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"Luffy! Don't do that in here!" Usopp shouted, trying to huddle all his ingredients together to protect them from the wheeled menace. Luffy raced past for the upteenth time, swerving far too close for comfort. A fine power lifted off two of the sharpshooter's china dishes and mixed in the air.
Usopp wheezed and choked as a plume of thick black smoke erupted in his face with a muffled boom.
"Luffy.. *cough wheeze* you idiot.. do you want to blow my head off? I told you to go outside!" Usopp coughed.
"I didn't hear you," said Luffy dreamily as he sailed past again.
Whoever had decided that wheels on shoes were a good idea was going to be receiving a very stiffly worded letter of complaint!
After bringing up a few unpleasant tasting clots of soot, Usopp felt much better. But there was no convincing Chopper of that.
"I saw that Usopp! What kind of chemicals are you mixing? Just stay here and I'll get my stethoscope!"
Usopp tried to protest but the little reindeer scooted off as fast as his furry short legs would carry him, determined to rescue his patient whether he liked it, or not.
"I have a great idea for a practical joke long-nose, just wait until you see this one!" Franky whispered, totally oblivious to Usopp's previous plight (despite his face full of soot).
Chopper came back around the corner toting a large leather doctor's case and trailing the various parts of a stethoscope and a blood pressure cuff.
"Usopp! I must listen to your breathing at once, take off your shirt!" Chopper barked in his trademark I-know-I'm-cute-and-cuddly-but-I'm-being-a-doctor-now-so-do-what-you-are-told voice.
Usopp did not do what he was told. Practically the whole crew was here! Plus Zoro was laughing at him. That was no fair! Just because HE was all muscly and perfect, there was no need to go making a big deal out of it. It was very important to Usopp's intelligence gathering to appear unassuming and he couldn't very well do that if his neck was as wide as the calm belt, now could he?
"Oh no!" Franky said, throwing his arms about. He managed to look as though he had gone completely mad, Chopped stopped.
"What is it Franky?" He asked sharply, his hoof hesitating over an assortment of painful looking instruments.
"Ummmm…" Frankie hesitated, but then bravely continued, "My heart, Chopper, my HEART!" He wailed, clutching his chest and flailing about on the floor.
Chopper whipped his stethoscope out and started climbing all over the engineer and prodding him with it.
"Franky!" he wailed, "You're having a heart attack! Your heartbeat is irregular! Franky! Can you hear me?" Chopper shouted frantically.
Franky was laughing so hard that he had started to wheeze, Usopp could see him gasping and choking for breath, tears rolling down his face.
"Franky!" Chopper cried, "I'll save you!" He brought both front hooves together in the air and his forearms swelled. As his fists came down, the combined weight dented Franky's chest plate and brought him very neatly out of his laughing fit.
"What the heck are you doing?" Franky shouted, lifting the tiny reindeer up in the air.
"Franky! You're alright!" Chopper wailed, tears of joy rolling down his face.
"Never felt better," the engineer muttered.
Nami chuckled, "That's what you get for being such an idiot," she said, rolling up the map that was spread before her on the table. She stood up and looked out the window, scanning the clouds, the waves, the moon… All was well in the unpredictable waters of the Grand Line, at least for now.
Robin observed Nami's movents and relaxed. It looked like they had a calm night to look forward to, all the better for learning more about her crazy crewmates. She loved the way they just fell in so easily together, it was as if it were meant to be…
"Why don't you go and try to find Sanji, Chopper?" the navigator directed, trying to prise the fuzzy reindeer off Fanky's face, "I'm hungry!"
Almost as if he heard her call, Sanji erupted into the room.
"Your shadow wore a tutu," Sanji stated indignantly at the doorway. Zoro came through, his eyes fixed on the cook and blazing.
"It did not wear a TUTU! How would you even know that? YOU tried to kiss me."
"I did not try to kiss you!" Sanji defended, stomping his foot in his trademark and-that's-final-Zoro way.
"Who here saw Sanji try and kiss me when he was asleep?"
*show of hands raised* Most.
"I did not! Nami, Robin, surely you… oh." Sanji mumbled, blushing into his chest as the girls both gave him knowing looks. He quickly got his wind back though, as only Mr. Prince can, "…anyway, YOU said you wished you had never been born and we.."
"Shut up!" Zoro stomped.
"..and wept and beat your hands on the ground. Anyone remember that?"
*show of hands raised* More.
"HEY! …Well you're afraid of bugs."
"I am not afraid of bugs! I'm just cautious, unlike some meat heads that I know that just leap.. GET IT OFF ME!"
In one huge spasm, Sanji cracked like a whip, throwing the offending beetle harmlessly off into Chopper's loving hoofs.
"Euuurrrggghhh!" Sanji howled, as he leapt out of the room in one impossibly long jump.
Zoro pointed at Sanji's retreating figure and nodded knowingly,
"Scared of bugs."
"That was cruel swordsman-san," Robin mused.
"Thankyou," Zoro replied.
Nami stared daggers at the swordsman as she climbed back down off the cupboard.
"What?" Zoro huffed.
"You're going to be in trouble…" Luffy sang out, swinging back and forth on his chair.
Zoro ignored him.
"You better say you're sorry…" the sing-song voice continued.
Zoro struck suddenly, knocking Luffy clear off his chair and onto the wooden floor. First there were protests but they were soon replaced with a rolling ball of fists that took out pretty much everything.
"Tsk, tsk," Nami grinned from the doorway.
"GUYS I TOLD YOU!" Usopp shouted, before being engulfed in a ball of flame.
"OWWWW! OW! OW! LUFFY I'M GOING TO KILL YOU OW OW OWWWW!
It would be another peaceful night, Robin mused.
Another night to learn about these wonderful, strange people. Another perfect time to discover the meaning of the word 'nakama'.
Every night was a gift.
They would make the most of it.
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