Title: A Day at the Beach
Theme: Set #03, #20 Sand
Claim: Zoro + Chopper
Words: 937
Rating: K/G
Warnings: Sap, fluff, and excessive sweetness!
Disclaimers: Nothing you recognize in here is mine in any way. All rights belong to Eiichiro Oda and all the multitude of people involved in production of the One Piece manga and anime.

Chopper gazed wide-eyed into the tide pool. He couldn't understand the tiny creatures currently living there, but it was fascinating to watch them scuttle about on the rocky bottom of the pool or swim through the clear water.

"Come on, Chopper!" Luffy stretched out a hand to grasp the doctor's shoulder. "Let's explore the rest of the beach!"

"Couldn't we stay here just a little longer?" Chopper turned pleading eyes on his captain. "These rock pools are really awesome!"

"You're almost as boring as Zoro..." Luffy pouted. "All he wants to do is nap in the sun!"

"Let him keep looking if he wants," Usopp suggested. "The Great Captain Usopp will explore with you! We can come back for Chopper later. Is that alright with you, Chopper?"

"Yes, that sounds fine." Chopper waved goodbye as the other two dashed down the beach, then turned his attention back to the hermit crabs, urchins, and small fish in the tide pool.

Chopper was so swept up in his viewing that he lost track of time. It was only when the incoming tide lapped at his hooves that he realized he needed to move. He headed further above the water line and scanned the sands to either side for his friends.

Finally, he spotted Luffy and Usopp. The captain was stopping at each tuft of coarse sea grass and examining it closely. The crew's sharpshooter was glancing around rather nervously and occasionally pulled down his goggles to get a better look at something further away.

"Hi, guys!" Chopper greeted them cheerily. "Are you looking for something? Can I help?"

"Thanks, Chopper! We lost-" Luffy's was cut off mid-sentence by Usopp's hand.

"Promise us you won't panic," Usopp begged.

"Why?" Chopper was beginning to feel uneasy. "What did you lose?"

Luffy had wormed his way loose by this time.

"Let's just tell him, Usopp! Maybe he can smell him!"

"Smell who?" He didn't like the direction this was going...

"Okay, here's what happened." Usopp took a deep breath. "Remember how Zoro was napping? Well, he kept ignoring us, so we thought it would be funny to bury him in the sand."

"It was funny!" Luffy laughed at the recollection. "His hair looked just like the beach grass!"

"Anyways," Usopp continued after glaring Luffy back into silence, "this seagull stole Luffy's hat and we had to chase it up and down the beach. Now we can't seem to find the spot where we left Zoro, and-"

"Oh no! That's terrible!" Chopper wailed.

"We got my hat back." Luffy held out the hat as evidence. "See? No worries..."

"That's not what I'm worried about!" Chopper called back over his shoulder, already rushing off down the beach. Luffy and Usopp hurried to catch up with him.

Chopper shifted to walk point and sniffed at the ground in front of himself frantically. All he could smell was salt, seaweed, and dead fish--no Zoro! He tried taking a deeper breath and got sand up his nose, causing him to sneeze violently.

"There's no reason to panic, really." Usopp didn't sound like he believed himself.

"There's every reason to panic!" Chopper snapped. Usopp and Luffy backed away slightly, eyes wide. It took a lot to make Chopper really angry, but when he was... "Sand is heavy, so he may not be able to get out from under where you buried him! He could suffocate! Even if he can breathe, the tide is coming in and he could drown! What were you thinking?!"

Wisely, neither tried to make any excuse. There was a heavy silence, eventually broken by Luffy.

"He's really strong, Chopper, and he's been lost before." Luffy's smile was only a shadow of his usual beaming grin. "I'm sure we'll find him..."

"Who's lost?" a familiar voice asked from behind Chopper.

"Zoro!" Chopper shrieked joyfully, launching himself at the swordsman's chest with enough force to send them both tumbling to the ground. "You're okay!"

"Well, sure." Zoro looked at Chopper with no small amount of confusion. "Why wouldn't I be? I woke up from my nap buried under some sand. I went to rinse off in the surf, but somehow I ended up in the woods. I heard you guys talking, so I came over here." He ran his fingers through his hair briskly, sending grains of sand flying in all directions. "I hate sand..."

"Usopp and Luffy couldn't remember where they buried you, and I was afraid you were stuck!" Chopper hugged Zoro fiercely. "I'm so glad you got out on your own!"

Zoro glared over at the other two, exuding an aura of anger and irritation. "It was you?"

"Well, no harm done in the long run, right?" Usopp laughed nervously and grabbed Luffy's arm. "We'll just be on our way..."

"I don't think so." Zoro grabbed them by the backs of their shirts before they could get far. "Wanna have a little fun, Chopper?"

"We understand why you're angry, and we're very sorry!" Usopp insisted pitifully.

"Come on, you guys! I'm getting hungry!" Luffy whined.

Both boys had been buried upright, with only their heads above ground.

"You hear anything, Chopper?" Zoro asked from where he was basking on the rocks.

"Nope!" Chopper giggled and turned his attention back to the brand new tide pool left behind by the last tide change.