Luffy had stuck around Yukiko after the incident with that Wapol guy.
He really did not like how the big mouth was being toward her and wanted to get rid of him so he did.
"Yukiko."
"Yes?"
"Ah, uh.....................................you alright?"
"Oh if you mean about Wapol? I'm okay thanks to you." Yukiko smiles.
Luffy smiled back, happy that Yukiko was thanking him.
Soon, the Straw-Hat Pirates have finally found Drum Island; the entire landscape is covered in snow and mountains that shaped like drums that got the name of this island.
"Wow! So much snow! I'm so happy!" Luffy seemed to tear up a bit in joy.
"Luffy, don't forget. We're looking for a doctor as quickly as possible." Yukiko reminded him.
But as they were about to head for shore, suddenly there were surrounded by people and pointing their guns at them. they try to reason with them that they mean no harm, and they are here to find a doctor for their friend, but none of them believed them.
They were running out of their ideas when they saw and gasped to see Vivi bowed down on the floor and begged them to believe what we say is the truth. Even Luffy bowed down asking for help.
The leader of the group stood on the front line watched as the two begged, and he is convinced that they are telling the truth and let them in.
"Zoro, can you stay and guard the ship? In case that hippo comes around here?" Yukiko asked.
"Sure, ill need to do some training anyway." Zoro shrugs as Carue opted to stay too.
-------
Dalton, the leader of the village Bighorn, has welcomed them to his house and showed them where his bed is, they laid Nami on his bed to rest but her fever is getting worse every minute, Dalton has never seen this kind of fever before but he can tell it's fatal, Vivi asked him to where they can find a doctor and when Dalton answered that weird them out, he told them that this country has only one doctor, and she's called a witch who is said to be one hundred and forty years old.
"Hundred and forty years old?!" Usopp exclaimed.
"A country with only one doctor! What kind of country is this anyway?" Sanji asked.
"We can ask the questions later, right now Nami is getting sicker and sicker so please tell us where she is?" Yukiko asked in a hurry because she doesn't know how long Nami can take much more of this; Dalton look into her eyes and sees there's both determination and a bit of worry in them unlike he seen from a Pirate but...different. He nodded to her and explains.
"Do you see the mountains outside that window?"
"Yeah, their freakin' huge" Sanji replied as he turns to see through window, a mountain that shaped like drum seem to be the tallest mountains he's ever seen.
"Those mountains are Drum Rockies; you can see a castle atop the peak of the tallest, central mountain, this where the witch, the solo doctor in our country, Dr. Kureha lives in that castle now."
"What?!" Sanji is baffled.
"Of all the places, why does she live all the way up there? Fine, just call her to come down there, this is an emergency" said Vivi.
"I'm afraid there is no way of contacting her" Dalton stated.
"What?!" they yelled all together.
"But then what happen when the people get injured or sick?" Usopp asked.
"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 payment before leaving again" spoke Dalton.
"Sounds like one mean old hag." Usopp commented.
"She sounds more like a Pirate." Luffy said.
"But, how does such an old woman Get down from that mountain?" He asked.
"I heard a rumor from people a rather strange rumor...several witnesses that they saw, on a moonlit night, she takes to the sky in a sleigh and rides down; that is one of the reasons they called her a witch...they also say a strange creature comes with her, the likes they which they've never seen...even though she is the only doctor this country have, but she is not very social to people, so I'm afraid you have to wait till she comes down from that mountain tomorrow" Dalton explained, which the crew is not quite happy to hear.
Nami can't wait tomorrow; she needs to see a doctor now before it's too late.
Luffy and Yukiko looked at each other and as if through telepathy, they came to the same conclusion.
"Then will climb up to the mountain and take Nami to get to the witch" Luffy said.
"WHAT!" that shocked his nakama while Dalton was startled by the girl.
"Have you lost your mind, Luffy?! The minute Nami walk out of that door she'll die!" said Usopp.
"But staying and waiting for a witch to show up, Nami will die either way" Yukiko protested, then Vivi spoke.
"That may be...but look at that mountain and the weather, Nami will not take this much stress, this is a huge risk, we're talking about someone's life, and you can't risk someone's life like that"
"WE'RE NOT RISKING HER LIFE!" Yukiko shouted, and the whole house is silent.
"Yeah, besides Nami is our navigator and she got us this far on the Grand Line without getting us lost. We won't lose her." Luffy agreed.
Vivi was surprised by how Luffy and Yukiko was determined to help Nami.
It didn't take long for Sanji and Usopp to agree with them that they need Nami and she had to get better.
"Hey, can you tell us which path would we take?" Luffy asked to Dalton, whom he admired the their big hearts.
"If you take path through the forest it'll lead you straight to Drum Rockies but you need to watch out for Lapins"
"Lapins?" Yukiko titled her head in confusion.
"They are big, white, carnivorous and intelligent snow rabbits" said Dalton which made everyone to look at him skeptically
"Don't worry we'll be careful, Sanji!" Sanji looked up when Luffy called him.
"You'll be coming with us; Vivi, Usopp, you guys stay here just in case if the witch happen to come by here you can tell her" she said and they nodded.
"Good thing I brought the right Pokémon for this trip. Bruno, Azar, Bambi, time for action!" Yukiko shouted as her Arcanine, Wyrdeer and Stoutland appeared.
Dalton was surprised as three creatures appeared.
"What are these? I've never seen anything like them."
"They're Pokémon, Yukiko is a beast master."
Cue Sparks.
"Arcanine the Legendary Pokémon
ARCANINE is known for its high speed. It is said to be capable of running over 6,200 miles in a single day and night. The fire that blazes wildly within this POKéMON’s body is its source of power.
Wyrdeer the Big Horn Pokémon
The black orbs shine with an uncanny light when the Pokémon is erecting invisible barriers. The fur shed from its beard retains heat well and is a highly useful material for winter clothing.
Stoutland the Big Hearted Pokémon
It rescues people stranded by blizzards in the mountains. Its shaggy fur shields it from the cold."
"Amazing." Dalton gasped as Sanji, Yukiko, Nami, and Luffy mounted up.
"Good, next stop to Drum Rockies!" Luffy shouted and they were off.
--------------------
Although they had some trouble with some Lapins and Wapol again, Yukiko's Pokemon fended them off and once they got to the Rockies, Yukiko had Articuno take them up. A normal bird would not have been able to reach the top, but Articuno, being a bird of Ice had no problem.
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An old woman was reading when her student caught a strange scent. "Doctorine. People are here, and some strange scents I've never come across before."
"Hm? They traveled up to the Rockies?"
The two went outside to see a giant bird that looked to be made of ice and 4 or 5 passengers.
"Are you the doctor of the country?" The white haired girl asked.
"Yes."
"We need you to look at our friend. She needs help. Bad." The girl got Nami over.
Doctorine took a good look and understood. It was serious.
"Please. She's our nakama." Luffy said as he shivered before almost collapsing.
Yukiko caught him although the doctor spoke.
"We'll help her."
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Another chapter done!
We'll meet Chopper next!