in the sand. "I couldn't leave, Princess. This is my home. It was my duty to build this town. Your father gave me this town, this oasis and turn it into a town. I can't just abandon it. I keep thinking... if I dig deep enough, maybe I'll find water. Maybe I can bring Yuba back to life."
Vivi's heart ached at his words, and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Toto... you don't have to do this alone. We're here now. We'll help you."
Mr. Toto looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and despair. "Do you really think it's possible, Princess? Can Yuba really come back?"
Vivi nodded, though her own heart was heavy with doubt. "We'll find a way, Mr. Toto. We have to."
The crew watched the exchange in silence, their own hearts heavy with the weight of what they had witnessed. Usopp was the first to break the silence, his voice filled with disbelief. "This... this is Yuba? This was supposed to be an oasis? It's just... a pit of sand."
Zoro crossed his arms, his expression grim. "Looks like the rebels moved on. If they were ever here at all."
Sanji exhaled a plume of smoke, his brow furrowed. "This changes everything. If Yuba's gone, then the rebels... they've probably moved on to another location. We're running out of time."
Nami stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "We need to figure out our next move. If the rebels aren't here, then we need to find out where they've gone. We can't afford to waste any more time."
Vivi nodded, her resolve hardening. "You're right, Nami. We need to keep moving. But first... we need to help Mr. Toto. We can't just leave him here."
Goku, who had been silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up, his voice low and serious. "We'll help him. But we need to be quick. The desert's not going to get any easier, and we've got a long way to go."
The crew nodded, their determination renewed. They set to work, helping Mr. Toto dig in the sand, though they all knew it was a futile effort. The water was gone, and no amount of digging would bring it back. But they couldn't just leave him—not after everything he had been through.
As they worked, the wind began to pick up, carrying with it the faint scent of sand and dust. The sky, which had been clear just moments before, began to darken, the sun obscured by a thick, swirling cloud of sand.
Usopp's eyes widened in alarm. "Uh... guys? I think we've got a problem."
Nami looked up, her expression grim. "Sandstorm. We need to find shelter, now."
The crew scrambled to their feet, their earlier exhaustion forgotten as they searched for cover. The sandstorm hit with a vengeance, the wind howling like a wild beast as it whipped the sand into a frenzy. The crew huddled together, their faces covered with scarves and their eyes squinted against the stinging grains of sand.
Vivi clung to Mr. Toto, her voice barely audible over the roar of the wind. "We'll make it through this, Mr. Toto. I promise."
Mr. Toto nodded, though his eyes were filled with fear. "I hope you're right, Princess. I hope you're right."
The sandstorm raged on, the crew huddled together as they waited for it to pass. The desert's wrath was relentless, but so were the Straw Hats. And they would not let it break them. Not today. Not ever.
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