Chapter 54

"Goodbye, island of the giants! Next stop: Arabasta… or is it?"


The battle is over. However, our giant friend Broggy couldn't hold it anymore and showed his true emotions. He's now crying waterfalls of tears over his fallen friend… No, really.

"He's a good friend even to cry!", Nami said.

"I've heard about rivers of tears but that's just ridiculous…", Zoro commented.

Crying to his heart's content… and giving tremendous pain to our ears…

"I… I… I can understand you! Master Broggy!"…Usopp, crying as well.

"Even you? Come on!", I butted in.

Well, all of a sudden, he stops crying and looks sideways… we look as well… and we see Dorry waking up!

"Ah! Dorry-san! Weren't you supposed to stay… er, um… dead?", I said, perplexed.

Broggy: "DORRY! You… but… how?", yeah, how?

Dorry: "I think I was only knocked out… Maybe it was because of your axe…"

How the hell an axe doesn't kill a man? Ok, they're giants and live the triple of any normal human being, but… taking an axe slash on the chest is instant kill to anybody!

"Wait a sec… weapon… Yes! I got it! These weapons… are very worn out. I got it! Since they were used for so long, the weapons ended going far beyond their lifetime! Even the famous Elbaf weapons aren't capable of cutting anything now, they're completely useless!", Usopp deduced and celebrated, sighing in relief.

Me: "So that's why… Well, better for them!"

Usopp: "It's a fantastic miracle!"

Nobody's dead after all! A warm hug of the two giants sealed a temporary truce in their hundred-year old "war".

"Ow… Broggy, don't hug me that tight, my wound's gonna hurt…"

Broggy, crying tears of joy: "I'm so glad you're still alive, my dear friend! Gebababababababaaa!"

"Gegyagyagyagyagyagyagyaa!"

Then they shared a laugh together, something that might haven't happened for a long, long time…

In that, Zoro reflected: "There's no miracle here. It's only natural."

"How so?", I asked him.

"You gotta agree that it'd be weird if weapons that were used during a hundred years of sparring still slashed anything. That can also be said of its wielders.", he continued.

I agreed: "Well, that makes sense… Yeah… isn't it ironic? Lord Time can be pretty ruthless to anyone and anything… but that may also carry inside good coincidences."

"Today is a marvelous day! We have to thank great God Elbaf's blessing!"

Dorry: "Hey Broggy, tell me… face it, you kinda liked slashing me down and knocking me unconscious, didn't you?"

"Don't say that, my friend!"…Broggy then patted his friend's shoulder.

"Ouch! Don't touch my wound!"…Dorry got back at him punching him in the chest.

Amidst giggles and laughter… they punched… and kicked… each other… Wait, what? What the hell's wrong with their friendship?

"Wanna go at it again, eh, bastard?", Dorry threw the challenge.

"Of course! I'm gonna pound you so hard this time!", Broggy replied accordingly.

There were the two throwing insults at each other again…

"Why the hell you're gonna fight again?", Nami asked.

I answered her, sighing: "Haa… really, they're hopeless… It's like my grandma always says: Close friends always end up fighting each other… right?"

She was intrigued. "Wow, never heard that one…"

"Of course not! I just made that up!", I said, giggling.

Nami: "What the hell…"

After their little skirmish, we and the two giants walked through the forest to sit down on the grass near the skeleton mountains, sharing giggles through the way. Between stories and other stuff, we told them the reason why Baroque Works took the effort to come all the way down here.

"Gegyagyagyagya… that was it… They were chasing our bounties, huh? I completely forgot about that.", Dorry said.

"However, they want to kill me as well and that was the main reason they came here…" Vivi lamented, looking down. Nami noticed that and pulled her cheek.

"Owowowowow! Nami-san!"

Nami: "Can you stop talking about that?"

"That's right, Vivi! Why you're still so depressed?", Luffy asked while chewing a cookie.

I was munching as well. "Yeah, Vivi-san! Depression's gonna do you nothing. Come eat with us and perk up! Guys, cookie toast! Kanpai! Ah…" The "toast" with our cookies… broke them in pieces.

"Oh, dear… that's just wasteful…", Usopp lamented and started cleaning the pieces, but Luffy stepped in trying to steal the cookies. They started fighting like little boys. I let them settle their differences and stood up.

"Ow!"

Me: "What's up, Nami?"

She: "Uh? No, nothing. A bug bit me, that's all."

I then took off my white jacket and offered her: "Look, wear this. It's burned but it still can be used."

She: "No need for that, Dan-kun. I'm fine, really."

"I insist."

She gave up and wore it anyway. "Thank you."

I then whispered: "Ah… ah… I wish I could still see you only in a bra…"…don't seem like it, but she heard me.

"Did you say something?", her mean tone of voice gave me a chill…

"No, no, nothing! Hahahah…"…I tried to wave it off, but then I remembered something that might be important. "Hey… It's everything well, everything alright, but I get that nagging feeling that we are forgetting one or two things, maybe…"

She: "Well… now that you mention it…"

Zoro: "I think I have an idea of what you're talking about: how are we supposed to get outta here? It's out of the question to just wait for the Log to reset."

Yeah, one of those is our burning question.

Nami: "That's true…"

Broggy: "It looks like you're still concerned about something… We're really in debt to you for having rescued us. Can we do something to help you? Just ask."

Luffy then did so. "Well, can you do anything with our Log?"

Dorry: "Sorry, little one, the Log is the only thing for which our hands are tied."

Nami: "Is there something else, Dan-kun?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah… something is telling me that we're forgetting someone that is still to show up…", I said, while mumbling with a hand on my chin.

"NAMI-SAAAN… VIVI-CHHWAAANN… and the rest of the doofuses!"

"Yo! Sanji!", Luffy waved.

"Oh, speaking of the devil… wait. Oi! Doofus? How rude of you!", yeah, that's it. Sanji, the missing lad, is back with all the love in his heart.

"Hahahahahah! You're all OK, aren't you? That's fantastic! Guys, I'm so glad you're all alive!", he said while walking towards us.

I then approached him. He needed to hear us out on this. "Stop right there, compañero! Thanks for being missing when we needed the most! Where the hell were you? Didn't you see the extent of the troubles we had to get over to defeat those bandits!"

Usopp also yelled at him. "You have some guts to walk here only now like nothing ever happened!"

"AAAHH!", Sanji just ignored us and ran to where the giants were sitting.

Me and Usopp: "Listen when someone's talking to you, dammit!"

"Ah, I finally found you! So you're the bastard called Mr. 3?", he shouted.

I walked to him to bonk his head. "No, you dumbo! Mr. 3's already been defeated in the middle of the forest. These are the giants we saved."

He: "Saved?"

Me: "Long story. I'll explain later."

Nami, dragging us back to the original subject: "But how do you know about Mr. 3?"…hmmm… that's a good question…

"Aaah! Nami-san, your appearance is really surprising!", he just kept ogling her and melting in praises just because the lady was only in her bra…

"Wanna make me hit you?", she threatened.

He then retreated and started talking about his misadventures.

"Oh well… I had a little and very enlightening talk over the phone with nobody but the man himself: Mr. 0."

Wait… what?

Vivi reacted immediately. "TH-THE BOSS? You talked with the boss!"

He continued: "Erm… as I was walking on the forest, I found a little strange white house. There everything happened. He must have mistaken me as this so-called Mr. 3."

Me: "Mistook you? Sounds fishy… how did you manage that?"

He: "Don't even ask me. I only know that I was able to talk to him and I told him that the Straw Hat crew was successfully murdered."

Vivi: "So he thinks we're dead?"

Me: "Personally, I highly doubt it. He cannot be that stupid."

"Ah, who cares if no one's after us anymore anyway! It's gonna take a year for us to get out, we are completely stuck!"…Usopp lamented.

Sanji then intervened. "Stuck? Even after everything I had to go through to get this little thing here…"

I only know he took something out of his pocket… something JAW-DROPPINGLY IMPORTANT!

He: "What? Something wrong?"

Me: "What do you mean? Don't you know what's that?"

He: "Of course I do, it's a…"

Luffy: "AN ETERNAL POSE POINTING TO ARABASTA!"

Oh yeah! We can now head straight to our destination!

"Guys! Cookie toast!", I proposed. Me, Nami, Usopp and Luffy then "toasted" with our cookies that, to nobody's surprise, broke in pieces. Again.

"Ah… that's just wasteful… Guys, this way we can't do another toast, there's only two cookies left!", Usopp said.

"If no one wants, they're mine! Give it to me!", I said it then stole the bag from him.

"Hey, not fair, I want too!", Luffy whined and tried to steal it.

Nami then stepped in and put an end to it all. "Guys, let's stop the quarrel once and for all! We have no time to waste, captain! Let's get outta here right now!"

He: "You're right…"

Luffy then talked to the giants. Holding his hat, he said: "Ok, docs, we're going now."

"Hmm… seems like you're in a hurry… Ok, as much as we want to, we won't stop you.", Broggy warranted.

"Little girl, I hope everything's alright in your country.", Dorry said.

Vivi: "Thank you."

We then bid farewell to the legendary giants from Elbaf, another friendship made in our journey. We walked through the forest and got back to where our ship rested. Zoro and Sanji brought the results of their little hunting contest. 'Little' isn't the prey they caught!

"Look at my rhinoceros! It's the bigger of them! I won this thing!", Zoro bragged.

Sanji retorted. "My gecko is the winner, you doofus!"

Luffy butted in: "Does that matter? Both of them look delicious anyway!"

"YOU SHUT UP!", both promptly kicked Luffy out of the discussion.

"Hey you two, how long are you planning to keep on with your silly arguing, huh? Neither of them are gonna fit in the ship, so cut the necessary bits so we can sail right away, ok?", Nami spoke from the railing of the cabin.

"Usopp! Dan! Which of them is bigger, huh? It's mine for sure!", Zoro asked our opinion.

Usopp: "Eh? Who cares…"

"OI!", Zoro was not amused.

Vivi: "Can't you settle with a tie?"

Zoro: "There are no ties in duels."

Me: "Yossh… Let the drums ruff!" …ruffing drums fit for the great announcement! "The winner of the hunting contest iiiiiiissss… I don't care! Just bring the meat to the storage and let's go already!"…there. The great announcement.

"HEY YOU…!", both yelled at me.

Nami got ticked off for real and shouted: "GET ON THE SHIP NOW!"

Trembling, the duo quickly got stuff done and cut out the best parts. We could finally unfurl the main sail, push in the anchor and get on our journey! We navigated through a river that, according to Nami's map, would lead us to the open sea. When we were close to the shore, we saw the giants with their mantles swaying with the wind. Truly, an imposing image.

Luffy: "Hey, look! The giants came to say goodbye!"

"For all the humans that managed to arrive at our island…", Broggy…

"The main reason why they can't go to their next stop lies right ahead.", Dorry… What does he mean with that? "You risked your lives to protect our honor."

Broggy completed: "Therefore, we will do the same, no matter who our enemy may be."

Dorry: "No matter what happens, a friend of ours shall never be abandoned."

Broggy: "Lay all of your trust on us and go ahead without hesitation!"

Some silent moments until Luffy announced: "Understood!"

Me: "What's going on here?"

Luffy: "We're going forward, no matter what!"

"I kinda have this bad feeling right now…", I started getting nervous with all of this.

The ship sailed forward… we went past the giants wielding their weapons. Ahead of us, the sea…

Nami: "GUYS, LOOK OUT!"

…AND A GIANT FRICKIN' GOLDFISH! It's mere presence shook the sea violently!

Me: "What the… what's… it's… it's huge!"

Usopp: "Go-go-go-g-g-g-goldfish? G-giant? Where did I hear about that?"

"We gotta get outta the way now!", Nami ordered.

"Nami… that makes sense, but what can we do?", I told her.

"What do you suggest then?", she shouted.

Usopp: "Let's go ahead!"

"WE'RE GONNA BE EATEN!", Nami was terrified.

My body was all shivers… the terror affected me… but I could spit out my words.

"It's… it's… it's like the giants told us! Let's… let's just trust them and gather the courage to keep going!", that's my suggestion.

Usopp: "Yeah! We're going on! R-r-r-right, Luffy?"

"Obvious."…Luffy. Confidence is written in his face.

"DON'T BE AN IDIOT! This thing's not like Laboon! Turn the helm!", Nami yelled.

"Just give up, Nami.", Zoro said, leaning on the cabin.

The mouth of the goldfish was getting closer and closer… until we were finally swallowed.

"We can't go back anymore! Aaaaahhhh!", Nami screamed in fear… We can't do anything now. We have to trust their word to save us.

Usopp, weeping: "Let's go! March ahead! Proceed!"

Luffy, confident: "Marching forward, guys!"

"SHUT UP! WE'VE BEEN EATEN ALREADY!", Nami shouted.

Suddenly… a bright light approached us…

"HAKOKU!"

A blue and red, very powerful gust of wind raged past us and clashed against the "wall" ahead of us. The impact was incredible… and shining… the light ahead of us… so blindingly intense… When it disappeared… we saw a hole… and the sea ahead of us!

WE'RE SAVED!

Luffy: "We're through!"

"We did it! We did it! Thank you very much!", thank you giants!

"They… they even slashed the ocean itself… This is the true strength… of the giants from Elbaf! Fantastic!", Usopp shed tears of happiness!

The wind gust made the ship float in a high speed for a few seconds before landing its keel gently back in the sea. We're sailing again… once this time, heading to Arabasta!

After the sea calmed down, we could finally rest and listen the sound of the waves rippling through the wood of our ship. Back is also the boredom and the times where there's nothing to do. But that doesn't mean that the silence is back as well because… we have a very excited duo guaranteed to make noise for quite a long time after yet another adventure…

"Waaaaahhhh! That's thrilling! Now I'm even more eager to visit the land of the legendary Giant Tribe! One day, surely, I'll go to Elbaf!", Usopp said, more than happy. Luffy agreed and they both partied, singing to their heart's content.

I let myself rest leaning on the ship's railing and feel the wind in my body. "Hmmmm… they have great dreams… Like my grandma always said… We're free to dream…", I mumbled to myself while writing another of my little recordings of everything that happened until now.

I soon stopped when I noticed Nami and Vivi sitting in the ground talking to each other. They must be quite worn out… I closed my book to go tend to them.

"Hello ladies! How you're doing? Nami… you look kinda worn out…", As soon as I arrived, I tried to join the talk.

Nami: "This whole fuss left me more tired than I thought…"

Me: "Just sit down, rest and let the ship sail in its route. We're on the right direction, aren't we?"

She: "Yeah. I've checked it a while ago. We're in the right route."…she then turned to Vivi. "We're finally able to take you home…"

Vivi: "Yes… I really need to go back. After all… there's no one with enough power to save my country. People lost all trust in my father, the King, and started rebelling… I have to arrive at Arabasta alive."

"Stop worrying so much, Vivi-chan.", Sanji went down the stairs to the mast, bringing with him a delicious-looking dessert. "Because I'll be on your side. Now, will you have the honor of tasting one of my delicious 'petit fours'? To drink, I can bring you tea, coffee or whatever you may wish."

"WOW! DELICIOUS!", Usopp, Luffy and Carue, hungry as always were now drooling over the plate…

"Hey, you! Don't spoil the mood!", I complained.

"Yours are on the kitchen! Now get out!", Sanji ordered.

The three hunger-ridden quickly rushed to the kitchen.

Me: "Hmmm… now that you mentioned it, I admit I'm hungry now… Sanji-san, you made one for me, didn't you?"

He: "I made for all of us. It's in the kitchen. Now go."

Me: "Yatta! Ok!", I then ran to grab my 'petit four'. Kinda stylish name, eh? I then walked a bit around the ship while appreciating the candies, delicious, I might add. Just like everything Sanji comes up with!

"GUYS, COME HERE QUICK!"

Hm? Vivi is calling! Sounds like it's urgent!

I run from where I stood, still carrying my plate and munching candy, but there's a pressing issue here! Whatever it may be…

"Guys, Nami-san is burning in a fever!"

Oh no… Fever? But how? When I touched her forehead… it stung! The fever looked very high! What are we gonna do?

"Guys, no sudden movements now… Calm down and take Nami to our room. I need a bowl of water and a small towel. We gotta do something about the temperature of her fever!", Vivi spoke, trying to keep calm.

I volunteered, also asking for help. Sanji, between tears, was able to keep calm so we could carry her to the women's quarters. We then laid her on the bed, covering her in a sheet.

"She's not gonna die, is she? Huh, Vivi-chan…", Sanji said while crying and biting a napkin.

"I think that's because of the climate. One of the greatest obstacles pirates find in their journeys are the climate changes, something that leaves the body little time to get over.", Vivi said while moisturing the towel and putting it on Nami's forehead. "It isn't strange that great pirates with fame and enviable reputation end up perishing affected by unstable weather."

"Wha… being killed by enemy pirates or by weather-related diseases… I don't know which is scarier…", you always gotta be careful about that.

"Guys, does anyone of you have any medical knowledge?"

Usopp and Luffy pointed… to the "patient".

"I… well… when I was little, I used to get sick from time to time… therefore, I know a little, but I don't think it'll serve on her case…", I tried to help, but I reckon I can't do much, either.

"Hey, a little bit of meat should perk her up again, right… Sanji?", Luffy, still smiling, asked.

Sanji stopped crying and replied: "Well… I can try to fix something for her to eat, but… all it'll do is to nourish her… that's not enough. Besides… while we're sailing, I try to prepare the women's meals with exceptional care compared to you guys.", I feel kinda insulted, though I can't help but agree. "I always prioritize the fresher vegetables and meat to the girls… and what's rotten… goes to you guys."

"OI!", Usopp complained.

"Sanji, that might qualify as food poisoning, you know."

"I don't mind, it's good anyways!", Luffy said nonchalantly.

Sanji continued: "As long as I am here, there will be no nutrition issues for anyone. However, when you're dealing with preparing food to ill people, you have to take other factors into the equation. Like what are the symptoms and their treatment in terms of food. I am not capable of doing this kind of diagnostic."

"What about giving her a little of everything? No good?", Luffy asked, still intrigued.

"Someone sick has the energy for that? I don't think so.", Sanji replied.

"What? 104º F? Her fever's gone up!", Vivi made the alert.

"Oh crap…", I said.

Usopp: "There'll be doctors in Arabasta, right? How long are we gonna take?"

Vivi looked desolate when she stated: "I don't know. But I believe it won't take less than a week or so…"

"A full week? Dammit… it's really serious…", I said. One of the things I learned the hard way is that one week with a high fever is too much for the human body to handle. It might be fatal, but I didn't wanna say it out loud.

"Hey… getting sick is this bad?", Luffy asked, puzzled as he was.

Sanji and Usopp tilted their heads: "Dunno… never been through there…"

"WHAT! You never…?", Vivi, taken aback, reacted. "Can't you see? It's clearly bad to get sick! A 104 degree fever can be fatal!"

Oh, she let it out and all hell broke loose. The three of them and Carue started panicking, running around and asking loudly "Oh god! She's gonna die, she's gonna die!"…

Me: "Oh for crying out loud! You just had to say that, didn't you, Vivi-san!"

She: "Sorry…"

"After I tried to hold it in myself…"…we then turned to the scared group. "Guys, calm down!"

"WE HAVE TO FIND A DOCTOR NOW! SAVE NAMI!", Luffy was shouting his loudest.

I had to step in. "You guys, calm the f**k down!"

Vivi: "We know that, but we have to stay calm first! The noise will affect her body!"

"N-no… Please… no…", Nami whispered slowly and tried to get up. "There's a newspaper in the closet near my desk."

Vivi grabbed the newspaper and as she read the news… her face got paler and paler…

"Oh no… It can't be… 300,000 royal soldiers turned to the rebel side… Before that, there were 600,000 of the royal guard against 400,000 rebellers… the table's been turned overnight!"…her reading of the news left her even more terrified.

Nami, panting: "Now the rebellion's… gonna get more intense… This one's from three days ago… I apologize for hiding that from you… I didn't want to worry you even more…"

"Hmmm… Looks like things are getting ugly there…", Luffy stated.

"That's understanding enough.", I said.

"What… this thermometer's gotta be broken… No one gets a 104º fever… Must be a heatwave…", she said, trying to get up.

"Wait! Don't do it!", I tried to stop her. "When you're with a fever this high, ignoring the thermometer equals throwing your life away! I'm not a doctor, but I know. Please!"

She still stood up, even with her body shaking and swaying. "Leave me alone… I gotta get back to checking the ship's route… but…", she then turned to us, smiled and said: "…thanks for the concern…"

"Oh, she's better after all?", Luffy, unable to understand, asked.

"She's faking it.", Usopp explained.

"It's really worrisome… being stubborn in her state…", I lamented.

"A bloodshed is looming… it's really serious…! Arriving alive isn't enough anymore! I have to arrive as fast as possible… or else, one million people will get in a meaningless carnage!"

"One million?", Luffy said.

"What a heavy burden… Vivi-chan…", Sanji reflected.

Nami sick, feverish, trying to resist… Vivi with a responsibility the size of the world in her back… It's desolating…


Dan: "It's really bad... Nami sick... Vivi having to arrive pretty much now..."

Sanji: "Nami-saaaan... Vivi-chwaaaann!"

Luffy: "We gotta find a doctor first and immediately!"

To head straight to Arabasta, with the risk of losing their navigator for the rest of the journey or to stop, find a doctor, but let everything in the hands of destiny? The answer to this burning question will be in chapter 55!