Chapter 8 - Drum Kingdom Part 2
3rd POV:
Nami finally wakes up, feeling a little better than before, hearing noise. She sits up and looks around the strange room, wondering how she got there. She finds an odd little creature jumping from a chair, minding his own business. "Who are you?" She asks, startling the adorable creature, who bumps into the chair and causes a few books to fall off the desk behind him. "Isn't that…backwards?" Nami questions, looking at the creature as he stands, his body leaning away from the wall as if trying to hide. The mini Doctor corrects himself bashfully, staring at the ginger-haired woman. "You're too slow…and you're not completely hiding, either… Just what are you?"
"Sh… Shut up, human!" The little creature screams, surprising the Navigator. "And, how's your fever?"
"It talked!" She cries, scaring the mini Doctor, making him fall backwards into medical equipment and causing a noise as things go flying.
"Be quiet, Chopper!" Dr Kureha shouts from another room as one of the books falls, causing more noise. Though it doesn't wake the other patients in the next room. Kureha walks into Nami's private room, keeping the Navigator from her bleeding patients in case of infection or possibly contaminating the surgical field, as her other patients are more bloody and broken than the Navigator, who somehow only has a viral bug bite that could have killed her.
"Your fever seems to have come down a little, girl," Dr Kureha remarks, looking at the strawberry-blond woman. "Are you happy?" She presses a finger to Nami's head, measuring the younger woman's temperature while drinking her plum wine.
"Who are you?" Nami repeats, looking at the woman, still a little confused about how she got to where she was because of the high fever.
"38.2 degrees… Hmm… You're doing more or less all right," she concludes before turning and looking at the Navigator. "I'm a Doctor. Dr Kureha. Call me Doctorine." She lifts up her sunglasses, smiling as she looks at the woman.
"Doctor… Then I'm in the…" The Navigator realises that some of what happened is coming back to her.
"My secret to staying young?" Doctorine wonders.
"No, I didn't ask that," Nami replies, looking around as if expecting Sanji or Luffy to be with her, especially Megumi and Marianne, but it's just her.
"You're right," Dr Kureha says, knowing what she would ask. "You're in the castle on top of the mountain."
"Then there were four others beside me, right?" She asks impatiently, and Doctorine looks at the girl, smiling.
"Yeah, they're sleeping in the next room…very deeply. What tough guys…" Doctorine remarks, glancing back into the room, but Nami notices what the older woman says.
"Wait!" The ginger-haired woman snaps, making Dr Kureha look at her. "What about my sister and the girl that was with us?" Doctorine smiles.
"The girl is better than the others, she went exploring till you woke up," Dr Kureha informs her. "I'm guessing the pink-haired girl is your sister?"
"Yeah, that's Megumi!" Nami sighs, glad to know her sister is here too.
"I'm amazed she's still alive," she replies, shocking the Navigator. "Surviving an avalanche and finding us while trying to make it out of a forest. She must be very strong."
"She is…" The strawberry-blond woman mutters. "Will she be okay?"
"She has a few broken bones in her hand, they'll heal perfectly fine with the treatment I've done. Her leg as well. She has a few deep cuts, but nothing a little healing won't cure her," Doctorine assures her, seeing how worried Nami is about her sister. The Doctor can't help but think about the girl who stumbled towards them only a few hours ago.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Dr Kureha and Chopper narrowly managed to get out of the way of the approaching avalanche but soon continued on their way to their secret way of making it up to the castle atop the mountain. As Chopper raced through the woods, a figure jumped out from the tree line, standing before the fast-approaching sleigh that came to an emergency stop. Doctorine glared, looking at the person before them as they stepped into the light, showing a woman with pink hair and blood running down the side of her face. "I finally found you," she muttered, and her knees buckled. Dr Kureha looked at the badly injured woman as she smiled at them. She couldn't help but wonder what the poor woman went through to find them and how she could find them. "Please! Save my sister!" The woman begged, bowing before the witch, bruised and bloody before passing out.
"Chopper!" Dr Kureha snapped, exiting the sleigh and walking towards the pink-haired woman.
"You have to get to your castle now…" she muttered, barely conscious. "They're at the base of the mountain as we speak."
"How could you possibly know that?" Doctorine wondered, but Megumi was ultimately out cold.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Dr Kureha sits on the edge of Nami's bed, looking at the girl, who smiles with relief at hearing about her sister, and the Doctor pulls the woman's shirt up to show a purplish bruising on her stomach. "This was the cause."
"What…is this?" Nami asks, looking at the strange purple blotching on her stomach.
"You were bitten by a bug called Kestia. It's a poisonous tick that lives in jungles with high temperature and humidity," she explains. "Once you're bitten by it, bacteria comes in and keeps you in pain by living dormant inside your body for 5 days. It causes high fever of above 40 degrees, coinfection, myocarditis, arteritis, cerebritis! Given the infection's progression from the bitten area, I'd say you've been infected for three days. The suffering must've been unusually harsh, but it would've eased up in 2 more days even without any treatment."
"In 2 more days…?" The Navigator questions, looking at the Doctor.
"Yeah, because you would've died in 2 says," Doctorine answers and Nami looks at her in horror, glad they decided to detour from Alabasta to cure her.
"What?!" Nami gasps.
"It's called the '5 days disease'. I heard that Kestia died out 100 years ago, but it was useful that I kept the antibiotic just in case," Dr Kureha muses, jumping to her feet. "Where do you guys come from? Were you out walking around with your belly exposed in a jungle on an ancient island or something?" She looks at Nami, who remembers Little Garden after encountering more Baroque Works agents. "That ring a bell? What a crazy girl…" She harshly pushes Nami back on the bed. "Now… Stay in bed. Your treatment hasn't completely finished yet."
"Thank you so much," Nami mutters. "So long as my fever comes down, I'll be fine. My body will take care of itself after that, right?" Hoping to get back to the Going Merry and bring Vivi home.
"You're too optimistic. This disease normally takes at least 10 days to fully treat," Doctorine argues. "Of course, if you want to suffer some more and die… Even with my medicine, you'll have to rest at least 3 days."
"What? I can't stay here for 3 days! We have to take Vivi to Alabasta soon!" She protests, trying to get up out of bed, but Dr Kureha gets out her trusty scalpel, spinning it around her fingers and pushes the Navigator onto the bed, pinning her as Doctorine holds the scalpel to her throat.
"When a patient of mine leaves me," Doctorine giggles a little creepily, "she's either cured or dead. I won't let you get away."
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Meanwhile, in the other room, Chopper is tending to the sleeping Sanji, Luffy, and Megumi. He minds his own business as he changes the bloody bandages of the three former surgical patients. Luffy happily snores away, covered in bandages, and mumbles about meat and Megumi while he sleeps. Sanji peacefully sleeps, dreaming of being surrounded by women, though noticeable about Nami, Megumi, and Vivi. Megumi is slowly waking up as the pain medication is gradually wearing off due to her high metabolism, which the two Doctors didn't account for, and she winces in pain, feeling the metal plating in her left hand that makes it impossible to move. Megumi panics, scared about never being able to move her hand or shoot a gun again, bolting upright and scaring Chopper.
"Ahhh!" Chopper screams, looking at the pinkette as she widely spins her head around. "Pink Monster!"
"Where's Nami!" Megumi demands, trying to get up, but her right leg is encased in metal with pins piercing into her skin, making it hard to bend or move. "What the HELL is going on!"
"What seems to be the problem?" Dr Kureha questions, stepping into the room and observing the pink-haired woman. "You should be out cold, now how are you awake with twice the sedatives of a regular person coursing through your veins?"
"I have a high metabolism," she replies stiffly. "Is my sister okay?"
"She's doing very well," Doctorine informs her. "As are your friends." Megumi looks, calming down a little to look at Sanji and Luffy.
"This is doing very well?" The pinkette muses, pointing at Sanji and Luffy, and then gestures to herself. "What did you do to me?"
"You've broken your hand and leg. Wearing these metal plates and rods for a few more days will straighten your bones. Though the metal that's replaced your broken bones won't be coming out," Dr Kureha explains.
"So, I have metal in my hand and leg?" Megumi muses, looking at her hand. "Will I be able to shoot again?"
"I don't see why not," she replies. "With a little physical therapy."
"Thank you," the gunslinger says, smiling at her. "So, I'm a cyborg." She laughs.
"Are you happy?" Doctorine asks.
"Very… Wait… where's Marianne?" Megumi wonders, looking around.
"She was the least injured. She's exploring the castle at the moment," Dr Kureha informs her.
"I'm glad. I was worried about the others when I was swept away by the avalanche. I mean, I didn't know if I was going to catch you. That must have been when I broke my leg," she muses, smiling. "Can I see my sister?"
"I don't see why not. You'll need to make sure not to put too much weight on your leg. Use these," Doctorine suggests, handing Megumi a pair of crutches.
"Awesome, I'm going to have so many blisters and I can trip people over," the pinkette jokes, laughing. "Oh, my dear baby sister who likes to scare me with almost dying!" Megumi hops into the other room to see Nami sitting on the bed by the window, looking shocked to see her sister moving around with metal encasing her right leg and left hand and using crutches. However, it's harder with her left hand unable to move, so she's mainly using it on her right side. Dr Kureha smiles as she watches the sisters. Megumi sits beside her sister, talking and enjoying each other's company, when they hear Chopper scream with crashing coming from the other noise before the blue-nosed reindeer races out of the room with Sanji and Luffy on either arm.
"Wait, meat!" Luffy shouts as Chopper tries running away, and the rubber man tries biting the reindeer.
"They seem better," Megumi muses, slinging her arm around Nami's shoulder.
"Wait, Luffy! I'll cook this guy!" Sanji shouts over Chopper's fearful screams as the three of them run out of the room, closing the door behind the struggle and then racing back inside, smashing the door into pieces as they go through the room again. Luffy finally notices the sister and stops before the Navigator and Treasure Hunter.
"Megumi…" Luffy questions, looking at the pinkette, then turns to the strawberry blond. "Nami…?" Sanji hears him, leaving Chopper alone for now and jumping over.
"Megumi-chan! Nami-san!" Sanjji swoons at the sisters.
"You look better," he comments, smiling.
"Yeah, thanks," Nami replies, smiling at the boys.
"Look! I have metal. I'm almost a cyborg!" Megumi exclaims, making Luffy beam as he looks at the metal screwed into Megumi's hand and leg.
"Cool!" Luffy beams.
"Okay, then! I'll make a nutritious venison dish for Megumi and Nami!" Sanji announces, making Chopper sneak away, but the boys spot him, and he freezes in fear before bolting.
"Wait!" The boys shout, running after the blue-nosed reindeer.
"I'm surprised! They can already move around?" Dr Kureha muses, looking into the room at the mess they created before leaving.
"What's that talking stuffed deer with a blue nose?" Nami asks, looking at the Doctor.
"You asking me what he is?" She questions, and Nami nods. "His name is Chopper. He's just a reindeer with a blue nose."
"Reindeer don't speak," the Navigator argues, making Megumi look at her sister as if she's lost her mind.
"If he's different from ordinary reindeers in some way," Doctorine replies, and Nami and Megumi look at her oddly.
"If he's different...?" Megumi questions the youthful Doctor.
"It's just because he ate a Human-Human Fruit. That's all." Dr Kureha explains this to the sisters, and they seem to understand.
"A Human-Human Fruit… One of the Devil Fruits…" Megumi muses. "I think I've read about that. It has some interesting properties as a Zoan type, so much potential."
"Yeah… He's a reindeer who gained the humans' abilities. And I taught him everything I know about medicine." She informs them, smiling as she thinks about her apprentice, that she wants to leave for better and bigger things.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Megumi's POV:
Sanji and Luffy come back into the room a while later with dozens of plates full of food that Luffy happily gobbles down, though I have to smack his hand away a few times so he doesn't take anything off my plate. Luffy finishes his ten dishes before slamming his hand on the table, looking at Dr Kureha. "Become one of my crew!" Luffy demands. "Please, old lady! We need a Doctor on our ship!"
"Luffy…you said that's your name, right?" Dr Kureha questions, holding up a finger and distracting him a little.
"Yeah," he replies, looking at her, and I have a feeling he's going to get a smack.
"Did you just say 'old lady'?" She asks, and I cringe into Nami, knowing no woman likes being called old.
"Yeah, I did, old la-," our Captain answers, and the Doctor punches him square in the face, sending him flying into the wall.
"Watch…what you say!" Doctorine shouts as we watch, shocked, and she happily settles back in her chair. "I'm still in the youthful 130s."
"You okay, Luffy?" I ask, looking at him.
"Yeah…" Luffy replies, groaning a little.
"Whoa…what an incredible old hag…" Sanji remarks, earning a kick from Dr Kureha into the wall.
"He so deserved that," Nami mutters, looking at me.
"Totally," I reply, smirking.
"Are you asking me to be a pirate? Don't be ridiculous!" Dr Kureha snaps. "It'll be a waste of my glorious time. I'm not interested in the sea." She declines the offer, though someone else is a little more interested as I see the cute little blue-nosed reindeer out of the corner of my eye.
"Who cares? Let's go on an adventure, old lady!" Luffy exclaims with glee as blood drips down his nose, which he happily wipes away.
"Hey, hey. I just told you to watch what you say, didn't I?" She yells at him, but Luffy will do what he likes. She suddenly looks past Dr Kureha at Chopper, who bolts from the room with the boys not far behind. Dr Kureha seems to have enough of the boys picking on Chopper, jumping out of her chair, and knocking it over as she runs after them. "Hold it, brats!"
"Well, that was interesting," I mutter, leaning into the bed with Nami when the door opens, and Marianne finally returns from her exploration. "How are you doing, Mari?"
"Onee-sama! Big sis!" Marianne exclaims, rushing at us, who practically adopted the younger girl. "I was really worried."
"We're doing okay now," Nami assures her, hugging our new little sister. The door suddenly slams open. Chopper screams and runs across the room, Luffy and Sanji chasing him.
"Wait!" Luffy shouts after him, and Sanji stops by the bed.
"Hold on, Nami-san! I'll cook a nutritious reindeer dish!" Sanji promises, but Dr Kureha jumps out with two swords and lands before the boys.
"Before that, I'll eat you guys!" Dr Kureha shouts, swinging at the boys and making them stop in fear.
"Old hag!" The boys scream, signing their death sentences and making a run for it with her running behind them. "Where the heck did she come from?! She's coming! She's coming! She's coming! She's coming!" The boys, Chopper and Dr Kureha run out the door, leaving it open and letting the cold wind inside.
"I don't care about the food," Nami groans, lying in bed as she tries to get some sleep. "I just want some peace and quiet." The strong wind blows through the open door, and I notice some snow, too.
"Snow…?" I question, looking at it. "Even though this is inside the castle…?" Even if I'm in a comfy, warm pink pyjama set that matches Nami's blue and Marianne's purple-coloured set, I feel a chill.
"Cold…!" Nami shivers, and I try getting up.
"I'll close the door," I tell her, setting my foot on the ground.
"Stay in bed!" Chopper orders, appearing on the other side of the room. "You have to rest your leg!"
"I'll be fine," I argue. "I've had worse."
"Sissy…" Nami sighs.
"Looks like I lost them…" Chopper muses, looking around carefully as I settle on the bed, keeping my leg elevated. "Even so, no! Since Doctorine's medicine works well, your new bones still need time to rest and form…" He closes the door and checks outside for Luffy and Sanji.
"Thank you…" She says, making him look at her. "You've been attending to us, right?"
"Sh… Shut up!" He shouts, surprising us. "I don't wanna be thanked by a human!" I can't help but smile as he does a funny little bashful dance that says otherwise. "Don't mock me! You jerks! Don't be silly, you dummy! Seriously, don't be so…"
"He's the type that can't hide their emotions, isn't he?" Marianne muses, looking at us, and we nod. Chopper creeps over cautiously and plucks up the courage to try poking my hand as I'm on the side of the bed.
"Are you guys pirates?" The reindeer wonders as he pokes my hand.
"Yes…" I reply, smiling.
"R-Real ones?"
"Real ones."
"You have a flag with a skull?"
"It's attached to our ship," Marianne replies. "Are you interested in pirates?" This makes him scurry back into the bookcase, causing them to fall over him and hit his head.
"No! You idiot! No!" Chopper yells, and a book hits him on the head. "You idiot!"
"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Nami says calmly. "But… Then…wanna come, too?" She sits up in bed, leaning against my side. I smile at the idea, but it doesn't seem like Chopper is okay with the idea.
"What?!" He gasps.
"To the sea! Why don't you come with us…?" I wonder. "Hm? If you do, that'll help us a lot! If we have a Doctor on our ship, Nami won't have to stay here for 3 days, and I won't have to wait around for the metal plates to be taken off, right? On top of that, on our ship, we…" I try persuading him, but his mistrust of humans seems too deep.
"D… Don't be ridiculous! I'm a reindeer! There's no way I can stay with humans!" The little Doctor yells, and I can't help looking at him sadly and see that Nami is looking at him the same way. "To start with, don't you get scared when you see me? I'm a reindeer, but I stand on two legs and I even speak…"
"What? Are you trying to scare us?" Nami asks him, not phased by him one bit.
"My nose is blue, too…" Chopper grumbles, and I smile, about to get up when the boys come running into the room after poor Chopper.
"There you are!" Luffy shouts, zoning in on the little reindeer.
"Reindeer!" The boys shout and begin chasing Chopper again. "Wait!" The boys run out of the room again, leaving the door open, and Marianne closes it, not wanting the room to get cold, as Dr Kureha trails behind them.
"Those brats sure are quick." Dr Kureha comments, sitting in the chair at the small round metal table. "I don't like it… girls... "
"What?" Nami questions, looking at the older Doctor.
"Are you tempting the reindeer without my permission while I'm not here?" She replies.
"Oh? Do I need permission to make a move on a man?" She jokes, making Dr Kureha cackle a little. I snicker at them, and Marianne giggles.
"No, you don't. If you wanna take him, go right ahead. But it won't be easy. He has a scar in his heart… It's a big scar that even I can't cure…the moment he was born into this world, his group and even his parents abandoned him…" Doctorine explains, and we look at her in shock. "...because he had a blue nose. He always walked at the very back of the group all by himself…even though he was a new-born child… And one day, he ate a Devil Fruit and was treated as a monster even more. The reindeers fiercely pressured him to leave. He was no longer an ordinary reindeer in any way. Still, he wanted friends…so he went down to a village, as a human this time. But his figure wasn't exactly human, either. For some reason, his nose stayed blue, too. He didn't know what was wrong. Nor did he know what to blame...he just wanted friends, yet he was called a monster…he was no longer a reindeer…he wasn't a human, either… he's lived all alone like that… Can you guys heal the scar in his heart?" She asks us, and I look at my sisters, hoping we can help little Chopper.
Sanji seems to give up searching and hunting Chopper and returns to our room with more plates of food for us girls. "In order for you to get a healthy smile back, I prepared an exceptionally nutritious diet…" Sanji informs us, smiling.
"Thank you, Sanji," we say, making the blond cook blush.
"... though you three are painfully beautiful even after what your bodies' been through…" He coos at us lovingly.
"Leave Mari alone!" I snap, cradling the younger and more petite girl, who giggles.
"Good Lord! When did you use my kitchen without asking?" Dr Kureha asks him, glaring at Sanji.
"Madam, the roast over there is for you. It's high in protein and is good for rejuvena-Ahhh!" Sanji replies but repeats the wrong word, so she kicks him.
"I'm not a 'madam'." She snaps at him as he slides down the wall onto the floor. "I'm a sparkling single… and still youthful."
"You're still 139 years old… right?" Marianne replies when the sound of Chopper screaming cuts through.
"Doctorine! Help me!" Chopper cries, running into the room with Luffy right behind him.
"Wait! Hey! Wait!" Luffy shouts after the reindeer, and Chopper jumps through the door, creating an impression of his tiny body. Luffy tries following him through the door but falls back. Chopper runs out with two barrels chasing him before running for cover behind Dr Kureha's leg, trying to hide from our Captain.
"What're you doing?" Nami asks Luffy.
"This guy's gonna join us and become our friend!" He answers, smiling.
"Oh, really?!" I ask in surprise, but happy.
"I didn't say that!" Chopper denies angrily.
"You did!" Luffy argues.
"I didn't!"
"You did!"
"Be quiet, both of you!" Dr Kureha scolds them as Chopper and Luffy run around her several times before running out of the room. "Friend, huh? How deep a meaning that word has to him… To ask without knowing that…" She muses, looking over her shoulder at us for a moment. "There was one man whom he opened up to when he was alone… The man's name was Doctor Hiriluk. He was a quack who gave Chopper a name and called him son." She begins to tell the story, and I can't help but think of the suffering he must have gone through, though I suppose all of us on the Going Merry have in some way. Luffy seems to be collecting strays. "The time to bid farewell…" Doctorine says after gulping down more of her plum wine. "...comes for everyone…" I look at the others and know something bad happens next as Dr Kureha stares at the fire sullenly, poking at it. "When he found out that Hiriluk had only 10 days to live, Chopper got quite upset. Well, that was only natural. But he took action in his own way…" She continues the story, and I hear Marianne sniffling, clinging to Nami, who wraps her arms around the younger girl.
"So for the 6 years since then…Tony-kun has been studying under you…" Marianne muses, sniffling back her tears.
"Yeah… I taught him everything I know…" Dr Kureha replies.
"Doctorine! Doctorine!" Chopper suddenly shouts, making us look when we hear a laugh from outside.
"No!" Marianne shouts, looking out the window. "It's him!"
"I've finally returned!" A voice shouts, and I glance outside to see three men and a creature standing before the castle. "Now, we're restoring the Drum Kingdom!"
"Doctorine! There's a problem!" Chopper announces, pushing the door open with his antlers in his natural reindeer form. "Wapol is back!"
"Is that so…" Dr Kureha sighs before getting up. "Stay here." She orders us before leaving with Chopper. Marianne and I watch by the window, and I feel useless because I'm in no condition to fight with my healing hand and leg.
"Luffy!" I beam, watching Luffy run out of the castle towards Chopper and Dotcorine. He seems to be shouting and passing the two Doctors, aiming a punch at the big guy. "Yeah!" I cheer. "Get him Luffy!"
"I'm coming too!" Marianne exclaims, making me look back to see Sanji wearing a coat and heading outside.
"Put on a coat!" Nami shouts after Marianne.
"I will, Big Sis!" She yells, slamming the door.
"I wanna fight, too!" I groan, flopping back onto the bed. "Stupid hand and leg!" I wave my broken hand around.
"It won't be long, Sissy," Nami assures me, but I just pout and get up, looking out the window to see Sanji and Marianne now outside talking to Luffy, who doesn't seem happy about something. "Isn't he cold?"
"I bet…" I mutter. "Do you think my guns are here somewhere?" I look at her, and she stares blankly at me.
"I'm not sure," she replies. "What are you going to do?"
"Clothes! Clothes! Clothes!" We hear Luffy chant as he comes back into the room, shivering. "Where're the clothes?!"
"Are you going to kick their asses?" I ask, looking at him.
"It's cold outside! Where're my clothes?" He asks.
"We didn't ask that. We asked if you were going to kick their butts?" I argue.
"Of course," the rubber man replies, searching in a chest for something warmer to wear.
"I see… You guys're okay, right?" Nami wonders.
"Yeah, so you two stay in bed," Luffy tells her.
"You can use my clothes," she offers, and I look at her, but she just smiles.
"What? Your clothes're ugly," he argues.
"They're cooler than yours," my sister retorts.
"Really? Well, I guess it's all right if they're warm," our Captain mutters, grabbing her coat that seems to have survived the journey to the castle and putting it on. "Alrighty!" He shouts before racing out back to the fight, leaving the door open, but stretches his arm back to close it. I quickly go to the door to see the three weirdos facing off against Sanji, Marianne, Chopper, and Dr Kureha while Luffy runs back outside, joining them. We both watch, though Nami lies down, getting tired, and I just watch. Sitting in an armchair, I move by the window so as not to wake Nami.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Marianne's POV:
"His body's made tough!" Luffy exclaims, standing across from Sanji and Chopper beside him. I stay behind as backup as I don't have any combat skills, unlike the others on the crew besides Usopp.
"Chess! Call out what I ate today!" Wapol orders the jester, and he removes a chequered diary from his pocket.
"Well…you ate one butter-sauteed cannon and one raw cannon on the ship," Chess reads. "Also, cannonball, gunpowder salad, and a toasted house in the village." I scrunch my nose in disgust, wishing I could have some rice crackers and tea.
"Gross…" I grumble.
"What kind of stuff do you eat?" Luffy wonders.
"When it comes to omnivores, this guy takes the cake," Sanji comments, looking at the fake King.
"Wait and see…food soon becomes my blood and flesh…" Wapol replies, grinning.
"He's gonna do something!" Chopper mutters on edge as we watch Wapol's head form a chimney in shock.
"What the-?!" Sanji gasps when cannon heads replace Wapol's arms.
"Munch Munch Shock!" Wapol yells as his body grows windows and a door, even increasing in size. "Wapol House!"
"A house?" Sanji questions, looking at the strange being before us.
"Sweet!" Luffy exclaims, beaming.
"It's too soon to be surprised. Now, this is the King's technique!" Wapol yells, opening his mouth towards his cowering soldiers. "Munch Munch Factory!" He eats his goons, seeming almost bored about it.
"What the…?!" I yelp in shock as we watch the false King eat his men.
"H… he's eating his own men!" Sanji gasps.
"He's eating his own people!" Luffy yells, pointing over as Wapol swallows the two men, and steam comes out of the chimney and cannon heads; the so-called King does a funny little dance for a few seconds, then stops, and more steam emerges.
"He stopped moving…" Chopper states in worry about what's coming next.
"Feast your eyes on this! Come out, miraculous union!" Wapol yells, and we look at him in shock.
"Huh?!" Luffy gasps a little in anticipation.
"What?! Union!" Sanji snaps in shock as the door opens in Wapol's stomach, and a hand stretches out.
"I am the strongest warrior of the Drum Kingdom…" A voice announces as something steps out of the door. It is a strange mixture of Chess and Kuromarimo. "Chessmarimo!"
"Well… Isn't that just one riding on the other's shoulders?" Sanji questions.
"Sweet!" Luffy exclaims at the ridiculous pair.
"What's sweet about it?!" I snap at our Captain. "I'm glad Onee-sama isn't here."
"Don't let your guard down," Dr Kureha warns the boys. "If they were really weak, a stupid act like exiling doctors… would've been stopped by the citizens." I look at the thugs as Dr Kureha calls them, smirking smugly.
"The Drum Kingdom's Constitution, Article 1! 'Those who don't do as the King wishes should die.' That sums up this country! It's because this country is my country,… and this castle is my castle. Of all the flags, don't fly that quack's flag! It will ruin the castle!" Wapol yells, aiming his cannon head arm towards the top tower where Doctor Hiriluk's flag flies and shoots the cannon. Luffy disappears, and there's an explosion, but it seems too soon. I look back to see the smoke clouding, then something shiny catches my eye in one of the windows, and I can't help but smile, knowing it was Megumi.
"A pirate flag… Hey, reindeer. That flag…" Luffy wonders, looking at Chopper, who grows angry and runs off towards Wapol and the goon union.
"You bastard… you attacked the Doctor's flag!" Chopper shouts, running under the slow union, changing into his Human Reindeer and grabbing Wapol. "Doctor… tried to save even you!" He goes to punch the so-called King but stops as if trying to keep to Doctor Hiriluk's word. Chopper seems to be fighting himself, but he lowers his shoulders. "I… I won't hit you… so leave this country!" He tries negotiating with him, but it won't do anything.
"What're you saying, Chopper?! You think he'll just listen to you?!" Dr Kureha yells at him, knowing Wapol will go back on his word.
"But… after all…" He argues, turning to face us, leaving himself open. Wapol, being the creep he is, takes advantage of Chopper's good nature and fires his cannon at the reindeer's face, sending him flying.
"Chopper!" She screams for her son as he lands in the snow a few metres away.
"Hey, annoying mouth!" Luffy shouts, and we look for the source of his voice to see him at the top of the tower with the flag. Nami's jacket sleeve is missing as it's tied around the pole, keeping the flag up.
"Huh?!" Wapol yells, looking up to see what Luffy's done. "Straw Hat!"
"You were a fake pirate, right?" He questions. "You don't know what this pirate flag means because you were fake pirates who didn't even risk your lives!" I smile at him, knowing why we all follow Luffy.
"That guy…" Chopper mutters, and I sigh in relief, seeing that he's at least conscious after that hit from the cannon.
"What that flag means, Straw Hat?" Wapol laughs, acting stupid. "Stupid pirate flags have no meaning!"
"That's why you're hopeless!" Luffy shouts angrily at the false King.
"What'd you say?!" He demands.
"A pirate flag isn't something that you can raise as a joke!" The Captain snaps at the foolish King.
"What an idiot! If it weren't for a joke, there's no way I, the King, would raise it!" The fake King shouts. "Don't put that stupid flag back up when I take it down!" Wapol aims his cannon towards Luffy, and Chopper jumps to his feet.
"Dodge it! Watch out!" Chopper yells up at Luffy with worry as the cannon sails towards Luffy.
"You can't break this flag!" Luffy snaps as the cannon hits. I watch, seeing another shot from the window and making the cannon explode before it hits Luffy.
"Luffy!" Sanji yells, watching with worry.
"It's a direct hit!" Dr Kureha gasps, and the cloud of black smoke clears away slowly.
"He must've been blown away! Such an idiot!" Wapol laughs as the smoke clears, revealing Luffy still holding the flag. Although both are a little beaten up by the explosion, it would have been worse if it had been a real direct hit.
"See? It didn't break…" Luffy announces, stopping Wapol's laughter.
"C… Can't be! He's stupid!" Chessmarimo exclaims in shock.
"I don't know who the heck this pirate flag belongs to…but since this flag is a person's pledge to risk his life…." Luffy snaps, glaring at Wapol and Chessmarimo. "It's not raised as a joke! This flag isn't something you can just break while laughing foolishly!" He yells, bubbling with rage, shocking the three morons. "It won't break… never… The skull is a mark of faith!" He makes a brilliant declaration, and I swear I hear a yell from inside the castle followed by a smacking sound. "Hey, reindeer!" He calls down to Chopper, who looks up at him. "I'm gonna beat these guys up now. What do you wanna do?" He asks, but before Chopper can fully reply, Wapol jumps in.
"What're you saying? You damn idiot! if you wanna protect the flag that bad, stay there forever to protect it!" Wapol growls as if he has any say.
"Why don't you stop…right there!" Sanji yells, turning and running towards them, but as he goes to kick, his spine makes a bad cracking sound as he stops.
"Looks like your backbone gave out… that's just natural," Dr Kureha remarks, looking at Sanji. "You're moving around too much!" She runs towards him, kicking him in the back as he slowly falls to the ground, "Stop! Doctor's orders!"
"Rest in peace, Sanji-chan," I mutter, making him glare at me.
"What're you idiots doing!" Wapol cackles. "Just stand there and watch! I'll blow him to bits along with that flag! Time to get blown away, Straw Hat!" He shouts up, but Luffy will be okay.
"Stop it!" Chopper yells, jumping and heading towards Wapol.
"That's the idea! Get him, reindeer!" Luffy cheers for the little reindeer and returns the flag pole as Chopper gets closer.
"Wapol! Watch out!" Chessmarimo yells, getting in the way of Chopper's punch.
"The little brat is showing his guts as if he's a fully grown man…" Doctorine cackles a little as we watch.
"Sorry. I won't let you lay your finger on Wapol!" They snap, and Chopper shrinks back down. "Really, there are some strange creatures in this world. Seems like you're that 'yeti' the citizens got worked up about at one time. You must really have spent your whole life disliked by everyone. You poor monster. Why's a loner like you trying to save this country? Don't make me laugh!"
"Shut up! Even if I don't have friends, I can still fight! As long as the Doctor's flag exists, I will!" Chopper growls at them with such courage and determination.
"You do have friends!" Luffy shouts at the little reindeer, who looks back at him. "I am your friend!" Luffy slingshots himself back down and lands hard before a screaming Wapol, hitting the snow hard, making the dumb Union and foolish King fall back into the snow.
"Straw Hat!" Chopper yells worriedly, but the snow clears, revealing a chuckling Luffy, who is completely fine. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm just fine… since I'm a rubber man," Luffy assures him, and I walk over to him, checking him, knowing that Onee-sama would worry about him.
"A rubber man?!" He questions in shock.
"Hey, reindeer! Can you finish that guy?" Our Captain asks him, pointing over at Chessmarimo.
"Someone like that is a piece of cake." The little reindeer replies, glaring at them.
"Then it's decided. My opponent is the annoying mouth!" Luffy grins, standing and looking over as Wapol approaches his feet.
"How dare you, Straw Hat, flying around like that!" Wapol sneers at Luffy, towering over us.
"Leave her alone!" Chopper shouts, standing before me, blocking me from Wapol. "I won't hesitate any longer!" He vows to himself, looking at Chessmarimo. "Get back to Doctorine." I nod and rush back to Sanji and Dr Kureha.
"You can take me down?! Huh, you monster?!" Chessmarimo digs at Chopper, but he doesn't even flinch.
"How dare you…" Sanji snaps as he tries to crawl over to help. "Old hag! I will fight…" She steps harder on his back; I hear the bones cracking a little as he flinches in pain.
"Shut up and watch!" Dr Kureha orders him. "If you keep moving around, you won't be able to walk on your own anymore. Don't worry. When push comes to shove my reindeer can handle things."
"My name is Tony Tony Chopper! It's a name that the world's greatest Doctor gave me! Even if the Doctor forgave you, I won't forgive you for laughing at how he lived!" Chopper yells at Chessmarimo.
"I'm the one who'll show no forgiveness! I'll stomp you!" Chessmarimo replies, and Chopper gets a small orangey-yellow ball the size of a marble in his hooves.
"Rumble Ball!" He announces. "The effect of the Rumble Ball lasts 3 minutes. I'll take you down in 3 minutes!"
"3 minutes?! You can't defeat me at all, much less in 3 minutes!" They refute as if they can't be defeated.
"3 minutes? That's amazing!" Luffy marvels at the little reindeer, ignoring the false King.
"3 minutes? No way!" Wapol scoffs in disbelief, having faith in his men, as Chopper throws the ball into the air.
"We'll be able to see something interesting," Dr Kureha comments, sitting on Sanji's back and stopping him from moving.
"Dammit! Let me fight, too!" Sanji protests and Chopper drops the Rumble Ball into his mouth and places it between his teeth.
"Rumble!" Chopper snaps, biting into the ball and smashing it into small pieces as Chessmarimo takes out two bows and arrows, setting the arrowheads on fire and aiming them towards Chopper.
"I wish I had my paint pallet," I mutter, wishing I could join the fight.
"What… Did you say you could do?!" Chessmarimo asks Chopper with a wide grin. "Marimo's Snow Melting Arrow!" They fire towards Chopper as he runs towards them.
"Walk Point! Leg Boost!" Chopper shouts, forming into an ordinary reindeer and swiftly dodges the arrows as he gets closer.
"Humph! Just a transformation?! I was expecting something more! In other words, you have the powers of a Devil Fruit. Zoan-type, just like Dalton! A reindeer human, huh?" They figure, seeming to have the Zoan-type Devil Fruit user pegged.
"Heavy Point! Weight Boost!" The little reindeer forms into the human reindeer and starts to stand as he runs towards them. "I'm a human reindeer!"
"Same thing! I know everything about the three-form transformation you Zoan-types use." The goons argue before doing something ridiculous. "Marimo's Super Surprise Quattro Hammer!" They yell, pulling out two hammers that look pretty ordinary. "I've seen all your forms. Looks like you're a power fighter like Dalton. But there's no way you can…" They go to swing their hammers towards Chopper as he grows closer.
"Jumping Point! Jump Boost!" Chopper grows slimmer than his human form and jumps high over the morons.
"...overpower me!"
"He jumped! He can really jump!" Sanji gapes, looking up in shock as we watch.
"Whoa! Luffy beams, distracted.
"What?! What's that form?!" Chessmarimo exclaims, looking up above them at Chopper's hovering form. "Wasn't his 'human-animal form' the little reindeer from earlier?! How impudent!" They go to swing as Chopper grows closer.
"Guard Point! Fur Boost!" The reindeer Doctor curls in on himself, growing fur rapidly as the hammer smashes down, and the fur ball bounces across the snow towards the castle and stops.
"Again?!" Chessmarimo gasps in surprise.
"Whoa!" Luffy beams with surprise, and the furball grows legs, and Chopper's head pops out at the bottom and moves to look up.
"Can't be… I hit him dead on!" They exclaim in disbelief.
"It won't work!" Chopper yells, glaring at them.
"I was sure that Zoan-types had a limit of three forms. What the heck are you?" The goons demand.
"The Rumble Ball is a drug that messes up the wavelength of the Devil Fruit's transformations. During my 5 years of research, I found 4 more transformation points. 3 transformations plus 4." Chopper informs them.
"Seven-form transformation? What's the big deal with the number of transformations?!" Chessmarimo exclaims.
"A… A seven-form transforming interesting reindeer!" Luffy beams with stars in his eyes.
"What's the matter with him?" Dr Kureha asks, glancing at Luffy, who keeps beaming.
"Looks like his happiness exceeded its limit after hearing seven-form transformations, Kinda like when you're a kid," I remark, looking over at the over-excited goofball that is our Captain, ignoring Wapol.
"You bastard… What happened to your fight against me?!" Wapol yells at Luffy, who continues to ignore him.
"To hell with seven-form transformations! I won't be deceived by such a sham!" Chessmarimo denies what they've seen so far with their very own eyes.
"It's not a sham!" Chopper shouts, bouncing towards Chessmarimo as they go running. "Arm Point! Arm Boost!" Chopper shreds the fur with muscular upper arms as Chessmarimo swings their hammers, but the reindeer uses his hooves to smash the hammer into splinters. The goons try hitting Chopper with the other hammer, but he beats it with his other hoove, splinters of wood flying everywhere from the sheer strength behind the hit. "Let me tell you one thing. My iron hooves can smash even rocks!"
"Amazing!" Luffy exclaims with pure joy only a child can display.
"How impudent, you bastard! This'll show you!" Chessmarimo snaps. "Marimo's Surprise…"
They get out four axes, swinging them around. "Quattro Axe!" The idiots slice down, creating a strong backdraft and slicing into the snow towards Chopper. "Snow Splitting Blade!" One cuts into Chopper's arm only slightly due to his muscles' density, but the castle wall is split open badly.
"Hey… the castle wall got hollowed out!" Sanji yelps, looking at the damage done to the castle wall.
"Tsk! He dodged it. Then, how about…this?!" They yell, running at Chopper and swinging their axes at the reindeer. "Omnidirectional Snow Splitter!" Chopper dodges the blades as he changes from one form to another, dodging the swords fast. "What happened to your high spirits from earlier?! You can't win if you just keep dodging, you know!" Chopper keeps changing his form to keep dodging and jumping away from the swinging axes.
"Brain Point! Brain Boost!" Chopper reverts back to his standard form as he begins. "It's not that I was just dodging. I was looking for your weak spot." He tells them as he starts analysing the creature.
"What?!" Chessmarimo exclaims in shock as they watch.
"Scope!" Chopper puts his iron hooves together and looks through as he begins looking from Chessmarimo's weak spot.
"A… A beam! He'll definitely shoot a beam!" Luffy gasps with anticipation, looking overjoyed at Chopper in awe and waiting for something to happen.
"He won't, you idiot!" Sanji argues with our Captain, who just ignores him.
"Shut up! It's definitely a beam! I don't care what anyone says, it's a beam! What else could it be?! It's a beam!" He yells back.
"How can you know?! Huh?!" The Chef shouts at Luffy.
"I just know! It's a beam! Beam!"
"Then what kind of beam?!" While they're fighting, someone grabs me, but before I can scream, a hand covers my mouth, pulling me away from the others into the castle.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Megumi's POV:
I grab a crutch as I can barely use my left hand and hop out of the room. "Where are you going?!" Nami shouts as I leap out of the room.
"Mari's been kidnapped!" I shout, and Nami jumps from the bed, grabbing a coat and helping me as we race out of the room to find the big weirdo already waiting for us inside, who spots us laughing.
"Wh-Who's…this guy?!" She asks, looking between me and him.
"How should I know!" I snap. "He's got Mari!"
"You must be two of those Straw Hats!" Wapol exclaims, grinning.
"No, that's not true at all!" Nami lies badly, though it seems to fool the idiot King. "We don't have any idea what you're talking about! We just want our sister back!"
"What?! I was wrong?! Really?!" He gasps, and I can't help but look at him in shock at how stupid he is.
"That's right!" I agree. "She's a Navigator, I'm a gunslinger and she's an artist, we were just passing by here!"
"Oh, I see…" The dummy muses.
"Well then…see ya…" Nami mutters, helping me walk away, and Marianne slips from his grasp before running towards the exit.
"Okay!" Wapol replies, waving, but his brain seems to skip into gear. "Liar!" He shouts, appearing behind us and running towards us.
"I can't run!" I shout as Nami basically drags me as she runs away from Wapol. "Mari! Get Luffy!"
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Marianne's POV:
"Luffy!" I shout, running outside, making the others look at me.
"Where have you been, little girl?" Dr Kureha questions, looking at me.
"Wapol kidnapped me," I reply and turn to Luffy. "Onee-sama and Big Sis are in trouble!" Luffy looks at me in shock before racing towards the entrance. "I hope they're okay…"
"They'll be okay, Marianne-chan," Sanji assures me, and I look back before racing inside with Sanji crawling on his front ahead of me back inside the castle.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
"It would've been nice if it were a key to a treasure room," Onee-sama sulks, holding a key as she leans on Big Sis. "How disappointing. Though they could have some interesting weapons to sell."
"Good thinking, Sissy," Nami remarks, smiling.
"Nami-san! Megumi-chan!" Sanji cries, crawling towards them faster. "Good! You're safe!"
"What happened?!" She asks, kneeling before Sanji as Megumi stands with the help of her crutch, and I rush to her side. "Why're you crawling like that, Sanji-kun? Are you all right?"
"Nami-san, you're that concerned about me?!" He beams, staring at her. "If I get enveloped in that warmth…"
"Don't!" Megumi snaps, slamming her metal-plated leg hard on his head and crashing his face into the snow-covered stone floor.
"Megumi…-chan…" The Love Cook croaks.
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" We hear Luffy shout above and look up to see something open at the top of the stairs. There are a few shouts above before an explosion, then silence.
"Luffy…" Onee-sama mutters, looking up at the stairs and trying to move, but it's not a good idea.
"Sissy, stop," Nami tells her, and then there's a crash.
"Gum-Gum…!" We hear Luffy shout, and Onee-sama sighs with relief, sagging to the floor. We hear screaming from both Luffy and Wapol. "...Bazooka!" We hear Luffy shouting, but he stops. "Ah! Zoro! Usopp!"
"Did he just say Usopp and Zoro?" Nami questions, looking at us.
"I think he did…" I reply, and Onee-sama tries getting up when we hear shouting from outside, but she's still unable to use or bend her leg. Sanji carefully moves, carrying her towards the exit, but there are more people than expected.
"Nami-san, Megumi-chan, you should have your sickness and injuries treated all the way," Sanji argues, crouching by the castle doors.
"Quiet! If we don't escape from here now, our departure for Alabasta will be delayed by two days!" Big Sis argues. "Do you wanna see Vivi keep suffering?!"
"Stop grumbling, you two…" We hear Dr Kureha say, making us look around for the woman. "...and get back to the medical ward!" She kicks through the wall above our heads, making us scream.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Megumi's POV:
I lie in bed with my leg elevated after Dr Kureha checks me over, which seems okay as I haven't damaged my leg even with all the running around. Doctorine leaves, heading into her surgical suite and begins fixing Sanji's back, screaming with every jolt of light. The men around the room shiver in fear, but she stops and comes out giggling and drinking from her bottle. "As I thought, his injuries have gotten worse…since he overexerted himself," she remarks, gulping down her wine. "Now…Dalton… Where's the key to this arsenal? You know where it is, right?" She looks at him as he lies in another bed.
"Key to the arsenal…" Dalton mumbles, looking at her. "Why do you need such a thing?"
"It's none of your business," she replies.
"That key was…always carried by Wapol from long ago. So if it's still the case, it flew off with Wapol into the sky…" He informs her, struggling a little to talk from the harsh treatment.
"What?! Is that right?! Oh darn…" Doctorine grumbles, almost giving up, but an idea comes to mind, and it seems my sister has the same idea.
"Doctorine…" Nami calls, gaining Dr Kureha's attention, and we sit upright in our beds. "About the treatment fee for our crew…would you make it all free?" "
"Also, would you discharge us right away?" I ask the most outrageous thing to ever be asked in the presence of Doctor Kureha.
"Did you ask just for the heck of it knowing it's all impossible? As my fee, I'll take the entire cargo and money on your ship. And you'll stay here and rest at least for two more days!" Kureha snaps, glaring at us.
"Nami, Miss Rosa, she's right! You should be treated all the way!" Vivi argues, trying to get us to agree with the Doctor.
"I'll be fine since I don't feel like I'll die!" Nami assures her, brushing it off with her usual smile that hides everything inside.
"That can't be a reason!" Vivi snaps.
"It's a totally legit reason," I argue, making the Princess look at me.
"You need the key to the arsenal, right?" Nami questions, looking at the Doctor with a grin as I produce the key, swinging it around my finger.
"What?! Why did you have that key?!" Dalton questions, sitting upright in shock, ignoring his injuries.
"Is that the real one? How'd you get it?!" Dr Kureha asks me, not sure if she should believe me.
"I stole it," I tell them, smirking.
"What?!" She exclaims and angrily leans into my face, but I just smirk back, not intimidated by her. "You've got guts dictating terms to me like that. You are really an unbelievable girl."
"I know," I laugh.
"Okay then…you don't have to pay my fee. But that's all." Doctorine snaps, grabbing her purple leather jacket and slipping it on as she walks out. "I can't accept the other term as a Doctor."
"Wait a sec! If that's the case, we can't give the key to you! Give it back!" Nami shouts, outstretching her hand, wanting the key back, and Dr Kureha spins on the spot, pointing at Nami.
"Listen, girl. I have to leave this room now to take care of things. There's a chest with my old coats in the backroom. And it's not like I'm posting guards…also, that young man's backbone treatment is already complete. But listen, don't you dare escape!" Dr Kureha warns us, though the underlying words seep through. "You guys, come with me. I need you for heavy lifting." She orders the men standing around.
"Yes, ma'am." They agree and head out, leaving us alone.
"She told us to wear her coat, take Sanji and escape using this chance." Nami questions, and I nod, agreeing with her.
"Yeah… that's how it sounded to me, too." Vivi also agrees, and Vivi helps Nami from the bed as she gets one of Dr Kureha's old coats. I hop around, seeing my coat and boots from the journey to the castle. I place them on along with my jacket. Though I can only put one arm through before the metal rods sticking out of my hand. We change and grab Sanji, dragging him across the floor out of the castle.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
Once outside the castle, the snow is falling again, and it's night, with a beautiful full moon. We walk out with Sanji being dragged behind us, still passed out from the painful back procedure, to find Usopp and Marianne playing in the snow with Zoro watching over them and Luffy trying to convince Chopper to join our crew. "Tony," Nami whispers.
"Hey, let's be pirates together! Okay?!" Luffy exclaims passionately.
"It's not possible," Chopper declines the offer, but it doesn't seem like Luffy will take no for an answer.
"Yes, it is since it's fun!" He argues with such a weak argument,
"Hey, you don't make sense!" Usopp shouts, looking at our Captain.
"But… But I'm a reindeer! I have antlers and hooves! I even have a blue nose!" Chopper exclaims, looking close to tears. "It's true… that I wanna be a pirate, but… I'm not even a human! I'm a monster! I can't become your friend! So…! So I just came to say thank you… I do appreciate you guys. Thank you for asking me to join you." He's about to burst into tears. "I'll stay here, but…one day…if you feel like it, stop by agai-."
"Cool! Another monster!" I beam, looking at Chopper, who tears up at me, and I wave at him.
"Shut up! Let's go!" Our Captain shouts, and Chopper's tears fall on our loud-spoken Captain.
"You don't ask people to join you by telling them to 'shut up.'" Zoro mutters to himself.
"Ah, leave him alone, he's crying now because you're so mean, Greenie," I sulk as Chopper bursts into tears and wails into the snowy sky at the offer, seemingly accepting before running off into the castle and leaving us outside. I sit on a pile of snow as we wait while Usopp makes a snowman, distracting himself.
"Hey, Nami, Megumi! Are you really okay?" Usopp asks us, concerned.
"I'm fine! I'm feeling great!" Nami assures him with a thumbs up.
"Healing nicely!" I beam, smiling and showing him my hand.
"Hey, let's go to say goodbye to that old lady Doctor and Dalton guy, too," Luffy suggests, rolling atop a giant ball of snow.
"There! To commemorate our reaching here, I built Snow Queen V!" Usopp announces with pride at the three balls of snow on top of each other, and Zoro tries to kick at it.
"Don't be silly." Nami snaps at Luffy with reason. "Let him be alone with Doctorine. It'll be a tearful farewell…"
"Hey, how dare you kick! Snow Queen V! How disrespectful!" Usopp yells at Zoro as Nami talks.
"Doctorine acts like that in front of us, but she is actually a kind person." She says, and I laugh a little; she may be right; Dr Kureha is kind but in her own particular way.
"Hmmm… Really?" Luffy and I question, tilting our heads.
"Then we're really leaving here without saying anything to her, huh?" Usopp asks around.
"Of course. Once Chopper comes, we'll go down the mountain and set sail immediately…to Alabasta!" Nami replies. "You're fine with that too, right, Vivi?"
"Yeah, if a Doctor comes with us..." Vivi argues weakly, and I smirk, glad that little Chopper is joining us, and then I can get my hand and leg sorted.
"A Doctor?" Luffy questions, not seeming to get that Chopper is the Doctor we're talking about.
"Okay then, I'll get the ropeway ready." Usopp agrees and starts walking off. "Hey, Luffy! Give me a hand."
"I didn't realise there was a ropeway… That's amazing!" He comments, racing after Usopp. We wait around as Usopp and Luffy ready the ropeway while Chopper has a tearful goodbye to his mother figure. Suddenly, we hear shouting coming from inside.
"What's going on? It's noisy inside the castle," Zoro remarks as the noise grows louder and more people start shouting inside.
"Gee, how thoughtless… Why can't they be quiet when others are saying farewell?" Nami scoffs, and I hear something coming towards us.
"Hey, he's coming!" I announce, spotting Chopper in his reindeer form racing towards us. "Hmm?" He's got a sleigh attached to him as he runs towards her, with Dr Kureha chasing after him with a weapon, swinging it above her head.
"What?! What's going on?! He's being chased!" Nami gasps, seeing what's happening.
"Hey! The ropeway is rea-," Usopp informs us, then spots Dr Kureha and Chopper. "Hm?"
"Everyone! Get on the sleigh! We'll go down the mountain!" Chopper shouts, running towards us, and Dr Kureha lets go of the chain, allowing it to sail in the air towards Chopper's moving sleigh,
"What?!" We shout as it comes towards us and hop into the moving sleight, though Luffy misses, clinging onto the side. I look back at Dr Kureha as she stands on the edge, and I wave at her, promising we'll look out for Chopper on our journey.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
We make it down the ropeway to a tree inside a house and head down the snow-covered path towards the ship that I lead Chopper as Luffy jumps into the back of the sleigh, happily enjoying hanging off the back. "That felt good!" Luffy beams happily. "Hey, do it again!"
"You idiot! We're setting sail right away!" Nami snaps at our Captain.
"I-I thought I'd die…" Usopp moans, looking a little faint.
"Hm? Where am I?!" Sanji questions, gaining consciousness as he leans next to Vivi.
"Ah, Sanji! You came to?" Vivi sighs in relief as we hear the sound of continuous cannon shots. Chopper stops and returns to his hybrid form, running up the small hill of snow as the cannon fire stops. It's silent momentarily before a bright light comes from above the castle, illuminating the sky with a beautiful pink cloud. It almost resembles a cherry blossom tree.
"Amazing…" Luffy awes as we watch the glorious sight.
"Yeah…" Zoro agrees, sitting on the edge of the sleigh.
"It's so beautiful…" Nami gushes and I look down at Chopper, knowing how much he must finally love seeing the Doctor's work completed and for everyone to see. Chopper breaks into heartbreaking sobs at the cherry blossom tree-like imagery before us.
"Doctor…! Doctorine…!" Chopper cries, breaking into screaming sobs as he looks at the pink cloud above the Drum Rockies.
"It's really pretty, Chopper…" I mutter, smiling softly.
"Do you think he'd like a painting of it?" Marianne asks, smiling.
"Yeah, I think he would," Nami replies.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
We return safely on the ship and sail away from the island. We watch the beautiful display in awe. "Whoa!" Usopp gasps.
"Yeah!" Luffy exclaims; even if we've been looking at it for a long time, it doesn't get any less beautiful as we slowly sail away.
"It's beautiful…" Vivi smiles.
"Yeah," Nami mutters.
"I wish we could stay here for a while longer," I comment.
"Cherry blossoms, huh?" Zoro hums when Usopp leans over to the others.
"Hey, is Chopper okay?" Usopp asks us, looking at Chopper.
"Let's leave him alone for now," Nami replies, letting Chopper soak in all the new changes.
"He's experiencing what it's like to set out on a journey as a man," Sanji agrees, and I nod.
"It must be hard for him," I mutter.
"Yeah, he is about to leave the island he's spent his entire life in." Vivi says, and Usopp nods, seeing as he has also left his home island like the rest of us.
"Yeah…" Usopp mutters as we watch Chopper, who seems calmer now.
"I'm leaving, Doctor…Doctorine… My adventure… is finally starting." Chopper mumbles to himself, and we sail slowly away, letting Chopper settle a little more before we leave the former Drum Kingdom behind.
Everyone cheers up a little as the boys grab some barrels of beer, getting drunk from the success of having someone else join our crew. Luffy gets drunk, grabs some chopsticks, and sticks them into his nose, making the boys laugh like idiots. I chug my beer down happily as I watch them. "This is a joyous day!" Luffy cheers, dancing around and making the boys laugh more.
"The moon is out, and the cherry blossoms have bloomed." Zoro laughs with the others.
"Chopper! Hey, Chopper! You son of a gun!" Usopp shouts, making Chopper look at him. "How long are you gonna be in a daze like that?" He grabs the little reindeer, pulling him into his side and offering him a mug. "Drink?"
"What?" Chopper gasps at the offer, still a little surprised.
"Come here and sing!" Sanji suggests.
"What?!"
"Here, stick these chopsticks up your nose!" Luffy orders him, and I push him away from the overwhelmed reindeer.
"Leave him alone, Captain!" I slur, feeling the effects of the beer.
"What?!" Chopper exclaims, looking at the boys.
"Really what a grand night time view of cherry blossoms…" Sanji yells. "How could we not have a party at a time like this?!" The boys enjoy themselves, and Chopper stumbles away from them into Nami and me as we sit aside, enjoying our drinks.
"Are you surprised?" Nami asks Chopper as she steadies him. "You made friends with some really crazy guys, huh?"
"Friends…" Chopper repeats, unsure, but all of us are his friends now.
"Yeah, friends!" I beam. "Though they're completely over the top sometimes, since you're one of us now, you'll have to get used to it."
"Karoo! What were you doing frozen in the river?" Vivi asks the frozen bird as he lies in her arms, squawking a little.
"He probably slipped or something. He's a clumsy one!" Zoro suggests a scenario, looking a little guilty.
"Quiet, Mr Bushido!" Vivi snaps at the swordsman as he looks at her sheepishly, and Chopper walks over, talking to the bird.
"Yeah… Yeah…" Chopper muses, then looks at us as he translates for Karoo. "He says that the guy named Zoro was swimming in the river and disappeared. He thought Zoro was in trouble, so he jumped into the river and got frozen."
"So it was your fault!" Nami snaps, punching the back of Zoro's head.
"Tony, you can understand what Karoo is saying?" Vivi asks the little reindeer.
"Yes. I'm an animal by nature, so I can talk with animals." Chopper reminds them.
"You can talk to animals?" Marianne questions in shock.
"That's incredible, Chopper! To be able to do that along with your medical skills!" Nami praises him, which makes him blush.
"Dummy! Praising me like that wouldn't make me feel happy! You jerk!" Chopper gushes, doing his little dance of embarrassment.
"He sure looks happy." Usopp and Luffy comment, watching him.
"By the way, Nami, what do you mean by 'medical skills'?" Zoro asks her, and I pat Chopper's hat, beaming drunkenly.
"Chopper is a Doctor…a first-class one with all the medical skills hammered into him by Doctor Kureha." Nami explains.
"What?!" The boys gape in surprise at the new information.
"Chopper! You're a Doctor?!" Zoro asks, looking at Chopper.
"Incredible!" Luffy gasps.
"No way!" Usopp exclaims.
"Good Lord! What did you think Chopper was when you asked him to join us?" I ask them.
"A seven-form transforming interesting reindeer." Luffy answers honestly.
"That is still cool!" I muse, nodding and earning a look from my slightly sober sister.
"Emergency food," Sanji answers, scaring Chopper, who hides behind me in fear of the blond cook.
"Ah…! Darn it! I forgot to bring my medical tools since I left in a hurry!" Chopper panics, glancing around.
"Can't be…then what is this?" Nami asks him, holding up a little blue medical bag.
"What?! My bag!" He exclaims in joy at the sight of his bag.
"It was in the sleigh," She replies.
"How come…?" The little Doctor wonders.
"How come? Didn't you prepare for the trip by yourself?" Marianne asks him, but he shakes his head, telling her no, and it's clear who did.
"After all… she knew everything you were thinking,... What a wonderful person she is…" Nami muses, smiling at Chopper.
"Ah! I got snot on the chopsticks!" Luffy yells happily. "Hey, Chopper, you try it too!"
"Geez… when you're reminiscing… Right Chopper?" She says, looking down at him. "Chopper?" I sit behind and watch him put the chopsticks up his nose. "Don't!"
"Okay…guys!" Usopp yells with a mug of beer raised as Sanji and Zoro fight. "Attention! Well, I'd like to introduce our new friend to you! Tony Tony Chopper!"
"Sanji! Go!" Luffy cheers on the blond cook.
"Zoro! Go!" I cheer on the swordsman.
"He'll be our ship's Doctor. To celebrate his coming on board…" Usopp keeps cheering, but we're not all really listening to him. "Hey! Listen to me, you jerks!"
"I… I… I've never had this much fun before." Chopper exclaims in joy with a smile through the chopsticks.
"Let's toast to our new friend!" He yells, and we raise our mugs into the air.
"Yeah!" We yell. "Cheers!" They jump into the air to celebrate our new members as we set sail into the vast sea for Alabasta.
"I want these things out!" I groan, falling back, and Chopper looks at me, smiling and taking out the chopsticks.
"I don't see why not in a few days, Meggy," Chopper promises, and Marianne glares, standing between me and Chopper.
"Meggy! You can't call her that!" Marianne sulks, pouting and folding her arms as she stands before Chopper.
"Mari, it's okay," I assure her, pulling her into my lap. "Now drink." I offer her a mug, which she happily takes.
ONE PIECE - DRUM ISLAND ARC
It's been a few days since we left the former Drum Kingdom, and Chopper joined us. I get changed after my nap; my hand and leg are all better now, and I'm ready to move around on my own with the little Doctor having taken off the metal plates and rods. My trigger finger is still a little stiff, but with a little more practice, it will be back to its former self. I put on black boots, leaving my legs bare in just denim shorts, showing off my incision scars, and tuck my grey tank top and leave my green short-sleeve shirt open but still tucked into my shorts before heading outside to see everyone panicking, "What'd I miss while I was sleeping?" I wonder.
"Gum-Gum… Propeller!" I hear Luffy shout from above our heads and look up to see him in an altercation with a giant bird.
"Amazing…!" Chopper marvels when a considerable weight crashes down on us along with Luffy. I look up to see Luffy lying under the giant bird.
"I'm going to kill him…" I groan.
"Hey, Sanji! I've got some meat! Huh? What? Are you guys sleeping?" Luffy asks us, and we get up angrily, glaring at him.
"It's your fault!" We snap at him and get to our feet.
"How are you gonna fix this situation? I had a good hand!" Usopp demands angrily.
"Really? Sorry," Luffy laughs it off.
"Whoa! That's huge!" Sanji marvels at the sight of the bird.
"Now we can have some decent meals," Zoro comments.
"Is this edible?" Marianne questions, tilting her head adorably.
"Hm? What's the matter, Chopper?" Luffy asks him.
"Yeah… Well… Pirates are… Pirates are incredible after all!" Chopper boasts all of their egos.
"Yeah? Incredible, huh?" Luffy repeats, and I shake my head at the boys as they laugh.
"Hey, you guys! This ship is arriving at Alabasta soon. We don't have time to play around! Move it!" Nami orders us around.
"Yeah, right…" We agree and head down the stairs.
"So, what's Alabasta?" Chopper asks, being so innocent of other things outside his island, though we haven't really explained a lot to our newest member.
"It's the country that Vivi's father governs," Nami explains.
"A rogue named Crocodile is trying to take over Alabasta right now," Usopp says.
"I hear that Crocodile is one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea," Sanji comments.
"Seven Warlords of the Sea?" Chopper repeats.
"Right, you don't know a lot," I muse. "I'll explain." I volunteer, making the others look at me.
"How do you know so much, Miss Rosa?" Vivi asks, and I look at her.
"I have explored most of the Grand Line myself, and I've picked up a few things on my adventures. So Warlords are pirates who are sanctioned by the World Government, which means they do whatever they demand, and they can do whatever within reason as long as the World Government allows them to roam free." I sit down, and Chopper watches me, intrigued, and the others listen.
"Pirates are authorised by the Government?" Chopper questions in surprise.
"Yeah, but it's only, so they'll do what they want till there are no longer any more pirates then they'll get rid of them. There are always seven of them if one is defeated, found guilty of crimes or killed they're quickly replaced with another. I remember Nami telling me you guys have already met one." I reply, thinking of everything I've learned while travelling the Grand Line and other places.
"Crocodile, huh…? I can't wait to see him." Luffy beams, seeming pumped at the fight we'll have once we reach Alabasta.
"Crocodile is a hero in Alabasta because he crushes the pirates that attack the towns, but that's only his public face. Behind the scenes, he is pulling strings to cause a civil war in Alabasta. In order to take over Alabasta… No one has noticed it. The citizens... My father… no one…" Vivi explains, almost bursting into sobs at the rough subject.
"All right then! In any case, all we have to do is beat up that Crocodile, right?" He asks, though I doubt he cares if we said no, but it's not like we will.
"Yes, if we can first stop the civil war and expel Baroque Works…" She answers him.
"Baroque Works…?" Chopper repeats, a little scared, but he has nothing to worry about as we'll look after him.
"Ahh… yeah, you don't know about them either, do you?" Usopp questions. "To be honest, I can't quite understand, either. Baroque Works has a complicated system."
"The system itself is simple." Vivi corrects him. "First, at the top, there's a boss, Crocodile, in other words, Mr 0. There's 12 agents and animals who receive orders from the boss directly. Each of the 12 agents operates separately as a pair with a female agent. Mr 1 and Miss Double Finger. Mr 2 and Miss Mother's Day." She explains a little further.
"Mr 3 is the candle man we met in Little Garden, right?" Zoro asks her.
"Yes. he was paired up with Miss Goldenweek," Vivi answers, looking at Marianne.
"That was me," Marianne adds, making Chopper look at the adorably tiny sixteen-year-old, wearing denim shorts that go up to her waist with a funky tan patterned shirt tucked in, which seems like we're matching a little, in surprise.
"That was a former life, you're safe now," Nami assures her.
"Mr 4 is paired up with Miss Merry Christmas. I don't know much about these two, either." She adds, giving us more information.
"I don't think I've met them either," Marianne says.
"And that snot guy!" Luffy blurts, thinking of Mr 5.
"Mr 5," I correct him, seeing as Usopp was the one who beat him up well.
"Snot?" Chopper asks, not knowing about those as it was before we came to Drum.
"Yeah. his snot is a bomb." Usopp tells him.
"Mr 5's entire body is a weapon," Vivi argues.
"Miss Valentine has the powers of the Kilo Kilo Fruit," Nami comments.
"It's the woman who can change her weight freely, right?" Zoro questions.
"From Mr 1 through Mr 5, they're called Officer Agents. They all mostly have the powers of a Devil Fruit. And they work only on really important missions. From Mr 6 through Mr 13, their job is fundraising for the company by leading the employees at the entrance of the Grand Line." Vivi continues to explain.
"Come to think of it, there was a strange monkey and chicken," Sanji tells her.
"They're Mr 13 and Miss Friday. They're a punishment squad. Their main job is to punish those who fail missions. Other than these people, there're 200 subordinates called 'Billions' under the Officer Agents, and 1800 subordinates called 'Millions' under the frontier agents. This is the secret crime syndicate, Baroque Works." She finishes explaining.
"That means… 1800 plus 200, so…" Usopp tries counting.
"There're 2000 subordinates?!" Chopper exclaims in shock, probably regretting joining us for a moment.
"2000!" The cowardly Sniper exclaims.
"All right! I understand it very well now. In any case, all we have to do is beat up that Crocodile, right?" Luffy questions.
"I'm sure you don't get it at all!" I argue.
"If Baroque Works' last big job is to take over Alabasta…" Zoro says, and I nod.
"...the rest of those 'Officer Agents' will all," Sanji joins in on the same thought.
"-gather in Alabasta." Nami finishes it.
"Yes," Vivi answers them.
"I see… then, in any case, we'll beat that Crocodile guy…" Luffy begins saying again.
"That's enough. You keep your mouth shut!" Sanji stops our Captain.
"Okay." Luffy agrees, and we continue discussing what we'll do once we reach Alabasta.
NEXT ON MY TREASURE HUNTER….
"Touch me and die…" Megumi growls, glaring at the pink-wearing ballerina.
"Onee-sama! Don't go near her!" Marianne cries.
"ALABASTA!" Luffy cheers, landing on the sandy shore of the new island.
"Hi there…"
Question: What do you think about Vivi joining the Straw Hats?"