🏴☠️️Ch.70: Nami & (First Name) Sick?! Sweltering Against the Snowy Seas!🏴☠️️
The Going Merry is hurled through the air by the shockwave of the giants' attacks while also cutting through the giant goldfish-like sea monster and making a path for the Strawhats.
Luffy laughs, cheering from his front-row seat on the figurehead. "We're flying!"
Nami's fear turns into an awed smile as the crew and their ship find themselves outside the sea monster.
Vivi gapes in shock, while her duck is halfway through the galley door with his head covered by his wings in fear.
Zoro and Ghin grin at the unexpected rescue.
"Don't bother lookin' back! 'Cause we're goin' straight ahead!" Luffy exclaims, as the Merry loses air and falls back to her rightful place on the sea. "Look at us! This is so incredible!"
Usopp is moved to tears at the power of the giants' teamwork. "They cut...the sea...itself! The strength of...the Elbaf Warriors...is amazing!"
The Going Merry falls back to sea, skipping across the surface like a rock for a bit before smoothly sailing along.
Dory and Broggy are soaked by the waves created by their teamed attacks but still stand proud and strong. Their weapons, however, weren't as such. The attack used to save the Straw Hat crew was the final straw for the centuries-long used axe and sword and the weapons finally give out, pieces breaking off and falling into the ocean. But this doesn't bother the giants one bit.
"Friends! Go...Good luck!" The giants wish their departing friends.
"Gyagyagyagya!"
"Jabababa!"
The two laugh, throwing their finally broken weapons away before sitting at the island's edge in contemplation.
"I suppose I should mention Broggy...I recall something about a hunting contest, but I can't exactly remember..." Dory admits.
"Don't worry, Dory. The same thing goes for me." Broggy shares his friend's personal plight.
The two are interrupted by the sound of the volcano going off, just like usual.
"Hmm? It's Middle Mountain!"
"So...What do you say...you and I go ahead and finish this?!" Dory suggests.
"Sure...! We can always think things through after that!" Broggy agrees without hesitation.
And just like that, the two giants clash once more, now in weaponless combat.
☠️🏴☠️☠️
Despite the sea monster obstacle at the start, the Straw Hat crew is back to smooth sailing for Alabasta, the near-death and near-capture experience being swept under the rug by each crew member.
Surprisingly, the desire of visiting the home island of the giants overpowers the bruising experience of a certain sniper.
"Guys, listen up. I will go to Elbaf someday! To the village of warriors!"
"Yeah! Great!" Luffy cheers.
The two then join together in song and a kick line atop the bulwark. "Gi-gi-giants! Gi-gi-giants! El...baf! El...baf! Everyone is huge! They're so huge...because they're giants...Gi-gi-giants! Everybody's huge! Yeah!"
Carue runs around, ecstatic to be off the island and away from the Baroque Works' number agents left behind. He is still cautious around Marianne, but isn't outright scared of her anymore.
Speaking of the crew's newest members, Marianne was designated as the Straw Hat's Artist and Tideus takes up position as another Scout, alongside Ahio.
The former Baroque Works agent and Quetzalcoatlus were more than happy with their new places amongst the Straw Hats.
"Careful not to fall overboard, you two." (First Name) warns as she finishes assisting Carmela in planting more of her garden with the special volcanic soil. Wiping her hands of the fertile dirt on her gardening apron, she leaves to check on how their newest crewmates are doing.
"Where do they get so much energy?" Nami huffs, sitting on the floor, back against the main mast.
Just as (First Name) had warned them not to, the Straw Hat captain and sniper slip off the bulwark. And they would have fallen into the sea below had a certain flying reptile not dove in after them, sweeping them back up before they could even touch the water and dropping them off safely onto the deck.
Carue stops his running to check on the captain and sniper, quacking with worry.
"Wow...After everything that's happened here, I'm exhausted..." Nami lifts a hand to her aching head as leans against the mast with obvious exhaustion. "Um...Vivi, could you watch this for me?"
The orangette navigator holds out the Eternal Pose to Alabasta to Vivi.
The desert kingdom princess takes the tool without argument. "Sure."
Carue soon leaves behind Luffy and Usopp to join his princess' side in curiosity.
Vivi looks at the Eternal Pose with a forlorn expression.
Nami sees this and offers a comforting smile. "You're on your way...Soon you'll return to Alabasta. Well, my rosy outlook is assuming we can make it there safely and without any more surprises."
The navigator's words seem to be just what the princess needed in order to perk up. "Yes. I must return! It's my obligation. I am the person everyone in the kingdom is counting on."
She's come too far to give up now.
"Believe me when I say it is the only way to save the kingdom! It is true that your father no longer has sway with the people. Our only hope of stopping this uprising is for you to tell them the truth! This is the only action that can save us. You have to understand that your survival is paramount. You must live, even if it means sacrificing others. Whether by grace or betrayal, live on...No matter what! Sometimes...it's harder to live...than to die..."
Her fingers tighten around the Eternal Pose as she recalls that conversation with Iggaram.
"I will return home...alive."
Luffy and Usopp now share in the seriousness of the conversation, though choosing to remain silent.
"You'll get home, but there's no need to push yourself so hard."
Everyone turns to see Sanji coming down the stairs with a plate of pastries.
"You've got me!" He grins confidently, thumbing to himself.
"And us." (First Name) states, joining the gathering group, with her Pack, the Guild and the Gems by her side, each ready to follow their leader and friend.
"Of course, (First Name)-koi~" He offers the sweets-filled platter to the women. "Here you go...Try these sweets. They'll help you relax. I've made some delicious tarts, and your choice of coffee or tea."
Vivi looks to Sanji with gratefulness. "Thank you..."
At the sight of the delicious-looking treats, Luffy, Usopp and even Carue rush in with drooling tongues hanging from their mouths and bill.
"Yours are in the kitchen! Now go!" The blond cook barks.
And quick as lightning, they're rushing for the galley. Luffy using his Gum-Gum powers to propel himself first.
"Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine..." Luffy can be heard singing.
Through the silliness of the three's scuttling, Nami's vision begins to blur and she's feeling the fatigue again.
Meanwhile, on the aft deck, a certain swordsman and quartermaster are beating themselves up about their battle on Little Garden, despite coming out victorious in the end.
"603...! 604...! 605! 60...6!" Zoro counts as he swings the massive set of weights with both hands, Kylie balancing atop it as it moves. "Damn it all! If I only could've cut that wax! I wouldn't have...left anyone hanging there! And (First Name) wouldn't have been caught by that Wax-Wax creep! I'm so weak!"
Ghin practices some Arnis techniques (First Name) left him to study, with some of the leftover weights as he spars with Jimanekia. "1...2...3...4...You think you're the only one who felt useless about all that? I've been able to shatter metal in the past but couldn't do jack about being turned into an almost once-living candle."
"If I'm gonna get stronger, I need to be able to slice through stuff like that from any stance!" Zoro states, not missing a beat in his swings.
"Come now, you two. You are both new to the Grand Line. You cannot expect to know how to fight off everything that comes around every corner here your first time around." The Yellow Pearl states eloquently as she spars with the quartermaster, never losing a beat.
"Yeah! You can't just expect to adapt immediately to a new environment." The Green Emerald adds in. "No offense but you did grow up in the Blue Seas, the East Blue specifically, which is the 'calmest' of the four Blues. And that's essentially a walk in the park for those who sail these waters. Everything there's somewhat predictable, unlike here. So don't go beatin' yourselves up."
"There is plenty of time for you both to get stronger." Jimanekia interjects, still keeping up with her sparring partner's movements. "Do you think someone like (First Name) just got strong overnight? No."
"Just because she's used to the unpredictability of Mother Nature here doesn't mean she was instantly the force to be reckoned with we know her to be now." Kylie inputs.
"It's all trial and error. She's no doubt made her share of mistakes and slip-ups."
"And besides, you may have lost the battle, but you ended up winning the war."
"So take this as a learning experience. Failure is the best teacher, after all. It's just whether or not you let it hold you that's what truly matters."
Said first mate in question is in a state of contemplation of her own about being nearly captured. Despite being as strong as she is, her water abilities are not invulnerable. They have drawbacks and weaknesses like any power, she's just adapted them to be able to handle varying types of opposition.
But even if she comes out victorious in the end, she can't stand to be put in helpless situations like with Mr. 3.
She sighs as her hand holds up her head, while the other grips the wood of the bulwark tightly at the memory. The humiliation, suffocation, the boiling rage. Just recalling it makes her feel unpleasantly hot all over and gives her a headache. She angrily shoves herself away from the bulwark, unknowingly leaving behind black handprints seared into the wood.
🏴☠️☠️🏴☠️
[Alabasta Kingdom - Sandy Island]
Loud rings and clangs from bells hail the commanding officer to a swan-figurehead ship.
"Mr. 2...! Bon Clay...! The Swanda is ready to set sail!" A Baroque Works' grunt yells out.
Taps of pink ballet shoes sound against the stone dockside.
"Okay, okay! I heard ya, sheesh! Do ya have to scream?!" A nasally voice bordering on effeminate and masculine answers.
Hands find themselves on hips as the relatively tall figure in a pink overcoat huffs. "Honestly, somebody give me one good reason why I should be the one to do this?! Mr. 3 is a piece of garbage! Why should he need a security escort, of all things? Go do it yourselves!"
The Billion soldiers gasp at Mr. 2's remark.
"That's impossible! We wouldn't even stand a chance against him!"
"But you have to help! He's apparently carrying a very precious cargo! One that no chance should be taken with. Those were the boss's orders..."
"Un...deux...trois...Uh, what's 'four' again...? Anybody?"
Blue kanji spelling out "Bon Clay" paints the backside of the overcoat, while two swans posed into a shape resembling the number "2" hang from the coat's collar.
A sigh escapes a pair of red-shade painted lips. "That 0...So much trouble."
☠️🏴☠️☠️
Back on the Going Merry's main deck, Nami's fatigue begins to worsen. Her face is flushed red and copious amounts of sweat soak her forehead. The clarity of her vision continues to blur.
"Vivi I'm sorry, but, I..." The navigator continues to keep her growing unwellness under wraps from everyone else. "I need to rest."
"I understand, Nami...! Don't worry, everything's under control. I'll keep an eye on our course." Vivi replies, still unaware that anything is amiss.
Nami successfully manages to lift herself to her feet, but ultimately falls back down.
It is now plainly obvious that something is definitely wrong with Nami. Her face, all the way to the tips of her ears, is a burning red, her entire body is breaking out in sweats and her face is scrunched up with an expression of agonizing pain.
Vivi places a hand on the navigator's head. "You're burning up! Hey, everyone! Come quick!"
Everyone is drawn out of their business by Vivi's shouts.
Luffy peaks his head out of the galley, with Usopp, Carue and Sanji behind him.
"What's wrong, Vivi? Are you okay?" Luffy asks with a mouthful of food.
"Nami has an awful fever!" Vivi explains the sudden dire situation.
Sanji, instantly, shoves Luffy and Usopp aside. "What!? Nami's sick?!"
🌺Stand aside; Let me see her.🌺 Carmela is quick to leave her garden and swoops down to the ailing navigator.
Pressing a wing to her forehead she measures the state of her fever.
Meanwhile, everyone begins to gather around their fallen navigator.
By the time the crew gets Nami into the women's quarters and onto the pull-out bed, Sanji is already in over-dramatic hysterics. Tears and snot streaming down his face, while gnawing on a handkerchief.
Carmela administers an herbal remedy to fight off the fever, but beyond that, there's not much more she can do. Powerful illness cures—despite all her botanical knowledge—is not her forte.
"It's most likely the climate...It's quite normal." Marianne states as Vivi lays a wet cloth on Nami's forehead. "Sailors and travelers that are new to the Grand Line aren't used to the strange weather and can become quite ill...Countless cases of tough, notorious pirates who suddenly died. Their immune systems were attacked and ravaged by colds and fevers. Ignoring the symptoms can make even the slightest cold deadly, here."
"Nami!" Sanji whimpers through his tears.
"Is there anyone aboard this ship with even the slightest amount of medical experience?" Vivi inquires.
Luffy and Usopp point to the sister of the Elemental Macaw siblings and then (First Name).
"So far, we're a crew that gets more injuries than catching sickness, Vivi." Ghin clarifies.
Said first mate only sighs. "There's only so much we can do. Our area of expertise lies in treating battle wounds, as we've rarely gotten sick during our travels."
🌺The best I'm able to do is stave off the fever, should it get too high, but this is something outside of my herbal remedies can fix. My botanical know-how is far from being a physician.🌺 Carmela states solemnly.
"Well...When you're sick eating lots of meat always helps." Luffy cheerfully suggests. "Right, Sanji?"
The blond cook wipes his tears on his sleeve. "Huh? Meat is protein and that does give the body energy to operate properly... I can cook some food cell booster energy, but there's no guarantees. I'm not a doctor." Sanji's gaze sinks to the floor. "Besides, if my cooking made that big a difference, she'd never get sick. I put a hundred times more care into preparing her meals and I do for you losers. I serve Nami, (First Name) and Vivi fresh meats and vegetables to ensure a balanced diet...Anything that's rotten or moldy...goes to you." Sanji points to the sniper and captain.
Usopp slaps the offending finger from his direction, insulted. "Jerk!"
Ghin only offers a deadpan expression at the blond cook's ways.
"Oh well, still tastes good to me!" Luffy beams, not offended in the slightest.
Sanji sighs, cigarette hanging limply from the corner of his mouth. "My point is that as long as I'm this ship's cook, nobody's going to feed Nani better in terms of nutrition. I can do anything in the kitchen...Still...I do know that there are specific foods for different kinds of illnesses, but I can't make that call. She needs to be diagnosed by a doctor who will tell us how to help her."
(First Name) continues to be impressed by how much love, care and thought Sanji puts into his passion and position as cook.
"Just...feed her everything we've got." Luffy suggests, naively.
Sanji, Ghin, Usopp and Carmela throw almost pained expressions the captain's way. Marianne's expression remains unchanged.
"Oh, shut up...She doesn't have the energy to eat. She's sick..." The cook remarks.
"Not everything can be solved by simply filling our stomachs, Luffy." (First Name) rebutes.
Carmela retracks the thermometer from out of Nami's mouth, eyes widening as she reads the results. 🌺104?! This is worse than I first thought!🌺
"Whatever she's fighting must be aggressive if her body is skating the maximum temperature it can handle to burn it out." (First Name) states. "We're obviously dealing with something outside a typical cold or flu."
"There's bound to be doctors and nurses in Alabasta I can help, right?" Usopp infers. "How much longer till we get there, Vivi?"
The princess' head drops. "I don't know. At least a week, and that's too long!"
"'Kay, so she's sick. Maybe we're overreacting." Luffy comments, out of his depths in the current situation.
Sanji and Usopp's heads tilt in deep thoughted fashion. "I don't know. I've never been this sick."
"Same." Ghin offers his own viewpoint.
"Morons! Have you all lost your minds?!" Vivi snaps. "This is serious! Like (First Name) said, she shouldn't have such a high fever unless her body is fighting an infection! This is bad...Whatever is wrong, it's possibly life-threatening."
That comment certainly sets the boys--aside from Ghin--off. The three of them and Carue are now in a state of hysteric panic.
Sanji starts to bawl even harder.
Usopp and Carue run around the women's quarters like a chicken with its head cut off. Pun not intended for the duck's sake.
"Ahhh! You mean Nami's going to die?!" Luffy shrieks in horror at the information.
"We have to find a doctor to help Nami before she dies!"
(First Name) can feel her headache increasing in intensity at their obnoxious screaming.
"ALL OF YOU, SHUT UP! YOU'RE SCREAMING IS DOING NOTHING BUT STRESSING US OUT! WHY NOT PUT YOUR ENERGY INTO ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING HELPFUL!!"
The first mate's sudden aggressive behavior is enough to quiet everyone down, while also giving the poor navigator the gap of silence to speak up.
"Listen..." Her weak voice might as well have been at the noise equivalent of a foghorn, with how it gains everyone attention without trouble. "I'm fine."
The navigator sits upright, blankets falling off her form.
"Nami?" Vivi cautiously kneels down to the girl's side.
"Yay! She's cured!" Luffy cheers
Usopp chops the rubber boy on the head. "Shut up!"
Despite her words, the navigator still looks a lot less than the picture of health. Heavy breathing, burning red face, sweats and constant shakes.
"Go to my desk, open the second drawer..." She instructs, out of breath, as she keeps the washcloth to her forehead. "There's a newspaper in the bottom."
Vivi's frown deepens and her brow furrows at what could possibly be more important than the navigator's own health that she'd be guiding her attention towards.
Doing as she says, Vivi finds the article of news that Nami is so desperate to bring to her attention that she's willing to deny seeing a doctor.
Eyes drifting along the page, they widen with alarm and dread.
"No! That's not possible!"
"Huh...? What's up? Something wrong?" Luffy asks, curiously.
"Is it about Alabasta?" Sanji guesses. "Tell us!"
(First Name) helps Nami keep upright, dipping the washcloth into the cold water again and reapplying to her head and keeping it there, so her body can be given a rest.
Vivi shakily grips the paper that they crumple in her grasp. "According to this article, 300,000 royal soldiers have defected to the Resistance. Until now, we've been embroiled in a cold war, with 600,000 royal soldiers against 400,000 rebels...With this...the balance has shifted!"
Nami nods with the energy she manages to muster. "The uprising in Alabasta will seriously escalate now. Things'll get ugly. That paper you're looking at is three days old. I'm sorry I didn't say something earlier. We can't change our speed, so I didn't want to worry you...There's nothing anyone can do right now. You understand...Luffy?" She finishes with a look to her captain.
Luffy hums in thought. "Things are bad, and they're beyond our control!"
Though simple in terms, his conclusion isn't far off.
"That sunk in better than I'd hoped." Nami smiles weakly.
"Nami, look...You need to see a doctor right away!" Usopp urges.
"I'm fine..." Nami waves off the concerns. "The thermometer is broken...I mean, come on, nobody gets a temperature of 104. It's probably just a mild case of sunstroke. There's nothing a doctor can do for me that time won't." She kicks herself free of the blankets, throwing her feet over the side of the bed and shakily stands upright, brushing past Luffy and Usopp. "Besides, we don't have time to hunt for one. We need to head straight for Alabasta, right?" She stops just short of the staircase to the deck and offers them a smile with as much "comfort" as she can muster. "I appreciate the concern...Thank you."
The navigator then continues her trek up the stairs, leaving behind a room filled with terse silence.
"Huh, she sure recovered fast..." Luffy comments, naively.
Ghin turns to his captain. "She's faking, Captain, for Vivi's sake."
"She's only giving off the appearance of being better so that we don't have to change course and take time away from getting Vivi back home." (First Name) states, solemnly, looking over to their princess passenger, who still kneels on the floor in shock.
"Now that this conflict has escalated, more blood will be shed throughout the kingdom...We're at war." The bluenette's voice cracks. "If I don't put a stop to this insanity, the entire Kingdom of Alabasta will be doomed! Crocodile will move in and seize control!" Near tears, she buries her head in the paper. "You're trying to get me home safely, but there's no time! I need to get home as quickly as possible! If I don't make it back in time, a million innocent citizens will give their lives needlessly!"
"There's a million people there!? Wow!" Luffy gasps at the information, so used to the smallness of villages and towns.
"What a horrible burden you have to carry...I'm sorry." Sanji has no other words to offer to comfort the suffering princess.
(First Name) leans against the wall, arms crossed over her chest and deep in thought. 'These are definitely difficult circumstances we've been put in; Time is not on our side in either situation. Nami's disease is obviously something that needs to be addressed by an actual doctor. But on the other hand, things are escalating quicker than we thought in Alabasta. With the path we're currently on, would that island be an option? Of all those with medical knowledge, she wouldn't exactly be anyone's first choice. But we've got very few options. Plus, I'm sure I could buy her services. However, it all comes down to Vivi's choice.'
The first mate's headache returns in full force and the desire for some fresh air feels greatly needed. It will also give her the chance to check on Nami, knowing that she can only hold up the brave front for so long.
(First Name) catches Nami just as she's looking at their course on the Alabasta Eternal Pose. But by the look of dread on her face, something has gone awry.
She storms over to Zoro, who has been sitting on the banister, lifting a heavy-weighted dumbbell in one hand while keeping his gaze trained on the horizon.
"Zoro, what the hell have you been watching all this time?!" The navigator demands.
"What are you talking about? We've been goin' straight ahead as you ordered." The swordsman argues.
"Oh yeah, straight at a right angle!" She lifts the Pose to eye-level. "Look at the Eternal Pose...It doesn't lie!"
"I don't need to look at it. I've been using that big cloud over there as my guide."
(First Name) can feel the pain in her head surge and an increased amount of aggression flood her system. She drops a fist hard on the swordsman moss-head. "Aho! [1] Clouds are constantly moving and changing in shape all the time!"
The two women groan with pain and clutch at their heads.
"Ow! Jeez, my head's killing me."
"Join the club, Nami."
"So leave the navigating to me and go to bed!"
"Yeah, right." Scoffs (First Name), gritting her teeth. "The day you, of all people, can navigate correctly is the day Luffy becomes a full-on herbivore!"
A sudden shift in the winds draws (First Name)'s attention. She sniffs at the air, while Nami begins to look around, almost blindly.
"The air...It's changed..." She mutters.
"What do ya mean...? The weather's been nice like this all day." Zoro throws a disbelieving look the navigator and first mate's way.
"Do I need to beat a crash-course lesson on how the Grand Line doesn't follow any sort of logic into your head again!?!" (First Name) barks.
"Nevermind! Just get the others!" Nami orders with newfound vigor.
"Hey! Get your butts out here! Right now!" Zoro shouts loudly enough to be heard down below by the others.
Luffy, Usopp, Ghin and Sanji emerge from the galley, Vivi not among them.
"What do ya want?" Usopp queries.
"Ya know, I find it hard to get motivated when you're giving the orders." Sanji protests.
"Shut up and get moving!" Zoro retorts. "Take the seat and catch the portside wind!"
Sanji looks to Nami and (First Name) who stare out to open sea at the starboard side bulwark. "Nami, (First Name), what's up...? It's a perfect day. The sun is shining, the waves will quiet..."
"The wind has shifted..." (First Name) answers cryptically.
"Wind?" The cook echoes, confused.
"There's a powerful wind...It's heading right this way. I think..." The navigator's musings are cut off by Luffy appearing before and placing his hand on her forehead.
"Luffy..."
His hand is left there for only a moment when he suddenly rips his hand away like he's been scalded.
"Your head's on fire! You gotta stay in bed! And we need to get you a doctor!" He exclaims, clutching his burning hand.
"Maybe you should mind your own business. This is my normal temperature!" Nami argues. "Now quit being so stupid and pull the damn ropes!"
"Nami...I know you're acting brave for Vivi, But if you keep pushing, your body won't have a chance to heal!" Sanji coaxes gently.
Carue quacks in sad agreement.
"I told you guys I'm fine! Let it go!" Nami's attempt at feigning wellness falls short as she sulks against the bulwark. (First Name) dips down in time to catch her.
"Whoa...Hey..." Usopp interjects, gently. "Take it easy."
Nami wrenches herself free of the first mate's grasp. "Not another word, dammit! Hurry and move the ship!"
The crew shares in a moment of glances with one another before wordlessly agreeing to follow the navigator's orders.
"Alright, we're on it!"
"You got it." Usopp calls as he and Carue charge into the galley to man the whipstaff.
"Carmela!" (First Name) shouts sternly, arm outstretched for her to land on.
It's not long until the Nature Elemental Macaw lands on her bare.
"Look after Nami..." The first mate turns her gaze to the obviously sick navigator. "No matter how much she refutes."
Despite the obvious sick state of their navigator, Carmela's gaze shifts between looking at (First Name) and--for some strange reason--her arm in which she just perched herself but now hovers over her, like she's afraid to touch it.
🌺U-Understood.🌺 She stammers, moving to glide over to Nami's side.
(First Name) turns on her heel to help the boys, Pack, Gems and Guild execute Nami's instructions, unaware that her movements are being closely monitored by Carmela.
Ahio glides down from above, noting his sister's gaze practically boring into their faunus anima ward.
🌀What's with that look, sis? Something up?🌀
🌺Have you noticed (First Name) has been acting differently since we left Little Garden?🌺
Ahio tilts his head in thought. 🌀Hmm...Now that you mention it, she does seem a little more aggressive and easier to aggravate. Normally the crew's childish antics don't rile her up so easily. She's also prone to yelling more. Why? You think something is triggering these fits?🌀
Carmela looks down at her feet, before returning her gaze to look at (First Name) sternly instruct the crew. 🌺I can't be certain. Can you get me the spare thermometer from the first-aid kit?🌺
Her brother nods. 🌀Will do.🌀
As the Wind Elemental Macaw disappears into the Storage Room and down into the Women's Quarters, Carmela follows through with (First Name) instructions to keep a close eye on Nami.
"Sheesh...Something...I don't know...But something's headed this way...and soon. I wonder how (First Name) felt it, too."
🌺It's probably the animal within her.🌺 Carmela theorizes, earning Nami's attention. 🌺The Anima are a species that are at one with nature, no matter how crazy or without logic it may be. They have heightened instincts that ensure their safety and survival. Those instincts are not to be waved off.🌺
Zoro, Sanji, and Ghin tighten the ratlines.
The Pack and Guild members tie down anything loose to prepare for the ship's sharp turn.
Usopp and Carue join together to turn the whipstaff in the ordered direction.
The sails catch wind and the Going Merry drifts starboard, with Luffy vaulting onto his "captain's seat".
And just like that, they're back on track with the Eternal Pose's set path. Nami sighs in relief.
Not long after their course is corrected, the door from the Storage Room bursts open and out steps Vivi.
"I have to ask you all a favor!" The princess pleads in an unwavering voice, earning everyone's attention. "As a passenger on your ship, it's not my place to ask this, but I have no choice...My homeland is in jeopardy of being destroyed. So I would really appreciate it, if we could move even faster. Every minute I'm out here, puts more of my people in danger of losing their lives. We need to head for Alabasta at full speed!"
Nami offers a smile through her sickness, promptly agreeing. "Of course, we will. Just like we promised.
A terse silence hangs in the air as the crew stare at the desert princess with silent judging behind unreadable expressions.
Vivi smiles before continuing. "Then it's settled. Let's find an island with a doctor on it right away!"
Nami softly gasps in surprise, the princess' finishing statement throwing her for a loop.
"First thing' first...We need to hurry and get Nami healthy again. Then we head for Alabasta! After all, we need her at the helm to move at top speed..."
Luffy beams with a bright grin, cheerfully agreeing. "Right! No one makes this ship move like Nami!"
"Princess...Hold on." Usopp cuts in. "Won't finding a doctor for Nami take time the citizens of Alabasta just don't have?"
"That's right! So the sooner we get Nami a doctor, the sooner we can get to Alabasta!" Vivi explains.
(First Name) smirks. 'She's going to make a remarkable princess with this way of thinking. Unconventional, but adhering to meet the needs of all.'
"Those are wise words, Vivi! You're beautiful and brilliant!" Sanji praises genuinely, rather than in the overly-romantic manner he's become known for.
"The girls got guts." Zoro states with few words and a whisper of a smile.
The navigator falters in Vivi's direction. "Thank you, Vivi."
Despite the emotional weight off her shoulders, Nami's body begins to lose the strength it gathered to keep herself upright.
"Don't overexert yourself, Nami!" Vivi is quick to support the navigator's exhausted form.
"I'm...uh...I'm sorry...I may need to lie down..." Nami collapses in Vivi's arms.
As soon as the poor navigator slumps into unconsciousness, the animals are suddenly on edge, roaring, hissing, cawing and barking.
Luffy's eyes bulge out of his head, pointing out at something behind them. "What the hell is that?!"
A massive twister whirls on the ocean, just in the path they would have taken had Nami and (First Name) not guided them back on route.
"It's a cyclone!" Vivi exclaims.
"It's enormous!" Ghin shouts. "Wasn't that the same path we were just headed on?!"
"He's right! That's the exact same direction!" Sanji vouches the quartermaster's claim.
Usopp gawks at the fate that would have awaited them had they not changed course. "It would have been a direct hit if we'd kept goin' straight! We'd be dead right now!"
Strong winds howl as black storm clouds loom overhead. Bolts of lightning light up the darkened sky as booming cracks of thunder shake the sea.
The lightning bolts have enough energy to strike the waters far below, in what would have been the very waters the Going Merry would have sailed through had (First Name) and Nami's instincts not have steered them away.
"See that!? Way too close! We barely missed it!" Luffy yells over the roaring winds and thunder claps.
Vivi eyes the storm in a fearful awe. 'Incredible! Cyclones in the Grand line are said to be impossible to predict! Yet, somehow (First Name) and Nami did! However they do it, it's obvious their techniques aren't based on any conventional methods. It's as if Nami is detecting the weather with her body and (First Name) her instincts!' She glances between the unconscious orangette in her arms and the first mate staring down the force of nature defiantly. "It's beyond reason! A miracle!"
"All right! What are we waiting here for?! Let's find Nami a doctor!" Bellow Luffy over the noise of the storm.
"YEAH!!"
The crew sails safely out of the cyclone's vicinity and into clearer skies.
As the Straw Hats start to go about getting the ship underway in search of a doctor, Vivi struggles to carry Nami back into the Women's Quarters.
(First Name) can see the princess' obvious battle and leaps up from the center deck and over the banister to offer assistance.
However, she's stopped short before she can reach out and take the passed out navigator, as Carmela swoops between the two.
🌺Not so fast, (First Name)!🌺
"Carmela, what the he--?!" (First Name)'s rave is cut off before it can begin by a thermometer being practically shoved down her throat. "Hyurk! What *cough* are you *cough*-- Are you trying to kill me?!"
🌺No. Just proving that something else might just be killing you.🌺 Carmela states in all seriousness.
"What?!"
The sister Elemental Macaw's comment garners the entire crew's attention.
"Now (First Name)-koi's sick, too?!" Sanji blubbers.
"Did (First Name) catch what Nami's got?!" Exclaims Luffy.
"Our first mate?! No way!" Usopp panics.
(First Name) begins to seeth, her headache relapsing. "I AM NOT SICK!"
*clash* *crack*
With (First Name)'s growing temper, the mercury in the thermometer rises to its maximum before finally shattering in an explosion of glass.
Both the first mate and her crew members are equally shocked by the event that just transpired.
The remainder of the glass thermometer fall from her lips and she looks down at her body fearfully.
🌺Just as I thought...🌺 Carmela murmurs. 🌺You aren't sick, per say, but you are suffering a form of ailment.🌺
(First Name) offers no remark. Instead, she sprints to the side of the ship and leaps over the bulwark and into the ocean.
The remaining crew rushes over to the bulwark in time to see the splashdown, worried for their first mate.
"(FIRST NAME)!!"
💥Carmela, what in the name of Davy Jones is going on?!💥 Trigger demands.
"First it's our navigator, now our first mate." Ghin comments, seriously.
The once calm cool waters begin to bubble constantly with heavy steam rising from where (First Name) dove into.
The boys lean over, looking at the sea below with a mixture of curiosity and worry.
"(First Name)! Where are you?!"
"(First Name)-koi!"
"(First Name)!"
An enormous splash erupts from the ocean, startling those looking over the edge.
A pair of webbed, sharp-nailed hands dig into the bulwark. As the geyser of water eases back into the calm seas, an angry-faced (First Name) rears herself from the watery spout, in a state between dripping wet and steaming herself dry and her clothes singed and burned off in certain areas.
"WILL YOU ALL STOP SHRIEKING LIKE A COUPLE OF GULLS!!"
☠️🏴☠️☠️
"An evolutionary overload?" Vivi parrots Carmela's explanation.
🌺Correct. All Faunus Anima have evolved to take on a particular trait that comes with their animal nature. (First Name)'s just so happens to be manipulating water. That ability is not limited to only one skill; It's an element known for its versatility. Over time, she honed it to do a great magnitude of things. Offensive, defensive, constructing, and so on and so forth.🌺
🌀But even such power can have drawbacks. Overuse and intense emotional triggers being (First Name)'s case. She developed the method of raising and lowering her body's internal temperature as a means of adapting to different environments.🌀 Ahio states.
🌠So, what she's going through now is because of how she used that same method as a way to fight Mr. 3's Devil Fruit?🌠 Astro surmises, looking out the Storage Room porthole window to see the first mate in question sitting in the wooden washtub reserved for laundry and being sprayed with sea water by Caldur in an attempt to lower her rising temperature.
Carmela nods. 🌺It's her body's way of telling her that it wasn't prepared for such an instant use of weaponizing the ability and is fighting to adapt quickly so she doesn't roast herself alive.🌺
🎇So, it's like she can't turn it off? What will happen if she never can?🎇 Hanabi begs the serious question.
🌀There's only two ways this can go, in the case of a Faunus Anima. The ailment can either evolve into a new ability or...🌀
"Or..." Vivi echoes, fearfully.
🌀Or the Faunus Anima will succumb to the overload and meet their demise.🌀
"Demise?!" The princess gasps, horrified.
🌀It's one of the darker sides of the species. They're anthropomorphic, but they are also beasts in nature. The animal traits are linked with the human-like ones. They are a species that can evolve numerous times in their lives. But with evolution comes survival of the fittest. One has to be strong enough to take on the evolution as means of survival.🌀
"And there's nothing we can do?" Ghin queries.
🌺This is her battle. We can help by trying to keep her cool, but the rest is ultimately up to her strength and hers alone. If we were back on the Faunus Anima's native island, Philena, there would bound to be a rite of passage or ceremony for this sort of transition. But (First Name)'s been going through these motions herself since she set out to sea. She knew the risks.🌺 Carmela explains, solemnly.
The crew can only watch as the first mate is constantly showered in sea water by the Sea King.
☠️🏴☠️☠️
Spanning from the previous day into present morning, the Going Merry has gone from clear, calm skies to dark and stormy, back into calm and clear, and now into cloudy with light snowfall. The constant shift in weather mirroring the constant mood swings among crewmembers. A sick navigator, a first mate who appears to be boiling from the inside out and ready to bite into anyone who even so much as breathes wrong, and a hysteric Sanji.
The Cassanova cook is at his wit's end as Nami lies back on the pullout bed in the Women's Quarters, looking a lot worse than when she was first forced to rest. Lying under a pile of blankets, the sickly navigator can barely recover energy to remain conscious. Her breathing heavier than before and the red hue has grown across her face.
Vivi remains steadfast at her bedside, caring for her.
"Ah! What are we going to do, Vivi?! Nami's fever won't go down! And (First Name) is still boiling alive!" He rants and raves, running around the room in a panic, along with Carue.
Vivi whips her head around to the hysteric cook and duck. "Hey, guys! Stop! That behavior isn't helping!"
The panicking duo skids to a stop.
Vivi repositions the wet cloth to Nami's forehead. It's the only thing she can do at this point.
☠️🏴☠️☠️
As Sanji said, (First Name)'s condition hasn't eased up since yesterday. She hasn't budged from her spot in the wooden washtub.
In an attempt to try and regain control of her core temperature and the sudden aggression that came with it, she's been meditating on-and-off through the night. Sleeping in the Women's Quarters was out of the question as the first mate learned that close skin contact with her is like touching a boiling kettle barehanded. Not to mention that the last thing her friend Nami needs is more heat.
(First Name) even found the handprint scorch mark she left in the Merry's bulwark the day prior. Since then, Caldur has been showering her in sea water to assist in trying to attain a normal temperature, but she boils it to the point of evaporating. She's lost count of the times she's had to jump overboard to try and cool down, yet that doesn't last long either, offering only shorts bursts of reprieve. Even the snowfall burns up before it can land on her. But it's the only method that gives her moments to leave the tub.
On a more positive note, it gives the seamstress the opportunity to test a new fabric she's developed into a bodysuit with detached sleeves that is supposed to help with keeping the body insulated, yet still breathable.
It actually proves very successful in allowing her to interact with the crew and walk around without harming them or the ship, during her short cooldowns.
"See any doctors yet?!" Luffy calls up to Zoro in the crow's nest.
A blanket-bundled Usopp deadpans at his captain. "Luffy, you can't be serious."
The swordsman, however, does spot something out in the distance through his binoculars, but it isn't a doctor.
"Uh, hey, (First Name)..." Zoro calls down to the first mate, tentatively, not wanting to break her moment of clarity within her internal rolling waves of aggression.
"Yes, Zoro?" She calls back up, not harshly or biting this time.
The swordsman lets out a quiet sigh of relief. "In the Grand Line, well, um...What do you think about people standing on water?"
"It depends on the context, really." (First Name) answers. "Why do you ask?"
"What-- do I think it's possible?" Luffy asks, joining the conversation.
"What kind of question is that?" The sniper retorts. "It's impossible, of course!
"Yeah? Well then...what's that?"
The boys follow the swordsman's line of sight.
"What's what?"
"Say what?"
They are then stunned into silence to see that there really is someone standing on water, and looking very out of place in his green-blue checkered court jester-like outfit with purple lining at the end of the sleeves, a white winter cape with purple lining, that he ties against his chest, and grey buttons, with a light brown bow and a bag of arrows on his back. He has dark green pants, and blue shoes with white buckles.
"Hmm..." Luffy hums in thought. "You think he's a doctor?"
☠TO BE CONTINUED . . . ☠
On the next One Piece. . .
"Oh, Nami! (First Name)-koi! Please forgive me for not being able to bring your fever down!"
"You need to call your head off! Look around!"
"The Going Merry's being attacked!"
"What'll we do?!"
"That's it! This is intolerable! Nothing's worse the Nami and (First Name) being sick!"
"Would ya look at that?! He's eating our ship!"
"You?!"
"Aaahhh! (First Name)'s boiling over again!!"
"This guy set her off for some reason! She's burning even hotter than before!"
🏴☠️Ch.71: Sudden Assault! Wapol the Tin-Plated Tyrant!🏴☠️
☠☠☠
☠Current Crew: Luffy | (First Name) | Zoro | Nami | Usopp | Ghin | Sanji | Marianne☠
🐾The Pack: Carmela | Ahio | Tito | Umi | Trigger | Calder | Richie | ChouChou | Tideus (+ Eggs)🐾
💙Pets: Nestor the Hermit Crab | Firouz the ???💙
💎Gems: Jimanekia the Yellow Pearl | Kylie the Emerald💎
🔮The Guild: Hanabi (Familiars: Akihiro | Xìngyùn) | Astro (Familiar: Hunter)🔮
☠☠☠
[1] Aho - idiot (Japanese - Kansai dialect)
A/N: Sorry for the long delay. With school and working part-time, I've had very little time in between to write. But I assure you I am not done doing fanfics. Updates will just be slow and I will eventually get back to working on my other stories for those of you that follow them.