A/N: Hello, I do hope you like this chapter and story and will continue reading.
2067 words
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or its characters
Chapter Fifteen: Fifthmate
Luffy's POV
Stretching my arms to the snow-covered roof, I pulled myself up. "Why are you hiding Chopper? No one will call you a monster or raise their weapons at you" I was curious as to why he was hiding.
"I'm hiding because you won't stop pestering me!"
"I'm not leaving Drum Island without you Chopper, there's no other Doctor in the World that I want on my Crew" except maybe him, but he's a Captain of his own Crew. "I won't force you to join, I never will, I want you to join of your own free will"
I started chasing Chopper when he rushed off in a cloud of snow.
Third Person POV
Dalton fell to his knees from exhaustion. There was no other reason besides that because Luffy had healed his wounds before he went to find Chopper. "Are you alright, Dalton?!"
"I'm fine, I'm just exhausted" he answered the frightened/concerned Princess. "Hey, guys"
Everyone was terrified to see Kureha, everyone but the small group of Zoro, Usopp, Vivi, and Dalton anyway. "Are you brats happy? Take the man to one of the empty bedrooms so he can rest"
"Thank you for helping me earlier"
"No problem, is anyone injured?"
"No ma'am!" the Villagers yelled in fear. "Then stop gawkin' and talkin' and get the man inside!" she advised them.
Inside the walls of the Castle, Sanji advised Nami to stay until she was completely healed.
"Be quiet! If we don't leave now, we can't leave to Alabasta for another two days! Do you want to keep seeing Vivi suffer?!" that was a bit cold, using a woman's feelings on a chivalrous man.
"Stop mumbling complaints and get back to the Medical Ward!" Kureha told the duo. They were shocked/terrified to see her pop up so suddenly. Especially when her 'popping up' included kicking a hole in the wall that they were hiding behind.
Zoro started training with a Sword Luffy gave him, the Tizona or Tizón. Usopp was doing something he thinks is fun in the snow, making a snowman while he sings about being 'Captain Usopp'.
Inside the Castle though, things were going much worse for those listening to and/or experiencing Kureha's work. The buzz of a Saw, the flashing lights from something cutting into metal, whirring of a screwdriver, the cracking of bones, and Sanji's screams terrified the others who were outside the room.
"As I thought, he got worse from the overexertion" Kureha said to herself when she walked out of the Medical Ward. She gulped down some of her drink when she was in the room Dalton and Nami were put up in. It was the same room the Villagers and Vivi were waiting in.
"Where is the key to the Arsenal? You know where it is, right? If you don't, I can drag Luffy here and make him open it for me" Kureha asked the exhausted man. "Why do you need the key?"
"Now that isn't any of your business, is it?" Kureha shot back before drinking more.
"Long ago, it was always carried by Wapol. It flew off with him if that is still the case" the Guard answered her tiredly.
"About the treatment fee for the Crew, Doctorine" Nami started, getting the Doctor's attention. "Would you make it free and release me right away?"
"Your Captain already told me that he has the fee ready for me. I don't really expect much from someone who knows little about medicine… if you want an early release you have to make what you are offering good. What are you offering?"
"You should rest more Nami!" Vivi told the girl. She was going to continue but stopped when Nami twirled a key around her finger. "You need this key, don't you? The key to the Arsenal" Nami asked.
"How do you have that key?!" Dalton sat up in shock. "How did you get the real key?!" Kureha asked her.
"I'm a Thief. I stole from Pirates in the East Blue since I was eight, stealing this key was easy for 'Black Cat' Nami!" Nami stuck her tongue out, one eye closed.
"You sure have guts, dictating terms like that with me; you really are an unbelievable girl" Kureha said, leaning towards the Navigator. "Alright, if your Captain's gift doesn't cut it, you don't have to pay the fee. That is all I am going to agree to though. Even if your Captain knows his way around simple diseases and medical problems"
Since the chance at an early discharge was the only reason she showed her the key, Nami asked for the key back. "I have to take care of something right now, little girl. I can't really post any guards and that man's back treatment is complete. Don't you dare think of escaping!" the woman warned, pointing at Nami.
"I need you guys for heavy lifting, so you're coming with me. Think of it as payment for giving Dalton a place to rest till he's feeling better" Kureha told the Villagers.
"Of course, ma'am!"
"So, basically, take this chance to grab Sanji and escape while she's busy doing something else" Nami summarized with a shrug as the door closed. "That's… what it sounded like" Vivi agreed in confusion.
Time Skip: Night
Outside, on the roof, Chopper panted in exhaustion from running around all day. It had turned nighttime before he even realized it. "I don't hear any voices… it looks like they're gone… it's for the best since I can't leave this place. It's a full Moon tonight…"
Luffy's POV
"Chopper! I know you can hear me!" I yelled into the chilly snowfall. "Join my Crew, Chopper! I know you want to find the Panacea! I can help you with that if you come with us!"
Usopp: "Just give up already Luffy"
Zoro: "What's a 'Panacea'?"
"The Panacea is a remedy that cures all diseases, Chopper wants to find, well create, it" I smiled. "Come on Chopper! If you have a dream that can't be achieved on your Birth Island and follow the simple rules I told you about, you can join our Crew"
*Crunch* Turning around, I saw Chopper. "Chopper!" I smiled happily. "Join our Crew Chopper?!"
"That's not possible!"
"Of course it is Chopper! If you want to do something, you should do it!"
"But… I'm a Reindeer! I have antlers and hooves! I even have a blue nose!" those are odd reasons to not join our Crew.
"I do want to be a Pirate, but… I'm not Human! I'm a monster! I can't be your friend! I just came to thank you" he bowed his head making me frown. "I do appreciate you asking me to join your Crew. I'll stay here, but one day… if you feel like it, can you stop by aga…"
"Let's go!" throwing my arms in the air, my hat falling off. I heard him wailing after a while, but it sounded happy.
"I'm glad I gave Chopper the gifts for Dr. Kureha and Dalton" I smiled happily from atop a ball of snow. I wanted to sit down and figured rolling up a ball of snow would be a good seat. I'll be busy rolling it, so I won't be bored either. "What did you get her anyway?"
"It's a secret!" I smiled at Vivi, finger over my closed mouth. "That's not fair, I wanted to know to!" Nami pouted.
Usopp: "We really won't be saying goodbye to anyone?"
"That's right! Once Chopper gets here we're heading down the Mountain and setting sail?" as quick as always. That's a good idea though, it's almost daybreak. "You're fine with that, aren't you Vivi?"
"Yes, since a Doctor is coming with us"
"I'll get the ropeway ready! You're helping Luffy"
Pushing off the monstrously large ball of snow, I followed my Sharpshooter to the stairs.
Third Person POV
"Doctorine! Dalton!" Chopper yelled as he ran into the room the two were in.
He was carrying two gift wrapped boxes in his Heavy Point form as it was the easiest way to carry them. One was a rectangular Daisy white box with a Violet purple ribbon, the other was big with shiny Charcoal grey wrapping paper and a Shamrock and Parakeet green ribbon.
"Luffy asked me to give these to you when I tell you goodbye" Chopper said. He gave the grey box to Dalton and the white box to Kureha. "Go downstairs and help the Villagers take out the Cannons, Chopper"
"I'm going with Luffy to be a Doctor on their ship like Dr. Hiluluk wanted me to be!"
"What?!"
Chopper repeated himself before she told him that he can't. "Pirates are good for nothings, albeit strong. You'll be dead in no time"
That made Chopper remember something that Luffy told him about Pirates. While trying to convince him to join his Crew, Luffy said:
"Many dreams can't be achieved from where you live alone. Being a Pirate gives you the freedom to pursue your dreams, no matter how big, small, or 'crazy' they are"
"If I die pursuing my dream, it's fine!"
"I've never heard of a Reindeer going out to sea! It's ridiculous" Kureha told him. "I may be a Reindeer, but I am also a man! I am going out to see with Luffy and the others" Chopper declared.
The declaration surprised Kureha because she never thought the Reindeer's heart would heal enough for him to say that. Especially this soon.
Chopper ran from Kureha when she started throwing stuff at him. It scared him, but it was her way of giving him permission. "Come back here Chopper!"
Luffy's POV
"Get on the Sleigh, everyone! We'll go down the Mountain!" Chopper yelled at us. So, in other words, we got the Gondola ready for nothing. "Chopper!"
Dr. Kureha threw a Spiked Ball and Chain at Chopper, missing completely. It still scared everyone though.
We got into the Sleigh just in time. I was glad that I made it on the Sleigh in time, I wouldn't want to dangle from it, even if it might be fun.
"Yahoo! That was fun!" I cheered as Chopper ran through the Forest to the ship. "I-I thought I was going to die!" Usopp worried. "W-Where am I?"
"You're on a Sleigh Sanji! Where else would you be?!" I smiled happily.
"You came to, Sanji?!" Vivi sounded happy to see that he was awake.
I told Chopper to stop when I heard Cannon fire. "Why Luffy?" Nami asked when Chopper slowed down. "Don't you hear the Cannon fire?! We should leave now!" Usopp worried.
"You don't want to miss it, do you? Just look at Drum Castle" I smiled when the Sleigh stopped. We all looked towards Drum Castle before it lit up. "Amazing!"
I heard Chopper cry out 'Doctor… Doctorine…' making me smile. He was happy to see what Hiluluk and Kureha did. This was something that my father did when an epidemic swept this Country every two years.
The Drum Rockies Mountain that the Castle rests on, looked like a Cherry Blossom Tree.
Third Person POV
"Are you sure it was okay to bid farewell like that?" Dalton asked the Doctor as she looked over the Forest.
"A pet that I was taking care of is being taken care of by someone else now. That's all there is to it. I don't like tears" the woman answered, tears trickling down her face. Dalton smiled before Kureha turned to him.
"Why did you bring those out?"
"When do you want to open them?" Dalton asked, gesturing to the gifts in his hands.
"I have a surprise for the group, I'll open mine then" she answered. "I will to then, ow!" he complained when the woman patted his chest rather hard. "Come on, you're gonna help me with the surprise!"
The Cannons swung so they were pointing to the sky. "Are you ready men?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Fire!"
The Cannons were fired before Dalton asked what this was about. "Just be quiet and watch, Dalton"
"We shot all of them off, Dr. Kureha!" a Villager announced. "Let there be light!"
"This is amazing…" Dalton said in awe of the pink color the snow was turning to. "I can't understand what that idiot was thinking… 'I will make Cherry Blossoms bloom. Once my invention is completed, this Country will be saved!'"
'Have a safe trip, my stupid son!'
A/N: Hello, I finished writing this at 11:17 P.M. on October 24, 2018.
I do hope you like this chapter and will continue reading.
