Saiyans on the Grandline
All was calm and quiet as the sound of the moving carriage echoed through the forest on Thriller Bark. Inside it, were the members of the Straw Hat crew, as well as the bat creature Hildon, all of them peacefully riding within the carrier as the Cerberus's howling reached their ears through the night sky. While inside the carriage, Nami was curious about something, and Chopper seemed excited about something, the others didn't seem to understand.
"Hey, I didn't get a good look at the, so it's probably just my imagination, but don't those horses seem a bit, strange?" Nami inquired.
"Now that you mention it, one of them looked like a Centaur." Eri said.
"An' the other looked like a Nuckelavee holding a lantern." Mina said.
"It's dark, your eyes are playing tricks on you." Hildon stated holding a large bottle of wine.
"Well… if you say so, I'm sure it's fine." Nami said.
'I don't buy it.' Mina thought.
"Anyway, thanks for saving us back there. We were in real bad shape before you showed up." Ussop said.
"It was nothing." Hildon said. "Have a drink to calm your nerves."
"By the way Nami, if you were being chased by a Cerberus, how'd you manage to escape?" Mina asked.
"Oh well… Ussop used one of his special smoke stars to distract it, before he used a fire star, to attack it." Nami said.
"Guess you're not just all talk, eh Ussop?" Mina chuckled.
"Oh please, who do you think you're talking to? I am the great, and mighty Ussop." He cheered.
"Now, this forest is filled with frightening creatures. It's dangerous to pass through on foot." Hildon explained, with Chopper nodding in agreement.
"I was surprised. I thought Cerberus was just a legend, but there it was, three heads gnashing and everything." Chopper said.
"That thing must have been some kind of mutant. It just wasn't natural." Ussop said. "But Eri did point out its body was covered in stitches, so there is a chance it was man made."
"If you're hoping to wait for your friends, then the mansions the safest place." Hildon said. "Besides, they couldn't possibly miss it."
"Not only that, we're gonna get to meet Dr. Hogback, too, right?" Chopper asked.
"I'm a bit confused Chopper. Why are you so excited to meet him?" Mina inquired.
"Every Doctor in the world knows his name." Chopper smiled. "He's one of the greatest surgeons ever. He can perform real miracles. They say his operations have saved more people then there are stars in the sky. He has fame and fortune, and every other honor a doctor could hope for. The entire medical community, looks up to him as a true hero."
"Sounds a lot like Kaen's mom." Mina chuckled. "She's known as one of the best doctors alive, all thanks to her healing abilities."
"Is that so? Well, I do hope they'll be able to meet one of these days." Hildon said.
"Not likely. Kaen, Eri, and I… aren't exactly from anywhere around here." Mina said.
"But then, returning to the topic of Dr. Hogback, he just disappeared without a trace one day. Some people thought he had an accident, and others thought he was kidnapped, but in the end, since no one could find any clues, everyone gave up looking for him, and bit by bit, they started thinking of him, as nothing more, then a legend." Chopper said, before turning to Hildon, with stars sparkling around him. "That is the Dr. Hogback you're talking about, right?"
"Yes indeed. He's studying in seclusion. The Doctor came to this island, to conduct research, beyond the scope of mankind." Hildon said, seemingly unphased by what was sparkling around Chopper.
"Sparkly." Eri said.
"Hasn't the doc ever hear that there are, some thing man was never meant to tamper with?" Mina asked, swirling her wine around in her glass.
"Do you think I could ask to get an autograph from him?" Chopper inquired.
"I'm sure he could be persuaded a moment for one of his fans." Hildon said, as Nami and Mina looked out the window, spotting something in the distance.
"No way." Nami said.
"Impossible." Mina stated. "This island, has lions too?"
Their shock turned into creeps when the lion turned to look at the carriage, revealing it had the face of a man with a big cleft chin, and 5 o'clock shadow.
"That's no ordinary lion." Mina said, as Nami screamed.
"Don't scare us like that." Ussop said, after he and Chopper screamed too.
"Eri, don't look out there. It's not sightly for a child." Mina said.
"What is going on out there?" Ussop asked.
"It's best you don't know. Just keep yourselves hidden in the carriage." Mina directed.
"Yes Ma'am." Chopper and Ussop said.
"Anyways, I'm still having trouble figuring out, how the fog is able to dampen my Ki sensing abilities." Mina sighed, leaning back in her seat. "I can't wrap my head around it. This forest is strange, beyond anything I've ever seen."
"I'm sure it's nothing to be too concerned about." Hildon said. "But you are right about the forest being strange. It is quite odd. The fog, for example, has strange qualities. It can even cause, hallucinations for some, especially for those with an over active imagination."
"I guess that would make some sort of sense, if there were a swamp nearby." Mina said. "Swamps sometimes tend to spew gasses that can cause someone to hallucinate."
"Even so, if it's what caused us to see Cerberus, it doesn't explain how we were able to attack it, and send it off." Ussop said.
"Listen Hildon, but we really do need you to take us back to the coast, right away. Even if it's dangerous, the five of us can manage somehow." Nami said.
"But I wanna meet Dr. Hogback, it's not fair." Chopper said, whining like a child being denied a toy they wanted. "We have to."
"I know how you feel. But my, something freaky is going on here, sensor is on a high alert. You gotta trust my powers on this one." Ussop said. "Either you can go see the Doctor and die, or we can turn back now and live. Which one will it be?"
"Well of course I don't want to die, that's scary." Chopper said.
"I hate to be the neighsayer here you guys, but we should go to the mansion." Mina sighed.
"What? An' why should we?" Nami questioned.
"Eri's foot is hurt. An' without further care, it could become worse." Mina stated.
"Then just give her a Senzu Bean and let's go." Ussop said.
"I can't." Mina exclaimed, looking at Ussop, causing him to flinch and pull away from her. "Kaen specifically instructed, that the Senzu Beans, are to be used only in times of extreme emergencies, like what happened to her on the ship, when she was buried under all those free weights. An' a sprained ankle, doesn't count. He doesn't want us becoming reliant on them. Remember the Senzu Beans are a natural medicine, and just like any natural medicine, if you use it too much…"
"You can become addicted, like a drug addict." Chopper said.
"I guess you make a fair point." Nami sighed in defeat. "But still, we can't trust that this Dr. Hogback guy, will have our well beings at heart."
"Nami, he's a doctor. Of course he'll have our well beings at heart." Chopper said.
"You really put a lot of stock into this Hogback guy, don't you Chopper?" Mina asked. "Look, right now I'm not set on anything just yet. I'm still trying to weigh out the pros and cons to our situation, and the options in front of us. But I still have to factor in, my daughter's safety and health."
"The burden of motherhood." Ussop said, before he was flicked in the forehead, knocking him back in his seat. "Ow, what was that for?"
"For thinking you're wise on motherhood." Mina said. "Anyways, weighing in the pros and cons of each choice… I guess I could just carry us back to the Sunny from the shore, there we can get Eri proper treatment for her ankle."
"Oh, that's too bad. Then, as you wish I'll have the driver turn the carriage around for you. Wait a moment and I shall return." Hildon said, before sticking his head out the window. "Stop the carriage."
With a sudden jolt, the carriage stopped, and Hildon stepped out.
"Wait right here, I'll be but a moment." He said, before shutting the door.
With Hildon gone, Chopper was lying on the side, leaning into Mina, who was petting his back, trying to comfort him, while Eri was leaning against her shoulder, the rocking of the carriage, putting her to sleep.
"Listen Chopper, I'm sorry. I know what this means to you." Nami said.
"I promise I'll make it up to you on the Sunny, after we escape Thriller Barks gates. Okay?" Mina asked.
"I understand. If I were brave and strong like Luffy, I could just walk to Dr. Hogback's mansion on my own, instead of sitting here and crying." Chopper said.
~10 Minutes Later~
"Oh come on." Mina sighed, Eri now awake and munching on a rice cracker. "I've never ridden in a carriage before, but I doubt it takes this long to turn the darn thing around. We haven't even moved for ten minutes."
"How long does he plan to make us wait here?" Nami asked.
"Don't know, but I'm too scared to look outside." Chopper said.
"He's just turning around, it should only take a sec." Ussop said, poking his head out the window before screaming.
"What's the matter?" Mina asked.
"There's no body here. Not even the horses." Ussop stated.
"Are you kidding me? He abandoned us? I knew he couldn't be trusted."
"Not only that, but they left us in the middle of some scary graveyard." He said, terrified out of his mind.
"What? No that can't be right, please someone tell me he just left to go to the bathroom." Chopper panicked.
"Hildon, hey. Where'd you go?" Ussop questioned as a shadow flew above them.
"Mina, can't you track his Ki?" Nami asked.
"I wish I could, but for some reason, the deeper inland we go, the worse my Ki sensing becomes. It's as if we're drawing closer to who or whatever, is causing my Ki senses to dampen." Mina exclaimed, as she stepped out of the carriage with Eri on her back.
"What are you doing?" Ussop questioned.
"We're not gonna get anywhere just sitting around here. I hate to say it, but the mansion is closer, so we should try heading for that." She said.
"She makes a fair point." Nami said. "We're just asking for trouble, sitting here and doing nothing."
"You three stay in the carriage, with Eri I'll pull it." Mina said, handing Eri back to Nami.
"Be careful." Eri said, before the curtains closed.
"Abandoning us is one thing, but come on, in a graveyard?" Ussop questioned.
"Yeah, I get it. Just stop okay? I'm trying to think here. An' you're scaring Eri." Nami said.
"What should we do? I'm scared?" Chopper asked, while being hugged by Eri.
"Chopper." Nami said, sounding concerned.
"It's okay, everything's okay, Mama's gonna get us out of here." Eri said.
"Everybody out. Now." Mina said, busting open the carriage doors. "Come on, we don't have time to waste. Just move."
"What's going on?" Nami asked.
"Trust me, you don't wanna look back. Just get out, and follow me, quickly." Mina stated. "I don't have time to move the carriage on my own, we have to leave, now."
Freezing up a bit, as they heard a noise rustle behind them, Nami, Ussop and Chopper slowly turned around, and their eyes widened in horror, when they saw the hands, sprouting from the dirt like daisies, and the bodies of the bandage wrapped zombies that soon followed.
"This is a dream, right?" Nami asked.
"I told you not to look. Now run." Mina said, grabbing Chopper and throwing him over her shoulder.
"AAAHHHH." Ussop cried out.
Mina looked back at the carriage, and her eyes widened in horror as one of the Zombies had grabbed him.
"These… things are… strong." He cried out, before he was pulled out the carriage window.
"Ussop." Nami called, moving towards the window, but moved back when another Zombie stuck its head in.
As the navigator for the Straw Hat Pirates, screamed her head off. A violet Ki blast came out of nowhere, from behind her, and struck the zombie in the faces, destroying its head, in a bath of liquid. As the zombie fell back, Nami looked to where the Ki blast came from, and saw Mina with her arm out, and some smoke rising from it.
"Mixing my Ki blasts with an acid core, makes the acid strong enough to melt a solid brick of tungsten in seconds." Mina said, putting Eri and Chopper back in the carriage. "Keep an eye on these two. I'll save Ussop and handle this."
Mina stepped up to the horde of Zombies, surrounding the carriage, her knuckles cracking as she clenched her fists.
"Someone, please help me. I've just been bitten." Ussop called out.
"I'm only gonna say this once Assholes." Mina began.
"Swear." Eri said, holding out her swear jar.
"Not the time sweetie." Mina exclaimed.
Eri pulled the jar back towards her and put it back in her fanny pack, while retreating into Nami and Choppers arms, who were both cowering under Mina's intense aura.
"Mama's scary when she's angry." Eri shivered before she paused, and reached into her fanny pack.
"As I was saying." Mina said, a violet Ki ball forming in her hand, looking like it was made of both energy, and a liquid. "Let. Ussop. Go."
"Hold on, I think I might have something that'll make this fight a bit more fun to watch."
"What are you going on about kid?" Nami questioned.
Rummaging through it for a bit, Eri pulled out a wireless loudspeaker, and what looked like an I-Pod Touch. Connecting the I-Pod to the speaker, and turning the volume up at full blast, Eri's face cracked into a big smile.
"What's one thing every great hero needs?" Eri asked.
"I don't know. A cape?" Chopper asked.
"Theme music." She said, pressing the play button.
(Cue Music… Get Jinxed: League of Legends)
Firing the Acid Ki to cause a distraction, Mina ran at the horde surrounding Ussop, and with a spinning kick, she kicked one of their heads off, while her foreleg was covered in acid. Landing back on the ground, Mina spun around, and slammed her elbow into the neck of another Zombie that was coming for her.
"Mina, what are you doing?" Ussop questioned, as she grabbed him by his cape.
Raising her arm, Mina spun in place three times, picking up momentum, before she threw the long nosed pirate towards the carriage, where he landed face first, in front of the others.
"Did she just… rescue Ussop from a horde of Zombies?" Nami asked.
"She did." Chopper said, in bewilderment.
Turning back around, Mina slammed a Ki covered fist into the ground, causing it to rumble and wave like a malleable substance, keeping the Zombies off guard, as her face broke out into a big smile, and she began running.
To Nami, Chopper, and Ussop, she looked like nothing more then a blur, but to Eri and her Ki enhanced senses, she could see everything Mina did, and her eyes sparkled in amazement.
Mina stopped right in front of a group of three Zombies, and with a spinning roundhouse kick, knocked all their heads off, while their bodies became doused in Ki enhanced acid.
"Mama's so cool." Eri smiled.
"I had no idea that Mina was this strong." Ussop said, seeing the aftermath of each of her attacks.
Mina spun around on one foot, before she planted the other in the ground, and jumped back to avoid getting bitten by one of the Zombie's, but as soon as she landed, she jumped forward, and slammed her fist into the Zombie's stomach, and continued her momentum as she piled on a new Zombie every few feet, before she slammed a stack of twenty, into a tree, and fired off a large Ki blast that blew a hole into their stomachs, and through the tree.
Jumping back from the falling Zombie bodies, Mina ducked as one of them tried to grab her from behind, but only grabbed air, as she slammed her foot into its throat, breaking its neck, before her foot shot up and decapitated the zombie's now lifeless head from its body.
Flipping forward, Mina slammed one foot on the ground, before she swung her other leg, making contact with the bodyless head of the Zombie, kicking it like a soccer ball, while covering it in acid and Ki. Sending the head flying, the severed appendage slammed right into a group of Zombies, causing an explosion on impact, that destroyed them all as the Ki and Acid expanded.
(End Song…)
"Mama was so amazing." Eri smiled.
"Well, your grandmother didn't teach me martial arts for nothing." Mina said. "Now let's go. I'm not sure if there's any remaining, but I'm not wanting to find out." She stated, as the others jumped out of the carriage, leaving the graveyard, missing as something inky black left the bodies of the Zombies, and flew through the air.
With Eri on her back, Mina, Ussop, Nami, and Chopper went running through the forest, towards the mansion. Mina was exhausted, her Ki reserves weren't as big as Kaen's, so that battle using her Ki to enhance her speed, strength, and acid, was taxing on her, far more then she expected, as her running became sluggish.
"Mina, are you okay?" Ussop questioned, noticing the pink haired Saiyan was lagging behind a bit.
"Yeah, I'm just… tired is all." Mina said. "I expended too much energy in that fight."
"I thought Saiyans were naturals at fighting." Nami said.
"We are, but I haven't been a Saiyan for even six months yet, and my Ki reservoirs aren't as vast as Kaen's, so they deplete faster." Mina said.
"That is troublesome." Chopper said, entering weight point. "Climb on my back, I can carry you."
~The Sunny~
"We're drifting away, do something stupid." Zoro cried out.
"You got any idea's genius? The steering wheel won't move an inch." Sanji said.
"Even if we use the paddle, those waves are too high." Franky said.
"This isn't good. We're drifting farther and farther away from the others." Kaen said, wrapping his forearm in bandages.
"Eh, no big hurry, I'm still having fun. This'll take us to the island sooner or later." Luffy said.
"Yeah? Well what about Mina, Ussop, Chopper, Nami and Eri?" Kaen questioned.
"Relax bro, it'll be fine. If you're any sort of example, Mina can handle herself." Franky said.
"What is that?"
The rest of the crew looked up at Robin's words, and up ahead, was a giant spider web, connected to one of the chains, linking to the outer wall of the island, and what looked like the islands docks.
"Is that a… spider web?" Zoro questioned, before a giant wave shook the ship, sending Luffy to the ground.
"At this rate, we're going to be trapped." Robin said.
"Hurry, use the paddle quick, before we get caught in that web." Franky called to Sanji as the ship was turned around.
"It's too late, we're already caught." Robin stated, before the back of the ship was stuck on the spider web, along with the ghost ship Brook lived on.
"Damn it. Now what?" Franky questioned, looking towards the webbing. "The ship didn't take any damage, but it's not like we can sail her anymore. An' by the way, I'd hate to see the spider that spun this thing, it's freaking huge."
~Mina's Group~
"There aren't any Zombies following us, are there?" Ussop questioned, as they were now at a steady walk, with Eri on Chopper's back.
"It doesn't seem like it." Mina sighed.
"So Mina, I thought your Ki sensing abilities were being jammed or something." Nami said.
"They are." Mina said. "But the abilities of anyone skilled in the art of Ki Control, can be enhanced through a powerful emotion, such as anger or rage. So I was able to boost my signal for a bit."
"So, what ticked you off that much to heighten your senses like that?" Chopper asked.
"The thought of not being able to protect my friends, that's what." Mina smiled. "But right now, I'm more curious about what secrets this island holds."
"I know what you mean. What is with this island?" Ussop questioned. "Half the stuff here isn't even supposed to be real."
"Look on the bright side, at least you weren't bitten by one of those Zombies." Mina said.
"True. If I had been, I'd want you to just kill me on the spot, before I started to change." Ussop said.
"Where'd that come from?" Nami asked.
"Zombie lore." Eri said. "If you're bitten or scratched by a Zombie, you're likely to become one yourself, unless you're somehow immune to the enzyme that turns someone into a zombie."
"I don't think either you or Ussop are mature enough for horror novels." Nami said.
"She's right about you sweetie." Mina said, putting a hand on Eri's head. "From now on, you're sticking to children's books."
"No, I like the horror novels Papa reads to me. They're fun and exciting." Eri said. "They don't scare me at all."
"We'll talk with your father about this later." Mina chuckled, as they approached the gates to the mansion.
"Well here we are." Ussop said. "I sure could go for a glass of water."
"Here." Eri smiled, holding a water bottle up to him.
"I can see him after all. Lucky me." Chopper said, smiling joyfully.
"If he's crazy enough to live here, I have a feeling he's not gonna be as welcoming as you hope." Nami said. "But fine."
"Let's just hope he's able to help Eri's ankle." Mina said, putting her hand on the metal bars blocking their path.
Opening the gate, the group of five went onto mansion grounds, hoping to be able to get some help, and freshen up.
"Excuse me. Is this the mansion of Dr. Hogback by any chance?" Nami called out questioningly.
"We're traveling sailors who've gotten washed ashore after a storm." Mina said. "We've lost our way, so could we take shelter here, until morning?"
There was nothing but silence in response.
"Hello. Is anyone there?" Nami asked as they entered the tunnel, leading to the courtyard at the front door.
"Well, there's nothing stopping us from coming in, though this tunnel is kinda scary looking." Ussop said.
"I can see the courtyard on the other side." Chopper said.
"Is the doctor home?" Nami asked. "We've got someone injured, and she needs medical attention."
Still silence.
"What if no one lives here?" Ussop questioned.
"No, there's someone here, but I'm only sensing two living Ki signatures close by. There's a few more further within the building, but I'm not having any luck sensing them. The others… I can't really tell what they are, but they don't feel natural." Mina said.
"Either way it beats the Zombies. I say we give it a look." Nami said, before the sound of lights turning on, echoed through the tunnel, and they saw the light shining on a well with a rope.
"The lights just turned on, that's a good sign, right?" Chopper asked.
"Depends." Mina said. "What's gonna come out of that well?"
"But why would they shine a spotlight on this old well?" Ussop questioned, as they went to investigate it. "It's weird."
"Everyone get back, away from the well." Mina said, before the rope began to move.
Nami, and Ussop jumped back from the well, frightened at what might be coming up from the depths of the well, in front of the mansions front doors.
"Oh no, what is it now?" Nami questioned.
Within seconds of the question being asked, a blonde woman with bob cut hair, with stitches on her face, and purple lifeless eyes, spring from the well, her feet in the bucket, wearing a pink dress with a feather boa, and holding ten plates in her hands.
"Welcome." She said.
"AAAHHH." Chopper, Nami, and Ussop freaked, while Eri was on Mina's back, with the pink haired girl on high alert, as the blonde raised one of the plates.
"One, two, three." She counted off, throwing the plates, aiming for Ussop. "An' four, five."
"This crazy woman is throwing plates." Ussop said covering himself to shield his body from the plate throwing.
"Six, seven…"
"Lady, what's your problem?" Mina questioned, all seven thrown plates, stacked neatly in her hand. "Why are you throwing them at my friend?"
"Why you ask?" The blonde asked. "Because he alone, is not allowed to enter the mansion. You four are just fine though." She said, pointing to everyone but Ussop.
"I'm confused." Chopper and Nami said.
"Apparently, she's got some sort of beef against all men." Mina said, understanding what the blonde was saying.
"Now you, get out." She stated, before throwing two more plates. "Eight, nine."
"Stop it. That's enough." A voice came from behind the doors of the mansion, as Mina caught the two thrown plates.
"What?" Nami questioned.
"Please, nothing scary." Chopper said in fear, before the doors began to open, and the shadow of a man, sprawled out on the floor.
"Ehhh… hope he doesn't throw plates."
"We can make an exception, just this once, can't we Cindry?" The man questioned, stepping out of the doorway.
Standing in the doorway was a man with a round torso, very thin arms and legs, a somewhat long nose resembling a knife, and he has notably sharp and long canine teeth and ears. On his face was a prominent scar in the shape of a semi-circle, going above his eyes and connects both corners of his grinning mouth. His black hair was slicked back, and on the left side of his neck is a black tattoo consisting of two slashes connected to two swirls lying side-by-side on his shoulder. He wore a fishnet vest, purple leather pants, a thick black tie, and a pair of purple gloves, covering his long, claw-like fingers. He also wears a white surgical mask under his chin, a pair of very small black gold-rimmed sunglasses, a violet feathery cape that is black on the inside, and a pair of purple high-heeled boots.
"Forgive me if we startled you." The man said. "You must excuse her. You see, she was once engaged to a wealthy man, but to test his love, she shattered ten plates from his cherished dining set. Sadly, he then called off the engagement. Cast out of her home in disgrace, she has become my personal servant with a boundless plate grudge."
"I don't really care." Ussop stated.
"An' as you may have already surmised, I am the long missing, world-famous surgeon Dr. Hogback. A genius in the eyes of many." He cheered before laughing.
"Ten." Cindry called out, throwing the final plate, and hitting Ussop.
"Oops, my bad." Mina said.
"To be fair Mina, you're having trouble carrying those nine plates already." Ussop groaned, picking himself up. "So it's no trouble at all."
"Hey Cindry." Hogback said, turning to his assistant. "We went over this! I said he could come inside. When you don't listen to me, then I look like a fool in front of our guests."
Cindry was silent for a moment, making Hogback nervous, before her pupils shrank.
"I wish every last plate in this world, would disappear." Cindry exclaimed.
"I got it! You don't have to tell me!" Dr. Hogback stated. "I mean I just got done explaining it, didn't I?"
While he was busy scolding Cindry, Mina put the plates down, and went to her friends side.
"So Chopper, that's who you were talking about?" Ussop questioned.
"D-Doctor Hogback. It's really him!" Chopper said happily.
"Doesn't look like a genius to me." Nami said.
"Shut up, Nami." Chopper exclaimed.
"I'll make an exception this once." Cindry said, drawing their attention to her, as she reached the top of the stairs. "All five of you may enter, we'll continue our conversation inside. Follow me."
"Uh, and there you have it. Please make yourselves at home." Hogback said.
"After you Doctor, it is your home, we wouldn't want to be rude." Mina said.
"Thank you my dear." Hogback smiled kindly before leading the way, into the mansion.
"I still don't get why she hates me so much, but whatever." Ussop said. "I guess at least we get to go in now."
"Right, anything's better then that creepy forest." Nami said.
"You two coming or what?" Mina asked.
Ussop and Nami looked up to see Mina with Chopper walking past her, excitedly with Eri on his back.
"Chopper's already inside, and Dr. Hogback's agreed to take a look at Eri's injury." Mina said.
"We're coming." Ussop said.
~Later~
"Hmm… this is certainly a level 3 sprain. But the treatment on it's so well done, and was expertly performed. She should be fine, after a few weeks of rest and recovery. It doesn't look like she'll need surgery for it either." Dr. Hogback said, examining Eri's ankle.
Currently, as Dr. Hogback was taking a look at Eri's injury, the others were sitting at the table, watching how the genius worked and treated his patients.
"Do you think there's a chance surgery might be required though? I don't have any of my tools with me, so I could do a proper inspection of her ankle." Chopper said.
"Oh no my dear Dr. Chopper. Even though surgery is sometimes needed for a level 3 sprain, this little one won't need it for her injury. Just be sure she keeps off it for the first week of rest, and have her do some light, but active exercises to reduce the swelling and pain during the other two weeks." Dr. Hogback said, putting a brace on Eri's ankle. "She should be able to move around on her own just fine with this brace, so long as she wears it. But don't be too active right away now. We don't want to worsen that injury."
"I appreciate your help Dr. Hogback." Mina said.
"Please, what kind of Doctor would I be, if I turned away a patient in need?" Hogback questioned, taking a seat at the head of the table. "But that being said, it's quite rare for me to receive guests, but my, you certainly are filthy. Was it a stressful trip?"
"Well, yes. But it's sort of a long story." Nami began, looking to Chopper. "We uh…"
"Go ahead Nami. I can talk to him about Doctor stuff later." Chopper encouraged. "We were attacked by a bunch of Zombies in the forest, so we ran away, and came here to take shelter."
"Zombie's huh?"
"We also saw a bunch of crazy monsters that were straight out of a horror story." Ussop began. "What the hell is up with this crazy island? I mean, you live here right? You got to know something."
"Swear." Eri said, holding her jar to Ussop.
"Eri, it's fine to do this with Ussop, Nami, and Chopper, but don't hold the jar out to Dr. Hogback if he swears, this is his home, as we're his guests." Mina said.
"Okay Mama." Eri said as Ussop put two coins in the jar.
"Oh my, such adorable behavior." Hogback said, before getting back to the subject at hand. "So these beasts were chasing you were they? An' yet you still made it here on one piece. Quite impressive."
"Actually, we weren't actually chased after we left the graveyard." Nami said. "Mina fought them all off, and even destroyed them, before we made our way here."
"Oh, you did, did you?" Hogback asked, looking to Mina. "Well I must commend you for your survival instincts, but I'm afraid you've set my research back by quite a few years."
"I'm sorry." Mina said.
"The Fight of Flight response is only a natural reaction to danger. No need for apologies my dear." Hogback said. "But to answer your question, I don't know much about those creatures either, which is precisely why I'm here."
"Oh, you mean you're studying Zombies?" Chopper asked. "It's a brand new realm of medical research."
"Yes, indeed!" Hogback said, jumping to his feet. "Although most people associate Zombies with fear, what if you think of them in terms of someone who's come back from the dead? Then it's a miracle, the dream of all doctors."
"What are you getting to Dr. Hogback?" Mina asked.
"Everyone in this world, has a loved one they'd like to see come back to life! Why that's human nature. An' yet the medical community condemns it. Madness they call it. I'm trying to play God, they say. That's why I disappeared from society, so I could continue my research in seclusion on this island, without interruption!"
"Oh wow. So I finally found out the truth!" Chopper said. "But just think, if your research here is a success, then you're going to bring happiness to thousands of people, all over the world. As a Doctor myself sir, I'm behind you all the way!"
"How open minded. Why, thank you, Doctor Chopper." Hogback said.
"Even if you acknowledge me as a Doctor, you won't get on my good side, you big dummy." Chopper said, hiding his face, before doing a little dance on his chair.
"Is Chopper usually like this when someone compliments him?" Eri asked Nami.
"Yep. You should have seen him on Drum Island. It was amazing." Nami chuckled.
"C-could I have your autograph?" Chopper asked Hogback, holding up a big piece of paper.
"Oh of course." Hogback said. "To my dear, Dr. Chopper." He spoke aloud, as he wrote it down on the paper.
"So do you think you could give me, a little tour of your lab later?" Chopper asked excitedly, before he became scared, as Dr. Hogback got in his face.
"No one, and I mean no one, can look inside my lab." Hogback said.
"Uh-huh." Chopper nodded.
"Pardon me for saying this Dr. Hogback. But I think you should stop this research of bringing the dead back to life." Mina said.
"Huh? But why say that Mina?" Chopper asked.
"Don't get me wrong, I honestly think what he's doing is noble, and could make a lot of people happy." Mina said. "Kaen's mother is also a Doctor, and she's quite skilled in her profession as well, despite having only been a Doctor for a few years." Mina said. "An' even she, would agree that what you are doing would be noble of you. Even I wish, my grandfather could be brought back from the dead."
"Then you understand that…"
"Even so. I cannot condone the practice." Mina said. "Yes, it's hard for people to accept loss. There are plenty, who wish their loved ones, could rise from their graves. But we only get one life, and that's what makes it so special, because we it's the only life we have, and we should live the most we can of it. Death is just part of the great circle of life, and to disrupt that circle, would be to invite chaos into our lives."
"I suppose you do make a valid point there Young Lady." Hogback said. "You view the world as it truly is, and accept it, flaws and all, while I remain stuck in the past, wanting to fix this one inescapable flaw." He sighed, thinking deeply on what Mina said, before several servings of Flan, were put on the table. "Ah, come on here Cindry, can't you at least use a plate? Is that too much to ask?"
"I wish every last plate in this world, would disappear." Cindry said.
"She could have at least used a bowl for the flan if she didn't want to use plates." Mina said.
"Well, this sort of thing does tend to happen, so rest assured, I'm always quite adamant about keeping the table cloth clean." Hogback said.
"Okay, I'll eat then." Ussop, Chopper, and Eri began eating the flan off the table, with their mouths, like Dr. Hogback.
"You could still use a spoon, you idiots." Nami said.
"Let them be Nami, they're just having fun." Mina said, using her Ki as telekinesis to eat her flan.
"It's so sweet, I love it." Chopper said.
"I've prepared a bath for you." Cindry said. "Since you're all filthy, you should all take one, before you go to bed."
"I almost forgot to ask you." Ussop said. "There's someone else who came to this island before us."
"That's right." Mina said. "This may sound crazy, but have you seen a skeleton roaming around today?"
"A skeleton?" Hogback asked.
"He's kinda tall, has a black afro, and was in a really good mood for a dead guy." Mina stated.
"Course, even for this place, I know it'd still be weird to see a skeleton walking around, and talking. So you sure he didn't come by?" Ussop asked.
"Never seen him." Hogback said, after a moment of silence.
"Alright then, it's no big deal." Ussop said.
'His body language tells another story.' Mina thought. 'I appreciate what he's done for Eri, but I get the feeling, Dr. Hogback, isn't as good natured as he claims to be. I can't say anything now, it'll break Chopper's little heart to hear his hero is nothing but a phony.'
~A/N~
For those of you wondering. I am still working on the actual Saiyan Heroes of U.A story, but I am currently working through a bad patch of writers block.
Also… would anyone object, if I put Shallot in Saiyan Heroes on the Grandline, or my Saiyan Heroes of U.A?