Journey to the Witch Mountain! Return and Resolve!
"Man! It's getting windy and cold here!"
"Just be glad to have a fucking sweater. I don't want to even think how bad it would be if we were naked in here."
"Don't bring that image to me. I'm getting hurt by seeing Luffy walking through snow on bare feet."
"Grrr!"
"Shishishi! Gramps once threw me inside a cold cave with only my pants! This is nothing!"
"The fuck kind of family do you have?!"
"Trust me. You don't want to know, I mean it."
"Grrrrr!"
"Speaking of cold, do you guys know that people in winter lands don't sleep?"
"Huh?"
"Luffy, don't start with that again. I told you that nobody dies if they sleep in winter."
"How would you know, Seth? Have you slept in a Winterland before?
"Grrrrrrrrrrr!"
"I agree with Seth. Besides, Dalton had a bed and he looked fit as a fiddle."
"Oh, I guess you're right...Unless that was his deathbed!"
"That does not make sense! What's the point of having a bed just lying inside his house and not using it!?"
"It is possible!"
"Changing subjects. I do know that girls' skins are smoother in winter."
"What makes you say that?"
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
"Easy! They just scrubbed some snow into their skins! Making it white smooth skin!"
"I am turned on either wanting to ask how is that possible or how stupid are you."
"I didn't know you were retarded too, Sanji."
"Watch it, morons! And what do you mean 'retarded too'?!"
"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
Greg just looks confused and baffled as he watched the three pirates have a stupid conversation with two different subjects while dodging some sort of white creature that had been trying to attack them for minutes.
('Were these pirates born under a star, or are they truly retarded?') he had to ask himself.
The creature, which was a tiny bunny with sharp teeth, pounds in anger at Sanji, who had enough and kicked it hard. "Enough with the tag game!" The poor fellow was sent flying into the sky without effort.
"What the hell was that?" Luffy asked.
"It probably was that creature Dalton warned us about," Seth said as he adjusted the sleeping Nami on his back. "I kind of feel bad for the little one."
"You feel sorry for the man-eating thing?" Sanji asked him.
"It was probably hungry."
"...How the Hell can you guys be scary, weird, powerful, and calm all the time?" Greg had to ask.
"Well, get used to it until Alabasta." Seth looks at him while holding Nami close to his face. "We are the crew of the next King of the Pirates. We are meant to be abnormal."
"Shishishi! Damn right!" Luffy proclaimed with his trademark laugh.
"That's a ballsy claim," Greg said as he blew his glove-covered hands. "You do know that in the Grand Line, dreams come to an end."
"And who cares?" Luffy didn't hesitate to answer back. "My dream is to become King of the Pirates, and nobody is going to stop me!"
The bomb man was surprised at the sheer determination that the straw-hat boy had. "...Well, you do you." He turned to Seth and Sanji, "And you two? Why do you join him?"
"Because he wouldn't shut up about joining his crew."
Greg comically fell to the side at hearing those annoying tones of answer the two gave him. "That's it!?"
"Trust me, I wanted to rip my ears off," Seth said as rolled his eyes, "He kept bugging me about joining him over and over. I think it was in the fourth month of meeting that I finally accepted to join him."
"So that's why you let him bother me all this time at Baratie!" Sanji felt a tick mark on his head, remembering the two agonizing days he went through from Luffy's demand for him to join.
"It wouldn't matter in the end, it was my only choice." Seth ignored Sanji's outburst, "It was either become a pirate or be stuck with Gramps forever."
"Why?" Greg asked.
"Because he wanted us to become Marines!" Luffy answered with a laugh. "I told him that I wanted to be a pirate so many times, and he got angry! So he beat me up!"
Sweat began to fall on Sanji and Greg when hearing that, "With how childish you are? It would be a horror to see you as a Marine." The blonde cook said.
"Tell me about it," Seth darkly chuckled before looking at the former agent, "So! Tell us a bit about yourself, Greg."
The dark-skinned man began to think, "Hmm, well I don't know what to say. I had pretty much a normal childhood until I was ten." He began to say as he gave them small talk about his life.
"Fireman?" Luffy asked after hearing the story.
"It's been a small dream of mine since I was little," Greg said as they climbed a small hill. "I mostly found myself climbing tall places most of the time, so I thought that it would suit me."
"For a moment there, I thought you were going to say you wanted to save others," Seth commented.
"I know. Is ironic if I consider that my main objective." Greg chuckled. "In this era, we have to be realistic. Not everyone is going to live, and we can't always do anything about it."
"...How true that is," Sanji said while letting some smoke out.
Unknown to them, a certain Princess shifted a bit.
"Grrrrrrrrrrr!"
The three of them stop when they realize that their path is currently...blocked by white.
White polar bear size rabbits. With sharp teeth and claws. More than fifty of them.
"...Well, when Dalton said that they go on herds, I thought it was like thirty or forty of them," Seth said while staring in amazement at how many Lapins were.
"Yosh! Let's kick them out of the way!" Luffy proclaimed and was ready to move until Sanji slapped his head hard. "Ouch!"
"Idiot! You and Seth are holding Nami and Vivi!" The blonde cook walked forward, "Leave the fighting to the two of us and focus on keep walking!"
"My Boom-Boom powers are too powerful, I might cause an avalanche if the explosion goes out of range," Greg said as he rolled his sleeve up a bit. "Don't expect much out of me."
"No, wait."
Before either of the two men walked, Seth went past them, holding the sleeping Nami tight to his back.
"Oy, Seth!"
The auburn-haired ignored the yell as he focused his attention on the middle of the herd. One of the overgrown rabbits walked forward and compared to the others, this one had a scar on his face, along with a baby Lapin on its shoulder. This one was the leader.
The Lapin's red eyes glare at Seth's baby-blue eyes when they reach each other. A staring contest began as neither creature was backing away.
"What is he doing?" Greg asked as he felt tense.
"...I think he is... fighting them?" Sanji was not sure of his words.
"Shishishi! That's right!" Luffy was the one who answered their doubts. "Seth is fighting that rabbit-bear through his eyes! A Battle of spirits!"
"Makes sense." Sanji understood what his rubbery captain was saying. "When two powerful animals confront each other, they gauge their strength through their eyes. With some luck, Seth might prove to be stronger and make these guys back away."
Just as he had explained, Seth and the Lapin continue to glare until the white animal whimpers low, moving away from Seth's path, his herd following through.
The Battle Cat looked at his group, "Okay! Let's go while we still can!" He said before starting to walk.
Luffy hops quickly to join him on the walk, with Sanji and Greg following after them. The bomb man spared a glance to both sides, seeing the Lapins stay like dogs waiting for orders. "You guys have a terrifying friend."
Sanji let out a puff of smoke, "If this was terrifying, then don't pass out when you see him turn a Sea King into a loyal dog."
"...I might in fact."
(Meanwhile, with Nojiko and the girls)
After receiving the information of Dr. Kureha being spotted in the next town, Dalton grabbed a sleight with a moose and took the three girls with him to the next town.
"I apologized!" Dalton apologized as he grabbed a hold of the rope wrapped around the moose, "She came down yesterday, I assumed she wouldn't come down for a while!"
"We can't blame you! You did say you don't have a way to communicate with her!" Nojiko said as she looked forward, "We are just going to need to get there in time and tell her to return to the castle!"
"This was just our luck!" Alvida said annoyed while adjusting her coat. "I just hope the boys managed to get to the fucking mountain safe."
"More reason to reach Cocoa Weed now!" Valerie shouted as she looked forward.
Narrator: Two Minutes Later
"She left?!"
The moment they reached the town, they asked for Kureha, only to be told that she just left.
"Are you joking with me?!" Nojiko wanted to rip her hair off. "Are we seriously going to play the chase game right now?!"
"That's fucking fantastic!" Alvida let an explosive breath out as she threw her arms into the air. "What could be worse to us right now!?"
…
…
…
"...I shouldn't have said that."
"Yeah, you probably shouldn't have," Valerie said to her with a neutral expression.
Too late to take it away now.
"DALTON!"
The unofficial governor of the island spun his head to the side, just in time to catch a villager that was covered in snow from head to toe. He was out of breath as he tried to speak.
"Calm down! What happened?" Dalton asked as a nasty feeling crawled in his back.
"W-W-Wapol!"
At that name, all the villagers felt a presence of despair.
"WAPOL IS BACK!"
*Boom*
Followed by an explosion of nightmares.
(At the coast near Bighorn Town, a few minutes earlier)
"Mwamwamwa? What were these hippo idiots doing?"
Wapol, the tin-can man, asked while staring at the pile of bloody bodies of the villagers as they groaned in pain. He had finally returned, after months of searching, to his homeland; Drum Island. However, he wasn't welcomed by cheers, but guns pointed at him and cries of resentment at him.
"This is no way to welcome a King!" He said while eating a sword. "Ouch! My jaw!" He flinched in pain.
"Please, my King. Take it easy with your eating." Said a man that was dressed in a deep-yellow outfit and sported an afro, both on his head and his two hands (Like, that's way disgusting, I gag.) "Please listen to what the Ishii-20 said."
"Dammit! They are useless!" Wapol shouted enraged. "How is it possible that they can patch any wound, but cannot take away a simple pain?!" Not only was eating getting hard for him, but the fact that a mere pirate scum landed a hit on his precious royal face was a warrant for death.
"My King!" From the far side, the man with the Chester outfit, a bow strapped on his back, and binoculars on his eyes. "The Drum Castle looks fine, just as it was left."
"Excellent! Let us ditch this pirate game and return me to my glorious throne in the castle!" Wapol said as he motions to his dock ship, where orange vehicles began to pour out.
"My King!" A few soldiers went up to the tin man, their feet crushing the snow as they came forward, "We have spotted the ship of those pirates that had hurt your dock near here!"
"What?!" Wapol shouted, his jaw flinching in pain. "Those pirates?! In my kingdom?! How low has this kingdom fallen?!"
"Seems that your respect has been reduced to nothing, little brother." Spoke a new voice.
Wapol and the soldiers turned to look at the ship, seeing a man exiting. He had pink hair in a weird mushroom-looking hairstyle, his face was long and blocky while his body was lanky, sporting a black puffy goatee and an almost like Salvador's Dali mustache. He wore armor under a violet cape and shoulder pads, along with orange pants, fluffy shoes, and a weasel-skin scarf.
"Oh, Big Brother. You are finally awake," Wapol said with a big smile.
"Good afternoon, Lord Musshuru!" The soldiers greeted.
Musshuru scoffed, "Of course, I would wake up, who the hell sleeps with gunshots?" He looked around, seeing the pile of bloody bodies around the snow, "To think my beloved kingdom was reduced to useless snow and whimpering hippo-heads."
"I know! I cannot believe these idiots!" Wapol said in anger before turning to his men, "Prepared the cannons! We are teaching the nearby villages some respect for royalty!" These guards salute as a small group heads to the ship.
"Kuromarimo! Chess!" The afro guy and the jester guy saluted, "I want that pirate ship and his puny crew gone!"
"Then, let us head to Bighorn, my King." Kuromarimo informed me.
"We have found footsteps heading there. That's probably where they are hiding." Chess finished.
"Marvelous timing!" Wapol said as he walked up to a Hippo…a 'literally' furry hippopotamus and mounted. "That town shall be the first to fall! Onward to Bighorn!"
...
..
.
"...How?" Gin felt an eyebrow twitch.
"How, what? That we haven't reached the Merry yet? How we haven't even reached the shore? Or how the hell did we get lost?" Usopp grumbled in annoyance.
"Hey! Shut up! I didn't ask you two to follow, alright?!" Zoro said with a tick mark.
The three were heading to the Going Merry, and somehow (SOMEHOW) got lost in the snow forest. Thankfully, they had just found Bighorn.
"Please tell me that Zoro's horrible sense of direction isn't spreading to us." Gin had to take his beanie hat off to scratch his hair.
"That's the last thing we need!" Usopp screamed in horror at the thought.
"You two want to die?!" The temptation to cut them is high.
Boom!
Suddenly, they tense when they hear gunshots and screams of panic. Zoro and Gin glared as they made their way into the town, with a reluctant Ussop following behind.
Reaching the town square, they saw a big army that looked just like the pirates they fought. Their confirmation was right when they saw Wapol-
"Is he eating a house?!" Gin felt horrified at seeing the tin man's jaw expand and ate an entire building.
"Damn. They came here already," Zoro grunted as he took his two swords.
Gin quickly took his shotgun out. "What's the plan?"
"Usopp! Can you see anything?" Zoro asked as the long-nose liar scaled one of the houses and looked through his special goggles.
"I-I'm seeing panic and frozen people, no damage to them," Usopp responded.
Back in the center, Wapol munches and chews his 'meal' before letting a hearty laugh at the cowering town, "Mwahahaha! That's exactly what I want to see! Respect your king!"
The people growled and scoffed at their supposed King who abandoned them to save his hide.
"Now then!" Wapol clapped his hands and the soldiers aimed their guns forward. "I know you peasants are hiding a bunch of pirates in my kingdom! I feel exceptionally merciful right now, so tell me where they are and nobody gets hurt!"
Nobody said anything. Not only because the pirates were gone from Bighorn, but also because the tin can man's words are worth as much as a bag of radish.
"The King has already given his warning!" Chess pulled his bow and aimed an arrow at them.
Kuromarimo pulled his arm back and was ready to punch the air. "You all should listen to royalty before things get worse!"
"You all have three seconds to answer!" Wapol raised his hand, showing three fingers. "If I don't get an answer, you all are sentenced to death!" Technically, he can go either way. "Three! Two!"
Nobody could answer, and honestly, nobody will.
"One! Fi-"
*BAM!*
"AUGH!" Wapol screamed in pain as a bullet pierced his left shoulder. "It hurts!" He fell off his ride and began rolling around in agony, blood falling to the snowy ground.
"My King!" All of Wapol's men panicked as some of them aimed at the crowd. "Called the Ishii-20!"
"Who dares shoot King Wapol?! Come forth!" One of the soldiers shouted as he aimed at a panicked mother and her child.
"Over here, dip-shit!"
From the small crowd, which parted away in fear, was Gin, his gun letting out smoke from the barrels.
"You! You are one of the pirates!" The soldiers aimed their weapons at him
Only moments later have his gun shredded into pieces.
"Huh?!" Along with several other soldiers.
*Boom*Boom*Boom*
Followed by explosions to their faces, taking them down one by one.
"What?!" Kuromarimo and Chess stare in absolute disbelief at seeing half of their army already defeated. "What is going on?!" The archer screamed in panic, not knowing where the attacks were coming from.
"Tch! Too easy." Zoro scoffed as he moved fast enough to disarm most of the army. Standing right next to the Demon-Man. He looked at one of the buildings, "Nice shot, Usopp!"
"You idiot! Don't give away my position!" Usopp scolded from somewhere.
"You Pirate scum!" The remaining soldiers aimed their guns at the two pirates, allowing the hostages to escape.
"Looks like it's party time." Zoro held both Kitetsu and Yubarashi firms.
Gin grabbed his tonfas and began to spin them in place. "Considering that they are cowards, we can kill them right?" He asked.
"Probably."
"Ah! I feel much better!" Wapol stood up with a satisfying smile, several medical pink-dress men standing next to him. "And now...who dared to shoot me?!" His eyes landed on the duo. "YOU! You two are part of that pathetic Pirate crew!"
"Says the coward who ran away with his tail between his legs without a fight." Zoro scoffed.
"What is he going to do? Chew us to death?" Gin sarcastically asked.
*Vroom! Shing! Cling!*
"That's a Cannon?"
"That is a Cannon!"
"Holy shit! His arm is a Cannon?!"
To the surprise of the pirates, Wapol's arms suddenly transformed into cannons and aimed at them. "Kuromarimo! Chess! Kill these mongrels!" He fired cannonballs.
Gin and Zoro jump out of the way as the cannonball smashes into position, taking away a chunk of snow and an unfortunate house that was in its way. The two pirates rolled on the ground before dashing forward, each one holding on to their respective weapons.
"Die!" Chess began to fire arrows at Gin, who blocked and dodge them with his tonfa.
"Know your place!" Kuromarimo began to fire furballs from his hands at Zoro.
"Tch! Disgusting!" Zoro cursed as he took out his katana and sliced the hair-thing in half...but they got stuck on the blade. "The fuck?!"
"I wouldn't have done that if I were you!" At the afro man's words, a flaming arrow shot directly at the fur ball on the katana.
Zoro quickly ducks as the arrow flies over him. However, a bit of flame managed to get caught on his katana, consuming it and Zoro in flame. "Ugh!" He yelps in pain as he quickly rolls on the snow.
"Zoro-Gah!" Gin screamed in surprise before yelping at being sent flying backward by an explosive arrow.
"Hah!" Chess grinned evilly as he listened to the yell, "You underestimated us, and now you get to pay for-!"
*Spat!*Gulp!*
He shut up when something red smacked into his eyes and another entered through his mouth. "Gaaah! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!" He screamed in pain.
"Eat my Special Attack: Tobacco Star!" Usopp shouted as he expertly shot multiple hot sauce balls into the mouths and eyes of the soldiers.
"Nice one, Usopp!" Zoro, covered in snow, shouted.
"What?!" Kuromarimo screamed in disbelief. "How are you still alive?!"
"Words are wasted on people like you." Zoro replied before looking to the side, "Gin! You alright?!"
"A simple shock," Gin rose, his beanie hat falling off in pieces, revealing his black hair, and sporting a grin of a demon. "But nothing I can't handle!"
"W-What are these guys?!" One of the soldiers screamed in terror as he felt overwhelmed by the sheer aura of both pirates. "They can't be pirates!"
"Then get ready for a lesson," Zoro suddenly appeared in front of that soldier, blade high in the air. "Because we aren't playing 'pretend to be pirates'!"
The battle continued, one-sided. Either they would get cut by Zoro's swords, smashed by Gin's tonfas, or get headshot by Ussop's ammunition.
Wapol was getting furious as he ordered his men to start firing and saw more falling in defeat. "That's it! Men! Send the signal!" He snapped his finger and one of the men sent a flare up into the sky.
From far away, on the top of a hill, Musshuru saw the flare-up in the sky with his binoculars. "Hehe...It's time." He turned to a group of men who had specifically modified cannons ready. "Alright, hippos! Fire!"
*Bang!Bang!Bang!Bang*
Multiple shots were sent forward. But these things weren't heading for the town.
They were heading for the nearby mountains. Creating a massive explosion...and causing piles of snow to start falling.
"What was that?" Zoro asked, gritting his teeth at the pain.
He got his answer when he heard a rumbling sound as if the entire island was hit by an earthquake.
Everyone turned in the direction of the sound.
"...Shit." Gin stared in horror at the incoming-
"AVALANCHE!"
(Back with Luffy and the others)
"We made it!" Luffy said as they could see the mountain up close.
"Thank God!" Seth sighs in relief. "It was lucky we managed to get a quick shortcut thanks to the Lapans." He said as he turned back, seeing the herd. "Thanks a lot!"
"Graw!" The Leader growls before they all jump away into the woods.
"I still can't believe you managed to get directions with that growling." Greg couldn't help but comment.
"Alright! Enough chit-chat!" Sanji covered his eyes and looked up. "How are we going to do this?"
At that, the four of them look up at the mountain. "...I'm trying to see any steps you could grab on, but they're too narrow," Greg commented as he used a binocular he had. "At most, only your fingers could help you hike."
"That's enough for me," Seth said as he summoned his lion arms and walked to the mountain. He made sure Nami was tight to him and began to climb, his claws doing their best to hang on the small parts of the mountain.
"Wait! Are you serious?! You are actually climbing it!?" Sanji shouted in disbelief.
"No choice! Greg said it himself; only fingers would work! With my claws, the climbing should be helpful!" Seth shouted back. "Luffy! Grab on!"
"Okay!" Luffy quickly wrapped his right arm around Vivi and threw his left hand on Seth's dangling legs and allowed himself to be pulled up. He looked back at Sanji, "We'll take it from here! You two head back to the others and tell them!"
"...Dammit!" Sanji cursed as he knew he can't continue without holding them back, "You both better get to that mountain safely! Don't let anything happen to the girls!"
"I'll be dead before anything happens to either of them!" Both Luffy and Seth replied before the Battle Cat began to climb once again, his rubber captain hanging tight on his legs.
The duo on the ground watch as the two captains climb up, disappearing in the thick clouds. With his smoke puffed, Sanji turned around. "Come on. We did what we could do. Let's get back to the others." Greg nodded as they both began to head back.
However, their path was suddenly intercepted by a figure getting close to them, the buffing snow hiding its body. Sanji and Greg narrow their eyes, "Don't tell me those stupid rabbits were waiting for this?"
"It's possible…but," Sanji was getting ready to fight, but stopped when he noticed something weird. "Is it me or is this thing a bit bigger than those we saw?"
"...And there's only one." Greg noticed what the blonde cook was saying. From what Dalton explained, a Lapan doesn't travel alone. "Is this another creature that lives here? Why didn't Dalton inform us?"
*step*step*THUD*
As the figure got close, Sanji and Greg suddenly felt dread in their bodies. It was like a sudden force had grabbed them by their throats and frozen them in place. ('What the hell is this?!') They both thought in panic.
Soon, the black figure began to get close to them…and for quite the first time, Sanji felt utter terror as the creature stood in front of them and look down.
Greg took a step while pointing forward in horror. "WHY IS THIS THING HERE?!"
(Bighorn)
The dreadful and dangerous avalanche came to an end, at the cost of several houses and people getting swallowed by it.
"Gah!" Zoro burst out from the snow with clacking teeth. He was holding Kitetsu and Yubarashi in his hands tight so that he didn't lose them. "D-Damn hippopotamus scum." He looked around and saw several people helping others get out of the snow as well. "Gin! Usopp! Where are you?!"
"Ugh!" Just a few feet away, the Demon-Man pulls himself off the snow, gritting in pain as his side hurts. "I think…I fractured a bone."
"Can you move?" Zoro asked.
"Not properly, but I'll live," Gin replied. "Where's Usopp?"
*wiggle*wiggle*
Both men noticed movement in the corner of their eyes. Turning in that direction, they saw the unmistakable stick-nose that was Usopp, standing up like a pole while the rest of the body was buried in the snow. Quickly acting, they dug him out.
"Oy! Usopp! Are you alive?!" Zoro shouted at his comrade.
"Ah…I see a light…" Usopp mumbled out. "So many flowers…Hi mom…"
"Shit! We are losing him!" Gin quickly grabbed his face and began to slap him. "Don't go to the light!
*slap*slap*slap*slap*slap*slap*slap*slap**slap*slap*slap*slap*slap*
"Oy. I think he has enough." Zoro sweats at the state Gin was leaving the poor kid in.
A few minutes later, Usopp was up, "Wow! I thought I was a goner! Thanks a lot, Gin! But…I feel weird. Is there something in my face?"
Both Zoro and Gin looked away from the sharpshooter's heavy bruised face that was in a weirdly shaped form. "It's the cold." They replied.
"Where's the tin can?" Gin asked as he looked around the snow-covered houses.
"Must have escaped." Zoro scowled as he didn't see Wapol…and several of his men. "He left with those that could move and left the wounded." He glared when he saw the hand of one of the soldiers poking out of the snow, unmoving.
"What a Tyrant." Usopp flinched in horror as he saw more bodies buried in the snow. "He is just like Kuro…"
"Krieg would have done the same," Gin commented with a glare, remembering his former captain.
"...H…elp…me…"
All three pirates turned to the side to see a surviving civilian calling for help as he was buried under the rubble of a fallen house. Their instincts shoot up as they look around, seeing people getting up from the snow. Some of them were crying as most of them didn't survive, while others grumbled in discomfort and pain.
"...Let's go," Zoro stated as he went to the man and began to help. "Gin. Help out here." Gin didn't question and began to dig. "Usopp. Can you make a fire?"
"I think." The snipe said as he looked at a pile of wood. "Most of the wood is in snow and wet. At most, I can try to make a few."
"Try to get the townspeople to help out. Get them to collect anything to burn and search for anyone stuck in the snow." With a nod, Usopp ran to start working.
Gin had managed to get the poor man out of the pile. "Sir. I know this is stupid to ask, but are you okay?"
"N…No…My back…"
"We will begin the operation!" A chorus sounded off.
All eyes turned to all the members of the Isshi-20, all ready to act.
"What?! Wapol even abandoned the people who can heal him?!" Usopp couldn't even believe it! Just how much of a self-righteous prick does the guy think he is!?
"Everyone!" One of the Isshi-20 walked forward. "I know that you may not trust us. We are direct doctors of the ones who have caused you much pain. Even if it wasn't by our choice." One could hear the pain in his voice, "He would kill all of us…leaving nobody to heal the wounded. Our oath demands we heal. No matter the status!" A glint on the eyewear of every doctor appeared. "So we beg of you…Let us heal you!
…
…
…
"...My back…" The man Gin helped spoke up while holding his backside.
"HEY! I have someone who has trouble standing up!" Gin called to one of them. Quickly acting, three doctors appeared next to Gin and began to inspect the injured man.
One of the doctors turned to Gin. "We have medicine for this. Young man, please help me take him to a more safe area." He asked.
Gin nodded and picked the man, grunting in pain at his wound, to drag him somewhere else. "Anyone injured!? Follow me to a clearing!"
"Hey! My mom is unconscious!"
"I can't find my son! Please, help me!"
And so, more people began to shout their call for help. Soon everyone was looking for survivors while the rest helped carry them to the doctors, who began their job. Usopp, using his goggles and senses, began to scan the area and tell the villagers where to search while Zoro and Gin helped to carry the injured.
*Purupurpuru!*
Zoro heard a familiar-sounding and took out his snail transponder. "Zoro speaking."
"Zoro! Is Nojiko here!" Nami's sister spoke through the other line. "We heard the explosion! Are you all okay!?"
(On route to Bighorn)
"Yeah. The others and I are okay, but we have several casualties." Zoro's voice echoed through the snail's mouth. "That stupid tin man appeared and attack us, managed to get away with the explosion. He probably is far away from here."
"Dammit!" Nojiko said as she and the girls were on Cocoa Weed, Dalton having ditched off in anger and fear. "Dalton is heading your way right now! He will try to help you all! We are going to try and get to the castle and meet up with Luffy and Seth's group!"
"Roger that. Once everything is clear here, we'll meet you there." *clack-ching*
Nojiko put the snail transponder back in her pocket, turning to where the avalanches came, and couldn't help but grim in worry. ('Please, for the love of everything…please let them be okay.') Images of her smiling mother came to her, ('I can't lose…anyone anymore.')
"Oy Navigator's sis!" The call from the lemon-theme bounty hunter made her turn to the side to look at her running. "We are in luck! Someone from a nearby village called Gyasta said that there's a lift that heads to the castle!"
"A lift!?" Nojiko felt adrenaline pulse through her veins. "Where's Alvida?! We are going there now!"
"She's already getting another sled! Come on!" Valerie motioned her to follow as she ran, Nojiko right behind her.
('Seth…Luffy…You both better had reach the castle by now!')
(Back to the climbing)
Seth grunted as he was forced to make yet another course correction for their climb. It has been a total of thirty minutes since he started to climb and things were going much rougher than he had expected. The distance he was climbing wasn't a problem, well technically it was since this was bigger than the ones back home but not something he wasn't expecting, nor was the added weight of his three nakamas, two of which were sick and a dangling monkey on his legs.
The problems (see the 's' at the end there?) were the climatic snow wind that has been slapping into him, the lack of vision of where he can grab on, and lastly, the shivering he was hearing from below him clears his assumption, the coldness was getting intense.
"Luffy!" Seth yelled out. "Are you hanging?!"
"S-S-S-So c-cold-d-d-d!" Stutter Luffy, his face looking a bit blue, but holding on to Vivi tightly and Seth's leg. "H-H-How mu-u-uch?!"
"Honestly, I don't know!" Seth kept clawing the hard wall. "I'm going as fast as I can!"
"I-I-It's too c-c-cold…" Luffy clattered out. "W-What a-a-about you?! C-Can yo-u-u ke-eep up?!"
"Don't worry! I'm going to make it!" Seth grunted as he stabbed his claws into the rock. "Just hang on! And don't let go of me or Vivi!"
"N-N-Never!"
Seth continued to climb, no matter how much his hands froze, he couldn't stop. The life of three people he cares for are in his hands, he cannot fail them after so much.
But shit! That mountain feels too tall! The dark thought of never making it was high!
"Hey! Maybe if you learn to sing, you can help yourself get stronger too!"
"Sing? How is that supposed to help me?"
"Morality! It always helps! Come on, give it a try!"
('...') Seth closes his eyes as to that sudden memory from an old friend. ('Morality…huh? Guess we really need one.') He cannot believe he is doing this. In a storm, no less.
He took a deep breath…
~Off we go, off we go, to an adventure~
~Passing the ocean, passing the ocean through any weather~
~On our boat, on our boat, we go on an adventure~
~And to find, what we call, the greatest treasure~
Rough on the tone, but smooth with the lyrics. Seth began to sing while climbing the slopes of the mountain. Been loud enough that Luffy could hear him and as much as the snow wind let him.
~I have dreamed of this day for so long~
~Where I flap wings and fly so far~
~To follow the dream I yearn so much~
~It's like a glint for my eyes to catch-and-conquer the lands out my window~
His lyrics could have been a bit more well-versed, but he didn't sound so bad if you were to accept the wind blowing.
~Never stop sailing the ocean's waves ~
~You may never know what stories will awake~
~Who knows how many friends you'll make~
~Just remember to treasure them like gems~
From his legs, and groggily Luffy bopped his head around, a smile was the only thing that could be identified that he was still awake and hearing.
His movement wasn't that much of a bad thing, but it did slightly wake Vivi up, whose ears heard the song. ('What…is that?') She thought as she looked up, her hazy vision and snow hiding the figure of Seth and sleeping Nami and replacing it with a bulky shadow.
~Off we go, off we go, to an adventure~
~Passing the ocean, passing the ocean through any weather~
~On our boat, on our boat, we go on an adventure~
~And to find, what we call, the greatest treasure~
('Are they…singing…?') She hummed softly as the tone made her stay captive on its back. ('It's…not bad…') That was her honest thought.
~They say that dreams hold you down~
~That means they never got too far~
~Ignore them as they never~fought~for what they love so much~
~If you believe in it, let those idiots talk and bite~
Slowly, that figure looked bright in her eyes. Some sort of…wing sprouts from its back. The harsh snow became smooth and peaceful drops and felt like feathers. Even though she knew she was having a fever, she felt so hot as she was mesmerized by such a beautiful sight.
('So…beautiful…want to…touch…') she tried to reach her hand forward before everything began to fade away. ('W-Wait…don't-') her eyes closed.
"Ah! I see it! It's the top!"
Back on the road to Big Horn, a giant bull ran at full throttle. You may wonder, what's so special about this bull? Well, in short, that animal was wearing clothes that resembled that of Dalton.
And the answer to that is that bull was Dalton himself!
('I must hurry!') Dalton thought in fear and anger. He needed to get there. He needs to save them all.
He failed to guide the previous king's son. He failed to stop the pain his people suffered from that tyrant's hand. He failed in his promise to protect this country.
Yet, he was given a chance to atone…To amend his mistake and try to heal this country's cold sickness.
He won't let Wapol get away with his toxic heart stench in this place anymore-
Slamming his bull legs to a screeching halt, his eyes widened at seeing what the state Big Horn was in the moment he reached it. The entire town was swallowed whole, the roofs of the houses peeking on the top of the white snow…
Yet, relief came to his eyes as he watched people being taken care of by the Isshi-20 in a quick manner, several people already moving and helping them with the injured severely. He began to walk up to them, changing into his human form.
"Dalton!" Someone in the crowd shouted, followed by everyone turning in his direction and beginning to cheer, Dalton walked past most of them and asked about their situation. The doctors momentarily stopped and form a line like soldiers as the Former Captain of the Royal Guard reached their position.
"Captain." The leader of the doctors spoke in respect.
"That is no longer my title." Dalton smile. "I'm now a simple man in this land." He looks at the rest of the doctors. "Seems that Wapol is back…and has already abandon you all."
"Truthfully speaking, we are glad." A chuckle escaped from the doctor's mouth. "That Tyrant had us by the throat…we almost would have broken if it wasn't for your support, and the words of that quack doctor."
Dalton huffed at the memory. How could he forget? Outside of these guys, only two other doctors defy Wapol's rule, and one of them was infamous for his failed success at creating medicine to cure not just people, but the country's heart. Because despite how he was seen by the town, that man cared for the kingdom's well been.
"Even if I die, my dream will come true; that the ailing hearts of the people will be cured!"
Never in his life has Dalton seen such dedication to salvation. Not even the previous king had said such words or firm determination to save his people before. Even though he never successfully cure anyone, that stupid doctor saved Dalton in a way; one that allow him to rebel against Wapol for good.
"But I must say, despite the casualties, we have saved several people. It was thanks to those three pirates." The doctor said.
Dalton realized that they lack a few people of importance. "Speaking of, where are they?" He asked.
"They left to the castle." One of the villagers said. "After helping most of us, they grabbed one of Wapol's snowmobiles that were left behind by some dead soldiers and drove away to Gyasta."
"Gyasta? Why?"
"Cause the lift there is still operational."
"...Is that so?" Dalton hummed in curiosity. ('Well, I guess I know now how is Dr. Kureha coming up and down the castle.') He looks around at the injured, "How are you all faring at the moment?" He received several from most of them, "That's good. I apologized for not being here when needed. I knew Wapol would return one day." He bowed to all of them, "If I was here, we wouldn't have casualties." Before anyone could even say anything, he stop bowing and turn around, "I shall amend this mistake right now."
"Are you going after Wapol?" Someone asked, knowing what the Mayor was thinking. "If you are, we are coming." At that, several people stood up with weapons in hand. "We also have a grudge against that idiot." Several people began to agree.
"..." Dalton didn't say anything. The anger they have is shared by him as well.
And so, with an army of several men, feeling with pain and anger, the Upcoming new King of the dead Drum Kingdom marched its angry people to where their former ruler was heading.
Today, Dalton swore to himself, and for the sake of the good nature of his previous king, that Wapol will be slain.
One way or another.
Drum Castle. The heart and soul of the Drum Kingdom…or rather, used to be. After the death of the previous king, the youngest son took his crown, and the nightmare that would last for six years began. His greediness made the kingdom an infected land, forcing all doctors to become his medical service crew and exiling the ones who refused. Should someone require medical help, they must beg for the King to save them…and pay for the service.
Yeah, we can all see where this was heading.
So, when the King fled from the pirates those months ago, it was a blessing rather than a curse. With that tyrant away, the people could finally have peace once again.
As for the castle, I would say it was abandoned, but that is a lie. Because a certain witch has made its new home base there.
"Kakakakakak! We sure got some nice loot today!"
Approaching the snow-covered castle was a sleight, being pulled by a reindeer that wore a pink top hat and had a blue nose. The one who was riding in the sled was, to everyone's surprise, a woman that looked to be in her 70s but looked so young for an old lady.
She probably is a witch and followed the steps that Hulk Hogan did by using drugs-
*Twack!*
"SHUT THE HELL UP! I'm still in my 130s!" How the fuck was I supposed to know that?!
"Doctor?" A squeaky childish voice spoke.
The woman, Dr. Kureha rested her back on the sleight as she looked at the front, where the reindeer had stopped sprinting and began to gallop slowly. "Chopper."
The reindeer narrows its eyes as he looks at the entrance before, to the shock of everyone, speaking. "There's people at the entrance."
Dr. Kureha hummed in curiosity as she raised her sunglasses to look at the door. Sure enough, she saw four human bodies slump against the door. As they got close, she could identify them clearly; two males and two females. The girls looked to be having bad fevers while the boys looked to be suffering from shivering, their skin had turned slightly blue.
She suddenly felt a sense of amazement as she saw the auburn-haired boy having the three others covered by a sweater while they rested on his lap while he crossed his arms together, sporting little to wear and covered in snow. Even though he was freezing, his nose had stalactites forming, he was awake, sporting a glare that would scare anyone who tries to bother them.
('Well, this is something you don't see everyday.') The female doctor chuckled as she hopped off the sled and walked up to the child, Chopper walking next to her while being cautious. "I know that you must wait for the doctor to call for you, but this is ridiculous! I'm actually impressed!" She replied.
The blue eyes of the awakened boy narrow at her. "...You the witch doctor." He stated.
"Kahahahaha! There's nobody else I know that is called like that! So they must mean me!" Dr. Kureha confirms.
"...Name's Seth. I have three people. Two heavily sick and one shivering from a harsh cold." Seth informed her. "Heard you were the best bet to help them."
"The best?" Dr. Kureha chuckled. "Honey, I'm the only doctor here."
"Fair enough." Seth before grabbing the orange-haired girl and slumping her over his shoulder as he stood up. "We can speak about payment later…Just have a look at them, please."
"Heheheh…since you ask nicely. Chopper!" The old woman snapped her fingers to the reindeer, who suddenly began to morph.
From an animal with four legs, it was suddenly an eight-inch tall humanoid covered in brown fur, even the tiny hat on its head shrunk for him.
Seth watches it with eyes of tiredness. "So this is the strange creature I heard so much about," He said, sensing the glare from the creature. "...I know you are trying to be intimidating, but I can't take you seriously with those shorts." Seth casually replied while looking at its short pants.
"...Huh?" A squeaky voice of confusion came out of his mouth while blinking confusedly.
"And that voice just makes you adorable." Seth chuckled.
"Hahahaha! I know, right?" Dr. Kureha laughed heartily, making Chopper blush a little. "Now then, let's move them inside."