Sanji fell asleep that morning in the kitchen, using a dishtowel as a pillow. He was later rudely awakened by Luffy, who had wandered in for lunch. Sanji glanced outside at the sun and agreed that it was time to make lunch.

"Why were you sleeping in the kitchen, Sanji?" Luffy asked, grinning as he drummed his hands on the kitchen table and the cook began to prepare lunch. "Were you trying to be funny?"

Sanji glared at him. "I was tired and the kitchen was the most convenient place to sleep."

"Why didn't you go to bed?"

"This is closer," he muttered. Of course, due to the bright sun, he couldn't go outside unless he wanted to be burned to a crisp—but he didn't mention this to Luffy.

"Do you know if anyone's getting lunch somewhere else?"

Luffy put a finger to his chin. "Uh . . . I think . . . Nami and Robin are in town . . . and Franky too . . . and I dunno about Zoro, but everyone else is here!"

"All right. Hey, do me a favor and go find moss-head—just check to see if he's on the ship. Can you handle that?"

Luffy nodded and ran out of the room. By the time he returned, Sanji had finished the sandwiches. He looked up. "Well?"

"Zoro's not here."

"Good, I didn't make any for him anyway. Now go get the others."

Luffy whined, but Sanji kicked him out of the kitchen. Usopp and Chopper came in a minute later, following Luffy. The three sat at the table while Sanji served up the sandwiches.

"Have you been in here all morning, Sanji?" Usopp asked through his sandwich. "I haven't seen you around."

"Shanji wash shleepin' on the floor!" Luffy said, trying to speak around the sandwich in his mouth.

"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" Chopper asked curiously.

Sanji gave the same excuse he'd given Luffy.

"Sanji, next time just go to bed! Sleeping on the floor's not good for your health!"

"I'll be fine," Sanji said, yawning hugely.

Chopper frowned. "Are you sure you're okay? You still seem really pale, and you look really sleepy."

"I told you, I'm f-f-fine," Sanji repeated, yawning in the middle of his sentence.

Chopper pulled out a stethoscope and ran behind the counter to Sanji. "Let me listen to your heart, Sanji! I need to give you a checkup!"

Sanji dodged the stethoscope. "Oi!"

"Hold still!"

"I told you, I'm fine!" As he dodged Chopper's stethoscope attacks, Sanji pressed two fingers to his neck to confirm what he already knew: That his heart was not beating.

"This'll only take a few seconds!" Chopper exclaimed, trying again and again, to no avail, to listen to Sanji's still heart.

"Go Chopper, go!" Luffy and Usopp cheered, waving flags at the table.

"You two go away!" Sanji yelled, now dodging Chopper's hypodermic needle as he tried to sedate Sanji. "Chopper, I swear to god if you don't cut it out you're not getting dinner!"

Chopper stopped. He looked up at Sanji with pleading, wet eyes. "N-No dinner . . . ?"

Sanji held up his hands. "S-Sorry, just kidding, of course you get dinner—"

"Okay!"

And he began his stethoscope/needle attacks with renewed vigor.

Eventually, Chopper changed into Heavy Point and sat on Sanji, thus pinning him to the floor. Luffy and Usopp cheered, sitting on the counter and watching the spectacle, the sandwiches gone.

"Let me go! Oi!" Sanji squirmed under Chopper's weight. He briefly considered using his new mind-control powers, but he banished the idea, due to the fact that he was not used to them yet and that would make it all the more obvious that something was up with him.

Chopper readied his stethoscope. "Okay, just give me a minute!"

The rounded end came closer and closer to Sanji's skin. He wriggled and twisted, but he was stuck under the doctor, there was no escape now, they would all find out—

"What's going on?"

Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper looked around to see Nami entering the kitchen. "What the hell?" Nami asked. "Where's Sanji-kun?"

"Down here, Nami-swan!" Sanji's eyes became hearts and he turned his head around, trying to catch a glimpse of his beloved.

Nami peered over the counter. "Sanji-kun! Chopper! What—?"

"I think Sanji's sick!" Chopper said. "I'm trying to check his heart, but he wouldn't let me."

"Uh-huh," Nami said. "Well, I was hoping to get someone's help with the packages, but if Sanji-kun's busy . . ."

Sanji started to squirm. "Of course I'll help, Nami-swan, but this guy won't let me up!"

"Just let me check your heart!"

"As soon as possible, Sanji-kun."

"Sanji, come back as soon as possible, okay?" Chopper yelled as Sanji left the kitchen. Sanji raised a hand in response.

He had covered his head, neck, and hands with dishtowels in order to protect himself from the sun. He had excused this by saying that if he was sick, then he should stay covered up outside. Chopper had seemed suspicious of this, but let it go.

After he helped Nami carry in the packages, he hurried back to the kitchen, shut the door, and tore off the dishtowels. To his dismay, Luffy and Usopp had left, but Chopper was still there with his stethoscope. Before he could do anything, the doctor had grabbed him (in Heavy Point) and sat on him again.

"You can't just tie me to a chair!?" Sanji complained.

Chopper lowered his stethoscope, tugged down the collar of Sanji's shirt, and pressed the metal end to his skin. Sanji flinched at the cold metal. Chopper frowned, moving the instrument around as he tried to locate the place.

"I can't find it," he muttered finally. "Sanji, why can't I find your heartbeat?"