Sunset over the winter island brought with it a brilliant display; the sky was streaked with orange and red and the white snow blanketing the ground reflected the colors beautifully. The dark, spindly trees were like stains on the landscape, but they only seemed to add to the effect, and the river that snaked across the island was black as ink cutting through the snow.

Neither of the figures currently running through this magnificent landscape cared though; the view was really the last thing they were interested in.

A blur of bright red streaked past frozen trees with a high-pitched chirp that was drawn into a shriek. Following closely behind it were two men in heavy winter coats, one smiling widely and laughing as he pulled the second along by the wrist he held. Both of them were running as fast as they could after the red bird now zipping through the thinning forest.

As night approached the temperature was dropping, but there was a good hour until full dark and the cold failed to effect either man. Whether it was from running or excitement was unknown, but again, no one really cared.

"Almost there," Luffy said for what must have been the hundredth time. His eyes tracked the bird as it darted and flitted a short distance ahead of them, a little red rocket easily seen against all the black and white.

Luffy finally released Usopp's wrist when the bird turned and flew up and over the crest of a hill. It was gone from view for a moment as the pirates started climbing the slope after it, but then the little flash of red appeared again, flying a tight pattern over the hill and waiting for the pirates to catch up.

"He seems excited," Usopp panted, digging his feet into the snow as he climbed quickly after his captain.

Luffy just grinned down at the sniper and then looked to the top of the hill again. He stumbled to his feet and stilled on the hill's crest, staring off into the distance.

Usopp grunted as he made it to the top of the hill, frowning at his captain. "What is it?"

Luffy's grin was quick and he pointed forward. "Look!"

Usopp blinked and then looked the way Luffy was pointing. His heart nearly stopped.

"The Sunny!" the sniper cried, never so glad to see the outline of their ship anchored very close to the shore. But his frozen excitement was short-lived as Luffy gave a shout of "Yosh!" and jumped off the crest of the hill.

Usopp made a startled sound and grabbed for the captain's coat, but his fingers missed by inches. Luffy hit the snow, rolled a few feet, then managed to right himself and set his feet with his knees bent. He started skidding down the steep slope at great speed, one hand clamped tightly over his hat to keep it in place. "Come on, Usopp!" he yelled back over his shoulder as he neared the bottom of the hill.

Usopp gaped after him in stunned silence, then snapped his mouth shut and squared his shoulders. "Coming!" If Luffy could do it, then so could he!

The sniper shifted his feet, took a steadying breath and leaped off the crest gracefully, prepared for his landing with one foot outstretched.

He hit the snow, tripped, and rolled the rest of the way downhill.

After dragging the dazed sniper to his feet, Luffy took off running toward the shoreline, arms waving above his head in greeting to the figures he could make out on the ship's lawn. Usopp was on his heels, and both of them shouted to the people on the ship at the tops of their lungs, their voices mixed with the rapid chirping of their feathered guide who flew in circles around them.

~ ;3 ~

"Where the hell were you guys?" Nami asked with a bewildered expression as she rushed out to meet the pair when they finally stumbled their way aboard, looking exhausted. She blinked in further confusion when Luffy and Usopp failed to respond and instead walked right past her. "Hey--"

Franky tried to get their attention as well, because Luffy was in serious need of a good chewing out, but the sniper and captain stepped around the shipwright just as they had the navigator. They even bypassed Brooke and Chopper when the two hurried up to meet them.

Sitting against the railing, Zoro watched in mounting confusion as his captain and the sniper marched up to him and paused by his outstretched legs. Then Luffy and Usopp each snagged one of the swordsman's arms and, ignoring his surprised shouts, pitched him right off the ship.

Neither of them moved until Zoro's fading yells were silence by a loud splash. Then they both nodded like all was right in the universe again and turned on the rest of their nakama with huge grins.

Everyone stared at them with open mouths, save for Robin, though she too looked surprised.

Franky decided maybe that wasn't the greatest time to bring up the demise of his cannon. Sanji was too busy trying to remember how to breathe after breaking into uncontrollable laughter when Zoro was flung off the ship.

"It was so cool," Luffy started, arms waving wildly. Chopper was already enthralled and he didn't even know what was happening yet. "We got hit by this giant snowball and we fell off a cliff and then there was this big monster and we fell off another cliff--"

"You're not telling it right!" Usopp interrupted. "It was a yeti, not a monster, and I defeated it single-handedly with--"

"Why don't we all go inside and you can tell us the whole story after warming up a bit? Cook-san made hot chocolate," Robin offered in her usual calm tone, apparently recovering from recent events more quickly than the rest of the crew.

Luffy grinned and bounced in place, but then he remembered something. "Birdy!" He spun around abruptly and ran into Sanji, who was still by the railing. The cook's laughter died and he flailed his arms for balance, but ended up pitching over the railing anyway.

Everyone stared at the spot Sanji had previously occupied with identical blank expressions, listening to the cook's stream of curses before a resounding splash ended the tirade.

Zoro had managed to flail his way to the surface just as the cook fell off the ship. He looked up quickly at the sound of Sanji's voice and tried to dive out of the way, but the cook fell too fast and landed right on the swordsman's head.

When both of them surfaced again they were trying to kill each other, so obviously they were fine.

"Should we...?" Brooke peered over the railing and looked concerned, despite not having facial features (Yohoho? No? Ahem.) but Nami waved a dismissive hand and turned to lead the way below. "They'll be fine."

Franky shrugged at Brooke, and then the entire group, including a red bird that had swooped in to perch on Luffy's shoulder, headed below deck and out of the cold.

Down in the frigid water, Zoro and Sanji continued trying to drown each other, and within the ship Usopp related his and Luffy's entire story, and he didn't even have to embellish it. Well, not too much, anyway.

~ ;3 ~

The little red bird was, shortly thereafter, released on a warm, tropical island with tons of food and lady birds. He was quite happy.

! ~ ;3 ~ !

THE ENDZ!! PARTAY! OH YEAH! WOO HOO. ….... Yeah.

XD The scene where Luffy and Usopp fling Zoro off the ship was actually in my head since I first started this story. REVENGE! My sister and beta then told me that Sanji had to take the plunge too, because, well, it was funny. 8D And see?! I remembered Brooke this time!! HA! -shot-

I had a blast writing this story. Thanks so much to everyone who supported it by leaving reviews or favoriting. Knowing people were reading it and actually liked it was like, awesome-fuel. XD It really helped me, all the way to the end.

8D I hope that whatever I write next lives up to your expectations, and thanks again!