Chapter 123: His Name is Koza
The sandstorm raged on, its howling winds drowning out all other sounds as the Straw Hat crew huddled together in the ruins of Yuba. The air was thick with sand, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. The crew had taken shelter in what remained of a crumbling building, its walls offering some protection from the relentless storm. Vivi sat close to Mr. Toto, her scarf wrapped tightly around her face to shield her from the stinging sand. The old man was trembling, his hands clutching a tattered shawl as he stared out into the storm with a mixture of fear and resignation.
As the storm began to subside, the crew slowly emerged from their makeshift shelter, brushing sand from their clothes and hair. The desert was eerily quiet now, the only sound the soft whisper of the wind as it carried the last remnants of the storm across the barren landscape.
Usopp was the first to break the silence, his voice hoarse from the dry air. "Well, that was fun. Can we please never do that again?"
Zoro, who had been leaning against the wall of the building, rolled his eyes. "Quit complaining, Usopp. It's just a little sand."
"A little sand?!" Usopp exclaimed, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "My ears are full of sand! My nose is full of sand! I'm pretty sure I've got sand in places sand shouldn't be!"
Sanji, who had been lighting a cigarette despite the lingering dust in the air, exhaled a plume of smoke and smirked. "Maybe if you spent less time whining and more time keeping your mouth shut, you wouldn't have so much sand in it."
Usopp shot Sanji a glare, his long nose twitching in annoyance. "Oh, sure, because you're so perfect, Mr. 'I-can-smoke-in-a-sandstorm.' How do you even do that, anyway? Doesn't the sand get in your cigarette?"
Sanji shrugged, his expression calm but with a hint of amusement. "A real man doesn't let a little sand stop him from enjoying a smoke."
Gin, who had been quietly observing the exchange, finally spoke up, his voice low and measured. "Enough bickering. We need to figure out our next move. If the rebels aren't here, then where did they go?"
The crew fell silent, their attention turning to Mr. Toto, who was still sitting on the ground, his hands trembling as he clutched his shawl. Vivi knelt beside him, her voice soft but filled with urgency. "Mr. Toto, do you know where the rebels went? Did they say anything before they left?"
Mr. Toto looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "They... they went to an oasis near Nanohana. They said it was the only place left with water. They had no choice... they had to leave Yuba."
Sanji's brow furrowed, and he stepped forward, his cigarette dangling from his lips. "An oasis near Nanohana? How do you know that? Did they tell you before they left?"
Mr. Toto nodded, his voice trembling as he spoke. "They did. They... they didn't want to leave, but they had no choice. The water here was gone, and they couldn't stay. They said they'd regroup at the oasis and then march on Alubarna."
Gin crossed his arms, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "And you're sure about this? How do you know they didn't just scatter? Rebels don't usually leave a trail for people to follow."
Mr. Toto's hands clenched into fists, his voice filled with a quiet anger. "I know because... because my son is their leader. Koza... he's my boy."
The crew's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, no one spoke. Vivi was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with disbelief. "Koza... your son? That Koza is the one leading the rebels? But... how? Why didn't you tell me?"
Mr. Toto shook his head, his eyes filled with tears. "I couldn't, Princess. Koza... he's always been headstrong, just like his mother. When the drought hit and the people started to suffer, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. He joined the rebels, and now... now he's their leader. I tried to stop him, to make him see reason, but he wouldn't listen. He said he had to fight for the people, for Alabasta."
Sanji exhaled a plume of smoke, his expression thoughtful. "So, Koza's the one leading the rebels. But why didn't he take you with him? Why leave you here to dig in the sand?"
Mr. Toto's shoulders slumped, his voice filled with resignation. "He wanted me to come with him, but I couldn't. This is my home, Princess. I've lived here my whole life. I couldn't just abandon it. I kept thinking...
"You seem to know this Koza character Vivi?" Zoro asked noticing her darkened expression.
"They were childhood friends," Mr Toto answered in her stead. "Back when I use to live in the capital, the princess and Koza were the closest of friends. Causing trouble all over the city."
"When Mr Toto and Koza left the capital to establish a town in Yuba, we lost contact." She explained. "It became rare for us to even meet, months and years would go past."
"So now this very Koza is rebelling against your father and wanting to overthrow him," Usopp said.
Vivi's heart ached at his words, and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Well a lot has changed since then." She acknowledged. "You cannot blame him for everything. Everyone has been manipulated by Crocodile and Baroque Works."
Gin stepped forward, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "But if this Koza's leading the rebels, then we need to find him. If we can talk to him, maybe we can stop this war before it's too late."
Mr. Toto nodded, though his eyes were filled with doubt. "You can try, but Koza... he's stubborn. Once he sets his mind to something, there's no changing it. He believes the royal family is to blame for all of this, and he won't stop until he sees justice done."
Vivi's hands clenched into fists, her voice filled with determination. "Then we'll make him see the truth. We'll show him that Crocodile is the real enemy, not the royal family. We'll stop this war, no matter what it takes."
The crew exchanged glances, their resolve hardening. They had a mission to complete, and they couldn't afford to let anything stand in their way. The road ahead would be difficult, but they knew they had to keep going.
As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the desert, the crew prepared to move on. The road to the oasis, Katorea was still long. They would have to return to the path they just crossed, the desert they just passed through. Across the Sandora River.
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