„I'M FINE!" Nami insisted, pushing herself up on her elbows, her chest heaving with the effort. The declaration was undercut by the sweat plastering her orange hair to her forehead and the violent shiver that wracked her frame. „We need to… to…" She tried to swing her legs out of bed, but a wave of dizziness overcame her, and she fell back against the pillows with a weak thud, her eyes squeezing shut in frustration.
„Nami!" Luffy's voice was uncharacteristically soft. He reached out and placed his rubbery hand squarely on her forehead.
"YOWCH!"
He yanked his hand back as if burned, shaking it vigorously. „YOU ARE NOT FINE! YOU'RE BURNING UP!!" he yelled, his face a comical mask of shock and accusation, as if she'd personally betrayed him by being this hot.
„No," Nami breathed, her voice a thin whisper. She turned her glassy eyes toward Vivi. „We need to go to Alabasta… Vivi, go… read the yesterday's paper…" She weakly pointed a trembling finger toward a stack of newspapers on the kitchen desk, a navigator's habit of tracking weather and news.
A heavy silence filled the room as Vivi, with a sense of dread, retrieved the paper. Her eyes scanned the headlines, and her face went ashen. „The Revolutionary Army's skirmishes have drawn more of the royal army to the borders…" she read aloud, her voice trembling. „That means there are fewer soldiers protecting the capital and the interior… And with Baroque Works in the mix…" She didn't need to finish. The implication was clear: her kingdom was a tinderbox, and Crocodile was holding the match.
„That's why… we need to go there… as fast as we can," Nami panted, each word a struggle.
The crew stood in a painful silence, torn in two. The desperate need to save a kingdom warred with the terrifying reality of their navigator and friend burning up before their eyes. The weight of the decision was suffocating.
Unable to bear the stifling atmosphere, Vivi turned and hurried out onto the deck, the crumpled newspaper clutched in her hand like a death warrant. She gripped the railing, her shoulders shaking as she stared out at the endless, uncaring sea.
A moment later, Mario followed her out. The bright sunlight felt like an insult to the gloom inside. He stood beside her, not speaking, giving her space but offering his silent presence.
The silence between them was heavy, filled only by the cry of gulls and the relentless wash of the waves. Vivi's knuckles were white where she gripped the railing, the printed words of the newspaper searing into her mind. The fate of millions weighed on her, and every second felt like a grain of sand trickling through a nearly empty hourglass.
Then Mario spoke, his voice calm but firm, cutting through her spiraling thoughts.
„I won't pretend to understand what you are feeling right now," he began, his gaze fixed on the horizon. „I can't fathom the weight of a kingdom on my shoulders, or the terror of knowing your people are in danger while you're stuck at sea." He turned to look at her, his eyes holding a fierce, unwavering determination. „But I will tell you one thing."
Vivi looked at him, tears welling in her cerulean eyes, waiting.
„There is no kingdom in this world," he said, each word deliberate and strong, „that is more important than my crew. Not a single one."
The statement was absolute, a declaration of loyalty that was both comforting and heartbreaking. It was the core truth of a pirate.
„The only thing I can promise you," Mario continued, his voice softening slightly, „is that we will not let you down. We will not let your kingdom down. We will save it. But right now, our navigator's well-being is my top priority. She's our friend. She's family."
Vivi nodded slowly, a tear finally escaping to trace a path down her cheek. „I know," she whispered hoarsely. „I know you're all worried for her. I am, too."
Mario placed a hand on her shoulder, a gesture of solid reassurance. „We will make it in time. This crew has a habit of pulling off the impossible." He offered her a small, confident smile, the kind that brooked no argument. „And I promise you, we will defeat Crocodile."
It wasn't a hollow platitude. It was a vow, spoken with the conviction of a man who had already seen the outcome and was determined to ensure it came to pass. In that moment, standing on the sun-drenched deck with the sickbay at their backs and a war ahead, Vivi felt a flicker of solid ground beneath her feet. The path was terrifying, but she was not walking it alone.
Vivi wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, the gesture firm and final. The despair on her face was replaced by a look of fierce, clear-eyed resolve. She took a deep, steadying breath and stepped back into the cabin.
The scene inside was one of controlled panic. Nami was unconscious again, her breathing shallow and rapid. Usopp was frantically preparing a cold compress, his hands trembling. Sanji was pacing like a caged animal, and Luffy was wringing his hands nervously.
"Everyone, listen!" Vivi's voice, though not loud, cut through the anxiety with royal authority. All eyes turned to her. "We need to get a doctor for our Navigator. Without her, we can't make it to Alabasta in time. So our mission right now is to get Nami to a doctor, and fast!"
"Drum Island!" she announced, pointing decisively, as if she could already see it on the horizon. "It's the closest option, and it's famous throughout the Grand Line for its superb doctors and advanced medicine. It's our best shot."
Usopp's head tilted. "Great doctors?" he asked, the concept sparking an idea. "Maybe we can recruit one for our crew! We could really use one right now…"
"But the musician is next!" Luffy interjected, the priorities of the Straw Hat Pirates instantly reasserting themselves even in the midst of a medical emergency.
"OKAY, EVERYONE!" Mario's voice boomed, taking command of the situation. He stood tall, his own worry channeled into pure, decisive action. "Next course… DRUM ISLAND!"
There were no questions, no arguments. Only a unified, determined energy filled the room. Sanji immediately rushed to the helm, Zorro began adjusting the sails without a word, and Usopp scrambled to secure any loose cargo. The Going Merry, as if sensing the urgency, seemed to lean into the wind. They had a new destination, a new purpose: save their friend. The race to Alabasta was now, first and foremost, a race to Drum Island.
***
The air grew sharp and biting, a stark contrast to the tropical warmth they had left behind. A leaden grey sky hung low, and a steady, freezing drizzle began to fall, soon turning into a soft but persistent snow. The Going Merry's deck was dusted in white, her rigging beginning to frost over.
Luffy, perched on the figurehead, was shivering violently, his rubbery body offering little protection. "Brrrrr! So cold! What the hell is with this climate?!" he chattered, hugging himself.
Mario stood beside him, bundled in a thick leather jacket he'd acquired at Whisky Peak, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the choppy, grey sea. The crew was a picture of grim determination. Below deck, Sanji and Usopp were tirelessly tending to Nami, whose condition had not improved. Vivi was at the helm, her face a mask of concentration as she tried to interpret Nami's charts, steering them through the unfamiliar, frigid waters.
But Mario's focus was absolute. He wasn't just looking for land; he was searching for a specific, unwelcome sight. He was fervently hoping to avoid a lone figure standing impossibly on the waves—one of Wapol's henchmen, Chess. To the world, Wapol might have been a minor, almost comical villain, but to Mario, he was the most despicable. The man was the epitome of everything wrong with the World Nobles' brand of tyranny, just on a smaller, more pathetic scale. A spoiled, corrupt king who saw his people as disposable toys. Wapol fleeing his kingdom, taking all the doctors and soldiers and leaving his subjects to die, filled Mario with a cold, simmering rage that had nothing to do with the weather. He truly, deeply hoped he wouldn't have to lay eyes on the man.
"What is that?" Luffy asked suddenly, his shivering momentarily forgotten as he pointed a trembling finger at a dark spot on the horizon.
Mario's gaze snapped to where Luffy was pointing. His blood ran colder than the surrounding sea. There, standing defiantly and impossibly stood a lone figure on the sea…
"For fuck's sake!" Mario roared, the curse tearing from him with such raw frustration that it startled his captain. "WHAT ARE THE FREAKING CHANCES???"
His hope for a clean, direct path to a doctor had just been shattered. The very man he loathed was directly in their way.