SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 35 out, this is Chapter 36 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors, myself included, sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Ace/Sasha, familial Luffy/Sasha, patriotic Law/Sasha (Might end up as a Law/Sasha pairing later if I end up killing Ace at Marineford and if reviewers don't mind the age gap)

Disclaimers: One Piece belongs to Oda Eiichirō-sensei. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except my OC.

Chapter 36: Arc 3: In Preparation To Face Wapol

"Phew, you saved us, Sasha." Usopp breathed in relief, Sasha having shielded all three of them with her 'Shield of Water' when the avalanche came crashing down.

"More importantly, we have to figure out out location and the situation we're in quickly." Vivi reminded as the trio continued trekking through the snow.

"What's that?" Usopp exclaimed when Vivi stepped onto a patch of snow which then started to move.

"That was close." Zoro sat up. "I saw a field of flowers. Suddenly hitting an avalanche in this cold," he shivered. "I must've run out of luck. But it's some sort of winter swimming, I guess."

"Zoro." Usopp blinked.

"Oh, Vivi." Zoro noticed the trio. "What are you guys doing here?"

"That's my question!" Vivi and Usopp snapped.

"I really should stop being impressed by your bad sense of direction." Sasha sighed.

"Winter swimming?" Usopp echoed, the quartet continued trekking down the mountain.

"Yeah, after swimming in the river for a while, I had no idea where I was anymore." Zoro admitted. "So I was walking while doing muscle training and then I ended up in a forest."

"Dressed like that?" Usopp remarked. "You're stupid, aren't you?"

"Look over there." Vivi voiced. "There're people."

"I remember those buildings." Usopp recognized the buildings down below.

"You're right." Vivi agreed. "This is Big Horn."

"So, we ended up coming back?" Sasha mused.

"What's the matter?" Zoro asked, the group coming forward.

"Dalton-san's buried under the snow of the avalanche." one of the villagers replied. "We can't dig him out because these guys got in our way."

"Usopp, I remember their clothes." Zoro stated. "They're the ones who attacked us on the sea, right?"

"That's right." Usopp confirmed.

Rushing forwards, Zoro took down the leader of the troops with a kick and pulled the soldier's winter coat on. "You guys never learn, do you?" he turned to the rest of the soldiers. Running through the charging soldiers, he relieved them of their swords. "Hawk Wave!" he then took down the troop with his attack. "What a disappointing bunch."

"Let's find Dalton-san." the villagers suggested and everyone started digging through the snow. "We found Dalton-san!" they finally found the injured Dalton.

"This is terrible." the nearest villager muttered. "There's no heartbeat."

"He's still alive." Sasha assured, the villagers having dug Dalton out.

"The young lass is right." one of the Twenty MDs agreed. "His body is frozen, that's all."

"Will you leave him in our care?" another doctor inquired.

"Hey, there are doctors." Zoro pointed out. "I thought I heard that there aren't any doctors in this country."

"These guys are called the Twenty MDs." Usopp explained. "And they work exclusively for Wapol. In other words, they're bad doctors."

"That's right." one of the villagers retorted. "We can't trust you. Leave Dalton-san in your care when you gave in to Wapol, to the king?"

"Then," Sasha stood up, facing the Twenty MDs. "Do you swear upon the Hippocratic Oath that you would save Dalton-san?"

"We are still doctors." the head doctor removed his sunglasses. "Even though we were forced to give in by Wapol and his men's power, we've always worked to advance our medical research for the patients of this country. It was because a certain quack taught us not to give up. We can't lose any more... stupid men like him. Therefore, young lass, without hesitation, we swear on the Hippocratic Oath that we will do whatever in our power to save Dalton."

"Dalton-san!" one of the villagers called out, the former Wapol's former guard having gotten out of bed despite his injuries. "You can't!" he hurried out to the weakened Dalton.

"Get out of my way." Dalton insisted. "We can't leave Wapol in the castle. Never!"

"Don't tell me you're heading towards the castle." Vivi gaped.

"But in your condition..." Sasha frowned. "Don't be reckless!"

"When will I fight if I don't fight now?" Dalton persisted. "If Wapol goes back to being the king, this country will become rotten forever. I will settle this." he got to his feet. "No matter how dirty I have to play."

"Zoro." Sasha gave the swordsman a side look.

"We just have to go up the mountain, right?" Zoro asked, heaving Dalton over his shoulder.

"Wait!" one of the villagers shouted. "If you're willing to go that far to get there, there's a rope-way to the castle. Someone has reattached a white rope from a big tree at the edge of Gyasta to the castle."

SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.