"Nami!" Chopper's high-pitched voice cut through the dark evening like a hot knife through butter, or possibly the soprano through the bass of a song. "Can you hear the bells?"

Nami blinked, righting herself from the captivating warmth of Law's side. "What do you mean?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her favourite reindeer in the world.

"There are sleighbells somewhere! I can hear the tinkle of silver bells!"

Nami cocked her head, trying to discern something above the whispering wind. "Are you sure?"

Her heart clenched at Chopper's uncertain face, his nose twitching. "I- I was sure…"

Law frowned beside them, hat dragged down by the movement. "I think I can hear something. A deep clamour, like brazen bells."

Chopper brightened considerably. "If Law says so, it has to be true!"

"Hey! You don't trust me?" Nami asked in mock offense. "I'm kidding," she hurried to assure Chopper as his face fell one again. "But I have an idea…"

Nami tightened her grip, rising with Chopper in her arms. "Let's go up the crow's nest to see. Maybe we can hear it, whatever it is, from there."

Chopper gave a delighted squeal and jumped down, rushing towards the mast. With a high jump he transformed, legs lengthening and horns sharp, as his jumping point took him to the very top in a few leaps.

"Law-kun–" But once Nami turned, Law had disappeared.

Traitor.

The rigging was stiff, ice cutting into her bare hands the higher she went. It didn't get easier with the sudden increase in snow, big wet flakes clinging to her cheeks and hands. Once she got up to the very top, she joined Chopper, perched on the roof, his hands securely wrapped around the mast.

"Hear anything?" Nami asked, trying to breathe life into her hands.

"No…" Chopper said, trying to squint into the darkness, uncaring for the twinkling crystals forming in his fur. The very air seemed to twinkle and tinkle in time with the snow that filled the world. The snowflakes up here were small and sharp, all clear edges and geometric patterns.

"Sometimes you can hear the sea swell below, the ice creaking and groaning. Was it something like that?" Nami asked, leaning on the banister. The stars above were small pinpricks, flickering in and out of focus as snow fell around them.

"No, it was sleighbells! I should know, I drove Doctorine's sleigh for years," Chopper said, sounding as offended as he ever did. Which was not very much at all.

"I didn't know she was one for such frivolity," Nami said, surprise colouring her voice.

"I think it was mostly for me," Chopper admitted, turning small and clinging to the mast with his whole body. "I was so scared the first times she asked me to go down the mountain…"

Nami gave a sympathetic hum, ruffling his fur. "But they helped you?"

"Yes," Chopper said with a smile. "The jingle-jangle was so merry and fun to listen to. I could even make them jingle in tune if I tried hard enough."

"That's lovely!" Nami exclaimed. "You have to show us one day."

Suddenly, the snow around became a wall of white, wind picking up. If Nami didn't still have her hand on Chopper's shoulder she would have lost him in the blizzard.

And somewhere above them, Nami heard the passing golden chimes of large sleighbells, entwined with the light silver tintinnabulation of carillon.

"Chopper!" she breathed, trying to follow the sound as it passed somewhere high above, hidden in the onding. A distant clicking faded away in the distance, timing the chimes.

And then a deep bellow echoed through the night sky.

"I knew it! And- and-" Chopper stuttered. "I can hear reindeer!"

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