Yuba in the night, unlike the daytime heat, was covered by a desert-like chill.
Inside a relatively intact building, the Straw Hat had temporarily settled down.
The room was large, with several bunk beds placed against the walls, and Moonlight seeped through the cracks in the window.
"Haaah…"
Usopp yawned widely on his bed. "After all that, this isn't even the Rebel Army's main base… We came all this way for nothing."
Nami, studying a crumpled map of Alabasta, didn't even look up as she said, "Well, it can't be helped. But we're lucky to have met someone Vivi knows here."
Chopper squatted on the bed next to Nami, his small nose twitching, and whispered, "I wonder… how is Tomioka doing now? Has he arrived?"
Sanji, by the window, took his cigarette from his mouth and exhaled a wisp of smoke: "Don't worry. Luffy's brother is with them, and you saw that ship. They should have arrived at Alubarna by now."
He paused, thinking of something amusing, and added with a hint of meaning, "Besides, that guy doesn't seem like a complete idiot with no sense of direction, like some people. He'll definitely find his way."
Zoro glared at Sanji, his face burning with anger: "What did you say!?!?"
But Sanji just spread his hands innocently at him: "What's wrong, Mosshead? I didn't say you. What are you doing?"
"Do you want to fight, you stinky cook?!"
"Come on! I'm not afraid of you!"
Seeing the tension between the two escalate, Vivi quickly interrupted, a slight smile on her face: "Alright, alright. I believe that with Mr. Giyuu there, Alubarna… will definitely be fine."
Vivi's smile was a bit forced, the heavy burden almost suffocating her, but in front of them, she had to try to appear strong.
Usopp rolled over to face the wall, his voice muffled: "Speaking of which, will Tomioka be waiting for us in Alubarna now?"
Zoro crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and said, "Are you an idiot? If he resolved Igaram's situation, then he would definitely go to the palace, see Vivi's father, and naturally know that we came to the wrong place."
"Given his personality, he would never just wait. He would immediately set off for Katorea."
He and Tomioka were both swordsmen, after all, and they had some exchanges in the past. Zoro knew just how strong Tomioka's initiative was.
Sanji took another drag from his cigarette, exhaling towards the window, "Mosshead is right. Tomioka might not talk much, but his heart is very warm. Since he wants to help, he'll definitely try his best."
Nami closed the map, walked over to Vivi, and gently put her arm around her shoulder, her voice soft: "So, Vivi. Don't worry too much. Leave things to them."
Vivi felt the warmth from Nami's palm and nodded somewhat hesitantly: "Mm…"
Then she looked at what should have been her bed, but Sanji had already laid down on it at some point. Vivi said with a touch of helplessness: "Sanji, that's mine…"
But Sanji just blinked his lecherous eyes, his voice turning syrupy: "Miss Vivi~ I'm afraid you'll feel lonely and pained sleeping alone, so let me…"
He hadn't finished speaking when a pillow whizzed through the air and hit him on the back of his head.
"Oops."
Zoro maintained his throwing posture, with a surprised expression, "My hand slipped. It seems I accidentally hit a certain perverted cook."
Sanji slowly turned around, a tic-mark vein popping on his forehead, the gentle expression on his face completely gone, replaced by burning fury: "Mosshead… you definitely did that on purpose!!!"
Zoro grinned, showing a provocative smile: "I didn't say you, did I? Are you admitting it?"
"You're asking for death!"
Sanji instantly flared up, grabbing the nearest pillow and slamming it hard at Zoro. Zoro dodged by tilting his head, then grabbed the pillow from his own bed and retaliated.
"Woah! You guys are serious! Pillow fight!!!"
Usopp shouted, grabbing two pillows directly, and excitedly joined in, "Watch this! Pillow Star!" He attacked with both hands, hitting both Zoro and Sanji.
"Hey! Stop fighting!" Nami tried to intervene, but a flying pillow almost grazed her face. Annoyed, she also grabbed a pillow, "You idiots! That's enough!"
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah, everyone's fighting!"
Suddenly, pillows flew everywhere in the room, feathers spilling out, and shouts, curses, and Chopper's squeals filled the air.
The previously heavy and oppressive atmosphere was completely washed away by this sudden outburst.
Vivi watched the chaotic yet vibrant scene, first stunned, then she couldn't help but laugh. Her worries also seemed to have been greatly diluted at that moment.
Just as the pillow fight entered its climax, and Sanji and Zoro were about to wrestle each other—
The wooden door was pushed open.
However, the old man carrying a unconscious Luffy had barely stepped one foot in when a pillow, flying from who knows where, hit him squarely in his old face.
"Ah! Uncle Toto!" Vivi quickly ran over.
Toto was momentarily stunned by the hit but smiled helplessly, reaching up to remove the pillow, "It's alright, it's alright… You young people, so energetic…"
He turned sideways, allowing Vivi to see Luffy, who was sleeping soundly and snoring on his back. "He was digging for water with me outside. He's exhausted now. Let him sleep well for a bit."
Seeing Toto and Luffy, the melee in the room instantly stopped.
Vivi carefully helped Luffy down from old man Toto's back. Luffy was covered in sand, his lips a bit cracked, but he was sleeping very soundly.
However, Luffy was still a bit heavy for her, and supporting him was clearly beyond her strength.
"Don't try to do it all by yourself, Vivi."
Nami walked over, and with Vivi, they both exerted force to support Luffy, then carried him to an empty lower bunk. Then Nami smiled and said, "It's much easier when we do it together, isn't it?"
"Mm…"
Vivi responded softly, a warm feeling welling up in her heart. It was the companions on this ship who allowed her to keep going and gave her the courage to save her kingdom.
Everyone quieted down, began tidying their messed-up beds, and prepared to rest.
Usopp, patting dust from his pillow, looked out at the Moonlight and murmured, "If Tomioka were here, it would be really interesting."
Chopper climbed onto his small bed, wrapped himself in a blanket, and said sleepily: "Yeah… But he must be very lonely now…"
Zoro, on the bunk above Chopper, was already lying down with his hands behind his head. Hearing this, he replied with his eyes closed: "He wouldn't think that."
Nami helped Vivi spread her blanket, then returned to her own bed and said to everyone: "When all this is over, we definitely have to have a great time at Vivi's palace! Can we, Vivi?"
Vivi lay down, looking in the direction of Alubarna, and nodded vigorously, "Mm! Definitely!"
"Yay!"
"I want to eat delicious food!! And good drinks, all of it!!"
"Hehe, I just want my billion Berries back~"
The Straw Hat Pirates' first day in Alabasta finally drew to a close as everyone slowly fell asleep.
And there were still eight hours until the Utopia Plan was launched.