The pale jade moon hung high in the sky, its bright light casting a faint blue hue across the heavens.
Moonlight spilled over the vast desert, draping it in a desolate glow. Now and then, small movements rippled through the sand—likely some disturbed local creatures.
"Looks just like Hueco Mundo…" Rainer muttered. Under the moon's silvery light, the desert looked bleached and barren, reminding him of a certain figure.
"One of these days, I should find the right template and make a little Ulquiorra. That'd be badass."
In the desert, several bonfires blazed brightly. The group sat around, chatting cheerfully. Perhaps because it was their first time camping overnight in the desert, the atmosphere felt fresh and lively.
Sanji had set up several fire pits—one for cooking, the rest tended by undead, burning Dance Powder.
Nearby, a skeletal undead twirled two Clima-Tacts in its bony hands. After Nami's arms grew sore, she realized she was being silly. Why bother when an undead could handle it?
Now she sat to the side, giving sharp instructions.
"Too many heat bubbles! Balance it with more cool bubbles, you idiot."
"You're even scolding the undead? Skeletons have feelings too, you know," Rainer sighed.
"Dinner's ready!"
Sanji's voice carried like magic, always sparking a lively response.
"Wahaha! Coming!"
Luffy scrambled forward, clattering chopsticks against his bowl. "Sanji! That poisonous snake I caught earlier—can we grill it?"
"How the hell are we supposed to eat that? You said poisonous snake, you moron!" Sanji exhaled smoke with disdain.
"Then what about that poisonous lizard?"
"Changing the animal doesn't change the fact it's poisonous, idiot!!"
Finally losing his temper, Sanji cursed and shoved a huge bowl of meat at Luffy. He handed another bowl to Rainer.
"You worked hard today, Rainer."
"Nothing big. Logistics is part of my job—" Rainer began, but Sanji was already gone.
Moments later, his dramatic voice rang out, "Nami-swan Vivi-chan I've saved the best portion for you two~~"
"Perverted cook."
"Perverted eyebrow-curled cook."
"You moss-head, you wanna start too?!"
"Ah, thank you," both women replied graciously. "But better give it to Rainer. We'll eat light—he's the one exhausted today."
Sanji clutched his chest, swooning. "Aaah, Nami-swan, Vivi-chan, your kindness is too divine…" Then he spun back around, face dark.
"Damn it! Rainer, eat every last bite. Not a drop left!"
"What? You barking at me?"
"You four-eyed bastard!"
"Pfft—hahahaha."
And so, the undead continued burning the Dance Powder while the crew finished their meal. Before long, everyone curled up in sleeping bags, resting until the pale light of dawn crept across the desert.
Cluck-cluck-cluck-ta~!
"Huh? What the hell's that sound?"
"Forget it."
Rainer stirred awake, brushing off the phantom crowing in his head. Propping himself up, he looked skyward.
"Hey, everyone! The rain clouds are gathering!"
At his shout, the others bolted upright, eyes widening at the gray, heavy skies forming above.
Meanwhile, at the rebel army's base outside Katorea, dawn was just breaking. Most were still asleep, save for guards and a handful of early risers.
"Hey, look at the sky!"
A shout drew everyone's gaze upward.
"Th-this is—?!"
"No way…"
"Rain clouds!!"
Dark clouds blanketed the heavens. Rebels stood frozen in shock, jaws slack, staring in disbelief.
"Quick! Tell the commander!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
Inside the rebel camp, silence gave way to frantic noise as a runner sprinted through the streets, crying out,
"Commander!! Commander, clouds!!"
"The rain clouds are here!!"
The shouts jolted countless rebels from their dreams. Some cursed at first, irritable from being woken. But as the words sank in, every single man and woman shot out of bed, shoes forgotten, and rushed outside.
Drop.
A raindrop struck a rebel's cheek—cool, wet, ticklish. He didn't care. He simply stared upward, trembling, eyes flooding with tears.
"Rain… It's really raining."
"Three years… Three years!!"
Overcome, the man collapsed to his knees, sobbing against the ground.
Drip—
Drip drip—
Dripdripdripdripdrip…
The sound of rainfall grew heavy. The streets were filled with cries of joy, weeping, and laughter.
Rain poured across the city. For a moment, war and hatred were forgotten. People stood in the streets, greedily soaking in the life-giving water.
"Don't just stand there! Grab containers to store it!"
"Commander!?"
"Commander, it's raining!"
"Yes—store it! Hurry, everyone!"
A tall figure stood at the center of the street, rallying his men. It was none other than Koza, leader of the rebels.
His golden hair slicked with rain, he gazed skyward. Unlike the others, his initial joy quickly melted into solemn silence.
"Why is there rain? Wasn't the capital using Dance Powder to steal all of Alabasta's water?"
His fists clenched.
"Could it be… the heavens themselves are tired of war, granting us mercy?"
Memories flashed: battle after battle, brothers dying one after another to shield him. Always composed, Koza now shed a single tear.
"I'm so tired…"
No soldier loves war—torn bodies, bloody wounds, comrades' unwilling faces as life slips away. They all hated it, yet they had no choice but to fight.
"Koza!"
A crisp voice rang out. His head snapped around at the familiar sound. There she was—long sky-blue hair, a face forever etched in his memory.
"V-Vivi?"
Koza stared in disbelief at her and the companions around her.
"Looks like we timed this just right," Rainer remarked, watching the scene. The rebels' hearts, wound tight by endless battles, had snapped when the thing they longed for most finally appeared.
"No wonder they let us stroll into camp unnoticed," he thought. "I underestimated both their despair and their thirst for rain."
"I think I get it," Sanji muttered, fumbling with his lighter as rain snuffed it out again and again. His expression dimmed. "Back when I was starving to death, if someone had placed food in front of me—even if they warned me it was poisoned—I would've devoured it all the same."
"Vivi, why are you here?" Koza asked hoarsely.
"I came to tell you the truth behind this war. It's a conflict manipulated from the shadows!"
Koza's expression remained eerily calm, but his voice was low. "This isn't the place to talk. Come inside."
Turning, he strode back into the camp. Vivi glanced at Rainer and the others. At Luffy's reassuring nod, she led them in.