Carrot and Chopper

by Ben10Extreme

During the Raid of Onigashima, several things go a bit differently. Carrot won't let Perospero get away so easily after his insults towards Pedro, and Chopper finds himself a major underdog against a new unexpected, powerful arrival on the battlefield. Can the duo overcome the opponents in their way?

Look at this, a One Piece one-shot.

Admittedly a slightly self-indulgent one, focused on my two OP favorite characters, Carrot and Chopper!

It's pretty simple, their own battles focused on during the Raid of Onigashima. Except things go a bit...differently. Not that it'll inherently make their battles any easier, but just maybe, these two can defeat the enemies that stand before them.

Let's see!

Beta: EmperorLuffy

He was a big help!

---

I can't move…

The sounds of battle assaulted Carrot's ears, but she couldn't bring herself to process them fully. Her ears were still ringing, and the wracking pain her body was in was still keeping her from moving. She was fading in and out of consciousness, just barely holding onto the waking world. Off to her side, Wanda was somewhat in the same state, growling angrily. But at the moment, Carrot's ears drooped lower to the ground once she saw the state she was in.

They failed.

They couldn't defeat Perospero.

Carrot never expected it to be easy, given that he was the eldest offspring of Big Mom and one with a tricky Devil Fruit power to fight against. Even so, she couldn't help but feel like they had a smidgen of a chance of beating him, had they just utilized the timing of their Sulong forms properly. The moon was covered by clouds at the worst possible time, and it cost them the fight.

Something like that, managed to completely negate their efforts up to that point. It was always a possibility; one a mink should always account for. But Carrot clenched her fists and grits her teeth at it all regardless. This was the one time, the one time, that she would hope that such an element didn't ruin her chances of defeating her enemy. And yet, it happened. Now she lay on the ground, weakened and beaten, unable to do a thing as her enemy taunted both her and Wanda before walking away.

"Avenge Pedro?! That bastard deserved to die!"

"Did you guys come to the Big Mom Pirates' territory to have a picnic or something?!"

"If you don't want your friends to die, why don't you munch on grass in a forest?!"

"That's what suits you! Pero!"

Carrot clenched her eyes shut as tears left them, clenching her hands until they began bleeding. She wasn't fully aware of whether or not she was conscious at this point, but she was certain she was feeling white hot rage and humiliation throughout her entire body.

"Don't you…dare…leave…" She uttered, her body shivering from the pain of her bruises.

Move.

"Get…back…here…" She muttered, her ears drooping at her seeming weakness.

Get up, Carrot.

"We're…not…done...!" She snarled, propping herself up on her arms at this man's audacity to just leave her lying there in the dirt.

You can't let him badmouth Pedro like that.

"Take it back…take it back…!" She growled as she eventually pushed herself up on her knees, unwilling to let the insults towards her deceased mentor and the friends that stood by her go unanswered.

Not after all he's done for us.

How long had she been unconscious? Two minutes? Five? Ten? A lot of things could happen within either of those timeframes, but what matters is that Carrot was able to shake herself awake finally. She looked to the side and could see that Wanda was in much of the same state, cradling her arm.

"Damn it…where is that candy licking bastard? We're not through!" Wanda snarled as she grimaced from the pain of her wounds, but at least she was conscious again. She was already sniffing out for Perosphero, but the various other scents from the chaotic battle around them kept her from focusing on a specific one. "Carrot, can you stand up?"

Carrot's body was in pain, stinging all over every time she moved. But that didn't matter to her. None of that mattered to her. Her core focus right now was catching up to Perospero. He couldn't just disrespect Pedro like that, nor her friends. She can't just let that be the end of it, with her lying on the ground crying at her own helplessness.

No. That wouldn't be how this would go down. Not after everything she and her new friends have been through together. Her lying down crying and defeated on the ground, how could she face anyone after having been reduced to that from this confrontation. While some might have been content with her putting in the effort with her resolve to face Perosphero, she couldn't let herself be content with that. She shouldn't and wouldn't. Coming so far and having nothing to show for it but defeat, after all she's done for her friends?

It couldn't and wouldn't be. She wanted to contribute meaningfully, and she won't feel like she's done so until she's personally taken Perospero off of the board for good. He would surely ensure that trouble would come for her friends with his interference. She was supposed to lock him down and take him down so that he couldn't do so and support big Mom. And she swore that she would uphold that promise.

"I'm not…done. You can't just walk away from me…I'm not done with you, darn it…" Carrot snarls with gritted teeth. Despite the blood running down her face and the weakness in her legs, she resolutely presses forward, with Wanda readily supporting her. "I won't let you mess with them…we are NOT done…do you hear me; you candy licking jerk?! You're not getting away!"

---

Chopper was in a slight panic.

Well, slight was sort of an underestimation of the situation; he was panicking quite heavily, actually. It was one thing after another during this raid, and he wasn't sure if the chaos was going to stop anytime soon. All that he knew for certain, that he was in a bit of a bind.

It was bad enough that he had to deal with one of the leading commanders of the Beast Pirates, Queen. It was bad enough that he had to quickly come up with a cure for the Ice Oni infection before it spread too rapidly to contain. Fortunately, he was able to cure the latter in time, and Sanji had stepped in just in time to fight with Queen, taking much of the pressure off of Chopper. He held his own against him, but it was painfully obvious he was being toyed with the entire time. Best to let Sanji handle him.

Unfortunately, he's found himself faced with another opponent. One he was uncomfortably familiar with.

"Well, look at who we have here." Perosphero utters dangerously while twirling his cane, a sharpened look locked on the currently terrified and Chopper.

Why him? Why now?!

It was strange how some things played out. Sanji had just kicked Queen earlier and sent him spinning towards Perospero. Not many would know how much a simple dodge could change. And since Sanji kept Queen's attention on him, a newly treated Zoro was fighting King. He had no idea what happened to Nekomamushi He could have sworn he heard him nearby, but something managed to blindside him while he tried to attack him.

Which means against Perospero, Chopper was currently alone.

"You're the tanuki that helped Straw Hat make a mess out of Mama's territory!"

"I'm NOT a tanuki, dammit!" Chopper exclaimed with outrage and razor teeth. Honestly, he wondered if he needed to treat these guys' eyes or something. He looks nothing like a tanuki! Tanuki don't even have antlers! Do they? He was pretty sure…no! He was being gaslit! He was a reindeer damn it! "Seriously, have none of you even seen a reindeer before?!"

"Pero, not like it matters, anyway. You seem to be pretty tired…so why would I not take this chance?" Chopper paled as he saw the candy man pull back one of his arrows and launch an entirely new onslaught of candy arrows down upon him. He turned around and dodged around some of them, but the sheer amount of them was hitting nearby pirates and even some of the numbers. Having been cornered a bit, he deployed Guard Point to cushion some of the blows, though he still winced a bit at some of the impacts. Turning to normal, he hid behind one of the walls, panting quickly.

If he corners me, I'm done for! W-W-What if he turns me into a candy statue?! Chopper slapped his cheeks and shook his head. No, don't panic! Don't hyperventilate. Calm your breathing. Freaking out now is not going to help anything. You're just going to have to deal with it. Chopper pulled himself back to his feet, slightly peeking around the wall. I can't let him get to Miyagi and Tristan! I'm gonna have to fight him!

"Did you have fun, thinking that you would escape the consequences of messing with an Emperor's crew?" He could hear Perospero taunting, most likely to draw him out during a possible panic. He wouldn't fall for it. "You should have known that Mama doesn't let these things go so easily. You and Straw Hat were dead the moment she decided to chase you down. And now you're off thinking you can fight Kaido as well? Your streak of lucky breaks seems to have gone to all of your heads, so let me remind you of your place."

He's coming! Chopper stood up fully, prepared to move. And surely enough, another storm of candy arrows came raining down on him, forcing him to dash away from the target zone. Though when he briefly turned his head, his eyes widened once he realized that Perospero was coming down with a massive candy hammer and smashing the ground where he stood. "Gaaaaah!" The force of it was enough to send him flying, tumbling across the ground before coming to a stop, sliding. "Ugh…" He pushed himself back up, shaking his head. He heard something off to his right, and paled at what exactly it was.

"To think that I was knocked down like that. How humiliating."

Chopper recognized the member of the Sweet Commanders: Charlotte Smoothie. She was standing amidst various other members of the alliance that had tried to hinder her, only to have been wrung out and drained from the effects of her Devil Fruit. And off to the side, knocked into a wall, was Nekomamushi. He was blindsided by the arrival of the Sweet Commander, with how focused he was on attacking Perospero. He was currently trying to regain his bearings, with how she managed to pierce his side with her sword. As Chopper gazed up towards the sky, he also realized that the moon was being covered by clouds; Nekomamunshi was at a severe disadvantage like this.

"Smoothie! You managed to get here after all!" Perospero's cheer contrasted heavily with Chopper's growing terror, realizing the dire situation he was now placed in. "What about the others?"

"Me and my triplet sisters are unfortunately the only ones who managed to make their way back up. That damned Phoenix has gotten us good." Smoothie utters with disdain towards Marco for hindering them so heavily the second time after King.

Perospero sighed. "I see. Well, better than just me being here. You won't believe what I've had to deal with, putting up with being surrounded by wild animals." Perospero shot a look towards Chopper. "Vermin such as tanuki's and rabbits should really know better than to frolic outside of their safe forests, you know."

Something clicked immediately in Chopper's head, and a flash of Carrot's face crossed his mind. Suddenly, much of his fear of his predicament was forgotten, as he realized something dreadfully important.

"...Where is she? What did you do to Carrot?" Chopper utters as he is on his feet, much of his fearful shivering vanishing.

"Who? Oh, that little rabbit. I wouldn't know." Perospero shrugged, smiling. He knew the truth…but why tell an enemy that? "She was an angry little rabbit, thumping her feet over something that wasn't even my fault. She was misbehaving, so I had to go ahead and discipline her." His eyes flashed briefly with malice. "You know how it is with wild animals that get too out of hand. Sometimes you just have to put them down. Pero."

"...Kung Fu Point." Chopper shifts, looking more focused than ever, as he brings his arms together in a state of concentration. Perospero nearly mocked what exactly was supposed to do now but was immediately cut off when Chopper leaped towards him, his legs furthering his launch, and thus his momentum.

Too quick-!

"Air Force: Carving Hoof CROSS!"

A devastating blow hit Perospero in the chest, with such immense force that it left an X shaped imprint that made him double over in pain. Chopper landed on his feet, balanced on one foot. He could feel the incredible physical strength of Arm Point, and the jumping and agility of Jumping Point. Two aspects Kung Fu Point covered together only halfway, he could sense had doubled, possibly even quadrupled, with his intense focus. An attack that originally required Sanji's assistance, he could now do it on his own.

In a state of deep concentration, Chopper's innate understanding of his Devil Fruit deepened.

Chopper would have continued his assault, but a slash from Smoothie stopped him, cutting into his back and leaving him crashing into the ground.

"I don't quite appreciate being ignored." Smoothie utters, going to stab Chopper while he's on the ground, with him barely rolling out of the way. Unfortunately, that just led him right into Perospero's kick, making him cough and crash against a pillar.

"You're an irritating little tanuki, damn it that hurts…" Perospero hissed while standing back up with the help of his staff. "Give up. You're not getting out of this alive." Both Perospero and Smoothie prepared their weapons, with a candy shower from the former, and Smoothie prepared to stab Chopper. Chopper, blood running down his face from the impact, grit his teeth at being boxed in by their presence and powers.

ZAP!

Huh?

Chopper's eyes widened as flashes of electricity appeared before his eyes. And before his eyes, two Minks appeared to his aid.

Carrot landed an Electro empowered kick to Perospero's chest, where he had just been struck. And Wanda hand parried Smoothie's sword with her own, Electro surging around her as well.

Chopper, trying to regain his bearings, smiled softly. "Carrot…"

"You two again?! Damn it, I'm busy right now!" Perospero growls as he pushes Carrot off, firing a Candy Shower her way. She flips and dodges around the storm of blades, before she slashes the rest of them away with her claws.

"We're not done! You're not going anywhere or hurting more of my friends!" Carrot exclaimed while catching Perospero's staff in her hands when he tried to swing it at her; she used it to pivot and kick him across the face, channeling Electro through her legs. "I won't let you!"

"Grgh, you're a stubborn rodent, girl!" Perospero growled as a Candy Hammer morphed from the side and slammed into Carrot's side, launching her away from him for the moment. She landed on her feet, skidding to a stop, before continuing her dash towards him, eyes wild and yet focused.

Wanda and Smoothie broke apart from one another, with Wanda keeping close to Chopper. Smoothie clicked her tongue at this, before she turned to the side and saw Nekomamunshi attempting to charge towards Perospero while he was occupied. She didn't let him get far; a slash from her sword ended up leaving a viscous gash in his back, nearly making him fall over. "You shouldn't be pouncing about so randomly, cat. That's my brother you're lunging towards."

Nekomamunshi growled, his body surging with Electro, aggravation at being hindered like this. "You're in my way! No matter what happens to me, I'll avenge Pedro!"

"Avenge? The only person who deserves vengeance here, is Mama against Straw Hat. Pedro was a hindrance that got what was coming to him. You're hissing and screeching about the death of a mere mink is pointless and pitiful." Smoothie utters, with droplets of juice gently swirling around her sword. " It's about time someone declawed you. Maybe I'll ensure that by matching your lost paw with your other one."

There was a sudden slash, glowing with juices, and Nekomamunshi found a gash across his chest, gritting his fangs at how sharply and swiftly the pain lashed against him. His claws parried against her sword; their sharpness enhanced by Electro. Though it wasn't enough on its own to get past her defenses, especially when she puts her Devil Fruit powers into the mix to further throw him off. She swung her sword, and a sharp beam of juice launched from the swing, and slashed across Nekomamunshi's chest, leaving another gash across his chest. He retaliated with an Electro empowered claw swipe across her arm that blasted her a decent distance away. It irritated her, with her blood spurting.

"You'll soon learn, painfully, why I'm one of the three Sweet Commanders. And you will know your place, filthy beast."

Over to the side, Carrot was forced to leap back as Candy Shower was launched by Perospero, multiple spikes attempting to impale her. Electro danced along her arms as she turned on her heels, then leaping towards Perospero and clawing at him with Electro empowered claws. Perospero growled in annoyance as he twirled a Candy Hammer over his head and slammed it downwards, causing a shockwave to spread outwards. Carrot leaps over it and attempts to dive kick him with both feet. But he sneered as he swung a candy lasso around, binding her feet together.

"Too obvious!" He exclaimed as he pulled forth and swung the rope down, in turn slamming Carrot harshly into the ground.

"Agh…!"

"You're a naive little rabbit! You're hopping mad over something so foolish! You think I don't have better things to do than put up with your whining?!" He pulled on the rope and forcefully pulled Carrot towards him, before he formed his Candy Hammer and slammed it into her full force, a heavy impact that had her coughing blood. "You want some payback against me and thinking you can do it because you want to so badly! But face the facts! Wild animals never get what they want in the end!" He tugged on the rope again, and then slammed his hammer into her again, forcefully smashing her into the ground this time.

Ugh…my ears…are ringing…

She yelped as Perospero stomped his foot on the back of her head, eliciting a snarl for her as he pushed her face further against the ground. "Get it now, little rabbit? This is what suits you. Munching away on the grass and living quietly, not punching above your weight class. Hop and scamper in the wilds like you and your friends were meant to, so that stupid, pointless deaths like Pedro's wouldn't happen."

"...D-Don't…talk…like that…about…Pedro!" Carrot yelled and screamed at him, but he simply stomped on her head again when she tried resisting.

"Talk like what, huh? You don't want to hear the truth?" Perospero mocked with a cruel sneer. "Mama was being merciful with him, now that I'm thinking about it again. He could have spent the rest of his vastly shortened lifespan with you and your fellow forest creatures, rather than wasting it on a futile effort. Surely even an animal like yourself should be upset that he passed over that and chose such a pointless sacrifice that accomplished nothing but leaving you alone. Not that I care." Perospero sneered at Carrot whimpered, biting her lip and yelping as he grinds his foot onto her head again. He held up his staff, candy dripping across it, as a spike formed at the end. He aimed it for her head. "But you know what? FINE. Since you don't want to take my words seriously, if you miss him that damn badly, let me reunite you with him, right here and now!"

Carrot felt powerless. She closed her eyes as tears ran freely down her face.

I'm…too weak…I can't avenge him…sniff…I'm sorry, Pedro…I'm so sorry…!

"Air Force: Carving Hoof…"

Perospero was suddenly struck hard in the back, his eyes bulging out, and he nearly dropped his staff. Chopper had leapt towards him in Kung Fu Point and slammed both of his hooves against him, a deep imprint taking the shape of something.

"DIAMOND!"

"PEEEERRRRROOOO?!" Perospero exclaimed in shock as he was launched far across the field, before slamming into a wall, cratering it outwards and sending debris flying.

Chopper landed on his feet, shifting back as he glared in his direction. "Don't even think about it, you candy licking bastard." Chopper turned to Carrot and gently scooped her up in his arms while in Heavy Point. "Hang on, Carrot. We have to regroup for a little bit."

It didn't take long for Chopper to rendezvous with Tristan and Miyagi. And they were surrounded by enemies. "Gah! Dr. Miyagi! Tristan! Hang on, I'm-" He began…only for a spark of Electro to flash across the field and knocked many of the enemies down in moments. "...coming…?"

Milky slowly stands up, her hands dancing with Electro, as she turned to Chopper with a soft smile. "You have a lot of things to worry about, Doctor Chopper. I figured I can do my part and relieve one less burden on you."

"M-M-Milky?!" Chopper gaped in sheer surprise at how Milky just cleared a group of enemies in a few seconds. It reminded him that she was a Guardian, the same as Pedro. And the demonstration of that…well, if this were any other day, he'd have more time during to process why that was so attractive to him. But nevermind that! "T-Thanks! Miyagi! Tristan! Give me a hand with Carrot!"

The battle waged around them, as Milky and Wanda both did their parts to fend off anyone foolish enough to try to interfere with the medics while they were working. Blasts of Electro waves from both of them during the altercations ahead.

But at the moment, it all failed to reach Carrot, whilst the three medics were treating her wounds. Wanda, for her part, was angrily baring her fangs and her tail thumped anxiously while she kept guard, as Nekomamunshi was struggling against Charlotte Smoothie. Without Sulong he wouldn't last an extended battle with her, but his drive to attack Perospero refuses to let him fall so easily.

But even so.

"This is looking really bad. What do we do?" Chopper utters as he paces the ground, trying to think.

"...Chopper…"

"Huh?" Chopper was immediately alerted that something was wrong, when he wasn't called by Carrot's affectionate nickname for him. He turned to Carrot, seeing her sitting on her knees with her legs splayed out, her hair covering her eyes and her ears drooping down. He waddled up to her once he saw the shimmering stream and drops of tears leaving her eyes. The battlefield became mute to him at the time, all other worries were put to the side, just for a moment. "Carrot, what's wrong?"

Carrot clenched her hands on top of her legs, a subtle shaking could be seen all around her. "...I don't think…I can fight anymore…" Wanda's ears shot up a bit after hearing this, but she didn't take her eyes off the battlefield. Chopper remained focused on Carrot.

"Why not?"

Carrot sniffed as she stared blankly at her knees. "...I just…it's just…I couldn't do anything…to help Pedro. I was…no use to him at all. I didn't think something like that would happen, when I went out to see you, Luffy and the others. He wanted to turn around and bring me back home to keep me safe…!" Carrot whimpered as she brought her hands up to her face. "But I wanted to come along…I so badly wanted to go on my very first adventure outside of Zou. I really wanted to prove to him that I was ready…but I wasn't! I wasn't!" Carrot soon fell into sobs, her shoulders shaking as she lowered her head. "I-If I had k-known that he wouldn't come b-back with us…if I stayed behind…if t-that w-would mean he'd eventually come back home alive…I'd have just listened to him and went back like he wanted me to! He'd still be here! And now…now I can't even avenge his death…I can't even do that for him. Why did I even bother coming along for any of it if I couldn't do anything…" Carrot quietly whimpers while squinting her eyes shut. "…I'm just…I'm just…worthless."

The sounds of battle echoed around Carrot and Chopper, with Nekomamunshi clashing his claws with Charlotte Smoothie, a high-pressure blast of juice sending him across the field and slamming him through multiple pillars. Even far away Chopper could distantly hear Sanji kicking at Queen, or Zoro parrying strikes from King. All around, everyone was occupied, fighting desperately against their enemies, in an attempt to achieve their objectives no matter the cost.

But none of that reached Chopper. Sure, intellectually he could process all that information just fine, but his heart was focused on something else. The only thing that he could hear and sense with full clarity was Carrot's crying, and her feelings of sheer hopelessness and helplessness crashing down on her all at once. Her heart and spirit, not just her body…they were badly hurt.

Good thing Chopper was a doctor.

He waddled up to Carrot, until he was standing right in front of her. "...Carrot. I was kind of in a spot like yours. I wanted to prove myself to someone I saw as my mentor, and…my…" Chopper paused, taking a breath and biting his lip, before sighing and continuing. "...I was eager to prove myself to him after all he's done for me, but I badly messed it all up. I blamed myself…but…I realized that wasn't what he would have wanted for me." Chopper lightly placed both his hooves on Carrot's cheeks, so she could look at him. "Everything that he did, he chose to do with his own free will. He chose to believe in me…just like Pedro chose to believe in you." It came to Chopper that both of their mentors, who taught them the crux of their ideals, had their lives turn terminal, and they chose to end them on their own terms rather than have their students watch them slowly wither away.

Carrot softly blinked as she raised her head and eyes to look at Chopper properly, enough for him to see his reassuring and supportive smile.

"Pedro put his life on the line to help us rescue Sanji, and to help the rest of us escape from Big Mom. And even more than that, he made sure that you were able to escape with us. He believed you were strong, and that you'd be a big help to us. And that's exactly what you were." Chopper smiles warmly while wiping her tears. "It was with your help that we were able to beat Brulee. With your help, we managed to help save Sanji's family when he asked. With your help, we managed to hold back Big Mom's fleet when you wrecked their helms. I saw your Sulong form for the first time, and you were super strong! And all of that is just at the top of my head! That entire time, your strength was incredibly helpful. And do you know what that means?"

"W-What…does it mean…?" Carrot sniffled as Chopper took his hooves off her cheeks and lifted up her hands to hold them.

"Pedro was right to believe in you and trust you. Pedro letting you come with us, wasn't a mistake. You've been a big help to us ever since you came aboard our ship, and that means you are not worthless. So please, don't doubt yourself like that again." Chopper tilted his head and smiled. "Okay?"

Carrot's watery eyes looked into Chopper's and she sniffed slightly. She pulled away for a moment so she could wipe her eyes and nose as she composed herself. After doing so, she looks at Chopper again and nods slowly. "Okay…" With another sniff, she swiftly pulls him into a tight hug, squeezing quite hard. Chopper didn't mind, simply returning her hug and rubbing her back with one hoof and patting the top of her head with the other. They also nuzzled cheeks with one another, in a comforting show of affection, before Carrot sets Chopper down. "I'm…I'm alright. I…Sorry that you had to see me like that, Chobro. Just…gimme a second…that's all I need" She sniffed and cleaned up her face a bit more, before she narrowed her eyes and stood up, her body charging with Electro. "Then I'll beat down that candy licking jerk!"

"That's much better." Chopper declares with a pump of his arm and a supportive cheeky smile. Carrot smiles back and bumps fists with him. With that, he re-enters the fray, seeing that Milky was shocking someone else away with her Electro. He bursts in with Kung Fu Point. "Cherry Blossom!" He struck the nearest one, sending them embedded into the ground.

"Thank you, Doctor Chopper." Milky warmly thanks, and Chopper couldn't help but twirl and chuckle.

"Eh eh eh…woah, look out!" Chopper shifted into Heavy Point and took Milky up to avoid a deep slash that cut into the ground. "Whew! That was a close…waaaaaah?!" Chopper bawled as he realized he was carrying the surprised Milky in his arms, and hastily put her down. "S-Sorry about that…!"

"Our sister was speaking about a little Tanuki, and he just came right up to us! Saves us trouble!"

"What a foolish man."

Charlotte's Cinnamon and Citron blocked Chopper's way, while Carrot went on ahead. Chopper narrowed his eyes. "Damn it, I don't have time for this!"

"Allow me to help." Milky smiles sweetly to Chopper, before she turns to both sisters and dashes towards them, Electro flashing from her fingers as she clashes with Cinnamon's sword, sparks flying. "Do you mind making yourselves scarce? Some of my friends need to get through here." She parries two proceeding sword slashes with grace, jumping over one and blasting her with another burst of Electro, which she jumps back to avoid.

"And why would we go and do that?!"

"Just for the sake of manners!" Chopper exclaimed in Kung Fu Point as Citron exchanged kicks with him, which caused a shockwave in-between them. "I need to help Carrot! You two need to move, right now!"

"You're not to give us orders, tanuki man!" Cinnamon scoffed as she positioned her arm to strike at his back, only for Milky to parry the sword strike with her Electro infused hand.

"I'm sorry, but you're obstructing both Carrot and Chopper with this. They both have very important things to do. So can you please…" Milky smiles, having leaped and grabbed Cinnamon by her sword arm with how tall the latter was, before she slams both her Electro enhanced feet into Cinnamon's face. "...not interfere?"

"Cinnamon?!" Citron gasped as she looked back at Chopper and attempted to land a powerful axe kick, smashing the ground beneath her when she missed. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?!"

"After what happened with Pedro, your brother making Carrot cry, and everything your crew did Sanji, I decided that I do not CARE." Chopper firmly declares as he shifts to Heavy Point and slams his fist into the woman's face. "Heavy Gong!" The woman was sent sprawling from the attack, slamming into her sister who was already feeling from Milky's Electro enhanced blow, and they both crashed into a pillar, which fell over and collapsed on top of them. "...Whew. That takes care of them…"

"I'll stay behind and protect Tristan and Miyagi. Please look after Carrot, Doctor Chopper." Milky asks with a soft smile and a slight plea, her eyes twinkling with sincerity. Chopper was nearly blown away by how amazingly beautiful her eyes were, but he shook his head and forced his mind to prioritize. Help Carrot.

"I will. Stay safe." Chopper agreed, and they both went to their destinations.

Up ahead, things have significantly turned for the worse for Nekomamunshi.

"Graaaagh!" Nekomamunshi roared angrily as he slashed Smoothie with a blast of Electro, but ended up nearly crashing when he found a swirling whip of juice lashing against his legs, which then wrapped around his legs. It left him vulnerable to Smoothie blasting him with a liquid beam from her sword, slamming him through the pillars and crashing harshly against the wall. "I will not…fall here…!"

"That isn't up to you." Smoothie utters as a vortex of liquid swirls around her blade, and she blasts it towards Nekomamunshi and burrows him even deeper into the wall. When the bursts cleared, he was only seen embedded in the wall, soaked, before he fell forward with a thud, completely knocked out.

"Pero…damn it, it's about time that annoying cat stopped hissing." Perospero utters as he reformed his candy arm, opening and closing the hand a few times before glaring towards the Mink ruler and kicking him in the head. "You thought you could get the jump on me, you fleabag?! The eldest son of Big Mom?! There really is no brain in any of your heads, is there?" He sighed as he formed a candy ax and raised it upwards. "I'll be relieving you of your head since you aren't using anything in it anyway!"

"HIYAH!"

Chopper ends up kicking the ax out of his hands while in Kung Fu Point, which surprised him once again while leaving him exposed to another Electro empowered drop kick from Carrot, right in his chest. It sent him launching through the pillar and crashing along the ground. Perospero managed to get back up quickly enough, standing with the help of his staff, while looking absolutely infuriated.

"Are. You. SERIOUS?!"

"Yes. I am." Carrot says resolutely, before a swift Electro jab across his face shocked Perospero and briefly had him forgetting where he was, disorienting him as Carrot kicked him across the head as well. Both blows rocked him heavily, but he held up against it as he swung his staff, a wave of jagged candy spikes shooting up from the ground. Carrot evaded a good amount of them, only slightly tearing bits of her clothes in the process. "You're not going to get away. I won't let you."

"You're still on about that? I've already spelled it out to you, and you still don't get it?"

"It doesn't matter." Carrot utters as electro flows off of her body. "What I definitely can't let you get away with, no matter what, is mocking Pedro's death. He gave up what was left of his life for his friends! There's no way I'm letting you get away with mocking that!" If nothing else, she couldn't let him go unpunished after all he's done, the cruelty he's shown. And not only that, but he's also tried to kill her friends, especially Chopper.

She was bringing him down, one way or another.

"What do you think you're-" Smoothie went to strike down Carrot, but found her attack blocked by Chopper in Guard Point, standing in her way between her brother and herself. Then she was blown back by him shifting to Kung Fu point and pushing her back with Cherry Blossom Blizzard, blocking the multiple blows with her arms raised. "You again?" She gritted, feeling her sword rebound off the fur and sending her off-balance.

"Don't get in her way!" Chopper exclaimed, landing a kick to Smoothie's middle. She ended up grunting and sliding back only slightly from the sudden forcefulness of the blow but was otherwise mostly irritated by the interference. He landed on his feet and held out a determined hoof. "I'm Tony Tony Chopper, of the Straw Hat Pirates! I'm one of the ones you're really here for, right?! I helped Luffy make a big mess out of your home territory and made a moron out of Big Mom! That's why you're here, right?!" Chopper pounded his chest. "So, what are you worried about Carrot for? Fight me instead!"

Smoothie narrowed her eyes, remembering that Chopper was indeed one of the Straw Hats, the core reason they dared enter Kaido's territory at Big Mom's insistence. This entire mess they were in was their fault, and now one of them was right in front of her. She had a brief look towards Perospero, decided he could handle this on his own, and focused her gaze squarely on Chopper. "You'll regret making that request…"

Chopper swallowed as nervous sweat trickled down his cheeks. Charlotte Smoothie, one of the Three Sweet Commanders. Luffy fought two of them, and they both took forever for him to take down! What possible chance do I have…no! You can't think like that! Chopper slapped his cheeks and narrowed his eyes. Luffy can't win ALL of our battles for us every time things get tough. I have to face strong opponents, too. And even more importantly, I won't let her interfere with Carrot! He briskly jumped out of the way of a shockwave slash from Smoothie's sword, and Chopper brought his hooves together. "Scope!"

He hasn't used this one in a while, so he decided to shake off the rust right here and now. With Smoothie bringing down several slashes of juice, he would weave and dodge around each of them while he processed the information, he was able to get.

Smoothie has been worn down, from falling down a waterfall twice, fighting her way here, and interrupting the fight Nekomamunshi had against Perospero before defeating the former. She wasn't at her best at the moment. She was weakened by a notable margin…but Chopper wondered how much that would matter.

Smoothie was still a Sweet Commander, being winded and weakened from her experiences prior to this point wasn't going to change the fact that from a baseline level, she was undoubtedly out of his league. But regardless, he was going to try. He, Usopp, and Nami promised to leave the Weakling Trio titles behind, and he can't do that if he keeps shrinking away from somebody stronger than him. He can't advance if he doesn't aim higher. For as much as he was a doctor, he was a pirate too! He had his pride!

That, and he couldn't let Smoothie interfere with Carrot fighting Perospero. That bastard made Carrot cry. He needed to pay for that, without delay.

I have to stand my ground, as one of the Straw Hats, and for Carrot's sake! I won't let any of them down!

Smoothie launched towards him, making way to slash at him with her sword. He was prepared to kick it away with a timed parry in Kung Fu Point, but immediately leapt back when he saw the upcoming wave of juice that accompanied the attack, forcing him into a timely evasion. He used Guard Point to protect against the secondary slash, and this one sent him hurtling against the wall and slamming into it. He bounced off harmlessly enough but was dizzy and ended up de-transforming and landing on his back. Smoothie descended upon him and attempted to stab him where he lay.

The blow was parried in time by Wanda, the sparks flying and managing to miss Chopper entirely before it could make contact. Smoothie narrowed her eyes, but Wanda was resolute.

"This has nothing to do with you, dog."

"Pedro was my dear friend, and Carrot's mentor. She was the one who witnessed him die and inherited his will; she has to resolve this on her own terms." Wanda narrows her eyes as she pushes Smoothie's sword back with a spark of Electro. "Don't interfere!"

"Tch. Insufferable Minks." Smoothie scoffed; her sword balanced across her shoulders.

"Wanda!" Chopper gets up, waddling up to Wanda with a nod of appreciation, before gazing towards Smoothie. "I'm sorry for relying on you like this but give me a hand in defeating her! We can't let her help Perospero, no matter what!"

"Of course."

Back with Carrot, she dodged several swings of Perospero's staff, he twirled it overhead as a candy shaped hammer formed once again, before slamming it down. Carrot jumps back as the ground shatters before her, dashing forward to kick the candy hammer out of his hands, then punching him with a blast of Electro. He grimaced and stepped back while raising his staff, spikes of hardened candy erupting from the ground. Carrot jumped up high and dodged some of them in time, though a few of them managed to graze her cheek and shoulder.

"Everything that could go wrong today, has gone wrong!" Perospero dismayed in abject irritation as he sent another wave of candy to try and trap Carrot, frustrated by her easily leaping upwards to avoid getting trapped. It didn't seem like she'd fall for that again so easily. "I could have killed Marco and Vinsmoke Sanji if you two hadn't gotten in my way!"

"There's no way you could have!" Carrot snapped back as she dashed and slashed at Perospero with her claws, leaping over a candy ax swing that followed soon after, but was blindsided by Perospero releasing it mid-spin and then decking her across the face, his fist coated in Armament Haki. "Ugh!"

"What would you know, damned vermin! We should save the Beast Pirates the trouble and just exterminate you all ourselves! You've been a major pain in the ass to both of our crews!" Perospero pushed his hand forward as a wave of candy surged forth, with Carrot jumping over the initial crashing of it. But a separate piece of the wave extended and turned into a mallet, crashing down against Carrot and slamming her against a wall. "You all have been through all manners of torment and torture before us, and yet despite all of that punishment, you keep coming back!"

Carrot pushes herself off the wall and speeds to Perospero, with him attempting to shoot her down with a burst of Candy Shower, numerous arrows aimed towards her. Many of them graced Carrot, but she managed to smash through enough of them with Electro enhanced attacks and blocks, before she leaps and slammed both her feet into his face with an empowered kick, which had him stumbling backwards and sending his skull rattling. An Electro empowered axe kick followed suit, and he blocked with his staff, sending surges of lightning throughout the area, and briefly through his body.

"The Mink Tribe is a tribe of strong warriors." Carrot declares as she lands on all fours, her eyes sharpening on the staggering Perospero. "And a real warrior never quits. Especially when it's over something they believe in!" She launches forth and kicks Perospero in the chest once again, which he barely defends against with Candy Armor. "Pedro has always believed in me, and I want to prove he was right to do so! It's one more reason for me to beat you!"

Perospero grimaced, as the Electro charge from Carrots kick began to destabilize his candy arm. Irritated, he twirled his staff and managed to knock Carrot away again, focusing on reconstructing his candy arm. Damn you, Pedro! Your death has brought me nothing but misery! He swore in his mind. Not only did that one eyed jaguar Mink foil his attempts to kill that stupid tanuki and walking skeleton, not only did he cost him an arm-which seriously impedes his ability to enjoy his favorite tea without it melting his candy arm, thus being reminded of his humiliation-, both instances rendering him unable to pursue and kill the Straw Hats with his mother. But he also left behind an annoying stubbornness in this measly rabbit who was hellbent on seeing him taken down in his name. She's willing to ignore any and all pain to her body so long as her enemy was defeated, and her friends were safe, like a Mink warrior.

"Are you alright? Your arm is melting." Carrot jabbed bitterly while swiping the blood off her lip. "Pedro must have really left a mark on you, huh?"

"You impudent brat. I should have just killed you!" Perospero snarled as waves of candy spread out around him. He was previously content with simply walking away and laughing, leaving the girl lying in the dirt and wallowing in her failure; it only pissed her off and made her come back with twofold, maybe even fourfold the ferocity. He thought her misguided grudge against him was childish and not even worth entertaining, thus even less worthy of him finishing her off. Now? Now he was beginning to return her resentment full force, due to her constantly assisting and protecting the enemies his family were trying to kill, and her sheer maddening refusal to just stay the hell down.

She's fully earned his personal hatred on her own merits, her connection to Pedro be damned. He put everything else to the side for now; he was devoting his entire current focus to crushing the rabbit who's interfered with him too many times with how young and naive she was. Spirit and body, he would destroy her no matter what. "You want a vendetta battle against me that desperately, then so be it! I'll show you what it means to face the eldest son of the Charlotte Family!"

Carrot puts up her paws as they sparked with Electro, running and dodging and slashing around and through the spikes and pillars of hardened candy while jumping over, leaping, and hopping over the stickier ones that tried to trap her in place. She remained focused on Perospero, who angrily returned it as he continued his onslaught. Her nimbleness was definitely a nuisance as he couldn't pin her down effectively unless he distracted her. And he only needed a moment to do so. Carrot ends up striking him again with a speedy punch, though he was able to block with his forearm covered in Armament Haki; this only encouraged her to grab said arm and kick him across the head with an Electro enhanced roundhouse kick.

"Gragh!" Perospero fumbled across the ground, skidding back several feet, holding himself up with his staff. Carrot lands on her feet and attempts to charge him again, prompting him to form a multiple of arrows. "Candy Shower!"

Carrot saw the arrow launch into the air and immediately split into dozens, perhaps even hundreds as they began descending. Unperturbed, she dodged most of them with ease, pushing past quite a bit of them grazing her arms, thighs, cheek, and sides, while for the most part deflecting them with bursts of Electro. She was getting close again, slicing through multiple arrows with her claws, her eyes sharpening the more Perospero was in sight. Throughout the assault, he set up Candy Wall in order to defend himself. Carrot narrows her eyes as she prepares to melt through it with Electro, slicing through a multitude of arrows in the process.

Her ears twitched, and instinct suddenly tells her to adjust positions immediately. Then, she feels something pierce right through her in various areas.

In the middle of her slicing through the arrows and preparing to melt through the Candy Wall, she was unable to spot in time a puddle of candy that formed several inches in front of her; several candy spikes emerged and shot forth from the puddle, stabbing Carrot right through her sides as well as her thigh and arm. Her reflexes were swift enough that she avoided fatal injury, but it was still too late in the manner that she couldn't completely avoid getting impaled in multiple places.

"Candy Sting!" Perospero declares, smirking vindictively as Carrot's momentum has been halted. She staggered on her feet, blood coughed from her lips as she tried to regain her bearings, and he delighted in her obvious pain. Not wasting any time, he slides and rides towards her, being pushed along on a candy slug, and he sends a jab to the face with a Haki-infused fist, sending her flying and then crashing, rolling across the ground to a stop. He laughed at her fallen prone fork as she struggled to move. "Pero pero! This is what someone with a 700,000,000-berry bounty is capable of! Do you still feel it wise to pick a fight with me, girl?!"

"Ugh…" Carrot gritted her teeth, her hair messy and her ears drooling as Perospero descended from his mounts, twirling his staff tauntingly. He clicked his tongue as despite the recent attack, Carrot was able to stand up again despite her body burning with pain, though she was feeling woozy, and her stance was unbalanced.

"Tsk. Still want to go at it? Have it your way."

Back with Chopper and Wanda against Smoothie, they were having an understandably difficult time against the Sweet Commander, who's killing intent was mostly focused on the former.

"It looks like your rabbit friend isn't doing so well against my brother." Smoothie smirked as Chopper worriedly looked over towards the battered and bloodied Carrot standing defiantly against Perospero. It was quickly proven a mistake, as despite her normal size, she was upon him in a moment and preparing to run him through. "You look concerned. However, that doesn't mean you can afford to take your eyes off me."

Wanda fortunately parries the blow with her sword with a burst of Electro, forcibly separating the two again. "She's not to be taken lightly, Chopper. We can't afford to worry about Carrot at this point."

"...I know." Chopper briefly slapped his cheeks with his hooves, shaking his head and narrowing his eyes. "I trust her!"!

"So poorly misplaced." Smoothie drawled, with Chopper leaping towards her in Kung FunPoint and attempting multiple strikes against her, each of which she easily parried. "She won't be able to win on blind faith alone."

"It's not blind or misplaced! I know she can do it!" Chopper exclaimed as he attempted a rather swift roundhouse, but that was deflected and parried as well, briefly sending him off balance.

"Juicy Javelin." A swirl of juice surrounded Smoothie's sword, and she launched it forth. True to the name, it took the form of a javelin. Gasping, Chopper quickly switched to Guard Point and managed to defend against the initial impact of the attack. But it didn't end there; it nearly immediately detonated, blasting Chopper out of Guard Point and sending him crashing into a wall, indenting it outwards.

Guh…!

Chopper didn't have time to reel from the blow, as Smoothie had closed the distance and leveled a kick to him, slamming him to the ground and bouncing him along it like a ball. He slumped on his side as he tried to shake off the sheer rattling that he felt throughout his body. Smoothie nearly struck him down, but Wanda parried the blow before it could reach Chopper. Clicking her tongue at this, she slashes upwards, and a wave of juice pushed against and slammed against Wanda and Chopper in a torrent, carrying them away and crashing them through several walls, carrying away various members of the alliance as well.

"Grr, her Devil Fruit powers are troubling." Wanda uttered while shaking off some of the liquids. Menacingly, Smoothie would go on to stab several members of the alliance with her sword, draining them and providing her further supplies of liquids.

"...I think the best moment to attack…is immediately after she uses a strong juice move. She'll have used up her supply for several moments and won't have nearly as much…we'll wear her down within that interval before she can replenish it too quickly." Chopper deduced, Scope pinpointing a potential weakness in Smoothie's Devil Fruit usage. "Wanda, you're faster than me. I'll create the opening…you attack."

Wanda gripped the handle of her cutlass, eyes sharpened in focus. "I can do that."

"Horn Point." Chopper shifted, his antlers growing to an enlarged extent. He then jumps up and dives into the ground.

An underground attack? Smoothie had her grip on her sword, preparing for Chopper to strike first so that Wanda could take advantage of the opening. She'd prepare for a parry and make for a strike at both of them.

What she didn't expect was for Wanda to charge at her in a dash, Electro dancing across her cutlass, and slashing at Smoothie outright. She manages to block the slash with her own sword in time, the blades grinding against one another. But almost several seconds afterwards, she felt the ground beneath her begin to give, and her eyes widened at what had just transpired.

"Horn Cannon: Eleven!"

Smoothie was mid-parry with Wanda when Chopper erupts from the ground horns first and rams right into her. Smoothie was pushed back from the momentum of the charge, her sword arm forced upwards. Smoothie swiped blood from her lip, before a large gathering of liquids formed around her and then gathered above her head. Chopper and Wanda, both braced themselves.

"Juicy Tsunami."

The liquids spiraled and expanded around Smoothie and soon crashed down upon Chopper and Wanda once more, slamming into them with intense pressure that nearly crushed them. The waves carried them both away, nearly in different directions, and a huge chunk of the battlefield ended up being washed away or obliterated by the scale and heavy pressure of the attack. It was almost as if a miniature tidal wave made out of juice formed solely from Smoothie and was directed towards her targets.

When it eventually quieted down, Chopper was seen on his front, drenched. Smoothie scoffed at this and moved towards him again to finish him off. Though before she could get too far, she stopped in place, as Chopper slowly pulled himself back to his feet. She narrows her eyes at this, as he was very clearly in rough shape. Being nearly crushed by a tsunami should have done far more damage than Chopper was currently getting up from. And yet, he did. Despite the battered state of his body, and barely being able to stay awake, he stands against Charlotte Smoothie once again.

"Why don't you just give up?"

Chopper simply gazed at her; his eyes slightly glazed from the damage he ended up taking. "My friends…my crew…and…Carrot. They're not giving up…so why should I?" Chopper narrowed his eyes as he brought his hooves together, shifting into Kung Fu Point. "I won't give up…not now…not ever!"

"Tch…"

Just when Smoothie was about to attack him again, something happened. A massive, powerful burst of Haki seemingly bursts from within the skies, atop Onigashima. Smoothie's eyes widened as she looked towards the source, having a good idea who was responsible behind it. Before she could act further, she instinctively parries what was another blast of Electro sword slash from who she correctly deduced was Wanda. But as she turned her head to scold her again, her eyes widened. She didn't appear to be normal, for her fur has gone white and extended dramatically, much more powerful surges of Electro surrounded her, and her eyes have gone red with black sclera. Smoothie cursed, then looked back towards the skies to confirm the dreaded feeling in her stomach.

"No! Kaido and Straw Hat! They…!"

Kaido and Luffy's Haki clash split the heavens in two. The skies were cleared up, and the Moon was out, fully and clearly visible. And carelessly, Smoothie's Juice Tsunami wiped away everything in her area that could obstruct its view. That means…

Sulong is back for them!

Chopper smiled; his resolve renewed by the sensation. "Luffy…!"

"Hey, hey now. You've gotta be kidding me…" Perospero utters in disbelief as he witnesses Carrot transforming into her Sulong form before his eyes, though quickly regaining his composure. "As if I'd let you!" He prepared to cut her down on the spot with a candy ax, but was once again interrupted by Chopper, this time kicking the ax into the ground, embedding it deeply into it. "Gah! You damned Tanuki!"

"Rein. Deer. Get it right, candy-licking bastard! Don't get in Carrot's way!" Chopper exclaimed, lifting the candy ax effortlessly and kicking it towards Perospero. He yelped and leapt out of the way just in time, seeing it slice clean through a wall. Once he had his eyes back on Carrot, he knew he missed his chance.

"Damn it all…"

Carrot was once again standing tall in Sulong, Electro dancing across her body in waves, and her height and power drastically increased. Her white fur flowed freely with the coming wind, her black and red eyes locked onto her prey in a deadly gaze. All the same, she winced slightly as she was beginning to feel some of the backlash of having transformed for the second time so soon. But it was something she could put up with; she can do this.

Chopper turned towards Carrot with a knowing smile. "Let's land one together. I owe him for what happened back then with me and Brook on the Sunny."

"Yeah." Carrot nods, as Chopper readies himself in Kung Fu Point. Both of them leaped towards Perospero, who attempted to brace himself with Candy Armor. But Carrot's enhanced Electro in Sulong form would do away with that very quickly.

With swift movements from both of them, leaping across the battlefield in a blur, Chopper and Carrot both made for a combined dash towards Perospero, and punched him in the chest simultaneously. A powerful electric blow combined with a heavy blow in the shape of a sakura petal; it tore through his Candy Armor almost instantly.

"Moonlit Dance: Cherry Blossom Burst!"

"PEEERRRROOOOOOO?!"

Perospero wailed as he was sent crashing along the wall, electrocuted and with a Sakura petal indent on his chest once again, being thrown through several pillars before landing in a crater. Chopper and Carrot both landed on their feet, panting softly. Neither of them was that surprised that, despite the immense pain, Perospero was once again able to pull himself up, albeit barely.

"For someone so lanky, he can take some hits…" Chopper muttered. He looked over towards Smoothie's direction, seeing Wanda clashing with her in Sulong, and then turned back to Carrot. "Carrot, can you finish this?"

Carrot turned towards Chopper in turn, nodding. "Sure can, Chobro. I'll definitely defeat him this time."

"Yeah." Carrot kneeled down slightly, and the duo cutely bumped fists while smiling, before Chopper turned around to assist Wanda. Carrot sighs, then turns her sights towards Perospero once more, seeing him stagger back to his feet, holding himself up with his staff. He glared at nobody but Carrot. Not even Chopper, who assisted in the attack just now, was within his focus at this point.

"Yooooouuuuu…" Perospero hissed with pure unhinged venom in his voice, as he jabbed his staff into the ground. "You wretched beasts are all more trouble than you're worth. When I'm done with you, I'll make sure to convince Mama to utterly destroy the Mink Tribe! Not a single one of you will be spared! You'll be exterminated, as an example to demonstrate what happens to those who ignorantly challenge the Big Mom Pirates!"

"That's never going to happen. I won't lose to you again." Carrot declared resolutely, as she prepared to once again face Perospero, once more on her own.

Chopper was on his way to catching up to Wanda and Smoothie, the two women briefly stalemating due to Wanda's Sulong providing an even greater boost in resistance. She kicks Smoothie's arms upwards and slashes again with a burst of Electro, further forcing her back several steps.

"Juicy Saber!" Smoothie attempted to slash at Wanda with a burst of liquids from her blade, but a kick from Chopper in her side, setting her off balance and missing Wanda entirely. Wanda didn't waste her chance and charged full force into Smoothie, a much larger bust of Electro blasting the Sweet Commander into the ground, even nearly managing to make her fall on her back again. "Enough of this!" She exclaimed, managing to parry a slash from Wanda and kicking her aside with an opening. With impunity, she also turned and punched Chopper hard in the face with a Haki-infused fist when he tried to attack her again, before he could switch to Guard Point, sending him bouncing hard into the ground enough to crater it, and crashing against a wall.

"Chopper!" Wanda called, before turning and being forced back by a Haki-infused slash from Smoothie, dashing back several feet when multiple spirals of liquids surged around Smoothie from the fallen enemies and allies around her. And with that, she rapidly increased in size, growing to gigantic proportions.

"Juicy Giant."

She slashes diagonally with her sword, and a blast wave of liquid tore through the ground and decimated everything in its way, forcing Wanda to swiftly dodge to the right. "The attacks are even larger and more potent than before. Her powers have been supercharged…!"

Chopper, fading in and out of consciousness from such a powerful Haki blow to the head, he could barely move. He sputtered blood from his lips, feeling it run down his face, unable to completely think straight. Even so, he digs into his pack, and slowly pulls out a Rumble Ball. His eyes unfocused and nearly whiting out, he took a few breaths to collect himself and regain his bearings. Doing this for the second time so soon after the first, it would definitely take him out of the fight.

But then he thought about clearing the way for Carrot, and he made up his mind.

"I'm not…out of this…yet…there's still something…that I can do…!" He raised it over his head, and let it drop into his open mouth, biting down with a resounding crunch. "Now…Rumble!"

Wanda dodged around another one of Smoothie's high-pressure slashes, then having to block from a slash to the side as Smoothie caught up to her. Their blades brought up sparks, and Wanda leapt away to gain some distance. With a stronger burst of Electro, she stood up to Smoothie's Haki-enhance slash, and then leaped over a kick to slash her across the face with her cutlass. The shock from the electric charges manages to stun her for several moments, which allows Wanda an opening to strike her in the chest, a blast of Electro sending her hurtling back.

Before Smoothie could compose herself from that, she was suddenly tackled into a wall, even in her giant form. Her eyes widened as she immediately recognized what it was. It was the monster that had managed to stand against her mother, however briefly. It immediately clicked with her once she saw the hat on the beast's head; this was Tony Tony Chopper in Monster Point.

"We have to force her to use up all her liquid. After that, we can end it!" Chopper utters, voice deepened and echoing whilst in Monster Point.

"Understood!" Wanda nods as she readies herself, before dashing in a burst of Electro.

Smoothie could see her approach and raised her sword to parry Wanda's cutlass slash with her own sword enhanced with Haki. Chopper stomped towards her and charged tackled her as she was busy parrying, nearly managing to knock her over. Her irritation grew as she pointed her sword forwards. "Smooth Criminal." A barrage of juice bullets fired from her sword, making Chopper raise his arm and block a majority of it. The barrage and pressure managed to push him back. "Juice General!" She slashed, downwards, a powerful and wide sword slash swirling with juice liquids, pushing Chopper back and knocking him down from the sheer force and pressure from the blast. She breathed softly, holding up her sword, before she brought it down.

He opened his eyes and caught the empowered blade in his palms, which surprised Smoothie somewhat, as Wanda emerged once again, charged with strong surges of Electro. She soon slashes Smoothie a multitude of times all across her body, before finishing it with a downward Electro slash, which took the slight shape of a canine biting down on her.

"Midnight Wild Hunt!"

"Hugh…!" Smoothie stomped backwards for several moments, the various Electro slashes managing to leave her stunned for a moment. But she refused to stay vulnerable for long; wielding her Devil Fruit powers, she pointed her sword forward as multiple enlarged juice bullets fired from it. "Juicy Sparkle!" The bullets, being the size of cannonballs at her size, did indeed sparkle like fireworks, with some of them slamming into Chopper and making him stagger to his knees. Smoothie stomped towards him and kicked him in the head, sending him into the ground. "Come now. Surely that isn't all that this 'Monster' is capable of!"

"Not…even…close…!" Chopper roars as he turns and stands against Smoothie once more. Smoothie swung her sword towards him, but he ducked under it, and brought his giant hands together. "Carving Hoof: Double Palm!" He slammed both his hands into Smoothie, and she felt the wind leave her as the force of the blow sent her skidding across the ground, falling on her back. She gasped briefly, turning over on her side as Chopper slammed down his fists where she previously was. Smoothie coughed, blood dripping from her lips.

She could now better understand how this form of his briefly locked arms with her mother. Even so. She charged her sword towards him, and a spiral vortex of juice blasted him across the field, ramming through everything in the way and knocking him flat on the ground once again. She breathed heavily, then turned around and parried another slash from Wanda, being shocked by the residual Electro attaching itself and shocking her. She turned about and brought a basin of juice down on Wanda, slamming her into the ground and nearly washing her away. At a certain point, Smoothie breathed heavily as she was thinking more and more, the juice she had taken in beginning to run dry.

"I'm running low, I'll need to-" Smoothie was interrupted again, grimacing as an electric slash suddenly landed against her back, making her stumble forward. Wanda was the one responsible, having been battered by the heavy barrage of liquids but still hanging onto consciousness. Smoothie turned around in order to make her pay for her transgression, parrying another slash, as well as a burst of Electro.

It proved costly.

Mid-parry with Wanda, Chopper rushed towards Smoothie, much to her surprise, as she was sure that the last attack would have kept him down. Before she could build up and brace so she could retaliate, Wanda kicked her wrist, briefly offsetting her sword arm, before she slashed directly across, and then diagonally. Both slashes emit a powerful surge of Electro in the process, before she thrusts her sword right in the center of the surge, releasing one last charged burst of Electro for good measure, which coated Smoothie entirely. At the same time, a brief beam of juice pierces Wanda through her shoulder blade. She winced at this, but powered through with a growl, and then howled.

"Savage Howl!"

"Gauggggh…!"

Smoothie grunted as she was brought to her knees again, attempting to shake off the paralyzing feeling of being shocked so heavily with Electro. But the only thing she was focused on was the fact that she was now unable to properly defend herself against Chopper's oncoming attack. He released a monstrous roar that resounded across the field, building up power and momentum behind his next blow. He swung his hand as if he was going to slap her with his open palm. Her eyes narrowed as she raised her arm to her head to block the blow with Armament Haki.

But at the last moment, Chopper clenched his monster sized hand into a tightly closed fist. Her eyes widened as she also channeled Armament around her face.

Carving Hoof: Monster Cannon!

The sheer, monstrous heaviness behind the blow was unexpected from Smoothie. She was fully confident that she could defend against the blow, but that was extinguished the second it made contact. And combining that with Wanda's Sulong-enhanced assistance, she couldn't put up her best defense. Thus, when the monster sized fist of a rampaging Monster Chopper slammed full force right into her face, her Armament Haki could only do so much to protect against it. She was forced off her feet regardless and sent flying, as if launched out of a cannon.

Many would be in slight awe and confusion, as a giant of a woman was sent hurtling across the battlefield, her shadow large and moving alongside her. Everything has caught up to her, and now staying awake was impossible. The force of her body slamming down into the ground sent other people flying and picked up much dirt and dust and debris. The Longleg woman was laid out, arms spread and eyes completely white, with a vicious bruise across her face. Her hair was also a mess, leaving some of it to cover her bloodied face.

She couldn't do much to think about anything, except that she knew she couldn't fight anymore. Which was alarming to her final thoughts before fully giving up trying to hold onto consciousness.

…I…actually…lost? I was beaten…by that pet monster reindeer…?!

"Hah…hah…hah…" Chopper breathed heavily, his hand outstretched after landing the punch. He rapidly felt Monster Point wearing off, as well as the Rumble Ball's effects. That's it…I can't push past the aftereffects any further… He ended up shifting to a smaller form, nearly falling on the ground. A similarly exhausted Wanda managed to catch him, covering her eyes with her hat so that Sulong was undone for the moment, keeping her from seeing the moon. She carried him away, as Chopper tiredly looked towards Carrot's direction. Carrot…. your Chobro did his best to open the way for you…there's nothing that can stop you now…!

Carrot jumped several yards away, avoiding the onslaught being caused by Perospero's Candy Shower. She landed on her feet, then looked to see that Wanda was carrying away a vastly, thoroughly exhausted Chopper to Miyagi and Tristan. Her eyes softened for a moment. They managed to win. Thank you, Wanda. And you too, Chobro! I'll take care of the rest from here!

"Wait, what?! Smoothie is down?! It can't be!" Perospero insisted, as he swiped his cane, a barrage of candy spikes soaring towards Carrot, which she had a much easier time slicing through with her Electro empowered claws. "First Cracker, then Katakuri of all people, and now Smoothie!? Each of the Three Sweet Commanders lost in a confrontation with the Straw Hats?!" He jabbed his staff into the ground as even more spikes erupted from the ground, which Carrot continued slicing through with a huntress's focus, refusing to take her eyes off of Perospero again. She jumped upwards as a large amount of candy spikes emerged from the ground, and she dashed through the air as Perospero attempted to trap her again with candy. "No! It's not true! It was all luck! A fluke! More to the point, foul play! That's all it was! There's no way in hell that Smoothie lost to that pathetic looking creature!" He yelped as Carrot claws him across the face, electrocuting him through it. "GAAAAH! NOT THE FACE AGAIN, DAMN IIIIT!"

"His name is Chopper." Carrot snarled as she was briefly in the air for a moment, pulling her longer legs to herself. "I'm not letting you get away with insulting him, either!" She shot towards Perospero like a bullet, and his eyes widened as he attempted to put up Candy Armor to defend against her. But her double front kick was empowered by Electro, and the sheer amount of it managed to help her shatter through it and land her attack on him regardless. "Comet Rabbit!"

"Aggggh!" Perospero bore the brunt of the powerful kick, even when he tried to defend with Haki, with Carrot leaping off of him as he was sent rolling across the ground before crashing through a pillar.

Carrot landed on her feet, sighing as she wiped her mouth slightly, wincing as she felt pain in her sides. She could see one of the other candy spikes managed to ram through her side. Paying it little mind, she grabs it firmly and pulls it out, crushing it in her paw.

Perospero pulled himself back to his feet, holding his aching chest. Looking livider by the moment, he held out his hand again. "Candy Wave!"

Carrot jumped high over the wave, having it miss her entirely. Perospero sneered as she bounds towards him from midair, the wind rushing past her. He sends a storm of candy arrows her way in order to stop her progress, but she was significantly faster than him in Sulong form. It was only thanks to his Observation Haki that he was able to react to her as well as he did, or he'd be completely overwhelmed by her speed alone. He raised his arm and coated it with Armament as Carrot brought down her leg with devastating force, nearly collapsing the ground around them from both the sheer power, and bursts of Electro that came from it.

Unfortunately for Perospero, the sheer amount of Electro coming off of Carrot was beginning to destabilize his candy arm again, as it began melting. Before he could tend to it, Carrot swung her other foot upwards after the initial blow, kicking Perospero up the chin and stunning him. She leaps back slightly, bounding off of a wall, and soared towards him with another kick. Grimacing, Perospero quickly formed a Candy Javelin with a blob and let it launch towards Carrot. It ran her through, and she coughed blood from the impalement. Still, she powered through and still smashed her feet into Perospero's side, making him spit up blood as well.

Carrot ended up falling on her side, while Perospero was crashing into another crater. She pulled out the candy javelin as she melted it with Electro, before she stood up, breathing heavily and beginning to sweat just as much. Perospero forced himself to stand back up with assistance from his staff, breathing just as heavily.

"Ridiculous. Why must you be so persistent…why can't you just fall the hell down again and stay there…?!" Perospero uttered with increasing aggravation, which was only met by the steel gaze of Carrot's bestial glare.

"I'm not going down again, until I've beaten you!" Carrot utters, as she notices puddles of candy beginning to swirl around her in an attempt to trap her, but she simply slammed her paws onto the ground and melted them away with a burst of Electro. He wasn't about to trap this rabbit again; Carrot's grown wise to that. She stands up again and sipes more blood from her lips, remaining resolute.

Perospero glared, repairing his candy arm and twirling his staff. "We'll see about that. If that's how it's going to be, I'll break that spirit of yours as I'm taking you apart!" He placed his hand on the ground. "Apocalyptic Candy Chaos!"

Carrot narrowed her eyes, as massive amounts of candy formed around Perospero. With remarkable crafting speed, numerous candy weapons were shaped and poised alongside arrays, and many of them were positioned towards Carrot. From swords, to knives, to maces, to guns, to cannonballs. Every single conventional weapon Perospero could think of his Devil Fruit helped him craft in a matter of seconds, until he had a massive moving armory.

Carrot was undeterred. She stood at the ready, her body crackling with Electro. With a sinister smile, Perospero brought his hand down, and most of the weapons began launching towards Carrot with terrifying speed and accuracy.

Electro crackling, Carrot slices through several of the weapons, melting through some of them and outright shattering others. She kicks some of them away, leaps and bounds away from others, and dodges with several well-timed hops. Although she was mostly able to hold off the more potentially lethal strikes, she couldn't hold them all off, due to their sheer quantity. Multiple gashes appeared across her body from weapons barely grazing her when she dodged in time.

"Errgh…!"

"You can't escape, Peroin!" Perospero exclaimed as another barrage of candy weapons launched towards Carrot. And there were far more than swords, there were other various other weapons as well.

She was sliced by swords, battered by maces, lashed at by whips. To her astonishment, there were even multiple cannonballs being shot her way. They were all made of refined candy, and they were still quite painful when their attacks landed. A hardened iron ball slammed into her when she was distracted by the numerous blades, and she had to catch a candy buzzsaw that nearly managed to slice at her as well. She kicked it back towards Perospero, who constructed Candy Armor to block the spinning blade. Carrot tried to leap her way towards him, but was halted by multiple spikes blocking her way, which she nearly broke through. But then, a massive candy hammer came down from above and slammed her down into the ground.

"Do you understand now, peroin?! You never had a chance against the Big Mom Pirates! None of you did!" Perospero cackled as he held out his hand, and even more candy blades shot out towards Carrot while she was attempting to regain her bearings. She was barely in time to slice through the ones aimed towards her, before she was overwhelmed by the sheer number of them and her inability to press forward with her attack. "You thought you could stand against me, her eldest son?! You were only able to get this far because that moron Pedro blew himself up like an idiot! You were hopeless from the very beginning!"

Carrot ended up crashing against the wall, bombarded by the sheer storm of weapons being shot her way. It ended up creating a crater that expanded and deepened with each weapon thrown in her direction, all while Perospero cackled madly. By the time he swiped his hand to cease the onslaught, he looked and relished to see that Carrot was scratched up from head to toe, numerous cuts on her body beginning to bleed, and several candy spikes, blades, and knives have actually managed to pierce through her, including her arms and legs. But despite all that, she still had enough reflexes and instinct to keep the worst of the damage off of her.

"It's all over for you, girl. It was obvious from the start that you never had a chance against me." Perospero taunts as twirled his staff, while Carrot is slightly slumped against the wall. "And now you see, Pedro ended up dying for absolutely nothing! The Straw Hats will be eviscerated here, and there's nothing you can do about it! Everything he did for them, pointless! Everything he did for you. Worthless. You were all foolish to think you could challenge an Emperor and their crew and expect to live! And now you'll all die for it." Pedro held his hand out as another blade formed by his side. "Should have stuck to frolicking in the forests like I said. I wonder if Pedro will be silent when you meet him on the other side, because he'll be ashamed of you! The thought is sure to fuel my sweet dreams by the time this is all over!" The blade shot towards Carrot's head at blurring speed.

She swiped it away with a strong burst of Electro in her claws, her hair waving in front of her face. Perospero clicked his tongue in irritation, a vein pulsing in his head.

"Oh, for the love of…what's it going to take?!"

"...Pedro. He's done a lot for me, and he means a lot to me." Carrot uttered softly. "He helped me find my own way to fight, and what it means to be a Mink Warrior. It's true, I wouldn't be where I am without him. But I'm not ashamed of that. I'll always be grateful to him. Because of him, I've become strong." Carrot releases a burst of Electro that either shattered the candy projectiles around her or melted them outright. "He said…that everyone gets a turn. Everyone gets a chance to shine…and he said that mine would eventually come. He died to make sure that I could grab that chance. I wish…I wish so badly that it could have gone differently…but that's what happened. So…I have to honor him, by making the best of that chance he gave me."

Perospero scoffed, holding up his staff as more candy began gathering around him, sharpening quickly. "Tch, a chance to shine? You? If that's the case, that's just one more reason why he died pointlessly!"

"...There you go again." Carrot utters, her hair hiding her face as she raises her clawed hands, a distinct crack going through the both of them. "Pedro lived and died standing up to people like you, in order to help his friends…and to help me. So, to cruelly mock and laugh at the memory of my teacher…" Carrot lifted her head, and her piercing glowing gaze locked firmly onto Perospero. It once again felt like a savage beast was pouncing at the chance to tear him apart. "I'll NEVER forgive that."

Carrot leans forward on all fours, charging Electro all over her body. And with a swift charge, she began her dash, with more force and momentum than the others so far. The launch was powerful enough that the ground erupted behind her, picking up debris.

"Tch, that's not going to w-" Perospero was set to begin taunting, but his eyes widened as Carrot got even faster, charging more Electro around herself. Even faster than all of the weapons being launched and fired at Carrot, she dodged and weaved, and ducked and swerved. They couldn't keep up anymore. And the ones that did manage to graze or hurt her, she straight up began ignoring the wounds they caused her, or her sheer Electro output caused them to melt instantly attempting to get near her. To her at this current moment, there was nothing taking precedence over getting to and taking down her prey, not even her own wounds. So, she was going straight for him no matter what. Sweating, Perospero jumped back and held out his hand. "Damn! Candy-"

"Too slow." Carrot calmly whispered, as she was right before him, charges of Electro dancing in-between them. "YOU'RE the one who can't escape." He only had a second to shift his expression to disbelief, and to briefly coat his chin in Haki, before she clenched her fist and launched a bestial uppercut to his jaw, which was strong enough to send him soaring into the air. Carrot crouches for a moment, then hops upwards, leaving a massive crater behind due to the force behind her launch.

I couldn't even react! And she's ignoring all of her injuries! She's really leaned into being a completely feral animal! Am I really going to…?! Perospero thought as he tried to reorient himself while midair, clutching his staff hatefully. No! NO! I won't lose! NOT TO A FOREST ANIMAL LIKE HER!

Unknownst to him, Carrot was already above him, and she curled up into a ball and began spinning rapidly, charging up even more Electro through her body. The moon could be seen behind her. Perospero wasn't completely aware of her position until it was too late; Carrot uncurls and slams her foot into Perospero's face in a spinning axe kick. One could see the imagery of the moon falling right onto him to emphasize the sheer might Carrot was putting into the kick.

"Moon Rabbit: Heavenly Fall!"

What would mostly be described as a meteor crash, Perospero was launched so forcefully into the ground that the charges of Electro could be seen spreading across their battlefield. And said surges were also causing the ground to surge up similarly from the sheer amount of force that had been put into the kick with Carrot's added momentum from her spinning. Rocks and debris were coated in Electro, and even a few straggler enemies were caught in the crossfire and shocked into unconsciousness.

Carrot descended softly onto the ground, breathing heavily. The luminescence of the moon shined down brightly on her, as she sees Perospero's fallen body, greatly bruised and bloodied from her attack. His staff had been snapped in two, and his tongue was bleeding from accidentally biting it on impact. He didn't move at all, eyes blank and unmoving. It was clear to her that he wouldn't be getting up from this.

For a moment, the clouds covered the moon once again, and she slowly reverted from Sulong. Her shoulders lifted and dropped, her eyes were somewhat unfocused, and her hair was matted and messy. Not to mention her clothes were in tatters. But none of that mattered to her.

She managed to win. She softly, tiredly smiled, and lifted her head.

Pedro…I did it. Didja see me? Did ya see me, Pedro? I can be a strong Mink Warrior, too…

She didn't even pay much heed to the fact that several enemies could see her alone in the clearing and were heading her way. And even if she could, she was in no condition to fight them off. All of her culminated injuries, plus the sheer exhaustion set upon her by Sulong, wouldn't allow her to do so successfully.

Yet even so, Carrot lifted up her hands, weak trickles of Electro sparking through her fingers, and prepared to do her best to fight them off.

As they got closer, there was a mighty stomp that resounded throughout the area.

"Arabeqsue Brick Fist!"

A brief delay was set, before a powerful shockwave sent all of Carrot's would-be attackers flying, crashing into various things across the field. Carrot slowly blinked in confusion, as she felt her legs give out. She wobbled slightly and began falling back, and she felt someone gently catch her from behind.

"This little rabbit has fought admirably, for the honor of her fallen mentor. Don't spoil her victory, fools." The fishman scolded the attackers firmly, before looking towards Carrot wobbly against his form, softly smiling. "Very well done, Carrot."

Carrot smiles tiredly. "Jim…bei…"

That was the last she could utter, before the world around her went black.

---

Several days have passed since the Raid of Onigashima. And throughout the entirety of the Raid, monumental things have happened, yet one in particular was sure to throw the world for a loop.

Big Mom and Kaido, two Emperors of the Sea, have been defeated on the same night. With that, and the demise of Orochi, Wano was free from their reign of terror.

With such a massive, unprecedented accomplishment under their belts, how could everyone not celebrate?

Three…two…one…

"CHEERS!"

While everyone was still recovering from their various injuries and wounds from the massive battle against two Emperors and their crews and allies simultaneously, there was no reason that they couldn't make it enjoyable. The Straw Hats were definitely on board with this, as Jimbei laughed heartily along with them, his cup raised.

With this toast, he was now an official member of the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Man, I can't believe we've actually got a former Warlord on our crew." Usopp commented with a bit of a chuckle. "Feels like we came so close to having him join us several times, yet something always got in the way."

"It feels like a long time coming." Nami agreed. With so much having happened, it always felt like something was pulling Jimbei away from them just before he could really commit to joining up with them for real. And of course, that only began to officially happen once they began fighting Emperor Crews. "With my navigation skills and his helmsman prowess, there's nothing in the seas that we can't get through!"

"You flatter me, Nami!" Jimbei laughed heartily. He felt it was fitting that their skills on the Sunny linked well with one another. It felt like another way he could help her, and atone for the difficulties that he unwittingly caused her. "I hope I can keep being of use to you all."

Carrot was also taking a bit of a drink from her cup, sitting next to Chopper. Both of them were currently enjoying themselves and their well earned sweets. "Cotton candy…! It's so sweet!"

"So much soft goodness!" Carrot beans as she munches on more of it, enjoying the various flavors in her own little world, with Chopper doing the same. But they briefly recalled each other's presence, and they smiled at one another. "Chobro. I just want to thank you for what you did and said back there. I thought I was going to completely give up. And that's exactly what they would have wanted."

"I wasn't about to let that happen." Chopper declares with a raised hoof, smiling towards Carrot in return. "That guy was a jerk to you through and through, and there's no way I could stand for him picking on you like that."

"Mhm. Even so, I wanna thank you anyway. You've been so helpful to me, thanks to that, I was able to pull myself back up, and win!" Carrot smiles as both of them briefly high fives one another. "We really showed them, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did!" Chopper cheers as they both ravenously eat more of their sweets, going through their portions at a rather impressive rate. "You think they're gonna have more of these going about and resupplied for the celebrations? I wanna be there when they've got even more waiting for everyone!"

"Oooh! Definitely! We gotta make sure we can get our share, super quickly!"

"SUPER!" Frankly exclaimed.

"Yeah, a lot like that!"

"HEYYYY!" Everyone turned towards the sound of the commotion, and saw Nekomamunshi and Inugarashi approaching, with Wanda, Tristan, Miyagi, and Milky. It seemed that even more news was coming from overseas. Something like two Emperors being defeated on the same day was going to be impossible to truly cover up, it wasn't possible. And even further along, the ones who were responsible for it. "Friends! We've received news from overseas!"

"Please tell me they're not bounties." Usopp utters, even though he knew better. And indeed, it was, for the Straw Hats have each received bounties for their involvement in Wano, as well as the raid on Onigashima. The reactions to the bounties varied, from pride,to shock, to frustration, to concern, to casual acceptance.

But currently, the greatest surprise and shock came from Carrot and Chopper. Especially the latter.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

Chopper's bounty, which was constantly a joke compared to his crewmates due to being seen as little more than a pet and not as a fellow fighter or doctor…found himself utterly gobsmacked at his bounty.

And his epithet.

"Monster Doctor" Tony Tony Chopper

Bounty: 320,000,000 berries

"How…wha…WHA?!" Chopper gasped, shaking in what could only be described as sheer disbelief and sheer happiness.

"It would seem that you've been recognized for curing the Ice Oni plague that Queen unleashed. And more prominently, your defeat of Charlotte Smoothie, a Sweet Commander, Chopper." Robin sweetly smiles. "You were very much the underdog in that confrontation, yet with a little help, you were able to accomplish something amazing on both fronts."

"...It's such…such a big increase…!" Chopper beamed with joy, leaping upwards. "Eh eh eh! I'm seen as a pirate too!"

"Well, I'll be damned. Good on ya, little man." Zoro smirked, proudly patting Chopper on the back.

"Congrats, Chopper! From this point onwards, the Weakling Trio has been disbanded for good!" Usopp declared with a triumphantly raised fist.

Nami sighed with a soft smile. "Guess we'll have to come up with a new 'trio' name, huh? You really raised the bar on expectations, Chopper." Furthermore, he overcame such a powerful Haki user without any Haki of his own. Such a thing was a herculean effort, especially if the opponent was from an Emperor Crew. But it could be done. After all, Nami was able to defeat Ulti. It was difficult, but possible.

That brought a quiet sense and feeling of improvement between them all.

Chopper blinked and blushed at all the praise, before he giggled and propped up on his feet."HAH! You're all a bunch of assholes! Don't think that praising me over this shit is gonna make me happy!~" Chopper tries to put up, but he can't quite hide the fact that he was smiling ear to ear while wiggling his arms and hips, occasionally clapping as well. "Don't get carried away, ya bastards! I'm not happy at all!~"

He sure looks happy. Many in the room thought simultaneously.

Now it was Carrot's turn. The first surprise was outright, because of the fact that she has a bounty at all. Due to her actions in Zou, her involvement with the Straw Hats in Whole Cake Island and helping them escape, and then her defeat of Perospero, the eldest son of Big Mom, recently in Wano. The second surprise was…

"Moon Rabbit" Carrot

Bounty: 280,000,000 berries

Carrot blinked softly. The very idea that she has a bounty was still completely confusing to her.

"It would appear that in the eyes of this World Government, you've been recognized as Pedro's successor, ever since your contributions at Whole Cake Island." Nekomamunshi declares with a hint of melancholy. "They may see you as much of a threat as he was, potentially more."

"You've been a major asset to the Straw Hats, who they see as major thorns in their sides. They seem to acknowledge this with seriousness." Inugrashi utters, with Carrot gazing at her superior in surprise. Then she gazed back at her bounty, which she had earned being recognized as a student and successor to "Treetop" Pedro.

It was so surreal. It wasn't exactly what she was planning; she was just having fun going on adventures with the Straw Hats, having taken the opportunity that she's always wanted for herself. All of these things just kind of…happened.

"Hey." Zoro pipes up for a moment, and Carrot realizes that he was talking to her. "Regardless of who it's from, your strength has been recognized. I'd say that's something you can hold your chin up for."

Carrot softly smiled for a moment. "Mm!"

"It seems your explorations have served you well, Carrot." Milky smiles softly with a tilted head. "Hopefully you can share more of your tales with us when you get the chance. As someone who served alongside Pedro as a fellow Guardian, you're likely to have picked up a few of his adventuring habits, as his student."

"Heh, I guess so."

Milky smiles sweetly. "He's definitely instilled in you the loyalty he's been well known for within the Mink Tribe. Your loyalty to the Straw Hats has helped them, and it's helped you, too. Nurture that quality as much as you can."

"Mm!"

"Super work! The World Government's sure gonna be pissed about this!" Franky added with a grin of his own, not caring about it all that much. "We're hitting the big time now, guys."

"Yohohoho! There's so much to celebrate, can we even make room for it all?!" Brook exclaimed with a salute. "Accomplishments recognized, bounties distributed, and enemies defeated. My heart's practically bursting with joy!" His jaw slacked. "Ah, but I don't have a heart…literally! Yohohoho!"

"Oh, you're very funny, Baron Corpse!" Carrot chuckled softly, lightly rubbing her eyes a bit. Wanda agreed as well, even if she was lightly licking and biting at Brook's arm, which had him jump with surprise, but he composed himself.

"Thank you, Carrot! Always nice to have such a receptive audience!" Brook cheerily salutes once more, acknowledging the presence of Carrot, Tristan, Wanda, and Milky. "For another celebratory gesture…majestic Minks, would mind showing me your panties-"

"BACK OFF!" Nami shrieked with sharp teeth as she kicked Brook in the back of the skull, sending him face first into the ground.

"Owowow! Lovely Nami, please have mercy! I'm still quite hurt!"

"Like I give a shit! I'll hurt you even worse!"

"Such frigid cruelty!"

Jimbei couldn't help but laugh. "Are these the kinds of antics I have to look forward to?"

"Believe it or not, because all of us are still healing, this is actually pretty tame." Usopp deadpans. He was still reeling hard from Ulti's headbutt. He has experience with something overwhelmingly forceful slamming into his skull, but it was not something he enjoyed being put through again. "We're literally not healed up enough to be even worse."

"Hah!"

Carrot chuckled at the antics of everyone around her, while lightly setting her bounty to the side, and gazing at her hand. Has she grown so strong? A part of her didn't fully believe it. But she was still able to defeat Perospero, after pushing herself as hard as she could. Had it not been for Chopper's supportive words, and her own stubbornness, she wasn't sure if she could have managed it like she did that night. Though be that as it may, a good part of her is happy; she had fought for Pedro's honor and was victorious. She can bring herself to be happy about that much.

While Chopper was still happy dancing quite a bit, he didn't fully realize that Milky was kneeling next to him until she was lightly nuzzling his cheek. When he eventually did, he yelped and nearly froze in place. "M-M-Milky?!"

Milky smiled sweetly towards Chopper. "We have much to thank you for, Doctor Chopper. Carrot was able to pull through many dangerous things in the outside world with your help. You have my thanks for helping my friend."

Chopper, in an attempt to man up, tried to act casual. "Oh, that? Psssh! It was nothing! I did what any-" And such an attempt was immediately crushed when Milky gave him a cuddly hug. That alone shocked him, but then she appreciatively and affectionately licked his cheek several times, then a small kiss, leaving a lip mark. Chopper immediately forgot whatever bluster he attempted to utter to make himself sound cooler, as hearts pulsed and swirled in his eyes. "Gaaaaaah buhhhhhh…!?" Nonsense left him as Milky released him, he twirled around in one spot for a moment, before he plopped down on his back.

"Chobro?!" Carrot gasped in surprise.

Milky, for her part, couldn't help but giggle with a hand to her mouth. "Doctor Chopper can be quite silly, can't he?"

"Medic down." Sanji chuckled jokingly. It took a while, and a different angle, but Chopper's finally become more aware of the allure of women.

"Walk it off." Zoro shrugged, though even he found the sight pretty humorous.

"CHOPPER!" Usopp dramatically slid on his knees to Chopper, lifting him in his arms. "He's been struck down by feminine wiles! Chopper! Speak to me, buddy! Speak to me!"

"Waaazzaaa…Choooopppah…haaah Ussssooopuuuuuu…"

"Noooooooo! He's too far gone! Whyyyyyyyyy?!" Usopp wails up towards the heavens. "SOMEBODY CALL A DOCTOR!"

"Haaaah…IIIIII doctaaaaa…" Chopper utters more nonsense, saluting goofily.

"You're both dumbasses." Nami facepalmed, in an attempt to hide her laughter.

"Maybe Traffy can help him out. Docs stick together, yeah?" Franky laughed as well.

"I don't think this is something Traffy can help with. Or would want to." Robin chuckled to herself. Chopper has been growing leaps and bounds, both as a fighter and as a doctor. Still, it pleased a motherly side of Robin to see that Chopper still has enough innocence in him to act like a teenager his age would. Such as crushes. And to think, all this time it took a reindeer Mink to bring that side of him out. Oh, she was most definitely going to tease him a little bit when he regained his senses.

With Chopper currently out of commission, Carrot turns towards Wanda, who softly nodded to Carrot with a small smile of acknowledgement. "You did very well, Carrot. You've proven yourself tremendously." Carrot's eyes beamed at this, as it meant a lot to her considering how close Wanda and Pedro were when they were growing up together.

"So, we still have a bit of a recovery period, don't we?" Carrot asked while scratching her cheek. She didn't listen to too much of it, but there's supposedly a lot to be taken into account considering Wano's future. Momonosuke and Yamato were having talks about it as they were speaking, along with most of the other samurai. "I wonder what will happen then?"

"Eh, I'm sure they'll figure it out." Luffy shrugged as he simply kept eating, completely uncaring about the fact that Wanda similarly slid her arms around his neck in a cuddle and gave his cheek a few licks.

"I've also got to thank you too, Luffy. You've been taking great care of Carrot whilst she was under your care." Wanda smiled with another lick. "I was honestly a bit worried, but she came through. I'm very grateful to you and your crew for taking care of her."

"No problem! Carrot was super strong, just as Pedro said she'd be!" Luffy supports, still mostly focused on eating as Wanda continues giving him more appreciative, affectionate licks to his face. "Can you ease up on that, though? I'm trying to eat here." He muttered in slight annoyance, but otherwise casually shrugged it off and kept eating, as Wanda was showing no interest in ceasing showing her growing fondness of him with each tender lick of his cheek.

Sanji couldn't help but sigh and rub his hand across his face at the sight of his captain's nonchalance. Oh, how it sometimes pained him to see someone have so many varied ladies showing such affection and attention towards them when attracted, yet unable to really appreciate it all. Though before he could spiral into that, he took another look towards Carrot, and decided that wasn't important. He briefly tapped Zoro's shoulder. "Oi, Mosshead."

"What?" Zoro drawled, mostly uninterested in whatever the cook had to say. Sanji pushed down the surge of irritation; he could kick his ass later.

"There's something that we gotta do with Carrot. You already know, don't you?" Sanji urged seriously. Zoro looked to Sanji in brief confusion, then back to Carrot, and immediately clicked with him. He sighed and scratched the back of his head.

"...Yeah."

Carrot was busy eating with everyone for the time being, her cheeks filled with all sorts of delicious sweets and treats. She was going to enjoy this as much as she could, before she had to address what would come next. It gave her time to brace herself.

There was something she definitely had to do, before moving on.

---

Shimotsuki Yasuie

Pedro

Two graves, two names.

Carrot, Chopper, Zoro, and Sanji stood before these graves front and center. Inuarashi, Nekomamunshi, and Wanda were behind them, given the subject matter at hand. Setting down proper preparations, they simply allowed themselves to stand quietly before the two graves of two men they dearly respected. They've been lost in utterly terrible circumstances, and some of them ensured that these tragedies did not go unanswered regarding the ones responsible for them.

Zoro was able to silently pay his respects to Yasuie. It was Chopper and Carrot who were having a bit of trouble.

It took some time for Carrot and Chopper to gather up the nerve to come here, for the matter of Pedro. It was something weighing on their minds the whole time before they actually got there. And now that they were, they initially found their words stuck in their throats. But with the reassuring presences of Zoro and Sanji, as well as Wanda, Nekomamunshi and Inuarashi, they were able to address their own feelings properly.

Carrot took a deep breath while rubbing her shoulders slightly. "It's…it's been a bit hard. I wasn't really expecting you to leave us so soon. If I had, I would have thought through my decision to come along a bit more." She shook her head. "I don't regret my decision, but…I probably would have thought it through more, if I had all the knowledge that I do now…"

Chopper sniffed slightly, lightly rubbing his eyes. He and Brook ended up being trapped by Perospero, which ended up forcing Pedro to take the drastic measure he did in an attempt to save them and the Sunny. He wouldn't go blaming himself because he knew that wouldn't be what Pedro would want. Still… "We were able to escape because of you, Pedro. I really want you to know that. Nothing you did was in vain."

Nekomamunshi gazed solemnly. "Pedro. You have served well. The Guardians will continue to honor your service and loyalty."

Inurashi nodded firmly. "Carrot has become strong and capable under your care. And she'll only continue to improve from here, due to your faith in her. Your tutelage, along with her experiences, will reinforce it."

Wanda softly sighed while scratching the back of her head, then swiping a tear from her eye. "Damn it, Pedro. Now I have to take care of Carrot on my own. Do you have any idea how much of a troublemaker she can be when you're not disciplining her?" Wanda gently scolded, but there was no actual malice, mostly lighthearted jabs from a close friend. "But…it's because of you that she's still here. I'm pissed with you regardless…but it'll pass. You don't have to worry about her. No matter what path she walks from here, she'll be okay." Wanda turned to Carrot, who was beginning to tear up even more. "Right Carrot?"

"Sniff…mmh….mm!" Carrot sniffed, wiping her nose and her eyes, while nodding firmly. "I'll…I'll be okay. I wanna keep making you proud, Pedro. So…don't worry about me. I'll be okay!"

Sanji calmly smokes his cigarette, gazing softly towards Perdo's grave. Pedro chose to help his crew save him from Big Mom, and he ensured that mission was a success by sacrificing his own life. With that weighing on his conscience, he'd make damn sure to watch over Carrot for as long as he could, in Pedro's place.

He thought back to how she cheerfully patted his head to comfort him for feeling guilty over Pedro's death, only for her to lose her composure and start crying herself. He quietly returned the head pat, and they simply…stood together. It brought him great displeasure to see a lady cry, and the cause being related to him brought him even greater shame. His hands were tied down during most of the events of Whole Cake Island, and someone had to pay the price to help his crew get him out of that terrible situation.

He may not blame himself anymore, as he knows that's not what anyone wants, but he regardless wished things didn't have to come to that. For even being the distant cause of a woman's tears. It was a joint mission to rescue him, after all. He'd barely begun recovering from the fact that he made Nami cry far earlier than that, but in Carrot's case she lost someone she's never getting back, to ensure the mission succeeded. That consequence of his weakness was far graver.

Yes, he'll have to atone for his lack of strength, which resulted in a blossoming young lady losing someone she cherished far sooner than she was prepared for. It was the least he could do.

"...Carrot's a strong young woman, Pedro. One with a kind heart, and she's growing beautifully. I don't think there's much for you to worry about. She's still going to need some time, but I know she'll be even more amazing. Thanks again, for helping my crew help me. I'll make up for this, as much as I possibly can." Sanji utters softly, blowing out some smoke. With a breath, he turned towards Carrot and pats her head, causing her to turn towards him. He smiles. "Hey now. You beat the crap out of that creep, Perospero, right? I think that warrants a bit of an extra reward, don't you? Wanos got plenty of cooking and baking materials I've been wanting to try out."

Carrot blinks, and she hops while her mouth begins watering, and her tongue is rolling about. "Can I have carrot cake? A really REALLY big carrot cake?!"

"Anything you want!"

"ALRIGHT!" Carrot giddily hopped all about, arms and feet in the air. Sanji smiled, glad to see that her spirits were shooting up so quickly.

"Zoro! Zoro!" Chopper hopped onto Zoro's back, and then cheerfully hung over his shoulder. "Since I've become a real man with my own real bounty, you think I can drink as much as you?"

"Let's not get hasty, little man. You're a long way away from outdrinking me." Zoro smirked as he turned and began to move.

"Chobro! There are still desserts from Wano we haven't tried! There's so many!" Carrot beamed excitedly.

"Eh eh eh! We're going to stuff ourselves silly before Luffy even gets the chance!" Chopper laughed merrily as he and Carrot fist bumped.

"Now that is a monumental challenge. Good luck with that." Sanji laughed with a shake of his head, hands in his pockets.

With that, the group paid their final respects to Yasuie and Pedro, before they began making their way back. And with that, Carrot felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders, as well as her heart. Everything just felt so much clearer, and she felt a greater sense of happiness with herself. She had her friends all around her, and she was able to make peace with herself. Now the only way she could go was forward.

Please keep watching over me, Pedro!

---

And there you have it!

Inevitably there's probably going to be several decisions here that may be disagreed with, but I am quite happy with the results, aside from a further possible cleaning up here and there later. Hopefully the blowback won't be too bad! This was a neat little thing to get my mind moving and show off Carrot and Chopper with a brother-sister vibe. Especially when they link up and kick butt together. And they have their chances to prove their strength and resolve, and it ultimately won them the day.

Well, that'll be all from me for this story! And I again thank EmperorLuffy for the assist! Really helped!

See ya!