The Straw Hat's Red Devil - Sky Island Saga (No. 3)

SAVING ALABASTA - PART 2: TRAVELLING TO YUBA

It soon falls tonight; we set up camp with a fire burning to help keep warm, but with no cloud coverage, it grows freezing as we all wait for food. "So hungry..." Luffy moans, clutching his stomach before taking the food off the fire.

"Don't be so greedy! It's still raw! Don't eat that!" Sanji snaps as Luffy tries eating it. "Nami! Just a minute, it'll be ready soon!"

"Oh, looks pretty good!" Usopp compliments Luffy and tries grabbing it again.

"Get away, you!" Sanji snaps at our Captain.

"Oh, come on! Cheapskate! Let us eat!" Luffy yells as he tries to get at the food.

"Get away!" Sanji orders Luffy.

"It was so hot during the day! What's going on?!" Nami shivers due to the drop in temperature.

"With nothing to block out the temperature, the desert scorches during the day but falls below freezing at night. The desert is fraught with unpredictable dangers." Vivi explains, and I cosy up to Ace as he's warm with his new Devil Fruit ability.

"Oh! Look at all those stars!" Chopper beams as he looks at the night sky, full of stars.

"Didn't you see stars on your winter island?" Usopp asks him.

"Winter island skies are always covered with thick snow clouds, so I've never seen so many stars before!" Chopper stares up happily at the stars, not feeling the cold.

"I don't have the luxury of looking at stars right now..." He shivers next to the reindeer.

"Cold weather doesn't bother me!" Chopper cheers.

"That's because you wear such a warm suit!" He cuddles up to the reindeer.

"Hey, you! Get away!" Chopper shouts at him.

"I can't help that you're so fluffy..." He adds fuel to the fire.

"Quit making fun of reindeer!" Chopper shouts as he grows bigger, towering over the cowering Usopp.

"Monster!" Usopp screams.

"Chopper. Don't turn big. We need your warmth." Zoro tells him, and Luffy rushes over, scaring Chopper to turn small again as he cuddles with the reindeer.

"So warm!" He beams as he huddles with the others.

"Come closer!" Usopp says dreamily.

"See? Warn, isn't it?" Luffy asks as he grins.

"Yes!" Usopp cheers

"It must be a real surprise for you. I mean, Luffy. I was surprised, too, at first. Maybe it's that he isn't Captain-like or that normal pirate Captains are respected by their crewmates..." Vivi says as we look over to see the boys struggling against Luffy's hold as he wraps his stretchy arms around them. "But just this afternoon, a simple drink of water caused that big fight. But... but you know... the longer I've been with them, the more I've come to understand." I look over again to see them all sleeping peacefully, cuddling each other; I smile as I cuddle into Ace further.

"That's how Luffy does things. He hasn't changed a bit since he was a kid." Ace replies.

"Ain't that the truth," I add with a smile.

"Despite how he seems, people always gather around him. Even though he's our Little Brother, he has a mysterious charm to him." He adds with a smile as well at our Baby Brother.

"I guess I wasn't telling you anything new." She smiles sheepishly.

"He and I do go way back. But thanks. You were worried that I was concerned, right?" He asks her.