Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

62

Whether it was luck or fate, no member of the Straw Hat Crew had questioned when they spotted the island in the distance. There was little debate, and no argument, before the decision was made that they'd make a stop there.

By the time they'd reached it, the snow had stopped falling. However, it was of little consequence in a place like this that seemed to be permanently coated in white. Snow blanketed everything in a thick layer, sparkling in the daylight as far as the eye could see. But the path in it was clear, cutting through the thickness in a long, winding line up the hill and towards the village they'd been able to spot from aboard the ship, the dark shapes of buildings nestled at the bottom of the mountains a stark contrast to its snow covered surroundings.

Akira kept her eyes on the ground in front of her feet as they moved. It was the safest thing to focus on considering the unevenness of the snow beneath her feet, hiding the dips and rises of the path beneath it. She didn't want to misjudge a step or trip and fall, not when she'd be bringing more than herself down if she did. Zoro's arm was the only thing keeping her upright during the walk, his hand firm at her waist while her own rested across his shoulders, letting him take more of her weight than she wanted him to have to.

Behind them, Sanji and Usopp had Nami between them, her feet finding the ground on rare occasions while they mostly carried her up the slope of the path. Luffy led the way at the front with Vivi at his side, their voices carrying back along the cold air whenever their captain pointed at something or asked a question—which was often. The cold didn't seem to touch him in the same way it did the rest of them.

Akira herself felt it more than most, the way it settled into her hands and face, sharp and biting. The kind of cold that found every gap and made its home there. But she kept her jaw set and did her best to ignore it, focusing her eyes on the path and keeping her complaints about it to herself.

It seemed like they'd been walking forever, her breathing laboured and heavy by the time they finally reached the large gate of the village. It stood tall, towering above them with dark wood creating a stark contrast to the snow, reinforced with iron crossbars and firmly shut before them.

"Where are we?" Nami's voice came out thin and hoarse from where she leaned between Sanji and Usopp.

"We're getting you help," Sanji answered immediately, short and to the point and hoping that it would provide some comfort. "Just stay with us."

But whatever comfort or hope may have risen in the wake of his words, soon it was swiftly cut down as the crack of gunshot split through the air without warning. Snow erupted from the ground a foot to their right, the impact sharp and sudden, and Akira felt herself stumble as Zoro moved in response to it—shifting his weight and turning as he placed himself further between her and the wall. Although, his grip on her never loosened, still holding on just tight enough to keep her from going down.

"What the hell was that?!" Usopp yelped.

"The last warning shot they'll ever get off." Zoro's hand moved to the hilt of one of his swords, knuckles tightening around it while his eyes glared up at the wall.

"Stop right there, pirates!" A male voice sounded from beyond the wall, sharp and angry, the threat evident in the wake of the gunshot. "Turn back at once, or face the consequences." And then it was also made clear outright.

"We saw your ship!" It was a woman's voice that came next. "You can't fool us!"

"We have a sick crewmate who needs help!" Luffy tilted his head back, projecting his voice upward as he called to them.

"Leave this country alone, you lying pirates!" Akira was starting to believe that the imposing gate before them was built for a reason, considering the outright hatred with which they regarded the crew.