A/N: Partial credit goes to EvanderAdvent.
Last time:
"Sh-shut up, you filthy pirate!" one of the snipers shouted.
"Idiot! Take back what you just said!" ordered a man with a goatee and armor plates on his arms. It made me assume that he's the leader. Many people looked at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about, Dalton?" "That girl is a pirate like them!" "Why do you want him to take back what he said about her?!"
"Hey, girl..." he spoke, ignoring the islanders' words. "Aren't you... Xion?"
All the people that resides on this island had a shock look on their faces when he asked that. One question from me: how did he know my name?
The crew and I followed Dalton up the snowy mountain. Sanji was carrying Nami on his back as we walk to Dalton's village. As for Zoro and Carue, we all had them stay on the ship and watch over it.
"I should warn you. Our country has only one doctor, a witch," he informed us.
"A witch?" Usopp repeated.
'The witch is also a friend of yours,' the voice from earlier told me.
"What the hell? This country sure is weird," Sanji stated. "What the hell is this country anyway?"
"Sanji!" I called, glaring at him. "Please excuse him, Dalton."
"Don't worry about it, Xion. I still can't believe that you lost your memories. But it's good enough to know that you're alive," he said. "And as for your friend's question, this country does not yet have a name."
"A country without a name? Can there be such a thing?" Princess Vivi asked.
"AHHHH! A BEAR!" Usopp screamed. "Everyone! Play dead!" As he said, a bear was walking our way. The weird thing about this bear is that it's walking on two legs and that it has a walking stick.
"It's a Hiking Bear," Dalton informed. "It's not dangerous. Just bow to him in a mountain-climbing manner." We all did as told and bowed as we walked pass the bear.
How did this happen? Well...
*FLASHBACK*
"Xion?" "Does he mean that Xion?" "Now that I think about it, she does look like her." "She doesn't look like her; she is her!"
After Dalton asked if my name was Xion, all the islanders began a conversation about me.
"You are Xion, aren't you?" he asked me. "The Xion who wields a key-like weapon? You are her, aren't you?"
"Hey, you! If you're thinking about stealing my First Mate, think again!" Luffy warned, obviously getting the wrong idea.
"Yeah. That's me," I answered Dalton's question. I even summoned my Keyblade to prove that I am me. I then heard gasps from the people around us as I did.
"So it is you," I heard the leader mutter. "Everyone! Drop your weapons at once! Our country's saviour has return!" At that order, everyone actually dropped their weapon and cheered, bringing confusion to my and my crewmates' faces.
"Hey, Xion. What's going on here?" Zoro asked.
"How should I know? I don't remember anything, remember?" I asked back.
"But you regained some memories, didn't you?"
"None that are about this island, unfortunately."
"Oh. Okay than." While we were having our conversation, Dalton got on our ship.
"It really is you," he said, walking up to me. "How are you? You have no idea how worried we all were when you last visited this country and said that it would be the last time you will visit here."
"I'm sorry, but did you say that I visited this country more than once?" I asked.
"Of course, when you're on a mission here or when you have time. Why did you ask?"
Before I could say anything, Luffy interrupted our conversation. "EHHH?! Xion! You live here in the Grand Line?! Why didn't you say so?!"
"Did you already forget about the fact that I don't have any memories about my past?!" I questioned, showing shark-like teeth as I glared at the rubber idiot.
"No memories about your past?" Dalton repeated. "So you mean... you don't remember anything about this country?"
I looked down and nodded in guilt. "I lost my memories months ago," I said. "The only things that I remember as I traveled with my nakama were my name and a friend named Axel."
It seems that everyone heard our conversation, for it was very quiet at the moment. The silence was broken when Dalton spoke.
"Well, it's good enough to know that you're alive," he said, as he walked up to hug me. "We really missed you." Despite feeling uncomfortable about the current situation, I hugged Dalton back after I called back my Keyblade. "Now then, why are you here? And on a pirate ship?" he asked me, pulling away from the hug.
"I already told you why I'm on a pirate ship. And the reason I'm here is because one of my nakama is suffering from an illness." He seemed shock when I said that. "Please! This country has a doctor, doesn't it?! If you don't want us to leave, we can! We already have an Eternal Pose to another country. But please! Before we go, SAVE NAMI!" I begged, as I gripped his green coat. I was so desperate to have Nami get better. I feel like she's more than just a cremate, like she's my best friend, or a sister.
Dalton seemed to understand the situation and sighed. "I understand. I'll lead you and your nakama to our village." I smiled at those words and Luffy happily cheered. "However, can I really trust these pirates?" he then asked.
"You trust me, don't you?" I asked back. "I assure you..."
"Dalton," he introduced.
"I assure you, Dalton. They won't do anything that would harm this country's people. Except maybe Luffy."
"Why me?!" the said pirate asked.
"Can I really trust that someone like you wouldn't somehow get us in trouble? Don't tell me you forgot about all the crazy stuff that happened even before we got to the Grand Line." I saw that he had the look that says, 'did we really do crazy stuff?' and face-palmed. "On second thought, don't answer that."
"Well then, should we get going, Xion?" Dalton asked me.
"Yeah," I nodded. "Sanji, could you get Nami?"
"Leave it to me," the chef replied.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
"This is our village, Bighorn," Dalton introduced, as we arrived at his village.
"There's some pretty weird animals walking around here," Luffy stated.
"Just what you'd expect from a snowy country," Usopp complimented.
"Nami-san! We've reached civilization!" Sanji told the sickly.
"Well, thanks for your help everyone," Dalton told the villagers that were with us. "Anyone not on lookout, please return to work."
"But will you be all right by yourself, Dalton-san?" a villager asked. "They're pirates, you know."
"I won't be by myself. Don't forget that Xion is also with us. Besides, if these pirates are her allies, then they should mean us no harm," he told him. When he said that, it got all their hopes up.
"Well then, Dalton-san, we'll leave it to you." With that, they all left.
"Xion sure has a reputation here," Luffy said.
"I'll say, to be called this country's saviour," Usopp agreed. "Just what did you do to call yourself that?"
"I wish I knew," I said.
"I'll explain everything at my place," Dalton told us, gesturing that we follow him to his house.
"Ah! Look Luffy! Another Hiking Bear!" Usopp told the captain. What he assumed was a hiking bear was actually a human the size of a hiking bear.
"Ah, Dalton-san. I heard some pirates have landed. Is everything all right?" she asked.
"Yes, everything is under control. There's no need for concern," he replied.
The Hiking Bear-like human than looked at me and had a shocked look on her face. "Oh my. Can it be?!" she then ran over to me and placed her stuff down. She then examined my face. "Oh it is! She's come back! Everyone! Our saviour! She's returned!" Everyone else stopped whatever they were doing and ran over to me. Like the Hiking-Bear-look-alike, they all examined me and were extremely happy to see me.
"Xion! It's been a while!" "I knew you were joking when you said that after that last visit, you wouldn't return." They huddled around me and began to question me. Like where I was since the last time I visited or if they can come with me to help me with my 'mission'.
"Everyone! I know you are all happy to see Xion again," Dalton spoke, having everyone to stop the questions and give me some room. "However, it seems that some time after her last visit here, she lost her memories about coming here." Those words got everyone to widen their eyes. "Which is why, that I suggest we all should give her some room and save our questions until she regains all of her memories about being on this island."
Everyone agreed to Dalton's suggestion and left me alone. Well, almost everyone. There were a few kids who wanted to give me something before they could go back with their parents. I bent down to their level and held out my hand. In my hand, they placed a doll that looks like me.
'What did I do to deserve a doll that looks like me?' I wonder.
'It will come back to you,' the voice said.
"You're really confuse, aren't you?" Dalton asked me.
"How can I not?" I asked back.
"Anyway, let's go to my place."
When we arrived at Dalton's home and entered, he lent us a bed for Nami to sleep in as he gets the room all warmed up. "I would like to reintroduce myself," he said. "My name is Dalton. I am this island's Captain of the Guard. Please excuse our hostile reception." He then turned to Princess Vivi. "May I ask you something? I believe I have met you somewhere before."
The princess flinched when he said that. "I-i'm sure it's just your imagination!" she stuttered. "More importantly, could you tell us more about this 'witch'? Earlier, Nami-san's temperature rose to 42 degrees Celsius."
"42 degrees?" Dalton repeated.
"Her temperature has been rising steadily these past three days," I said. "If it goes any higher, she'll die. The problem is that we don't know what's causing her sickness or how to treat it."
"And that doesn't matter! There's a doctor here!" Sanji added. "Where's this 'witch' of yours?!"
"The 'witch'... Do you see the mountains outside that window?" Dalton asked. We all look out the window to instead see a snowman.
"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING?! DID YOU FORGET OUR MAIN GOAL HERE?!" I questioned.
"Those mountains are the Drum Rockies," Dalton continued to explain. "You can see a castle atop the peak of the tallest, central mountain."
"A castle?" Usopp repeated.
"It's a castle without a king."
"Yeah. I see it," Sanji said.
"Is there something about that castle?" Princess Vivi asked Dalton.
"The woman the people call a witch, the sole doctor of our country, Dr. Kureha lives in that castle," he told us.
"What?! Of all places, why does she live all the way up there?!" our chef asked. "Fine just call her down than! This is an emergency!"
"Even if we wanted to, there is no way of contacting her."
"And she's suppose to be a doctor?! What kind of a doctor is she?!"
"There's no denying her skill as a doctor, but she is a rather strange old woman. She has lived a long life of nearly 140 years."
"140?! And she's still alive?!" I asked.
"They say she likes umeboshi."
"Okay, then what happens if someone in this country is sick or hurt?"
"She comes down the mountain of her own free will. She searches for patients, treats them and then takes whatever she wants from their homes as compensation before leaving again."
'Sounds like a pirate, doesn't she?' the voice stated.
"But how does such an old woman get down from that mountain?" Princess Vivi questioned.
"It's just a rumor, but several eyewitnesses have reported that, on moonlit nights, she takes to the sky in a sleigh and rides down. That is a reason why she is called a witch. They also say a strange creature comes with her, the likes of which they've never seen." When he said that, Usopp started to panic and say things about an abominable snowman.
'And you were also friends with the creature.'
"The thing is, Xion is friends with both Dr. Kureha and the strange creature," Dalton voiced out the voice's words. "And I don't know how, but she mostly goes up there on that mountain to visit the two, whenever she's here."
"XION! What were you doing with a witch and an abominable snowman?!" Usopp shrieked.
"How should I know?! Do I have to keep reminding you that I don't remember a single damn thing about being on this island?!" I snapped.
"Dr. Kureha may be our only doctor, but she does not wish to have a close relationship with us. All we can do is wait for the next day she decides to come down that mountain," Dalton added.
"We don't have time to wait for another day! Nami is dying from her sickness! If she's not going to come down here, then I'll go up that mountain and drag her down! I don't care if she is old, Nami is going to die if she doesn't get treated soon! Not wanting to have any close relationship with anyone but me? Screw that! But since I'm a friend of hers, then I should be able to convince her to get off that mountain and treat Nami!"
"Oi, Nami! Nami! Can you hear me?" Luffy asked, lightly slapping the sick girl in the face.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" we all asked, teeth being sharp.
"Oh, you're awake!" he exclaimed, ignoring us. "Listen, you can't see a doctor unless we climb a mountain. So we're going mountain climbing."
"Are you insane?! What are you trying to make Nami-san do?!" Sanji snapped.
"It's okay. I'll carry her."
"Even so, her condition will still get worse!" I reasoned.
"What? The sooner we see the doctor, the better, right?"
"That's true, but not like this! Those mountains are like pillars!"
"Then why don't we use your Dream Eaters?"
"None of them can stand the cold! Are you stupid?!"
As we argued, Nami was trying to say something. I noticed and had everyone to quiet down.
"I have to... get better soon..." she breathed. "Soon... for Vivi's sake... Take care of me, Captain."
We were all shocked to hear that she would risk her own health to get better. All except for Luffy, that is. "You got it! Leave it to me!"
I sighed in defeat at this. "I guess it can't be helped now. Fine then, but I'm coming with you," I declared.
"I've had it. As soon as the Captain says something, the Navigator and First Mate goes along with it!" Usopp complained.
"Do you know what kind of condition you're in, Nami-san?" Sanji asked.
"Will you really be okay? This trip may take hours," Vivi said.
"Ossan! Gimme some meat. Meat!" Luffy demanded.
"Then I'm going too," our cook decided.
"Xion. May we talk for a moment?" Dalton asked, as the rest of my crew gave Luffy advice about how to bring a sick person to a doctor on a cold day. I followed him outside, behind his house.
"What is it, Dalton?" I asked.
"I found this while you were gone. And something tells me that you need it more than anyone else." He took something out of his pocket and gave it to me. I accepted it and saw that it was another Dream Eater Recipe!
"Where did you-?!"
"Find it? Some time after your last visit, a lot of those creatures you called Heartless came out of nowhere and attacked us. Despite the fact that we were no match for them, none of us gave up because we all believed that you were either lying about that being you last and final visit here or that you were wrong about it being the last time to come here. After that, we somehow defeated the Heartless and that appeared before me. I then heard a voice saying that I should give it to a certain Keyblade wielder. And I instantly knew that he was talking about you."
"Thanks, Dalton," I said. "I'm sure that whatever Dream Eater will be born from this recipe will make a great ally." I then read the ingredients needed to create this Dream Eater and took out the needed things to create it. Yes, I brought my bag of Dream Eater ingredients. How could I not when I heard that voice from earlier?
Anyway, I did the routine and the Dream Eater that was reborn from those ingredients was a penguin. The face and belly are vanilla in color, with a blue 'jacket', with a pink-red edge, covering its wings, back, and the top of its head. The eyes are yellow with pupils that looks like an upward facing arrow and orange-colored flippers and beak. It also has goggles that are blue-green along the lengths and pink at the ends. A ring of sky blue orbs around its neck resembles a thick insulated scarf, and the feathers attached to its wings are colorful. This Dream Eater is known as Iceguin Ace.
"So now we have a penguin in our group. Nice!" I stated. "And your name will be Ace. Welcome aboard!" The penguin seemed happy with the name and with the welcome. "Mind going back in your card? I'll call you when you're needed the most." The Iceguin Ace Dream Eater nodded its head and went in a card. "Now I'm ready to go. Thanks again for giving me the Dream Eater Recipe, Dalton."
"Well, of course. It's the least I can do after everything you did for us," he said. "Oh yes. Before I forget, not that I doubt your strength, but you should avoid using the shortest path to that mountain. It's inhabited by Lapahn. I know you'll be all right, but as for those two boys..."
"Don't worry. They may not look like it, but they're really strong." I then heard Luffy calling me. "Got to go, Dalton. Later."
"Good luck," he said. With that I left to go with Luffy and Sanji to Dr. Kureha's home.