Mario was currently doing his duty as the crew's quartermaster. He walked through the bustling streets of Alubarna with Nami, their arms laden with fresh supplies for their impending departure. The city was alive with a vibrant energy that was a stark, beautiful contrast to the tension and fear that had choked it just days before. The air, once thick with the promise of civil war, now rang with the laughter of children and the cheerful bartering of merchants.
The rain had truly washed everything clean.
"You're awfully quiet," Nami noted, her voice pulling him from his thoughts. She nudged him playfully with her shoulder. "Even for you."
Mario blinked, realizing he had been lost in the labyrinth of his own mind, once again tracing the invisible lines of the tattoo and its terrifying implications.
"Ah, I'm sorry," he said, instinctively reaching for her hand and lacing his fingers with hers. The simple contact was a grounding comfort.
"It's just... something on my mind," he admitted, his gaze drifting upward to the vast, cloudless blue sky—a sight that still felt like a miracle in Alabasta.
Nami shook her head, a fond, knowing smile on her lips. "It's always something with you. You know, sometimes it's not good to think about stuff too hard. You'll just tie your brain in knots."
"I agree," Mario replied with a wry smile. "That's precisely why it's giving me a headache."
Nami stopped walking then, turning to face him fully. She stood on her toes and pressed a soft, gentle kiss to his forehead. "There. Better?"
The simple, affectionate gesture was a balm to his troubled soul. Mario's smile this time was more genuine, reaching his eyes. "Much better."
Nami giggled, the sound like music, and skipped ahead into a fabric store, her orange hair a bright spot in the sun-drenched street. Mario's smile lingered for a moment before it slowly faded from his lips, though it remained in his heart. He was truly, deeply happy here, with her, with this chaotic crew.
But beneath that happiness was a current of profound sadness, a cold certainty that had been growing in him since he first saw the brand on his skin.
Somehow, he knew his path was destined to diverge from the Straw Hats, if only for a time.
The thought was a physical pain in his chest, a hollow ache at the idea of leaving Luffy's infectious laugh, Zorro's gruff camaraderie, Sanji's ridiculous chivalry, Usopp's tall tales, Chopper's innocent joy, and Nami's warm, guiding presence.
The Straw Hats had their own grand adventures to chase—their dreams were charted on a map that led ever forward. But Mario now had a different map to follow, one that led into the shadows of his own origin.
He had a mystery to solve, not for glory or treasure, but for the very foundation of his existence in this world.
It pained him, but it had to be done.
Their journey was one of dreams fulfilled; his, for now, was one of answers sought.
***
"Tonight we depart," Nami stated with certainty, and everyone in the room nodded, their expressions a mix of resolve and melancholy. The time had come. The Marines were now swarming the city, and their presence was a ticking clock over the Straw Hats' heads.
The call from Bon Clay, confirming the Going Merry was safe and waiting, was their signal. It was time to leave the Sand Kingdom behind.
"Everyone..." Vivi's voice was small, filled with a turmoil they all recognized. "Everyone, what should I do?"
They all looked at her, seeing the desperate conflict in her eyes—the deep-seated desire to sail with them warring with the immense duty that chained her to Alabasta.
Nami leaned forward, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. "Listen, Vivi. With the duck troupe, it will take us one day to get to the Sandora River. After that, we'll sail near the coast to the eastern port. We'll only approach the shore once."
She laid out the plan with the precision of a navigator charting a final, critical course.
Mario, leaning against the wall, nodded silently. He knew the weight of this offer, and unlike the certainty of the story he once knew, he now felt the genuine unpredictability of the moment.
"So," Nami continued, a soft smile breaking through her seriousness, "if you want to come with us... that will be your one and only chance to board the ship." She looked around at her crewmates, who all wore the same encouraging expression. "This time, we'll welcome you as a pirate."
It was an open invitation, a final lifeline thrown to their friend.
***
The next few hours passed in a frantic, emotional blur. The Straw Hats made their final preparations and, with a squadron of super spot-billed ducks, launched themselves into the vast expanse of the desert. The powerful birds were a blur of speed, their webbed feet carrying them across the dunes far faster than any camel could hope to achieve. They would reach the Sandora River and the Going Merry in a single day.
As they raced, the wind whipping through their hair, Nami let out a long, deep sigh.
"What's wrong, Nami-swan?" Sanji asked immediately, his voice full of concern.
"Well, there's no helping it," Zoro grunted from his own duck, as if to block out the sentimental atmosphere.
"We can't take her by force," Usopp added, though he sounded as though he'd seriously considered the option.
"I'll give you a piece of meat if it would make you feel better," Luffy offered, his face uncharacteristically serious. "But only one small piece!"
Nami shook her head, a truly pained look on her face. "It's just that... one billion Beri... But since it's Vivi, I'll let it go."
The entire crew, save for Mario, whipped their heads towards her. "THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SAD ABOUT!?!?" they shouted in perfect, incredulous unison.
Mario, who had been watching the exchange, couldn't hold back his laughter. It was a perfect, chaotic moment of normalcy amidst the emotional turmoil, a reminder of who they were.
After a day of relentless travel, the lush green line of the Sandora River appeared on the horizon. And there, nestled safely in the water, was their beloved ship, the Going Merry, unharmed and waiting to carry them home to the sea. The sight was a relief, but it also marked the beginning of a painful goodbye. Atleast for Mario….
As he was lost in these thoughts, a flamboyant voice shattered the moment.
„I HAVE BEEEN WAAAIIIITIIING FOR YOU AAAALL!" Bon Clay stood proudly on the deck of the Merry, striking a dramatic pose.
No one paid him any mind. The crew moved with practiced efficiency, unloading their luggage from the ducks and offering grateful pats to the loyal birds.
„WAIT A SECOND!" Bon Clay stamped his foot, his feelings clearly hurt.
„What is your problem?" Sanji asked, already tensing up, ready for a rematch.
„What is with your attitude? Why do you ignore me? Is that any way to treat a friend?" Bon Clay pleaded, his large frame seeming to wilt.
„What friend? We were enemies. You tricked us," Luffy stated, his tone matter-of-fact as he carried a barrel of water aboard.
Mario shook his head, blocking out the noise. He focused on the task at hand, hefting a crate of vegetables.
„Move," he said flatly as he brushed past a dejected Bon Clay.
„Ah, excuse me… Your ship would have been impounded by the Marines if I had not been here!" Bon Clay continued, trying to justify his presence.
Mario truly had no desire to partake in these antics. He had a sinking feeling that if Bon Clay successfully helped them escape the impending Marine encirclement, Luffy, in his boundless and unpredictable generosity, might very well ask the okama to join their crew.
A heavy, weary sigh escaped Mario's lips. He knew his captain too well. Deciding to avoid the entire situation, he simply carried his load down into the cargo hold to begin sorting their supplies.
The familiar chaos of provisioning began.
„Where do you want this?" Zorro grunted, maneuvering a heavy sack of dried meat through the narrow doorway.
„Those are the dried jerky? Stack them there, against the port-side bulkhead," Mario directed, his voice calm and methodical. He took out his ledger, making precise notes as the crew brought in the provisions: fruits, grains, fresh water, medical supplies. He meticulously cataloged what they had and calculated how long it would last on the journey ahead.
But then, his pen stilled. He stared at the freshly inked numbers, his mind elsewhere. Although he didn't want to and was deeply reluctant, he would not be joining them on the journey to Skypeia. The decision, after much soul-searching, was final.
His own path now diverged, a solitary line leading away from the warmth of this crew and into the cold, uncertain shadows of his own origin. His plan was still forming, a vague sketch in his mind. The first step would be to study the maps of the Grand Line, to find a location where the threads of Vegapunk, the World Government, and the Void Century might converge. He needed a destination, and he needed to find it before his resolve wavered.
***
By the time Mario finished stowing the last of the supplies and emerged from the cargo bay, the scene on deck had escalated into pure, unadulterated camaraderie. Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, and Bon Clay were locked in a massive, group hug, bouncing up and down and yelling at the top of their lungs.
"I knew you were good guys after all! Stop joking around! Stop joking around!" Luffy cheered, his rubbery arms wrapped around everyone.
"So, to sum it up, Mr. 2," Zorro said, leaning against the mast with his arms crossed, cutting through the emotional outburst with his typical bluntness. "You couldn't leave the island because of the Marine blockade, and you just want to increase your allies?"
"Gah!" Bon Clay released the hug, clutching his chest as if struck by a mortal wound. "Must you be so cold?!"
He then struck a dramatic pose, tears streaming from his eyes. "That is right! In times like these, in eras like these, it is when we people with no friends must band together... IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP!!!"
"YEAAAAAH!" Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy roared back in ecstatic agreement, their voices carrying across the water.
"Oh, jeez," Nami facepalmed. Mario simply laughed.
Soon, Bon Clay's own ship, pulled alongside the Merry, its crew of okama dancers waving cheerfully. Together, the two ships, an unlikely alliance forged in the chaos of Alabasta, set sail, riding the current of the Sandora River towards the eastern port and the open sea beyond.
For Mario, every beat of the ship's rhythm against the water felt like a countdown.