Zoro is trying in vain to tune out the noise around him - he wants to sleep, damn it. He wishes he was on the ship, but that damn woman had forced them to draw straws again. He and Chopper had picked the short ones and had thus been consigned to getting supplies. To add to the list of things that piss him off, Usopp had used the occasion to lecture Chopper on not letting him get lost, which the reindeer had taken far too seriously. Zoro had wanted to find somewhere to get sake, but instead Chopper had found him a bench in the sun and made him promise to stay there while he toured the market.
As much as he hates being ordered around, the plus side is that he doesn't have to do any work while Nami is short on an excuse to get upset with him. He's trying to add to the positives of the situation by resting, but the loud bustle of the town irritates him. Isn't this place supposed to be a quiet stop on the Grandline?
Just when he starts to feel like he's drifting off to sleep, a jarring voice laughs, effectively rousing him, before saying "What's this thing?" Maybe he should just give up and find somewhere to train. But no, then Chopper'll get all annoying...
Speaking of Chopper, he thinks he hears the doctor's voice now. "I'm not a thing!" Oh, some idiot's insulting his pride as a reindeer. That hasn't happened in a while - it's seemed like the deeper they get into the Grandline, the less people give a shit.
"Yeah, so what are you? A freak?" Zoro doesn't need to open his eyes to know this man is a weakling. Chopper can take care of him fine.
"He looks like a racoon-dog. An ugly one," another voice joins in. A female one this time. Zoro feels his eyebrows twitch involuntarily.
"I'm a reindeer!" he says, pissed.
"Hey, think he's edible?" the male voice asks.
"Doesn't look like he has much meat on him. He'd probably make a better pet. Could get a good price for him."
"I'm right here you know! I can understand what you're saying!" The reindeer doesn't sound worried, so Zoro relaxes back onto his bench.
"Grab him!" says the female voice.
With reluctance, Zoro cracks his left eye open, to see a tall, slender woman with yellow hair grab onto Chopper's little arm, while a shorter, stout man brandishes a net. Weirdos.
He watches in satisfaction as his crew mate switches to his man-beast form and the fortune-hunters' eyes widen.
A cry arises from a townsperson. "Monster! It's a monster! Someone call the marines!"
Chopper looks around dazedly, trying to assure the now panicking people that he means no harm. The couple has backed away from him.
When he hears the distinct sound of a gun being cocked, he sighs. Well, it wasn't like he was getting any sleep anyway.
He stretches and carries himself over to Chopper, who looks at him, a little lost. Zoro places a hand on his shoulder, willing him to change back to his smaller form, which he does. "Do you have the supplies?" he asks his crew mate, though he doesn't look away from the villagers.
"Yeah."
"Good." He addresses the crowd. "We're going to leave now. You're going to let us."
A few moments pass before the man with the gun speaks up. "Monsters must not be allowed to live."
Zoro grins. "Oh yeah? This one's gonna. He's our doctor." He starts to walk away, not wasting effort in looking back.
"Thank you," Chopper says quietly.
"Oh shut up," he grumbles, but a smile creeps across his face, and when Chopper latches his hoof onto the leg of his pants, he allows it.
AN/ I take prompts!