DRUM KINGDOM

The people of Drum Kingdom was in shock seeing the pirates bow down infront of then, they were all speechless and didn't know what to do in this situation. Even the 20 doctors whom Luffy has rescued were in shock, they were hiding into the main hall, Luffy had asked them to not interfere as he wants to gain the trust of Drum Kingdom's people all by his own. Then the larger man from before looked at the bowing Strawhats, "...We'll lead you to our town." This surprised the other peoples standing beside him, "But Dalton, what if this all an act!??" seeing the tension building up again, the rescued doctors finally came out of the main hall, "WAIT....THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH!!"

Dalton and the other people of Drum Kingdom's were in shock seeing all the doctors, "H-hey, aren't those the doctors Wapol took prisoners!! What are they doing with these peoples??" one of the man asked. Then one doctor stepped forward, "These guys saved us from Wapol and freed us!!" another doctor stepped forward, "They even captured that fat King too!!" shocking the crowd more. Then another stepped spoke, "Please help them, the patient is in serious condition and none of us are able to cure her!! Only that old witch can help now!!" the crowd was completely silent and looking at the still kneeling Strawhats. "I think we should help them!!" suddenly one man said from the crowd, "Yeah, if they really did what those doctors are saying, it is time for us to repay them!!"

The crowd started to mummer amongst each other while, then Dalton looked at Luffy, "You there boy, with Strawhat.....you must be their captain!!??" "Yes..." Luffy stated while still not looking up, "That is enough!! You'd saved the doctors of our Kingdom and even took down that tyrant of our king.....there is no need to bow down to us anymore!!" slowly Luffy and the others stood up and looked at Dalton, "But let me give you one warning though, convincing that Witch the most difficult part!!! If you truly wants to save your friend, then you have to convince her yourself!!"

Luffy, Sanji and Ussop and the rescued doctors exits the ship, while Sanji is caring Vivi on his back. They all started to follow Dalton on the snowy path, as they saw a very huge white furry bear is walking on two legs. Dalton and the doctors bows to him, "It's a Hiking Bear. It poses no danger but mind your hiking manners and don't forget to bow." Hearing to him, the three Strawhats also bowed, to which the giant bear responded with a bow of his own.

Meanwhile on the Going Merry, only Zoro and Carue were left behind to look out for the ship. Carue was shivering from the cold even though he is covered in warm blankets, while Zoro removed his black coat and was now topless. "Now I can start my Haki training for real. I was getting tired of only lifting weights and since just sitting here to keep an eye on the ship is boring....I might as do some meditation, while swimming in freezing water." Hearing this, Carue's beak dropped in shock.

With Luffy and the others, they had arrived at a small town know as 'Big Horn'. "This is our town." Dalton declared this to the Strawhats while he was caring a bound and unconscious Wapol on his shoulder. "They got some weird animals walking around." Luffy stated, "A real snow country for sure!!" Ussop said with excitement. "Vivi~chan~~we are finally here! Now you will be cured!!" Sanji said to the sleeping Vivi on his back. Suddenly someone from the town stopped and saw Dalton caring a bound Wapol and all the doctors were back. They immediately circled around Dalton and started asking questions and few off them ask to Execute Wapol.

"Now, there is no need for elections everyone!! The tyrant Wapol is captured now and we can give the new rule to Dalton." One man said, to which everyone started to agree upon this, "That's preposterous!! I cannot lead you....I bear too many sins for such a position." Dalton stated, but the people were not having it. He sighed, "Fine, it all can be decided later, but first.....we have a serious patient here!!! Now everyone, please excuse us." He then looked at someone, "You there, help our guest and provide them a nice and warm room!! In the mean time, I will putting this tyrant into the cell!" with that he walked off, leaving Luffy and the others with one of the townfolk's, "Please, follow me!!"

The man led the group to a guest house and let them settle in, "If you want something, you can just ask anyone.....they will help you with that!!" with that man left the room. Sanji then slowly laid Vivi on the bed and cover her up with warm blankets, while Luffy put some woods into the heater to heat up the room. Soon after, Dalton walked in and looked at them, "My apologies to intrude on your privacy, but I forgot to introduce myself.....My name is Dalton and it is my job to guard this island. Please forgive our hostile welcome." Luffy just waved his hand in dismissive manner, "No need to apologies, you were just doing your job!!" Dalton nodded at Luffy.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you one thing...." "Hmm?" Luffy looked at him, "I get the feeling that I've seen that girl before somewhere...." "Nah, you must be imagining things. I'm sure of that, afterall it is our first time coming to this island...." Luffy immediately denied Dalton's claim with straight face, "Hmm, I think you're right!!" Dalton said. "By the way, what can you tell us about this Witch??" Ussop asked, hearing this Dalton stood straight and walk towards the window, "You see those mountains??" "Yeah, you mean those extremely tall ones...." Sanji said. Dalton nodded, "Those mountains are called the Drum Rockies. Perhaps you can see a castle at the top of the tallest mountain in the middle?"

The Strawhats squinted their eyes and can the outline of a structure on the mountain, "Yeah, I can see it..." Ussop stated, "Me too!!" Sanji said. "So what about that castle....?" Luffy asked, even though knowing the full answer. Dalton crossed his hand over his chest and looked at him, "Dr. Kureha, the only doctor now which can cure your friend's illness, lives in that very castle." "Tch....of all the places she could be, she just has to be there.....well, we better go call her right away then! This is an emergency" stated Sanji. "Well, as much as I'd like to, there is no way to contact her." Dalton said.

"WHAT!?? And she calls herself a doctor!? What's with this woman!?" Ussop exclaimed, Dalton shook his head, "Her skills as a doctor are undeniable, but she's bit of a kook....and almost 140 years old at that, too." "140!? She's still alive!?" Sanji thought of an ugly old woman wearing witch hat. "Then how the hell she travel from top of the mountain to this town!??" Ussop asked, "Well, she comes down from the mountain whenever she feels like it, finds patients to treat and afterwards....she takes anything she wants from their homes as payment. And as for how she travels, according to certain eyewitness, she supposedly rides down on a sleigh on the moonlit nights.....this is why the people call her a witch....while others have reportedly seen a most bizarre creature travelling along with her..."

"Gahh!! I knew it! I warned you guys! I told you guys about the snow monsters!! I just knew there had to be witches and yetis lurking among the snowy mountain peaks!! Ahhhhh! Please, god! Don't let them find me!" Ussop started to freak out, seeing this Dalton sweatdropped. "Ignore him...." Luffy said to which Dalton nodded. "What the hell, how can there is only doctor in entire Kingdom who knows the cure of Vivi-chan's illness??" Sanji said, then Luffy walk towards Vivi's side and gently tapped her on her forehead, "Hey, Vivi!! Vivi!! Can you hear me?"

Vivi, whose face was all red because of the fever, slowly opened her eyes, "Mnnn...." "Ah, you're up!" Luffy said, "Listen, we can't get a doctor unless we go up a mountain, so we'll be hiking up." Luffy stated. Hearing this, everyone was shocked, "Are you crazy!?" Ussop asked, "It's fine, I'll be carrying her." Luffy simply said. "Even so, you're still going to exacerbate her condition!" Sanji tried to reason with Luffy, "What's the big deal. We gotta get her to a doctor as quickly as possible, don't we?" Dalton then sighed, "Look here boy, I understand your emergency! But it is impossible to climb up that mountain with a sick person on your back!!"

"Then there's you're wrong oldman!! Who said I'm gonna climb that mountain??" hearing Luffy's words, everyone was confused. But Luffy only grinned, "Just you all wait and see!!" he then walks near Vivi, "Hey princess, do you trust??" Vivi looked at Luffy with her tired eyes, ".....Y..yes...." Luffy's grin widen, "Great! Just leave it to me!!" Sanji then stepped forward, "Alright, I'll be coming along too!" Dalton looked at everything and sighed, "If you're serious about this, I won't stop you but you should at least climb up from the other side....the route to the top from here is full of Lapins....! They're extremely violent and carnivorous rabbits....if you come across a pack of them, there'll be no escaping alive!"

"Nah, you don't need to worry about anything!!" Luffy said and with that he lift up Vivi from the bed, but still covered in blankets and gave her to Sanji, "Hold her for a second and follow me." Sanji grabbed Vivi gently and followed Luffy outside the Gueat house with Dalton and Ussop following behind. Outside the guest house, Luffy looked up at the tallest mountain and then took off his winter jacket and his flip-flops. He is now full topless, surprising everyone as to what is he doing, then Luffy took a huge and deep breath and covered his left hand in Armament Haki and bit on it, "GEAR-4..."

Suddenly, Luffy's body started to expand like a balloon and he started to become taller and steam completely covered him. His spectators were in shock as to what was happening and when the steam was gone, they saw Luffy in his new form. Inflated like a balloon and jumping on one spot instead of standing still, he looked like a human-balloon. "BOUNCE-MAN".

Sanji, Ussop and Dalton where in awe seeing Luffy suddenly transformed, "L-L-Luffy.....it is that!??" Ussop shakily asked as he can sense a huge amount Haki is used in that transformation. "It's no time for that!!! Sanji give Vivi to me...." Sanji dumbly nodded and handed Vivi into Luffy's giant hands. "I'll be going first.....try not to left behind!!" Luffy stated looking towards Sanji, then he squatted with his both feet compress like a spring, "Move back...." hearing Luffy's warning, they all moved back and suddenly with a sudden boom, Luffy was gone or more likely was flying in the air. The area from where Luffy lunched himself was destroyed.

"He can do that and he didn't told us anything about it!!??" Ussop questioned, "It's not time for that....." Sanji said and picked up Luffy's winter jacket and his flip-flops, "I'll be going then!!" and with that Sanji squatted in runners position and launched himself at very high speed and then with one jump, he started to sky walk, following behind Luffy. "Your crew is really unique!!" Dalton stated, while looking at the disappearing figure of both Luffy and Sanji.

Dalton then started walking towards the guest house but stopped when he saw Ussop just standing there and looking at the mountain, "What's wrong? You should come inside already, it's quite cold outside...." "It's fine....I just want to stay outside for now!" Ussop said. Dalton seeing a underline concern in Ussop's voice, smiled and sat beside him. "I see....then let me join you..." there was silence between them, then Dalton spoke, "You know, It used not be like this long ago...." Ussop looked at him, "Huh? What do you mean?" "Only a few months ago, this country was utterly destroyed at the hands of pirates....!"

Ussop's eyes widen hearing that, "What???? The entire country!?" Dalton nodded solemnly, "So that's why you were so hostile to us..." "Yes...everyone is still uneasy at merely hearing the word 'Pirate'..." Dalton then looked towards the snowy mountains, "It was a pirate crew of only 5 people...their captain called himself, 'BLACKBEARD'....with overwhelming strength, they destroyed our entire country in the blink of an eye." Ussop started sweating, "O-only five pirates!? That's crazy! Ahem....I mean we are also only five, but we won't ever destroy a country like that!!"

Dalton nodded, "Be that as it may...there are some who say it was a good thing that our country was destroyed..." Ussop's eyes widen, "Thst's ridiculous! How could that be!?" Dalton was silent was few seconds, then he spoke, "That's because up until that point, the king and his tyrannical rule brought much suffering to the people. You already know, whom I talk about..." Ussop nodded, "Yeah, that Wapol guy." "Indeed, he was truly a most despicable king...!" "But isn't he a pirate or something!?" Dalton shook his head, "Him being a pirate is just a disguise. He's most likely been loitering around the oceans here waiting for the right to come back."

"So then...Wapol and his men were driven out of this island and forced to be pirates, after being unable to fight off the Blackbeard pirates..." Ussop summarised, but Dalton clicked his tongue, "Unable to fight off...? Wrong! Back when the pirates attacked this country, the king and his soliders didn't even try to mount a resistance!" "What?" "Once Wapol realized just how strong the pirates were, he simply abandoned his own country, by immediately taking off to the sea faster than anyone else!" Dalton greeted his teeth in frustration and anger. "All the citizens were dismayed by such an act of cowardice committed by their own king....that is why, when they saw Wapol captured and bound, they were overjoyed by this and wanted to get rid of such a cowardly King!"

"WHAT!?? It's beyond cruel....how could the king just abandon his people..." Ussop stated, "Exactly...but thanks to you people, Wapol's reign of tyranny finally came to an end, and even all the doctors whom he took prisoners were back too. This island now belongs to those of us who remained behind!! The towns are slowly beginning to recover, and we're now in the midst of forging a new country. I have no doubt that, now the people of this new kingdom will choose me as their leader.....even though I am not worthy for such thing!" Ussop was silently listening to Dalton's whole story. After their talk, Dalton looked at the sky, "The storm is coming!! We should head inside now!!" with that both Ussop and Dalton headed back into the guest house.