"It's okay." Nami said with another smile. "Luffy will get us through it."
"If you say it's okay...then okay." Grace said before looking at Luffy with a smile of her own. "Take care of us then Captain."
"No problem." Luffy said with the same grin. "Luffy's idiocy has spread to them both!" Usopp shouted in disbelief as Luffy asked for meat for the journey.
-Outside the houseEveryone had gathered outside the house as Vivi tied Nami to Luffy's back. Sanji and Greg would go with them with Greg carrying Grace on his back.
"I thought you said you hated cold weather." Alvida said with a smirk.
"Shut up." Greg said as Nojiko tied Grace to his back.
"The rest of us will stay here." Nojiko said. "Well only slow you all down."
"Okay Nami. Hold on tight!" Luffy said. "Okay." she said quietly.
"I can't stop you, but you should climb up the other side." Dalton said. "The route to the top from here is full of Lapahns. They're giant, violent, man-eating rabbits. If a pack attacks you, you're finished."
"Don't worry. We'll be safe." Luffy said.
"Yeah, I'll take care of them." Sanji said.
"Luffy!" Nojiko suddenly said before walking in front of Luffy with serious look. "If anything happens to them," she started to say as her eyes betrayed her attitude. Luffy could see the fear in her eyes at the thought of losing Nami before she blinked. "Make sure nothing happens to them! Got it?!" she said. Luffy looked at her before smiling.
"Got it." he said.
"Good." Nojiko said before walking out of the way. "Now get going!"
"Let's go guys!" Luffy said before he and the others going with him too off running. "I wonder if they'll be okay." Dalton asked after a moment of silence.
"Those three will be fine." Usopp said.
"The question is whether Nami and Grace can hold out long enough." Vivi said.
"They will!" Nojiko said. "I know my sister. She won't be beaten by some stupid illness!" Everyone looked at her as she gazed at Luffy's group.
"Come inside." Dalton said. "It's cold out here."
"I'm staying." Nojiko said firmly.
"I'll stay too." Vivi said.
"Me too." Usopp said. Soon all of them stood outside in the cold with determined expressions, despite some of them shivering a bit. Dalton looked at them all before a small smiled crossed his lips. "Then I'll join you all." he said before sitting next to them all. Everyone was silent as they looked on as their friends were nearly out of sight. "Things were different."
"Huh?" Vivi asked.
"The doctors." Dalton said. "There's a reason only one exists in this country." His eyes shifted to the ground before continuing. "A few months ago, this country was destroyed by pirates."
"Pirates destroyed a whole country?!" Gin asked.
"So that's why you wanted us to leave." Vivi said.
"Yes. Just the word 'pirate' sends everyone here into a panic." Dalton said. "The crew consisted of only 5 people. Their captain, a man calling himself 'Blackbeard' completely destroyed our country with ease." "Only five people?!" most of them said.
"Blackbeard?" Usopp asked.
"Never heard of him." Alvida said, still in shock that five pirates could do that much damage.
"Still, most of us see it as a good thing." Dalton said.
"What's so good about one's country being destroyed?!" Vivi asked in astonishment.
"Yeah. That's crazy! Why is it good?!" Usopp asked.