The night wore on and Luffy lost the Straw Hats pretty quickly in exploring the tent city. The other five were too uneasy in being in Foxy's company; they felt like this crew was suddenly an enemy crew to be considered as quite dangerous. They weren't worried for Luffy's safety whatsoever, so they figured their best bet was to retreat to the Going Merry for the night. At worst, they needed to get a good night's sleep like Foxy was making to do. "Who knows what sort of diabolical challenge he'll cook up for us tomorrow?" Usopp kept saying even as they were settling back into the cabin.
Before it got too late, thankfully, Luffy returned to the cabin. "Oh, there you guys are!" He appeared drunk and stuffed to the brim full of street, carnival and artisan foods judging by the smell pouring off him. "What happened? I thought we were gonna have a fun night together! No reason to be sulking around here."
"We were hoping to go over strategy for tomorrow," Nami snapped back. "What ideas do you have for our challenge tomorrow?"
"Oh, I got a great idea!" Luffy said as he stomped past the whole crew, not registering they wanted to talk. "Good night!" he said innocently and fell into his hammock, swaying back and forth as he snored. He was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.
"Luffy! Luffy!" Nami screamed at him, shaking his hammock up and down until he fell out of it. Nothing worked; he snored all the louder as he landed face down on the floor. "Ugh!" Nami screamed, stomping her foot down in front of his face in one last ditch effort.
"It's no use. He's entered a meat coma," Sanji sighed. They left him on the floor in the men's quarters while they went back around the dining table to discuss what to do the next day. Beyond Nami's suggestion for Sanji to poison everyone's meal at breakfast, they came up with nothing as it was up to the captain to decide what to do.
"It seems like he's already got a plan. Now we're just working against ourselves," Zoro said. "We might all need to participate in these games tomorrow. Let's show 'em our A game and prove we're worth all four hundred of them and then some between just the six of us." He stood from the table first and made for the men's quarters. "We should follow Luffy's lead."
"He's probably right," Gaimon said through a stifled yawn.
"I gotta stay up to figure out what to prepare for everyone tomorrow," Sanji said, looking around expectantly for someone to volunteer to be sous chef for him. Yet instead, the other four stood from the table, each yawning and exchanging good nights to one another and Sanji even as they left him hanging to brainstorm for his own personal challenge first thing in the morning.
Early the next morning, there were knocks on the door into the Merry's cabin that resounded for almost twenty minutes before it stirred the Straw Hats. It was Hamburg, calling to wonder where Sanji was as Foxy was beginning to grow hungry. "I don't want to rush you all, but, well, I figured it would be better if I came to wake you than Captain Foxy," Hamburg told Sanji abashedly as he went to go stir the others.
"No, please, and thank you," Sanji said sarcastically as he tapped on Nami's door politely, putting a sing song voice on to say through the wood, "Nami! Morning time. I think we're getting the day started." He had stayed up almost all night preparing what to cook over four hundred people for breakfast, figuring the crew could go without if need be (minus Nami, of course). So he was rather cranky and had only the patience for Nami as he slammed his foot against the door to the men's quarters three times. "GET ON OUT, YOU JACKASSES!"
Within ten minutes, the Straw Hats were ready for the day - save for Sanji, who had the others carry the supplies he'd need to cook what he'd thought of. "But Hamburg, we're gonna need help from your crew in the form of supplies. Surely you can understand we weren't supplied for four hundred people in one day, let alone one year," he explained through two consecutive yawns to Foxy's man.
"We'll make something work," Hamburg said as they joined a man throng of Foxy's people around a large campfire and some lesser campfires that were in the process of being lit. Hamburg waved the strange looking man, Itomimizu, over to them. "Can you get in the air and make a round for everything Sanji needs for breakfast?"
"Can do! What do ya need?" he asked Sanji as he pulled out a pen and paper.
"As much corned beef as you all have, potatoes out the wazoo, and twelve dozen-dozen of eggs," Sanji told him. "I have all the spices we need."
"Corned beef hash? Captain Foxy might find that to be a bit . . . basic," Itomimizu warned Hamburg as much as he warned the Straw Hats. He jotted the notes down all the same. At Sanji's glower, he just shrugged and whistled. From the Sexy Foxy came a massive bird wearing the same mask Itomimizu was, a modified one of the same mask all of Foxy's crew wore that had a striped cap over it.
"Wow! A super sparrow!" Gaimon exclaimed.
"Yes, Chuchun and I are from the South Blue," Itomimizu said cheerily. "Snowy Plains are too cold for him to stay out in regularly, but we'll have to pump our blood up today, pal!" He said as he climbed atop Chuchun's back and strapped himself in, taking his megaphone from his belt. "We've got a Davy Back ahead of us! Now fly!"
Luffy, Usopp, Nami, and Gaimon stared in wonder as Itomimizu sprung into the air on back of his super sparrow, flying high above the tent city as he rose the megaphone to his mouth and cried out: "Calling all Foxy-cooks! Calling all Foxy-cooks! Our exalted guest cook has need of ingredients to feed us all!"
"Glad to see you all bright eyed and bushy tailed," Foxy said as he made his way over to the Straw Hats and Hamburg, flanked by Capote and Porche. The three of them sneered ahead, Foxy perhaps a bit less pointedly. Usopp and Nami stood at Luffy's right and left, sneering back at Foxy's proverbial wings. Foxy stood in front of Luffy, nodding to Sanji. "I look forward to trying your cooking. Hamburg bragged about it all night long."
Hamburg seemed to slouch at the comment, drifting his eyes to the ground. Luffy chuckled cheekily at Foxy, slapping an arm around his shoulder. "So, Foxy! Thought of a challenge for us after breakfast? I got something ready for after lunch!"
Foxy laughed, and said, "I'm sure glad to hear it. Yes, I do have something planned, but one thing at a time. Let's enjoy our meal for the day and then get into the games. Come! Tell me about your adventures, and I might tell you about mine."
It ended up being that Foxy prattled on about the Foxy Pirates adventures, from their time of conception when Foxy had only four other men, including Hamburg, Capote, and Porche. Foxy had a pirate grandfather who had fallen victim to Davy Backs as a pirate, eventually losing his entire crew on a string of comeback rounds he thought might change his luck. Apparently, Foxy's grandfather didn't win a single Davy Back.
As a result, his father rejected piracy and led a simple life but growing up, Foxy had felt he lived without, and once his father passed, he set out to sail and assembled the core crew before starting Foxy Pirates. The first Davy Back Foxy ever performed in was a complete success, and he had bartered the captain's most beloved crewmates for his massive ship instead. They had it refashioned to their crew's likeness and began flying Foxy's flag, and the rest was history. Every pirate crew they came across was challenged to a Davy Back; and every crew ended up with at least two lost crewmates.
The cooks from around the tent city that had the ingredients Sanji needed gladly brought what he'd requested and then some, plenty for seconds. Sanji had every fire stoked to max fuel to cook the corned beef hash, but did it up Sanji's way, with waffle mix lightly peppered in throughout as well as spices generally used for seafood dishes. The first dish pulled out was cut up and served to Foxy and Luffy, then the upper officers of their crews and descending. Itomimizu were given a special first round portion, as well as some for Chuchun. Both lapped it up happily.
Sanji then fed the cooks who'd helped, then the women, pretty or not, and then everyone else. "You're not an officer; you can wait 'till last," Sanji said, still cranky from his lack of sleep but willing to take it out on Zoro as he came up with a plate, itching for something to eat.
"Come on, we've gotta hold up each other's strength," Zoro said, trying to appease to logic, but Sanji pretended to ignore him to dish out a portion to the strange woman who'd confronted them after Foxy's departure the night before. "Ah, hello again, mademoiselle. Here, an extra large portion for you."
Robin grinned cheekily at Sanji and Zoro both, tasting the hash before Sanji. "You ready for the games today?"
"Ready," Zoro said.
"As I'll ever be," Sanji groaned.
"Not very reassuring. Have you listened to Captain Foxy's stories? He's never lost a single Davy Back," Robin explained to them in simpler terms. "I'd be more worried if I were you. It could be you both that end up sailing with us. Great hash, though!" She smiled and walked off before either of the Straw Hats could respond.
Both crews dined together, though there were a few of Foxy's Pirates who were left out. Some had prepared breakfast for themselves, opting to eat food from their own plates out of total distrust of other pirates. A select few went without food altogether, sitting just within the tendrils of warmth emanating from the fires to keep from cold. "Hey, guys! Come get some grub," Sanji called out to them. He knew they heard him as they raised their heads toward him, but pretended as if they didn't hear him.
"What's their deal?" Gaimon asked Foxy.
"Newbies not used to being under my leadership," Foxy explained saltily as he gorged on a third helping of hash. "They're sour because they think their dreams are crushed. Little do they know, there's plenty of splendor to be found on the Foxy Pirates' team!" He laughed at that, spitting hash out of his mouth all over the ground.
"That still doesn't check out," Luffy said as he enjoyed second helpings, looking around the camp. Indeed, it felt like the whole crew were here, but Luffy said, "The numbers just don't add up. There's about seventy of your men unaccounted for."
"Other newbies," Foxy said simply. "They're onboard the Sexy Foxy now, powering the wheels that generate our electricity here. If they're second from the bottom," Foxy said as he pointed toward the depressed guys on the edge of the fire, "then the guys onboard are the bottom. You gotta earn your keep! We all walk the wheels sometimes. They just do it most of the time."
Luffy scrunched his face up, losing his appetite somewhat but not yet enough to stop eating. "Wow. It sounds terrible to be a part of your crew."
Yeah, so don't go losing any of these challenges for us! Nami said to herself, not sure who she was talking to. After all, they needed to be ready for any of them to be called forth for these challenges.
Foxy finished his third plate and licked his fingers, asking Luffy, "So, Captain, are you ready to hear what I have in store for you?"
"Ready!" Luffy said, flushing the rest of his second plate down his throat as he stood up. "What's the first challenge, Foxy?"
Foxy swallowed the grease from his fingers and smacked his lips, grinning mischievously from under his skinny eyebrows. "A test of endurance - a test to withstand the cold of Snowy Plains! I myself already have my champion."
"Great! I know exactly who I'd pick for that," Luffy said.
"As do I! In fact, if my champion wants to introduce himself," Foxy said, slyly turning his gaze toward Capote, one of the crew who ate from their own breakfast prepared despite everyone else's clamors of how good Sanji's cooking really was.
"I'm a billfish fishman who grew up in the frigid cold of the South Pole!" Capote bragged as he flexed his muscles. "My flesh has been toned for this kind of weather in and out of water since I was literally a baby."
"Well, cool," Luffy said not without truth behind it though not impressed. He jerked his thumb toward Zoro, who was finally served his portion of hash. "I'm gonna pick Zoro!"
Upon hearing that, everyone looked at Zoro and he looked around at the Straw Hats and Foxy with his officers before opening his mouth wide, folding the hash over, and shoveling the entire portion into his mouth. He chewed five, six times, swallowed, and set his plate and utensils down. "Not exactly the face off I had in mind, but ready when you are."
Foxy was even impressed with how easily Zoro had eaten such a big portion of food, and he chuckled, still unphased by Zoro's cockiness. "In the total nude! That is the condition!"
Before the Foxy Pirates could really dig into laughter, Zoro began undressing compliantly. Foxy waved his hands back and forth as a few of his younger women giggled excitedly nearby while some of the elder women he had just scalped from the Nun Pirates were screaming and averting their eyes from the scene. "Not here, not now!" Foxy yelled at Zoro. "The games haven't begun yet!"
Without much time left to prepare, as the sun was only in the air so long on Snowy Plains, the captains did soon decide to convene the games to their crews. Itomimizu flew into the air on back of Chuchun and began bellowing across the entire tent city, "Come one, come all, to the edge of camp! There is a ring erected already for the Davy Back between our illustrious Captain Foxy and the Straw Hat Pirates!"
A great roar went up across the Foxy Pirates as everyone went to where Itomimizu directed them to in order to spectate the games. The crew was so big, it came as news to some of the crew, yet flock they came all the same. The only crew who were left out were those on board the Sexy Foxy, toiling away at walking to power the tent city outside. A few caught a glimpse of the "fighting ring" set up afar.
"Alright, Foxy Pirates and guests, Straw Hat Pirates!" Foxy called as he took Itomimizu's megaphone to address the two crews. "Without further ado, let us begin Foxy's one hundred and seventh Davy Back!" The crowd roared around the Straw Hats, causing a few of them to cover their ears from the cacophony. As if on command, stands were stood up around the fighting ring set up in the snow and the Foxy Pirates swarmed them to catch good seats overlooking the whole ring.
"Should we go get some good seats?" Sanji wondered, desperate for a chance to nod out for a few moments.
"No, let's get right up on the ring to cheer on Zoro!" Luffy said, leading the Straw Hats to the very edge of the ring. From there, Zoro continued on alone. Although the ring was huge, he spotted a great deal of Foxy's men shoving great platforms into the center of the ring.
"In a last minute decision, Captain Foxy has decided to minimize the boundaries to these platforms!" Itomimizu declared after he dropped Foxy off by the Straw Hats. "Should either combatants, our own Capote or the opposing -." He placed a hand over the megaphone as Chuchun fluttered just above the Straw Hats' heads. "What's your champion's name again?"
"Roronoa Zoro!" Usopp said, offended he wouldn't keep track of such a thing. The newer swordsman to the Straw Hats obviously had odds with Usopp in some way, but against these jokers, there was total uniformity with his crew.
"The opposing Roronoa Zoro!" Itomimizu finished. "Should either champion fall from the platform, they are disqualified and the winning team will be determined. Disqualification will also come at the need for medical attention, passing out, or any such reason for disembarking from the platform. Champions, to your places. And don't forget, disrobe!"
Zoro and Capote confidently undressed themselves and climbed atop their platforms, staring each other down. The only item of clothing they each had on was Capote's mask, that Foxy did not want him to remove even for the challenge, and Zoro's swords, which he still wore at his waist. "You hoping to use those to gain an advantage somehow?" Capote asked, wagging his fingers disrespectfully toward Zoro's blades.
"No, but I might use 'em to shut you up," Zoro replied as he crossed his arm, only moving to blink from that moment on as he stared Capote down. As the morning wore on, Capote would throw boasts and brags at Zoro, though he would not respond to them. Even more impressive to everyone was that neither champion was flustered by the cold.
"Go, Zoro! You got this!" the Straw Hats chanted to Zoro as encouragement, though he dared not even look back at them to acknowledge that.
"Capote is a most honed fishman. Do not underestimate him," said a bellowing voice as a shadow extended about them. The Straw Hats, as well as Foxy, Hamburg, and Porche turned to see a massive man fifteen feet tall towering above everyone else, almost as tall as the stands the Foxy Pirates had raised as seating. "He is indeed from the South Pole, as am I." The giant, for lack of a better word, wore little clothing, only overalls that were loose around his body. "We are no strangers to the cold."
"Oh, good god," Nami stammered.
"Are you a giant?!" Usopp exclaimed, clapping his hands to his face and staring at the man up and down.
"I am a wotan," the man bellowed. "I am half giant, half fishman."
"This is Big Pan! One of my most prized lieutenants," Foxy said, sweeping his arms wide for the introduction. "He usually watches over the newbies on the ship. But he can never resist a Davy Back!" Foxy laughed loud and wide, catching tide across his crew including Hamburg and Porche, but not this wotan, Big Pan.
Incredible! So there are giants in the world. And this is some of their offspring, Usopp wondered, studying Big Pan. Indeed, he seemed mostly giant, but for his gray skin, and the gills on his neck. The signs are there! He's part fishman, Usopp said, shocked. From everything he'd ever heard as a child, there was no possible mixing of races like that.
Alone from intrigue of Big Pan's arrival was Sanji, who leaned on the ring as he drifted off to sleep, catching an equilibrium point so he wouldn't tip over. Gaimon saw him swaying back and forth slightly in the breeze, wincing as he alerted the others to it. "Guys, I think Sanji's knocked out. We should go put him to bed."
"What?!" Nami exclaimed. "That's no good! He's one of our best performers, we might need him in the next challenge!"
"We won't need him," Luffy said confidently as he walked back to the ring to watch Zoro and Capote continue to brave the cold as a wind began picking up.
"Well, then, clue us in to what the challenge is and who you're going to put up there! Is it you?" Usopp asked as he bounded over to Luffy's side.
Foxy raised a finger, wagging it back and forth. "Tch, tch, tch. Unfortunately, the captain is not allowed to participate in the first two challenges. No champion is able to perform more than once. Sorry, did we fail to mention that to you?" He giggled from behind his hand, as did Porche. Notably absent from the chorus was Hamburg, though.
"That's fine! I'm saving my strength for our duel, Foxy," Luffy said confidently, giving him a thumbs up and then slapping Usopp on the back. "Here's my next champion, but that's all I'll say for now."
"Him?" Foxy said, pointing at Usopp incredulously. He leaned on his back leg. "What can he do?"
"He's my First Mate! Don't underestimate him," Luffy said simply. "Go, Zoro!" he called as he directed his attention back to the first challenge. Two hours now had passed into the morning, and both champions were beginning to tremble, ever so slightly. Capote bounced from foot to foot, trying to keep warm but also trying to stay nonchalant about it. Zoro remained stock still but for his blinks.
"We're nearing lunch time and it doesn't seem like either champion is ready to back down!" Itomimizu called out from Chuchun. "This is uncalled for! Surely, we all expected the human to step down at this point - I can barely feel my own balls! Yet for even our dear Capote to remain mostly unbothered by this chill?! Their will is out of this world!" At the cryer's amplified words, the Foxy Pirates erupted into a cheer joined by Luffy, Usopp, and Gaimon.
"Go, Capote! Go, Zoro!" Hamburg called in equal cheer for both champions, clapping his hands but catching a sideways glare from Foxy.
"Whose side are you on, monkey man?" Foxy asked.
"Well, Captain, they saved my life," Hamburg said most obviously.
"Come on, Hamburg. Some loyalty? By the end of tomorrow, three of them'll be on our crew so your friendship can continue," Porche said. She giggled as she continued with, "And who knows, maybe the other three'll just beg to be part of our crew."
Hamburg put two and two together, somewhat glad Foxy and his entourage had stood apart from Luffy's so they wouldn't hear this conversation. "So you don't plan on destroying their pirate crew's Jolly Roger?" he asked, somewhat relieved at the sound of that.
"No. I have no need of doing such a thing to these rookies," Foxy explained as he leaned on the ring. "But I want the captain, Straw Hat. I know you fools might not know who he is, since you all decide to leave the news gathering to your illustrious leader, but if you had kept up with the goings on of the East Blue lately, you'd know that's the new hottest item from that sea."
Hamburg, Porche, and Big Pan let this soak in as they continued to watch the "battle" play out between Zoro and Capote, but perhaps for Big Pan most of all who'd been absent for the Straw Hats' arrival up until now, this was a wake up call. We must win this fight. Foxy desires new friends, he thought as he walked over just beyond where the throng of pirates were gathered for the Davy Back and began gathering up a massive snowball. Before anyone could protest or even notice, he had hurled it through the air, sailing right for Zoro.
Zoro's eyes just barely noticed it as it came smashing against him, sending him flying off the platform onto his back, covered in snow. He twitched, unwilling to move in case the snow cushioning his back would count in his favor for not having touched the ground. He gritted his teeth as laughter went up over the Foxy Pirates' crew, led most raucously by Capote, who pointed and leaned on his knees at Zoro.
"And we have a winner!" Itomimizu called from on back of Chuchun, the sparrow cycling in spirals in midair. The Foxy Pirates leapt up from their seats, stamping their feet on the metal bleachers so they clanged about the otherwise deserted island. "It is our own Foxy Pirates' Capote! Give it up for our winner today, folks!"
"Wait, what?" Luffy automatically exclaimed in protest, stalking over to Foxy as he pumped his arms up and down for his crew to raise their voices ever louder for their successful crewmate. He pushed Foxy on the shoulder. "What's the deal?! Your man cheated! He tossed that snowball on Zoro and knocked him over, didn't you see?"
"Why, I didn't see who threw that snowball!" Foxy put on in the most sarcastic tone that didn't even get past Luffy. He shook his head as some of Foxy's crew joined in the cacophony that was agreement: The Foxy Pirates had done no such cheating. "Big Pan was over there taking a leak. There's no way he could have thrown a snowball at your man!"
"Then how do you explain all the snow that's missing from around his feet?" Usopp asked, disappointed, flat, and unsure how on earth Luffy's challenge would go this afternoon. So that's the type of crew we're up against, he realized.
"I didn't throw no snowball," Big Pan said in a bellow at Usopp non threateningly.
Luffy huffed and threw his hands in the air, waving them about as he shouted, "I demand some sort of a rematch! Give 'em a fair shot to start from the beginning, or at least let them duke it out old school style, fisticuffs!" He put his hands up to act out what he meant, punching into the air. "Zoro's a great guy! He's worth seeing what he's capable of! I know he could beat your man."
Foxy tittered as he looked about his officers and his crew as Capote walked back over to join them, redressing along the way. The captain clapped Capote on the back and said, "We saw what he was capable of! If Capote had been hit by that stray, supermassive snowball, I have full faith he wouldn't have staggered."
"Not one inch!" Porche called out.
"Not! One inch," Foxy said, lifting a finger up as he said it and Big Pan formed up around behind him, combined with Itomimizu and Chuchun who came to land by Foxy. Behind him, from this angle, the Straw Hats stared on at the bulk of Foxy's crew, but behind them were ever still more of the Foxy Pirates. They were well aware of this, even Zoro as he finished redressing and rejoined the Straw Hats, shaking the snow from his hair.
"Okay, well I see what we've got going on here," Luffy said bitterly, forcing himself to smile through the pain of losing that round. "Get ready to hand my crewmate back over after next round."
Foxy shook his head as he walked over to the Straw Hats, his eyes on the man he wanted. "Ah, Straw Hat. Again, you get two steps ahead of yourself." He set his hand on Sanji's head, who had fallen into sleep so deep that he'd eventually slumped to his knees, leaning against the ring marker. He snored deeply until Foxy's hand ruffled his hair. "I enjoyed your meal you prepared for us this morning, my friend! Join my crew!"
Sanji groggily looked between the Straw Hats and Foxy. "What did you just say?" he asked. "I'm with them!" he said defensively like a little kid, standing on his own two feet and shoving Foxy's hand from his head.
Nami grunted. "We lost the match! Thanks to some outside interference." She itched her under-eye with her middle finger directed right at Big Pan as well as the other officers of Foxy's crew.
Sanji was still waking up and struggled to make sense of what they were saying. "So . . . I have to put on one of those stupid masks?"
"Why, yes, you have to put on one of our stu-pendous masks!" Foxy said as he slapped the little slip over Sanji's eyes. He laughed as he did so and Sanji adjusted it on his face so his eyes weren't plastered shut. "Welcome, fair cook! I dare say, you might be the best among my cooking force!"
"Noooooo-OOOOOOO!" Luffy screamed as he fell to his knees, whining as he dug his heels into the dirt. "He's my favorite cook in the world! You can't have him!" He stood up, jamming a thumb right in Foxy's face. "Okay, no more Mr. Nice Guy! Come on, let's get to the second round."
Porche scoffed and crossed her arms. "He just doesn't quit. One step ahead once more."
The officers laughed at Porche's taunting while Foxy brushed his hands off as if the entire event was a wash already. "We'll convene for lunch, and this time, my men will cook for us, for free of course. Then, dear Straw Hat, we'll begin your challenge."
Sanji walked over to the Straw Hats fully and looked around, waving his hands in the air as the words just could not form easily. "What am I gonna do? I'm a part of their crew now?"
"Not for long! Usopp here is gonna win us big on this next challenge of mine, and we'll get you back, Sanji," Luffy reassured him.
"Do we have to?" Zoro muttered under his breath.
Usopp shook his head as the Straw Hats huddled up in a circle. "Luffy, I'm not quite sure why you're trusting in me so much. What's this next challenge of yours? Clue us in!"
Luffy looked around to make sure none of Foxy's crew were listening in and huddled the crew closer as his arms stretched out around all six of them. "It's gonna be a relay race!" He cocked his eyebrows as if that was the most revolutionary idea in the world, sticking his tongue out and stifling his laughter.
The other Straw Hats and Sanji stared at Luffy like he was crazy, all of their jaws held open at varying degrees, their eyes unblinking. "Just a relay race?" Nami asked, dejected and already resigned to failure before their true voyage could begin.
"Not just a relay race!" Luffy said as if it were obvious.
Zoro grinned, nodding knowingly. "As I suspected. You've got something up your sleeve."
Luffy's smile faded away and he scratched his head. "Well, I mean, that's why I picked Usopp. He was the fastest runner on his island!"
Nami threw her arms in the air, clapping them against her thighs as she retreated to the bleachers where there was an open seat on the bottom row. She leaned her elbows on her knees and stared at her crewmates, giggling as she said, "Well, it's been fun sailing together." And though Luffy tried to convince her otherwise, all six of them felt up against steep odds.