Chapter 25
Doctor Who

Rubbing her gloved hands together to warm them up, Eli was observing the sky. It had become more overcast as the hours passed. It seemed like it could snow any minute now.

"The temperature seems to have stabilized," Vivi began. "I think there might be a winter island around here."

Eli turned to face the girl. "Winter island ? What do you mean ?"

"On the Grand Line, there are four types of islands: spring, summer, fall and winter," Vivi explained. "And each of these islands will have its own four seasons as well... which means you can find sixteen different types of climate on the Grand Line."

Eli and Usopp gawked in awe. The Grand Line was really something.... The fish, the weather, the danger, everything was greater on these mysterious waters.

"And since the weather has been pretty much stable since yesterday, we can assume we are near an island."

"You're right..." Sanji said, looking through the binoculars. "I can see an island right ahead of us."

Eli lips curled up into a grateful smile. An island, at last. This was very good news. With any luck, they would soon find a doctor who could cure their dear navigator. "I'll go warn the captain !"

Vivi followed the girl to the women's quarters where Luffy was watching over Nami. Sitting stiffly on a chair next to the bed, the young captain was staring at the sick girl.

"Luffy, we found an island !" Eli announced happily.

"An island !" Luffy cried out.

Eli nodded with a wide grin.

"Did you hear that, Nami ?" Luffy said excitedly. "An island ! We've reached an island !"

He tapped his foot rapidly on the wooden floor, staring at Nami with a face-splitting grin and eyes wide as dinner plates.

"... If you want to see it that much, just go..." Vivi said, rolling her eyes.

"WOW ! An island !" Luffy yelled ecstatically.

Eli sat next to the boy on the figurehead. "Told you !"

The said island was completely frozen white. It was fairy-like. There were about seven large cylindrical mountains that looked like giant drums.

"And it's so white... Must be snow ! It's a snow island !" Luffy enthused rapidly, his wide, amazed eyes never leaving the island.

"Luffy, remember, we have no time to play around," Sanji scolded. "We have to find a doctor for Nami."

"Snow is so beautiful...." Luffy said softly, ignoring the cook's lecture.

"He's not even listening...." Sanji sighed.

Eli looked over her shoulder. "Don't be so grumpy, Sanji !" She turned her head to face the incoming island. "Snow IS beautiful," she agreed with admiration.

"Hey Luffy, remember when Eli saw her first snow ?" Ace asked, smirking.

"That was hilarious !" The boy laughed loudly.

Eli was curled into a tight ball against a tree while Luffy and Ace were fighting in the forest. Rubbing her arms vigorously, the girl wondered how the boys could handle the cold. Being born on a much hotter island, she had never experienced such an extremely frigid temperature. Even though she was wearing multiple layers of clothes, Eli couldn't help but shiver from the cold.

What is that ?

Her eyes caught a tiny white thing falling slowly onto her glove. She stared at the strange thing questioningly. Up close, it looked like a tiny crystal.

"SNOW !" Luffy yelled ecstatically.

Snow ? Eli's eyes widened with terror, watching as hundreds of thousands of snowflakes fell threateningly on her. OH GOD ! SNOW !

The frightened girl yelled frantically on top of her lungs, running toward the two brothers. She gripped their clothes desperately, her wide eyes filled with dread, and started running for safety, dragging the two puzzled boys behind.

"ELIII !" they yelled in unison.

But the hysterical girl didn't hear them as her ears were filled with the deafening beats of her heart as it hammered against her chest. Once she had reached their home, Eli threw them inside, slammed the door shut, and knelt next to the nearest window to observe the disaster rapidly engulfing the town.

Oh my god...

Ace cleared his throat. "Hrm... Eli ?"

How could they be so calm ? she wondered, glancing nervously over her shoulder.

"What's going on, Eli ?" Luffy asked, crouching with Ace next to the shivering girl.

"It's snowing...." she muttered.

"Hey... like you said... it was my first snow...." Eli pouted, folding her arms before the laughing crew.

Before that very first time, the girl had only heard of snow in legends from her village. The said legends always told that the white marvel she now loved so much was an extremely bad omen; it brought misery, disease, and death with it. Anyway, from that day on, Eli fell in love with snow.... Its whiteness, its fluffiness enchanted her to no end. Admiring the wonderful scenery made her almost forget the main reason as to why they had to find an island in the first place.

"This is so great !" Luffy was watching the island with amazement. "There's so much snow !"

"I know !" The girl's eyes sparkled just like Luffy's.

"Those two brothers are crazy," a shivering Usopp said, looking at Ace and Luffy. "Hey, aren't you guys cold at all ?"

Luffy was wearing nothing more than his usual outfit, a sleeveless vest and jean shorts, and Ace was as shirtless as ever. On the other hand, the rest of the crew members were wearing thick coats, gloves, and scarves, and Eli wore earmuffs to complete the I-am-dead-freezing look. The girl liked snow, but it didn't mean she could handle the cold.

"Eh ?" Luffy looked at Usopp questioningly for a few seconds before rubbing his arms vigorously. "It's so cold !"

"You just realized that !" Usopp and Sanji yelled in bewilderment at their captain's slowness.

Luffy ran into the ship and came back a few seconds later wearing a coat. Ace laughed childishly. Apparently, being a fire fruit user had more than one application...

The Merry was slowly sailing inland up a river when the crew spotted a large crowd that had gathered on the shore. From the look of their arsenal, they didn't seem as welcoming as the people of Whiskey Peak... or rather, not as welcoming as those bounty hunters seemed to be before they were found out.

"Pirates ! Get off this island," a large man ordered, stepping out of the belligerent crowd toward the ship. "You are not welcome here."

By the look of it, it seemed like he was the one in charge. He was extremely large and tall, wore a green outfit, and his arms were covered with armor.

Luffy ran briskly to the railing to face the man. "We are looking for a doctor !"

"We have a sick person on board," Vivi added desperately.

The crowd roared angrily. "That trick won't work on us, you evil pirates !" They pointed their guns at the crew. "Just get out or we'll shoot you !"

"What ? We just met and they already hate us ?" Sanji frowned at the crowd scornfully. "SHUT UP !"

As he was about to attack them, Vivi intervened to stop him. "Sanji, WAIT !"

A gunshot banged through the air noisily.

Eli saw the bullet in slow motion; it was about to hit Vivi. She ran to push the precious princess, but she wasn't quick enough to get herself out of harm's way as well and the bullet grazed her own arm. Eli winced at the sharp and unexpected pain.

"ELI !" the pirates yelled, looking at their mate as blood began to drip from her arm.

"...I'm okay," she said quietly, looking at the blood staining her coat.

"HOW DARE YOU !" Luffy roared with rage in his eyes.

"We're going to make you pay for that...." Ace snarled through gritted teeth, cracking his fingers.

The men of the crew were about to attack the villagers when Vivi jumped in their way. "Don't fight them !" she pleaded.

"I said I'm okay, it's just a scratch," Eli said calmly, looking alternately at every one of her furious crewmates to ease their rage.

Vivi nodded and turned to face the crowd. "We won't do anything. Our friend is in serious condition !" She knelt on the deck, bowing her head to the floor. "Please help us !"

Eli cursed herself inwardly for her lack of speed. Now the villagers wouldn't let them dock, and they wouldn't be able find a doctor for their sick friend... She imitated Vivi, hoping that it would be enough to ease their fears.

"Eli... Vivi..." Luffy muttered.

"You have to understand the duty of a good captain, Luffy," Vivi scolded. "If you attack them, what will happen to Nami ?"

Luffy was silently watching Eli's blood dripping on the deck. She turned her head to look at him and nodded reassuringly, silently letting him know that she was fine and the princess was right. The boy turned around resolutely to face the edgy crowd.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault." He knelt down. "Please call a doctor. Please help our friend !"

The crowd stared speechlessly at the begging pirates for a moment.

"We will take you to our village," the man in charge finally conceded. "Follow us... but I have to warn you, we only have one doctor on this island, and she's a witch."

The pirates followed the man obediently, leaving Zoro and Caru in the Merry to guard it. Walking to his village, the man introduced himself; his name was Dalton, and apparently, he was highly respected by the people of this country even though he claimed not to deserve it.

Walking to the village, Eli admired the scenery. She had never seen so much snow in her life; it really was fairy-like.

"AAAHH ! A BEAR !" Usopp yelled on top of his lungs, his mouth and eyes wide open as he looked at a large white bear holding an ice axe. "Everyone pretend to be dead !" He promptly fell in the snow, his arms and legs widely spread.

"It's just a hiking bear," Dalton said casually. "He's not dangerous. Just don't forget to bow to him."

The group bowed at the huge white bear, and he bowed back politely.

"That's...so... cute...." Eli's pace slowed down, her sparkling eyes following the bear.

The girl bit her bottom lip as she watched the bear disappear into the forest, fighting her desire to follow him. After all, Nami was in good hands; there was nothing further she could do to help her.... Eli took a step toward the direction where the bear went.

"Twig, come on !"

Damn !

Eli glared over her shoulder. The rest of the group was already gone, but Ace had stayed behind and was waiting for her, his hands resting on his hips.

"I just-"

"I know," he interrupted her. "You'll go after him once your wound is bandaged." He gave her a gentle smile.

Eli pondered for a few seconds, sighed, and walked over to the young man compliantly.

About ten minutes later, the group had arrived at a village called Big Horn. The villagers thanked Dalton and dispersed through the town while the man took the pirates to his house.

"You can use the bed over there for your sick friend," Dalton offered. "Let me warm the room up." He walked to the fireplace to start a fire.

"Thank you, you're very kind," Ace said politely. "If it's not too much trouble, could you please lend me a first aid kit ?"

"Owowow !" Eli winced. "Don't ! Ow ! Let me- ! Hiiiii ! It stiiiiiings !"

Ace leaned back, rolling his eyes. "And just when I thought you had become a brave girl...."

"Haha, I was pretty cool, wasn't- ow ow !"

"You should be more careful," Ace said, carefully disinfecting the girl's wound.

"You're worrying about me.... How cute." She grinned watching him.

Ace silently focused on Eli's wound, bandaging her arm as gently as possible. "Done."

Eli looked at her arm. "Thanks." She turned around to look at Vivi. "How is Nami ?"

The princess looked anxious. "Her temperature has risen again. We have to find a doctor fast." She stood up and walked to Dalton. "Please tell us where this witch lives."

"Can you see the castle on the top of that mountain ?" Dalton pointed to the top of the tallest mountain through the window.

Eli narrowed her eyes. She could distinguish the shape of the said castle. She smiled happily, thinking how it totally fitted with the whole fairy-tale-like scenery. The girl got her book and pen out of her bag and started drawing the magical sight.

"Right now, there's no king living in there, and the only doctor who is still in this country, the one the people call 'a witch'... the doctor Kureha, is living in that castle," he explained. "If you want to save your friend, you'll have to take her there because there is no way to contact her."

"But how can she be a doctor then ?" Vivi asked, obviously puzzled at this doctor's odd behavior. "What do you do when someone is sick ?"

"She comes when she wants, looks for the patients, and treats them. However, after that, she'll take anything she wants as payment. Rumor says that she flies through the sky to come down here, and that's why people call her a witch."

From the description, Eli thought that the doctor sounded like a pirate. How unlucky they were to end up in a country that housed only one doctor, and apparently not even the traditional kind.

Luffy stood up and walked to Nami's bedside. He patted the girl's cheek to wake her up. "Hey Nami ! We have to take you to a doctor up the mountain," he said to the waking girl. "Let's go hiking." He grinned.

"I'll leave it to you," Nami said with a weary smile before falling back asleep.

to be continued

Betaed by Iwin Ulose.

Sorry for the delay, the next chapter will be published really soon though.
I hope you liked this one, and don't forget to check my sidefic, from Ace's point of view : 'Twig'.
See you soon~