Chapter 36: Straight Ahead

Chapter 36: Straight Ahead



The Straw Hats decided to set out as soon as possible and the giants came to see them off. Cabernet was keen on making friends with the Going Merry, much to the confusion of the others.

"Oh, right. I guess I should tell you. Cabernet is a ship who ate a human human devil fruit, Lunarian model I suppose." Cherry enlightened them.

"""""EHHH?!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

"Wait, how can a ship EAT a devil fruit?" Usopp asked.

"With her mouth?" Cherry shrugged.

"By the way, both your name and face seem familiar. You're not related to a man named Yasopp by any chance?" Cherry inquired.

Usopp was surprised and exclaimed that Yasopp is in fact his father. Cherry told him that she received some shooting tips from him many years ago, causing Usopp to grind his teeth in jealousy. Luffy was also excited that she had also met Shanks and his crew.

They began to set sail and when they reached the mouth of the river they anchored in, Brogy and Dorry stood at either side of the river facing the ocean.

"Whatever happens..." Said Brogy.

"Sail straight ahead!" Dorry finished.

Cherry had an idea of what they meant to do. She could sense the massive sea king just off the shore lying in wait for them.

After sailing straight ahead and being swallowed by the Island Eater as a result, the giants used the same attack they used after Cherry fixed their weapons to carve a hole straight through the sea king.

Things went smoothly for a couple days, but it wasn't long before something happened. Nami collapsed with a high fever.

Cherry was no doctor, but she did some standard medical check up procedures while looking over Nami's body with Life Sense. She could see a clear and fast deterioration occurring within her body. It was no common cold, that much was certain.

Nami tried to insist she was fine and that they shouldn't waste time fussing over her, but Cherry interrupted her.

"I'd say you've got a week to live, at most. By the time we reach Alabasta, it'll be far too late to save you." Her words shocked the crew.

Vivi resolved herself and gave a nice little speech about saving Nami being the fastest way to reach Alabasta.

They decided to follow Cherry's log pose to the island after Little Garden, which wouldn't be far away. There was a brief scuffle with some idiots called the Wapol pirates, but Cabernet sent their captain flying after he took a bite out of her new friend, the Going Merry.

Finally they spotted a winter island with large flat topped mountains. Upon entering an inlet, they were warmly received by a few dozen rifles aimed at them.

...

The group, except for Zoro and Karoo, arrived in the town of Big Horn.

Dalton explained a bit of the circumstances of their country and that there was only one doctor on the entire island, a witch named Kureha.

"If your country was nearly destroyed by pirates, why were you so reckless back there? You're already painfully aware that some pirates are too much to handle. That fiasco back there could have pissed off pirates who wouldn't have otherwise done much harm." Cherry analyzed.

"Um, I suppose that's a good point." Dalton acquiesced.

"Also, if Princess Vivi wasn't such a goody two shoes, your actions could very well have been a declaration of war against Alabasta." Cherry casually dropped a bomb shell.

"Huh?!" Dalton looked at Vivi and his face showed he just realized something.

"MY APOLOGIES, PRINCESS VIVI!" He bowed so low, his head plunged into the snow.

Vivi desperately tried to assure him it was fine, while she gave Cherry a look that asked "Why

did you tell him that?!"

Cherry giggled mischievously.

Eventually, Vivi got Dalton to relax and he explained that Doctor Kureha only comes down the mount at her leisure, and that they'd have to wait. The group informed him of Nami's prognosis, but he could only apologize that there was no way to contact Doctor Kureha.

Luffy declared that he would bring Nami up the mountain himself. The others protested, but

Nami said she would entrust herself to Luffy.

"Guys? Why don't you just go with Cabernet?" Cherry asked.

They looked at her perplexed.

"Cabernet is a ship. With wings." Cherry explained.

""""AH!"""" They understood.

Luffy, Sanji, and Cabernet took Nami out of the town where Cabernet transformed and flew them towards the mountain with the castle. The rest stayed in Big Horn with Dalton. Meanwhile, Wapol and his soldiers easily defeated the militia and disembarked. They saw the

Going Merry, so they eagerly set out towards Big Horn to start taking back their kingdom and to get revenge against the Straw Hats. Jaxin followed closely behind, hand caressing his sword and looking forward to being the strong one again.