Maximum Speed:

-x-

The Going Merry sailed peacefully away from Little Garden and was following the Eternal Pose towards Alabasta.

"Guys, listen up!" Usopp addressed the rest of the crew. "I will go to Elbaph someday! TO THE VILLAGE OF WARRIORS!"

"YEAH, GREAT!" Luffy cheered.

Luffy and Usopp threw an arm over each other's shoulder and started singing and dancing. "Juh-juh-giants, juh-juh-giants! El-baph, El-baph, EV-RY ONE IS HUGE! They're soo hu-uge, be-cause they're giants! Juh-juh-giants, ev-ry-bo-dy's huge!"

Y/N sweat-dropped as he stood on the deck in front of Ms. Valentine and Ms. Goldenweek holding a bundle of blankets and pillows. He'd patched himself up and was now wearing a black t-shirt with a red 'x' going across the front and back, his cargo pants, and his steel-bottomed boots.

"Maybe we do need a musician," Y/N muttered before he turned to the two agents. "Technically, our women's quarters is Nami's room. But since she's hardly the most generous person on the ship, if I put you in the storage room there would be a lot of traffic going through, you can stay in the anchor room while you're here. It's not much but you'll at least have some privacy. These are most of our spare blankets and pillows, if you need more let me know. We have an extra hammock in the men's quarters so Mr. 5 will be staying down there."

"Thank you Mr. One Eye," said Ms. Goldenweek as she took the blankets and pillows from him.

"Yeah... thanks," Ms. Valentine added, she looked tired.

"Are you alright?" Y/N asked as he eyed the blonde agent.

"Yeah... I'm fine," Ms. Valentine insisted. "I got the fudge kicked out of me on Little Garden. I need some rest."

"That's probably a good idea," Y/N agreed. "While you're on this ship you're my responsibility. So if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"We'll be fine for now," Ms. Goldenweek assured him. The two female agents went into the anchor room and took the blankets and pillows with them.

Y/N spotted Nami coming out of the galley and joined her when she sat down against the main mast.

"You alright?" Y/N asked as he eyed Nami suspiciously, she looked really tired too and her face was flushed.

"Yeah," Nami replied, she glanced at Luffy and Usopp who were singing and dancing on the railing. "Where did they get so much energy?"

"WAAAHHH!" Luffy and Usopp slipped and almost fell overboard, but managed to catch themselves.

"QUACK!" Carue quacked as he ran over.

"Ahhh," Nami let out a tired sigh, "After everything that's happened... I'm exhausted."

"I'll watch the Eternal Pose for you," Vivi offered as she came over and sat down across from Nami.

Nami smiled and handed her the Pose the once again leaned back against the mast, Nami smiled at the Princess, "You're on your way," she told her. "Soon you'll return to Alabasta. Well... my rosy outlook is assuming we can make it there safely and without any more surprises."

Y/N frowned as he cast a cautious glance in the tired navigator's direction, he didn't think they'd be that lucky, but chose not to vocalize those doubts.

"Yes, I must return, it's my obligation," said Vivi, as she took her eyes off of the Eternal Pose to her homeland for a moment and then glanced at Nami. "I am the person that everyone in the kingdom is counting on."

"Believe me when I say it is the only way to save the kingdom," Igaram told a younger Vivi before they infiltrated Baroque Works. "It's true that your father no longer has sway with the people. Our only hope of stopping this uprising is for you to tell them the truth. This is the only action that can save us. You have to understand that your survival is vital, you must live, even if it means sacrificing others, whether by grace or betrayal, live on, no matter what. Sometimes... it's harder to live than to die."

"I will return home alive," Vivi resolved, Y/N, Nami, Carue, Luffy, Usopp, and even Ms. Goldenweek who had just wandered out of the anchor room all stopped and stared at the Princess.

"You'll get home," came Sanji's voice as he walked out of the galley carrying a tray. "But there's no need to push yourself so hard. You've got me!" Sanji leaned down and offered the tray of desserts to Vivi, "Here you go, try one of these sweets. They'll help you relax. I've made some delicious tarts and your choice of coffee or tea."

"Thank you," said Vivi with a small smile.

"WHOOAA!" Luffy and Usopp exclaimed as they slid over and stared at the tray of tarts. Carue stood next to them and eyed the goodies.

"Yours are in the kitchen, NOW GO!" Sanji ordered.

"YEAH!" "QUACK!" The Captain, marksman, and duck all cheered and ran for the galley.

Ms. Goldenweek walked over, "Um... what kind of tea?" she inquired.

Sanji spun around and smiled at her, "I have many kinds of tea stocked up," he informed her. "If you'll come with me to the galley, you can pick your favorite and I'd be happy to make some for you."

Ms. Goldenweek smiled, "That sounds good."

"Ms. Goldenweek... how's Ms. Valentine?" Y/N asked.

"She's still mad at me for hypnotizing her," Ms. Goldenweek answered. "She told me to leave her alone so she could get some sleep."

"I'll leave these here for you ladies," Sanji decided as he placed the tray of tarts on the deck between Vivi and Nami, then turned and glared at Y/N. "Don't swipe any, One-Eye." With that he turned and led Ms. Goldenweek to the galley to get some tea.

"I wasn't hungry anyway," Y/N muttered, he cast a wary glance at the door to the anchor room, then another at Nami who was staring at a spot on the deck in front of her with a faraway look in her eyes. Y/N frowned then laid down on his back and stared up at the sky. Something was up. He just didn't know what.

-x-

On the rear deck behind the galley, Zoro was working out. His shirt was off and he was covered in a layer of sweat. His muscles pulsed as he slung a large bar with numerous weights on it over his head. KLANK!

"Six-oh-three," Mr. 5 called out, he was calmly sitting against the rear railing watching the swordsman's excessive training. "You still haven't explained why you're pushing yourself so much." KLANK! "Six-oh-four."

"Hmph," Zoro grunted. "If I could've cut that wax I would've beaten you sooner and wouldn't have left anyone hanging there."

KLANK! "Six-oh-five," Mr. 5 counted. "That wax was as hard as steel. You've reached a wall you can't pass. I've never heard of a swordsman that could cut steel." KLANK! "Six-oh-six."

"Yeah..." Zoro panted, "in that case... when I pass that wall and manage to do it, I'll be the first." KLANK!

"Six-oh-seven," said Mr. 5 with a frown. There was something off about these pirates. They didn't seem to understand how the world worked. Steel swords couldn't cut steel no matter what angle or how strong the swordsman wielding them was.

-x-

In a harbor on Sandy Island, the island that Alabasta Kingdom was on, a loud bell rang out. RING-A-DING-DING-DING!

"Mr. 2 Bon Kurei!" someone called out. "The Swanda is ready!" Anchored in the harbor was a ship with a swan figurehead and a '2' on the sail.

"Okay, okay, I heard ya," came the high-pitched but still male voice of Mr. 2. "Sheesh. What's all the fuss? Honestly, someone give me one good reason why I should be the one to do this. Mr. 3 is a piece of garbage, go toss him out yourselves!"

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" one of Mr. 2's men exclaimed. "We wouldn't even stand a chance against him!"

"You have to help," another man added, "Those were the boss's orders!"

"Un... deux... trios... uh... what's four again?" Mr. 2 asked. "Anybody? Ohh that Zero, so much trouble!"

Clearly the Baroque Works Agent known as Mr. 2 Bon Kurei wasn't all there, but if he was referring to Mr. 3 as garbage than he had to be even stronger. Something dangerous was heading for Little Garden, something wearing... make-up and a ballet costume?

-x-

"I'm sorry," Nami apologized in a shaky voice. "But I need to rest."

Y/N sat up and stared at the navigator while Vivi turned around from staring off the railing and glanced at Nami. "I understand Nami," Vivi replied. "Everything's under control. I'll keep an eye on our course."

Nami slowly pushed herself up to her feet and took a single step before her body gave out and she fell forward. FWUMP! Y/N shot up and caught her before she could hit the ground. "Gotcha," he said as he held the girl up and felt her forehead with his hand. "Damn it, she's burning up!" Y/N yanked his hand off of Nami's burning forehead and carefully lifted her up and cradled her in his arms. She was covered in sweat and her face was flushed. This wasn't good.

Y/N turned to Vivi, "I'm gonna get her to bed, you tell the others." With that he carried Nami to the storage room and down into her room.

Vivi called out loudly toward the galley to the rest of the crew's attention, "HEY EVERYONE!" the Princess shouted. "COME QUICK!"

Klank! Zoro dropped his weights and he and Mr. 5 turned in the direction the shout had come from.

Krek! The door to the galley opened and Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and Carue peered out. "What's wrong Vivi?" Luffy asked. "Are you okay?"

"Nami has an awful fever!" Vivi answered.

"WHAAATT?" Sanji screamed as he shoved Luffy and Usopp out of the way. Ms. Goldenweek was momentarily glad that she was still seated at the table. "NAMI'S SICK!"

-x-

A few minutes later, down in Nami's room, Sanji was crying while Luffy, Usopp, and Carue stood in front of Nami's bed and stared at the navigator in concern. Everyone had taken their shoes off in Nami's room and were either in socks, or in Luffy's case barefoot. Nami was attempting to rest, but was taking long gasps of breath and appeared to be in a lot of pain.

Squish! Vivi knelt in front of Nami's bed and rang out a damp rag that she'd soaked in cool water then laid it down on Nami's forehead.

"It's most likely the climate," Vivi reasoned. "It's quite normal. Sailors in the Grand Line aren't used to the strange weather and can become quite ill. There are countless stories of tough notorious pirates who suddenly died. Their immune systems were attacked and ravaged by colds and fevers. Ignoring the symptoms can make even the slightest cold deadly."

"Aaaahhh Naaahhhhmiiii!" Sanji cried as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Is there anyone aboard this ship with even the slightest amount of medical experience?" Vivi asked.

Luffy pointed to Nami but Usopp pointed across the room to Y/N, who was sitting barefoot at the bar reading a book with a red cross on the front cover.

"I'm nowhere near qualified to be a doctor," Y/N stated when he looked up and noticed Usopp pointing at him. "This looks like a severe fever."

"But you noticed that Yosaku had scurvy before even Nami did," Usopp pointed out. "And you were the one who patched Zoro up from his fight with Mihawk." Luffy changed his mind and pointed to Y/N.

"The little that I know about medicine I learned from watching Ollie," Y/N replied. "I only have very general medical knowledge. I'm out of my league when it comes to anything serous." Y/N pointed to a passage in his medical book, "According to this... a fever is the body's natural response to an infection. Normally a fever doesn't require medical attention, but in more severe cases visiting a doctor is recommended."

"When you're sick, eating lots of meat always helps," Luffy supplied, "Right Sanji?"

"Meat is protein, and that does give the body energy to operate properly," Sanji answered. "I can cook some foods that'll boost her energy, but there's no guarantee, I'm not a doctor."

"Besides," Sanji sadly continued. "If my cooking made that much of a difference, she'd never get sick. I put a hundred times more care into preparing her meals than I do for you losers. I serve Nami fresh meats and vegetables to ensure a balanced diet. Anything that's rotten or moldy... goes to you."

"JERK!" Usopp snapped.

"Great, now I'll have to think twice about eating something you serve," Y/N muttered.

"Oh well, still tastes good to me," Luffy chimed. "Shishishishi!"

"My point is," Sanji said, "As long as I'm this ship's cook, nobody's gonna feed Nami better in terms of nutrition. I can do anything in the kitchen. I know that there are specific foods for different kinds of illnesses, but I can't make that call. She needs to be diagnosed by a doctor who'll tell us how to help her."

"Just... feed her everything that we've got," Luffy suggested.

"Oh shut up!" Sanji snapped. "That'd make a healthy person sick!"

"The book says that in the case of a fever you're supposed to keep cool," Y/N informed them. "And drinking cool liquids is supposed to help keep the body flushed. So I'd suggest getting her to drink a lot of water to keep her hydrated. If she shows signs of improvement, we could switch to juice or something."

Y/N turned his attention to Vivi, "What's her temperature?" he inquired. "I wanna know what kind of fever we're looking at here."

Vivi pulled out the thermometer she'd been using to get Nami's temperature, "AHH! ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR!" She gasped. "THIS ISN'T GOOD!"

"There's bound to be doctors and nurses in Alabasta that can help, right?" questioned Usopp. "How much longer until we get there Vivi?"

"I don't know," the Princess admitted. "At least a week, and that's too long!"

"Does it hurt to be sick?" Luffy wondered.

"Dunno, I've never been sick," Usopp and Sanji answered at the same time.

"ARE YOU PEOPLE EVEN HUMAN?" Vivi demanded.

"According to the book, the body's normal temperature is between ninety-eight and one hundred degrees Fahrenheit," Y/N recited, "A fever above one hundred four degrees requires immediate treatment and medical attention. If it goes unchecked it could be... um... really bad."

"That's an understatement," Vivi corrected him. "It could be life threatening!"

"WWAAAAAHHHH!" Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and Carue all shrieked and started crying.

"See... that's why I purposely left out the words 'life threatening' and 'deadly'," Y/N remarked, Usopp and Carue ran frantically around the room while Luffy and Sanji cried.

"NAMI'S GONNA DIE?" Luffy screamed in shock.

"NABI, BLEEZ DOAN DIE!" Sanji sobbed. (Translation: Nami, please don't die!)

"YOUR SCREAMS AREN'T HELPING!" Vivi yelled at the crying pirates.

"WE HAVE TO FIND A DOCTOR TO HELP NAMI BEFORE SHE DIES!" Luffy shouted.

"Everyone just calm down!" Vivi called out, "You're only going to make her feel worse."

"Listen..." Nami quietly called out, the room instantly quieted. "I'm fine." Nami sat up and held the rag to her forehead.

"Nami?" said Vivi looking concerned.

"YEAH! SHE'S CURED!" Luffy exclaimed.

WHACK! Usopp hit Luffy on the back of the head, "SHUT UUUUP!" he yelled.

Nami sat there with the rag pressed to her forehead for a moment then turned to Vivi.

"Go to my desk and open the second drawer. There's a newspaper in the bottom."

-x-

Zoro sat on the railing in front of the galley pumping a weight up and down with one arm. "No change... in our course," he grunted to himself as he pumped the weight.

"You idiot, don't you know the first thing about navigation?" Mr. 5 scolded him.

"Shut up, I know what I'm doing," Zoro insisted.

"Follow the damn Log Pose!" Mr. 5 ordered.

"Hey!" Zoro growled. "I don't take orders from you!"

"We're lost," Ms. Goldenweek stated as she sat against the main mast.

"What were they thinking when they left him in charge of navigating?" Mr. 5 wondered.

-x-

"Drink this," Y/N instructed as he held a glass of cool water that he'd gotten from a cooler behind the bar to Nami.

Nami wordlessly took the glass of water from him and drank it using one hand while she used the other to keep the cool rag pressed on her forehead. Y/N sat down on the edge of Nami's bed and watched Vivi as she read the newspaper that Nami had directed her to.

"No, that's not possible!" Vivi exclaimed.

"What's up, something wrong?" asked Luffy.

"Is it about Alabasta?" questioned Sanji. "Tell us."

"According to this article," Vivi said, "300,000 Royal Soldiers have defected to the Resistance. Until now, we've been embroiled in a cold war, with 600,000 Royal Soldiers against 400,000 Rebels. But with this... the balance has shifted!"

"The uprising in Alabasta will seriously escalate now," Nami explained once she'd finished her glass of water. "This'll get ugly. That paper you're looking at is three days old. I'm sorry I didn't say something earlier, we can't change our speed so I didn't want to worry you. There's nothing anyone can do right now." Nami addressed the Captain, "You understand Luffy?"

"Things are bad and beyond our control," Luffy answered.

"That sunk in better than I had hoped," Nami remarked, she held out the empty glass which Y/N wordlessly took from her and brought back to the bar.

"Nami look, you need to see a doctor right away," Usopp told her.

"I'm fine," Nami insisted. "That thermometer's broken. I mean, come on, nobody gets a temperature of one hundred and four. It was probably just a mild case of sun stroke. There's nothing a doctor could to for me that time won't."

"..." Y/N frowned as he stood with his back to Nami at the bar.

Nami slid out of bed and stood up, showing that she was fine. "Besides, we don't have time to hunt for one, we need to head straight for Alabasta, right?" Nami walked across the room over to the stairs that led up to the storage room. "I appreciate the concern, thank you." Nami went up the steps and left the room.

"I call bullshit," Y/N stated once Nami was gone.

"You mean... she's not recovered?" questioned Luffy.

"She's faking," Usopp pointed out.

"She's so stubborn," Y/N muttered.

-x-

Up in the storage room, where no one could see her, Nami slumped against the wall and struggled to hold herself up. Her body was shaking and her vision was fuzzy. She was definitely NOT okay.

-x-

"Now that this conflict has escalated, more blood will be shed in the kingdom," Vivi realized as she stared at the newspaper. "We're at war. If I don't put a stop to this insanity, the entire kingdom of Alabasta will be doomed. Crocodile will move in and seize control." SWUP! Vivi crunched the newspaper up in her hands. "YOU'RE TRYING TO GET ME HOME SAFELY BUT THERE'S NO TIME! I need to get home as quickly as possible! If I don't make it back in time, a million innocent citizens will give their lives needlessly."

"There's a million people there?" questioned Luffy in surprise. "Wow!"

"What a horrible burden you have to carry," Sanji commented. "I'm sorry."

Vivi knelt on the carpet and sobbed into the newspaper.

"I'll say this," said Y/N as he slipped his boots on and headed for the stairs. "We'll never get there if our navigator dies because she's too stubborn to admit that she's sick." With that he left the room.

-x-

Nami staggered out of the storage room, then quickly gathered herself and glanced at the Eternal Pose. Her eyes widened in surprise. She stomped up the steps and confronted the swordsman who was sitting on the railing in front of the galley pumping weights.

"Zoro, what the hell have you been watching all this time?" Nami asked.

"What are you talking about?" questioned Zoro. "We've been going straight ahead as ordered."

"Oh yeah, straight at a right angle!" Nami snapped, she held up the Eternal Pose. "Look at the Eternal Pose, it doesn't lie!"

"I don't need to look at it," Zoro replied, "I've been using that big cloud over there as my guide."

"YOU MORON!" Nami yelled, "CLOUDS MOVE AND CHANGE SHAPE CONSTANTLY!" Nami winced and held her head, dealing with the crew was a pain. "UGGGHHH! My head hurts."

Krek! The door to the storage room opened and Y/N walked out onto the deck. "What's got Nami so worked up?" Y/N inquired.

"Your idiot swordsman has absolutely no sense of direction," Mr. 5 told him, he was sitting against the main mast with Ms. Goldenweek. "He has us following some stupid cloud. I tried to tell him to follow the Pose, but he won't listen to me."

"Now we're lost," Ms. Goldenweek supplied.

"What were we thinking leaving him in charge?" Y/N wondered as he went up the steps to the deck outside the galley.

"I was wondering the same thing," said Mr. 5.

"If your head hurts, leave the navigating to me and go to bed," Zoro instructed Nami.

"I wish that I could," Nami admitted. "But I'm here because I can't trust you with this."

"And that would be suicide," Mr. 5 added.

Nami suddenly stood up straight and walked over to the side of the ship, "The air... it's changed," she commented.

"What do you mean?" asked Zoro. "The weather's been nice like this all day."

"Never mind, just get the others," Nami instructed.

"HEY, GET YOUR BUTTS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!" Zoro shouted down into the storage room. "WE'VE GOTTA WORK!"

Krek! Luffy, Usopp, Sanji, and Carue came out of the storage room and walked out onto the deck.

"What do you want?" questioned Usopp.

"You know, I find it hard to get motivated when you're giving the orders," Sanji said.

"It's Nami's orders," Y/N informed him as he leaned against the door to the galley and glanced at the navigator who was staring off the side of the ship.

"Miss. Nami, what's wrong?" Sanji inquired. "It's the perfect day. The sun is shining, the waves are quiet."

"The wind," Nami replied, her face was still flushed but she looked certain. "There's a powerful wind heading right this way. I think..."

Whap! Luffy suddenly held his hand to Nami's forehead. Ssssssss... His hand sizzled as if it was on a grill and he quickly yanked it off. "YOUR HEAD'S ON FIRE!" Luffy exclaimed. "YOU'VE GOTTA STAY IN BED AND WE NEED TO GET YOU A DOCTOR!"

"Maybe you should mind your own business!" Nami snapped. "This is my normal temperature! Now quit being so stupid and pull the damn ropes!"

"I've only met two people who could possibly have a normal temperature of one hundred four," Y/N remarked. "One ate the Flame Flame Fruit and the other ate something very similar."

"Miss Nami, I know you're acting brave for Vivi," Sanji said, "but if you keep pushing your body you won't have a chance to heal."

"I TOLD YOU GUYS I'M FINE!" Nami insisted. "LET IT GO!"

"Hey, take it easy," Usopp suggested.

"NOT ANOTHER WORD, DAMN IT!" Nami snapped. "HURRY UP AND MOVE THE SHIP!"

The crew scattered. Usopp and Carue ran into the galley to adjust the whipstaff while Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji ran to drop the sails.

Mr. 5 and Ms. Goldenweek stayed where they were sitting against the main mast and stared in surprise at how the previously lazy crew jumped into action.

Y/N stood behind Nami and watched the navigator critically, the girl was slumped against the railing and was breathing hard.

"Something... I don't know what... but something's heading this way..." Nami thought to herself, "And soon."

Zoro and Sanji adjusted the rigging and turned the sail while Usopp turned the rudder, Luffy ran and jumped up onto his special seat and watched as the Going Merry changed course and started sailing in a different direction.

The Eternal Pose in Nami's hand adjusted and was now pointing straight ahead to Alabasta.

-x-

"I need to get home," Vivi said to herself as she sat on Nami's bed and stared at the newspaper, "Before time runs out."

Vivi stood up and left Nami's room then came out of the storage room and walked out onto the deck. "I have to ask you all a favor," Vivi requested as she addressed the crew. "As a passenger on your ship it's not my place to ask this but I have no choice. My homeland is in jeopardy of being destroyed, so I would really appreciate it if we could move even faster. Every minute I'm out here puts more of my people in danger of losing their lives. We need to head for Alabasta at maximum speed."

"..." Luffy, Y/N, Usopp, and Sanji all silently stared at Vivi.

"Of course we will," Nami replied with a smile, "just like we promised."

"..." The four previously mentioned Straw Hats still didn't say anything.

"Then it's settled," Vivi resolved, "Let's find an island with a doctor on it right away!" Nami stared at Vivi in surprise, "First things first, we need to hurry and get Nami healthy again. Then we head for Alabasta. After all, we need her at the helm to move at top speed."

"Right," Luffy agreed with a smile. "No one makes this ship move like Nami."

Y/N smiled and nodded, "Nami guiding the ship is our maximum speed."

"Princess, hold on," said Usopp. "Won't finding a doctor for Nami take time that the citizens of Alabasta just don't have?"

"That's right," Vivi replied. "So the sooner we get Nami a doctor the sooner we can get to Alabasta."

"Those are wise words Miss. Vivi," Sanji commented with a smile. "You're beautiful and brilliant."

"The girl's got guts," Zoro remarked.

"Thank you Vivi," said Nami as she slowly walked over to the Princess and leaned against the railing next to her.

"Don't overexert yourself Nami," Vivi told her.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Nami weakly apologized, "I... may need to... lie... down..."

"Nami!" Vivi exclaimed as the navigator's strength suddenly gave out and the girl collapsed. But Y/N was right there to catch her when she fell.

"It's alright Nami, I've got you," Y/N reassured her as he held the exhausted navigator against him.

"GAAAAHH! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?" Luffy suddenly screamed.

SHWWOOOOOOO! A giant gray spiraling storm was on the water off to the side of the ship. The waves were rough, the winds ever violent, and the clouds were all gray. Lightning was shooting down out of the gray storm clouds and was striking the water. It had come out of nowhere and was on the water exactly where the Going Merry would've been if they hadn't changed course.

"IT'S A CYCLONE!" Vivi shouted in alarm.

"IT'S HUGE!" Usopp yelled.

"Wait, that's the same path we were headed on!" Vivi realized.

"Miss. Vivi's right, that's the exact same direction!" Sanji exclaimed.

"That would've been a direct hit!" Usopp shrieked, "We'd all be dead right now."

Mr. 5 and Ms. Goldenweek stared at the storm that would've killed them in shock. If it hadn't been for the navigator coming out and badgering the crew into changing their course, they would've sailed right into it and died.

"WAY TOO CLOSE!" Luffy hollered as he clung to the main mast. "WE BARELY MISSED IT!"

"Incredible," Vivi thought to herself, "Cyclones in the Grand Line are said to be impossible to predict." Vivi turned to Nami and saw her cradled in the First Mate's arms. "But somehow Nami did. However she does it, it's obvious that her technique isn't based on any conventional method. It's as if she's detecting the weather with her body."

"It's beyond reason," Vivi said out loud, "A miracle."

"She's one of a kind," Y/N told her as he held the barely conscious navigator in his arms. "That's why we can't lose her." With that, he carried her bridal-style, down the steps, into the storage room, down into her room, and put her to bed.

"ALRIGHT! WHAT ARE WE WAITING HERE FOR?" Luffy called out. "LET'S FIND NAMI A DOCTOR!"

"YEAH!" the rest of the crew chorused. Ignoring the Eternal Pose that pointed toward Alabasta they sailed the Going Merry in search of a doctor.

-x-

Y/N, Vivi, Sanji, and Carue were gathered in Nami's room looking after the sick navigator. Y/N sat on Nami's bed and offered her another glass of ice water.

"Drink this," he instructed, "we need to keep you hydrated."

Y/N held the glass for her as she drank it, Vivi watched with a smile as the First Mate took care of the navigator. When Nami had finished the glass Y/N placed it on the floor and lightly nudged Nami's shoulder.

"Now lie down and get some rest," he told her. Nami nodded and laid back, Y/N leaned over and adjusted the covers then sat up straight and turned his attention back to Sanji, Vivi, and Carue.

"How do you think Miss. Nami got the infection?" Sanji eventually asked.

"I don't know," Y/N admitted. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Well, I haven't been pouring over a medical book all day," Sanji pointed out. "What would you guess happened to trigger it?"

"I originally thought it might've been all the wax," Y/N explained, "But Zoro and Vivi are perfectly fine." Vivi's eyes widened slightly, he called her 'Vivi' instead of 'Princess'. "She didn't get injured at all during the battle, and unlike Zoro, she didn't try to cut her legs off and try to fight. There were no exposed injuries to get infected."

Y/N turned and stared silently at Nami for a moment, then turned back to the other two and the duck. "Did either of you see anything weird after the battle?" Y/N asked.

"Miss. Nami was walking around without a shirt on," Sanji recalled with his eyes closed, seemingly picturing the navigator. "Her skin looked slightly burned and her bra clung nicely to her chest. Her skirt was low on her waist and there was..." Sanji's eyes flew opened. "THERE WAS A PINK MARK ON HER STOMACH!"

"It's the best clue we've got," Y/N commented, stood up and grabbed the covers, "Pardon the intrusion Nami," He pulled the covers back to expose Nami's lightly clothed body, he gently grabbed the bottom of Nami's shirt and slowly pulled it up to expose her stomach... and a swollen red lump.

"Sanji, you being a pervert helped us out for once," Y/N remarked. "I think we've found the cause of the infection." Y/N stared at the swollen red lump on Nami's stomach. "It looks like a bug bite of some kind." Y/N reached out and lightly prodded the red lump caused Nami to wince. Y/N took note of Nami's reaction, "So its swollen and sore. This can't be good."

"What do we do?" asked Sanji, drawing Y/N's attention away from Nami.

"No clue," Y/N answered, "we were on Little Garden, the climate there was prehistoric. The bug that bit her could've been anything." Y/N stood up and darted over to the bar where he'd left his medical book on the counter. He opened to the front and glanced at the index then began to rapidly page through it.

"Rarely harmless my ass..." Y/N muttered as he read a passage in the book. "Try to identify bug... yeah, good luck with that... apply ice to reduce swelling... if problems continue, see a doctor... what do you think we're trying to do?" Whap! Y/N slapped the book closed then went around the bar and ducked behind the counter. He popped back up with a bag of ice then walked back over to Nami's bed and applied the bag of ice to the bug bite on Nami's stomach.

It was quiet for a moment but a light knock on the wall by the top of the staircase drew everyone's attention. Knock... knock... Ms. Goldenweek stood there and awkwardly met the four and half pairs of eyes that were suddenly focused on her.

"Um... Mr. One Eye," said Ms. Goldenweek, "I know you're very busy and I wouldn't have bothered you unless it was really important. But... um... it's Ms. Valentine. Something's wrong with her."

"Damn," Y/N cursed as he stood up, he turned and placed his hand on Nami's leg which was covered by bed sheets, "I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned to Vivi, "Vivi, keep applying the ice for twenty minute intervals."

"That's twice that you actually called me my name," Vivi realized.

"You're helping us look after Nami," Y/N replied with a shrug, "Anyone willing to do that is more than just a passing acquaintance."

Y/N followed Ms. Goldenweek up the stairs and across the deck. "Can you name anything that's wrong with her?" Y/N inquired as he and Ms. Goldenweek left the storage room and walked across the deck.

Mr. 5 and Zoro were standing at the bottom of the mat, Usopp was up in the crow's nest keeping a lookout, and Luffy was sitting in his special seat on the figurehead.

"She's been really tired," Ms. Goldenweek answered, "and she's sweating a lot. She might have a fever."

Y/N stopped in front of the anchor room, "Here's what I want you to do," Y/N instructed, "check her body from any suspicious-looking bug bites. We just discovered that's what made Nami sick. Ms. Valentine had her dress off for a short period of time until she could wash your paint off of it."

Ms. Goldenweek nodded and entered the anchor room, Y/N turned to face Zoro and Mr. 5 who were looking at him with mild concern. "Zoro, Mr. 5, go down into the men's quarters and get the comfy couch we have down there," Y/N ordered. "Move it into the women's quarters. If something's wrong with Ms. Valentine, it'll be easier to look after her if she's in the same room as Nami." The two of them nodded and opened the flap then disappeared below deck.

"Mr. One Eye," Ms. Goldenweek's quiet voice called out from the opened doorway of the anchor room. "I found it."

Y/N entered the anchor room and saw Ms. Valentine lying on the floor on top of a pile of blankets. Her dress had been pulled up to reveal her white panties... and the swollen red bug bite on her right side.

Without a word, Y/N walked over to Ms. Valentine and picked her up, he ignored the surprised look on the blonde's face and turned to Ms. Goldenweek, "Grab a bunch of those blankets and a pillow and follow me to the women's quarters."

Y/N carried Ms. Valentine out of the anchor room and across the deck, "She's sick," he informed Luffy and Usopp without either of them having to ask. Y/N entered the storage room and went down the steps into Nami's room. Vivi, Sanji, Carue, and even Nami looked surprised as he came in carrying the blonde agent.

"We've got another bug bite," Y/N announced, "Sanji, go through the emergency hatch and help Zoro and Mr. 5 bring the couch in here." Y/N carried Ms. Valentine across the room and set her down on the foot of Nami's bed as Sanji slid opened the lock on the emergency hatch that connected the men's quarters with the women's quarters and slipped into the other room.

Y/N stood up in time to see Ms. Goldenweek coming down the stairs with the blankets from the anchor room. "Just put them down on the floor until they get here with the couch," Y/N told her as walked passed Nami's bed and over to the closet in the corner, he opened it and eventually tossed a yellow t-shirt over his shoulder and into the middle of the room. "One of you girls change her into that. I'm gonna need to be able to see the bug bite so we can attempt to take care of it, the dress will only get in the way. Carue, avert your eyes and give her some privacy."

Despite being sick, Ms. Valentine was surprised by Y/N's sudden take-charge attitude. He'd already impressed her on Little Garden when he convinced them that he was an agent and convinced his crew to take them off the island. It was clear why Y/N was the First Mate, Luffy might've been stronger, but Y/N was smarter and when he gave an order it was followed immediately. Ms. Valentine resolved to keep an eye on him.

It took a while, but eventually Ms. Valentine had been changed and situated on the couch that Zoro, Sanji, and Mr. 5 had moved into the women's quarters. The couch had been placed against the fourth wall of the room across from the desk, bookshelf, and closet. It ended up between Nami's second bookshelf and the bar. Y/N, Sanji, Vivi, and Carue stayed in the room to look after the two sick women while Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Mr. 5, and Ms. Goldenweek were out on the deck continuing the search for a doctor.

-x-

Ignoring the Eternal Pose that pointed towards Alabasta, the Straw Hats kept sailing. The very next day, it started to snow.

Y/N paced back and forth in the middle of Nami's room, "We needed to keep them cool, not freeze them!" Y/N complained. There was a faint ring around his eye that was a sign of a lack of sleep. "This snow is the last thing we needed. Now they're freezing and burning up at the same time."

"Their fevers are still rising," Vivi reminded him. "We need to find a doctor now more than ever. If this keeps up... they could die."

-x-

Out on the deck, Usopp, Ms. Goldenweek, and Zoro were all bundled up in blankets they'd gotten from the men's quarters. Luffy and Mr. 5 were dressed as they normally were, but the bomb man at least had a coat, Luffy seemed completely oblivious to the cold that accompanied the snow.

Zoro sat up in the crow's nest, covered in a layer of snow as he stared through a pair of binoculars. "HEY! SEE ANY DOCTORS YET?" Luffy shouted up at him.

Suddenly Zoro spotted something. "Uh... hey guys... what do you think about people standing on water?" he inquired.

"You've been up there too long and are starting to hallucinate," Mr. 5 offered.

"What do you mean?" questioned Luffy. "Do I think it's possible?"

"What kind of question is that?" Usopp wondered. "It's impossible of course."

"Oh yeah?" Zoro replied, "then... what's that?"

Luffy, Usopp, Mr. 5, and Ms. Goldenweek all stared in the direction Zoro had indicated.

"There's a person standing on the water," Ms. Goldenweek realized.

-x-

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!!