Dalton was being treated inside the house.
Vivi was walking back and forth, clearly worried. They were outside, waiting for any news about Dalton.
"In any event, let's go up the mountain, Lana, Usopp-san, Mr. Bushido!" She proposed.
"Huh?" Zoro said leaning against a crater beside Lana.
"I can't just sit around and wait! I'm worried of what might happened to Luffy-san and the others in that big avalanche! Nami-san has a very high fever! If anything happened.." Vivi rambled continuously.
"You're worried about Nami.. On top of that, you're worried about Dalton-san, as well as Alabasta, huh?" Usopp said making Vivi speechless.
"Vivi, calm down! You're carrying too many burdens on your shoulders!" He continued..
"What?" Vivi was stunned on what Usopp is saying. Cause he's not known to be the calm one in the group. Even Lana is surprised on seeing this side of him.
"Nami is with Luffy and Sanji. I'm sure she's okay. They'll be fine! I believe in them!" Usopp said, hitting the mark as Vivi realized some things.
"Thank you Usopp-san.. I--" Vivi was interrupted when Zoro spoke, poking Usopp's forehead.
"For you, it's just that you're afraid of going up the mountain, isn't it?"
"B-but I heard that there are things like a yeti and bear-bunnies there!"
"Then say so from the start!"
"It'll be fine. It's Luffy we're talking about. He'll make it work. I can't help it if I'm scared! Any problem with that?!"
Lana facepalmed herself. Of course, he would be afraid. He's not Usopp if he's not like that. Vivi looks disappointed too.
"Don't worry Vivi. I learned to trust these knuckleheads and they don't disappoint. Well, sometimes.." Lana said.. Zoro and Usopp reacted to being called knuckleheads.. but Lana ignored them.
"Lana.." Vivi finds her refreshing confidence alluring. She and Lana joined the crew almost at the same time and yet, Lana feels like one of them, like she had been with them from the very beginning. How she trusts everyone and how she communicates, it astonished her. She's like a real princess.
"I'm like that at first.. constantly worrying about Roronoa-san when he went to save you from the Baroque Works.." Zoro blushed at Lana's statement.
"But Nami reminded me every time that he's strong.. that they are all strong.. Don't get me wrong, I did not join them just because I find them strong, it's the trust they have for each other, that's what reeled me in. So don't worry Vivi.. We are all here for you!" Vivi almost cried when she ran and hugged her.. Lana soothes the princess.. Usopp's right.. She has been carrying a lot of weight on her shoulders.
"Dalton-san! Wait!" Someone shouted inside..
Vivi lets go of Lana to look towards the door that just opened.
"Ahh! Dalton-san!" Usopp
"Dalton-san!" Vivi
Lana sighed in relief. At least he's alive.
"Would someone please tell me who the heck this guy is?!" Zoro
"I'll tell you later Sensei." Lana whispered to him. Zoro just grunted. Is it really necessary for her to call him sensei?
"Dalton-san! You can't!" The people inside went out and helped Dalton who's kneeling on the ground. Clearly, he's not that healed yet.
"Get out of my way! We can't let Wapol in the castle! Never!" Dalton grunted.
"Don't tell me you're heading to the castle!" Vivi
"In your condition.. That's reckless!" Usopp
"When will I fight if I don't fight now? If Wapol goes back to being the king, this country will become rotten forever!" Dalton said with determination!
"I understand your resolve.. but how will you fight in that condition?" Lana said as she crossed her arms.
Dalton looked at her..
"I will settle this! No matter how dirty I have to play!"
Lana was taken aback by his words. Only a man with such bravery can say such things and it inspires her to work more harder.
Usopp went in front of Dalton, stopping him from walking.
Confusion was written all over Dalton's face.
"Get on my back. I'll take you to the castle." Usopp kneeled down and offered his back to him.
"You don't need to be modest! I don't wanna waste your determination. That's all." Usopp said when Dalton looks reluctant on his idea.
"Usop-san.." Vivi muttered..
"Hold on, okay? I will take you... to the castle now..." Usopp grunted as he carries a big person on his back. Dalton was two times maybe four times his size.
Everyone were looking at them with pained faces. Like it was hopeless.
"Oi.. Usopp-kun.. I really don't think this is going to work.." Dalton
"It'll work! I'll take you there! You're gonna fight for the country, right?! You're gonna settle this, right?! Don't worry, I'll definitely take you there!" Usopp grunts as his body started sweating even with the cold temperature.
Zoro facepalms.
"Geez.. that moron.."
Lana sighed as she nudged the swordsman beside him.
He grunted.
"I know."
Before walking towards Usopp. Lana giggled as she follows him.
Zoro took Dalton from Usopp and carried him on his left shoulder like he weighs nothing!
"We just have to go up the mountain, right?" He asked.
Lana's still being amazed in every time Zoro showed off his monstrous strength. I mean, who wouldn't be?
"Zoro.." Usopp muttered before getting annoyed.
"You jerk! You jerk! Usopp Punch!" Usopp said as he kicks Zoro's legs and then punching him.
"Ow! Ow! What're you doing?!" Zoro pushed him away from him.
"I believe you took away his spotlight sensei.." Lana said chuckling beside Zoro.
They started walking, heading towards the mountain.
"I was just about to use my serious power!"
"Yeah.. I know." Zoro said to shut him up.
"Serious Power!" Usopp shouted while doing some poses!
Lana clapped her hands..
"Whoa, Amazing.. Amazing.." Zoro complimented. Sarcastically.
Vivi smiled before following them.. They are truly nice people.
"Wait! If you're willing to go that far to get there.." They stopped their tracks and looked at the man who said that.
"There's a ropeway to the castle."
"Can't be. There's no rope connected to the castle any more."
"There's one. Someone has reattached a white rope from a big tree at the edge of Gyasta to the castle!"
"Gyasta?" Lana asked.
"That's the name of the town that Dr. Kureha headed last." Vivi replied.
"You mean there's an easy way to get to the castle??" Lana asked.. Because if there is.. Poor Luffy and Sanji.
"Let's go to Gyasta! Phew! At least we could avoid the bear-bunnies!" Usopp said..
So they went to Gyasta.
As they near the edge of it, they can already view a big tree with a huge rope tied on it.
"I'm surprised to see a rope connected to the castle from a place like this." One of the villagers said. A lot of them joined their travel to Gyasta, wanting to support Dalton.
"A young man in town found it by accident."
"This place used to be Dr. Kureha's house!"
Lana heard this.. Kureha.. that must be the witch doctor. Maybe she sets this rope up, since she lives in the mountain, this must be the rope she had been using to get down the village!
"You can use this carriage to go up.." The villagers helps them set up a carriage that can travel on this thick rope.
They said thank you before going on their way to the carriage.
"This is a great view!" Zoro said. They were now on their slowly way up.
"Yeah.. Hey, isn't this a little crowded?" Usopp asked.
"We can't let Dalton-san go alone while he's injured."
"We'll fight too!"
Some of the villagers joined them up.
"W-well, I get it. But we'll never get there like this!" Usopp said. Well it's not too crowded but he's just scared that rope might snap because of their weight.
"Paddle! Paddle harder!" Usopp ordered the man who's making the carriage move.
"Hey. Aren't we too high?" Lana said as she sits down at the corner. Slightly peeking at the bottom..
Zoro smirks as he crouch to her level..
"Don't tell me you're afraid of heights?"
"I d-don't know.. probably." She blushed because he's too close to her and because she's embarrassed.
"Dalton-san, don't push too hard." Vivi said distracting the two.
Dalton is in the middle, sitting down and breathing heavily. He looks too deep into his thoughts.
But then he just shouted!
"To hell with status! To hell with the king!"
Everyone looked at him.. and then shouted as well..
"Yeah!!"
They were all fired up to fight the mad king!
Dalton felt a little relieved that there are still people who's willing to fight with him..
His smile was interrupted when he coughed blood.
"Dalton-san! Please hang in there!" Vivi shouted. She's been beside Dalton..
"What should we do?" Vivi worries.
"I.. I'm alright.." Dalton gasped as he breathes heavily.
"I'll make sure .. to end this country! To hell with history! To hell with state control! What's wrong with wishing the country to have a heart?!" Dalton
Vivi gasped as she relates to his wish. She wished for her kingdom to be safe and sound too..
Dalton grabbed something on his chest ..
"D.. Dalton-san .. What're you.."
Zoro stood up and raised his one eyebrow.
"Dynamite!" Usopp gasped
"Listen, everyone. When we get to the castle and once I get inside, lay on the ground." Dalton
Everyone seems to be not on board with his plan...
"Look! There's someone on the top of the castle!"
Everyone looked at the castle. Even Lana stood up and looked.
Lana smiled as she saw who it is. Luffy just did his finishing blow to Wapol! He won!
Dalton can't believe on what he just saw!
Their carriage arrived at the castle. Usopp went down first.
"Yosh! I'll go check. Don't worry. You can come later."
But Zoro went down and passed Usopp..
"Ahhhh! Zoro's going ahead of me again! Serious power, activated!"
Usopp said as he ran pass Zoro.
Lana went down next, running as she breathes for air!
"Finally! Land!!"
As they arrived at the top of the stairs..
"Oi! Let go!" Zoro said to Usopp who's behind him, clutching his coat.
"Yosh! I got your back!" Usopp managed to lie.
"Oi! If you're scared, you can come later!" Zoro grabbed Usopp's head, trying to push him away.
"Ha!! What a big castle!" Lana gasped as she view the castle in front of them.
"I-I-I-I-I-I'm not scared! Because I'm.." Usopp stopped when they heard a yell coming from the top of the castle..
The three looked up and saw Luffy falling straight down to them!
"Luffy?!" Zoro gasped
"Ah?! Zoro! Usopp! Lana!" Luffy said when he saw them clearly.
"Aahhh!!" Lana managed to get away from them before Luffy crash landed on them!
Luffy stood up laughing at his antics!
"What'd you do that for, you jerk?!" Zoro said as he pops up the snow!
"Oh! it's you guys! Hahahahaha! Since I recognized the clothes you're wearing, I thought you were one of them." Well, Luffy's not wrong. Zoro did steal the enemy's coat.
"If only you accepted my coat.. He wouldn't have done that." Lana smirked making Zoro annoyed.
"So you guys came up too. Usopp, didn't you say you couldn't come up?"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Don't be silly! If I see a mountain in front of me, I climb it. I'm that kind of guy. But coming up this cliff was quite an adventure." Usopp tried to brag.
"We came up by the ropeway.. Luffy-san.. are Nami-san and Sanji-san okay?" Vivi asked. They just come up from the ropeway.
"Yeah! they're fine now." Luffy smiled. Usopp still continues on telling lies in the background.
"Ahh, I'm glad to hear that!" Vivi and Lana sighed in relief.
"So .. What were you doing on top of the castle?" Zoro asked as he crossed his arms..
"I was beating the crap out of the king." Luffy
Lana chuckled.. No one's even listening to Usopp right now..
"Then as I suspected.. the one who flee far into the sky earlier was Wapol! You beat him??" Dalton said as soon as he heard what Luffy had just said.
"Yep! Why?" Luffy asked nonchalantly.
Dalton couldn't even believe him. He just defeated the King. Even though Wapol is stupid, he's still strong!
"So what about his two top men?"
"The reindeer beat them up."
"Those two.. A reindeer did..?"
"A reindeer??" Lana's eyes sparkled! Vivi and Zoro sweatdrop. Here she go again!
"Oh yeah! Usopp! Listen! I found a new friend!" Luffy said
"Hm? What?" Usopp finally stopped blabbering and looked at them, raising his telescope eyeglass.
"Reindeer..?" Dalton tries to remember why that word is so familiar.
He then saw a familiar creature hiding behind the tree.
"You are that reindeer.. I see.. You've been fighting all this time since then!" Dalton then bowed. Since no one knows about the reindeer hiding behind the tree, they were all confused on his words and actions.
"Thank you. Drum will definitely... definitely be reborn.." Dalton cried.
Just then, the villagers went up and saw the small reindeer.
"Ah! What is that??"
"It's a.. A monster!!"
"Don't call him a monster!" Dalton shouted.
"A-A-A m-m-monster!!" Usopp shouted shocking the reindeer!
Lana and Luffy punched Usopp as they simultaneously said..
"Don't call him a monster!!"
"He got shocked and ran away!" Luffy
"Captain!! We're making him our nakama right???" Lana asked as Luffy smiled and nodded.
"Follow after him Captain!!!" Lana said as Luffy ran after the reindeer. She's so happy! Finally!! She has someone to pet! I mean a new nakama!!