"I'll go ahead and scout the situation first," Usopp stated bravely despite his shaking legs. "The rest of you can come after that."
But the moment he saw the giant scratch on the castle walls, Usopp halted in his steps and turned around to see Vivi and Nami.
"You g-guys can go ahead," He called out to the girls. "I'll back you up!"
"Jeez, Usopp! Do you even think that the fake king will be even here with the monster trio present?" Nami questioned rubbing her temple and walking forward.
"O-oh! Yeah! I forgot that!" Usopp quickly took the lead and soon found Zoro and Sanji who were smirking at the direction of-
"LUFFY!" Usopp shouted with a big smile on his face and started running towards the teen who was sick before.
But that was enough for Dr. Kureha to snap out of whatever trance she was in.
"You brat! You are still sick! How the hell did you dare to fight?!" Doctrine yelled twisting the boy's ear and catching the boy's arm which wasn't holding Chopper. "Didn't you two not promise to not let him out?!" She questioned the duo.
"Granny! I'm alright!" Luffy whined. "Zoro! Sanji! Help me, please!"
"I thought you guys weren't going to hike?" Zoro questioned the other three who arrived currently, ignoring Luffy for once. After all, he had not heard them and done what he wanted like always.
"We took the ropeway," Nami cut Usopp who was about to banter about how easy it was for him to hike and how natural he was in it.
"Nami-swan!!! Vivi-chwan!!!" Sanji twirled towards the said ladies.
"Are you sure you should be out of bed, Luffy?" Usopp asked looking at Luffy who was pale yet energetic.
"I'm all pumped up!" Luffy grinned brightly before show casing his haul. "And this is out new nakama! Chopper!"
Chopper suddenly heat rush up his face as he dangled in the arm of the one who had called him his friend.
"A reindeer?" Usopp asked confused.
"Now are you taking my little Chopper without my permission?" Doctrine asked hiding the smile which was blossoming in her face. The little time which she has spent with the group was enough to ensure her son's safety and uttermost care. She could see the loud and reckless kid holding Chopper gently despite his actions.
"Yep!" Luffy grinned not minding the words of the doctor at all.
"What have you all been up to?" Nami questioned as she dodged Sanji's noodling.
"Luffy sent the King flying," Zoro stated, looking at the grinning teen nuzzling their new crewmate.
"Then... That thing which went flying through the air... Was Wapol?!" Dalton asked appearing out of nowhere and looking at the green haired teen for confirmation.
"Yep! That was him," Sanji answered instead.
"What about his two servants?!" Dalton questioned his eyes darting from Zoro to Sanji and then finally landing on the kid for which the duo were up here. The kid was making his zoan form want to bow towards him. The kid who looked so adorable and cute while smuggling to a reindeer was making his zoan form wary of him.
"Chopper beat them!" Luffy spoke looking straight at Dalton making him step a leg back at the sudden attention. The bright smile which came over the kid's face was the only thing that soothed his palpating heart. The kid before him wasn't normal.
"What..?" Dalton questioned his eyes falling to the reindeer with blue nose who was looking embarassed. "You're the one from before!" Dalton exclaimed remembering the reindeer clearly. The one who had come for Dr. Hilluk, crying.
Chopper's eyes widened at the number of people gathering around him. In the hold of the strawhatted teen, he had completely forgotten where he was! He was ready to escape from the big bulky man ahead of him, when the next instant he saw the said man bowing down to the earth.
"Thank you for fighting for our country!" Dalton exclaimed. "I'm sure Drum can finally be born anew-!"
"AHHHH!!! THERE'S A WEIRD CREATURE OVER THERE!" A villager screamed at once when he saw Chopper, who slipped away quickly from Luffy's arms to run to the woods.
"NO! THAT'S A MONSTER!" Another villager shrieked.
"STOP YOUR YELLING AT ONCE!" Dalton shouted at once, trying to make the reindeer return but it was of no use.
"A MONSTER?!" Usopp yelled noticing their new crewmate change forms and dashing away.
"Dumbass! He's our new crewmate!" Luffy yelled, getting Doctrine's arms off him and running off to Chopper.
"And he is off again," Zoro grunted.
Doctrine sighed sadly before turning to the villagers. Her patient was off again without any approval and honestly she doesn't have much patience to tackle that unruly kid.
"Well hello, folks!" Dr. Kureha stepped up, making the villagers shriek in fear. "How about you guys bring the injured ones inside?"
"And by that I mean everyone!" Dr. Kureha stated eyeing from Dalton to the long nosed, the blonde haired and green haired teens.
"I'm going after Luffy," Zoro announced and got on moving.
"Who told you to leave, huh?" Dr. Kureha asked, but was ignored when the blonde haired teen cut her off.
"You will only get lost, marimo! Wait for me," Sanji stated as he ran behind his crew mate.
"Sorry about them," Nami sighed, nursing her temple.
"Sorry won't work, missy. My patients can leave the bed only in two conditions: either they have recovered or they are dead," Doctrine stated dragging the only one whom she could get her hands on. Poor Usopp wasn't even given any warning as he got dragged inside of the castle with Dalton.
"Ah, we can give you compensation for that?" Vivi asked unsure of her own words as she saw Usopp being thrown to a bed while Dalton laid to other bed.
"I will anyways take all your money and all the other useful things I find in your ship," Doctrine answered back with a grin, looking at the orange and blue haired girls.
"What?!" Nami shrieked. "That's an insane amount of money!"
Doctrine chuckled inside her mind as she looked towards Dalton next.
"Dalton, you don't happen to know where the key to the mansion's armoury is?" Doctrine asked the man.
"Wapol's always kept that key with him all times, so it would have disappeared along with him," Dalton answered leaning back on the wall.
"How about I open that damn room and you waive off the treatment fees and let us go?" Nami asked glaring at Dr. Kureha. She still couldn't help but shiver at the idea of her precious hard earned money going in vain.
"As if you could open it," Doctrine challenged Nami, making her glare at the doctor even more.
"Show the way, Dr. Kureha," Nami spoke determinedly standing up.
"As you wish," Doctrine stated and led her to the armoury room which opened in just 10 seconds.
"You sure have skills," Doctrine whistled as the lock fell to the ground.
"Now?" Nami asked with a sweet smile on her face.
"Fine, I'll waive off the treatment fees of your friends. But as a doctor I can't accept the second condition of letting you guys go." Doctrine stated. "That strawhat kid needs to recover which will take at least two days and your friends also need time to heal from their injuries-"
"We will have Chopper. Isn't he a doctor?" Nami challenged, having heard from Sanji about the reindeer and their new crewmate being a doctor who treated Luffy back to health.
"Are you trying to swipe my little Chopper?" Dr. Kureha half heartedly glared at the orange haired girl.
Nami bit her lips. "... Please. We need a doctor. And it's first time that Luffy has allowed anyone to treat him. He has bonded with Chopper and likes him. I can assure you that he will be fine-" Nami blabbered hysterically. She didn't want a repeat of what has happened. Luffy needed a doctor. And he has found one.
"Yeah! Yeah! I got you," Doctrine spoke noticing the shiny sheen in the eyes of Nami. She could tell that the crew is knitted tightly and are very close to each other. "Listen up, missy! I am going to leave this room and take the men to do some work. Also, I finished checking your other friends. But don't you dare use this chance to escape!"
Nami stood their stunned for a minute, realising what Doctrine was trying to say.
.
A few minutes earlier, when Chopper ran away he didn't want to be found. He wanted to stay alone for a while and yet the words of Luffy were spiralling in his mind. Yet the way he had held him gently seemed to be making his eyes glitter with new tears.
"There you are!"
Chopper squeaked at the unknown presence and yet familiar voice as he turned to see Luffy standing there with a warm grin.
"Let's go be pirates together!" Luffy exclaimed with the brightest smile on his face.
"It's impossible," Chopper answered back, his eyes shielded by his hat. "We are different.." Chopper whispered under his breath but that was heard by Luffy who tilted his head in confusion.
"How?" Luffy questioned not getting what Chopper was even saying.
"I'm a reindeer. I've horns, hooves, and even a blue nose!" Chopper shouted, suppressing his heavy throat. His voice came out in whimpers, as he spoke his desire. "I want to be a pirate but I'm a monster!"
Tears fell from Chopper's eyes one by one as he placed his insecurity wide open for the other to hear.
"So what?" Luffy asked taking a step towards Chopper. His eyes softened as he felt the inner feelings of Chopper. Confusion, anger, self doubt. "Chopper is not alone. I'm a monster too."
"You can't be a monster!" Chopper instantly yelled back.
"But I am," Luffy shrugged. "I have been called such by many."
"B-but I'm not even a human!" Chopper tried to argue once more.
"Neither am I," Luffy replied back softly. His words carried by the winds for Chopper, Zoro and Sanji to hear. The latter of two froze at the words but they had an inkling that it was the case. But hearing from the mouth of the said teen was something else.
"No you are-" Chopper stopped himself, going through the discoveries he made of the kid standing before him.
"Will you really take someone like me..?" Chopper asked quivering and soon got engulfed by Luffy's lanky limbs.
"Why not? Chopper is Chopper! A monster like me! But a good monster who protects his friends!" Luffy replied with a bright smile.
Chopper couldn't control his tears anymore as he gave into crying into the arms of Luffy, who softly petted his furry back.
"Let's go back," Sanji suggested to Zoro who nodded.
.
The strawhats were waiting outside the castle on the snowy grounds for their new crewmate who had gone to say his goodbyes to his mentor and mother figure.
"We should go say goodbye as well to granny!" Luffy suggested rolling the snow around him to make a big snow man. He was brimming with energy to say the least and happy that the snow was not melting to his touch anymore.
"If you go, she won't let you go," Nami answered back. "You don't want to stuck here right?"
"No way!!" Luffy gasped.
"Anyways, it's good for Chopper to do it alone. It's gonna be teary," Usopp suggested, drawing on the snowy ground.
"I wonder what's going on," Vivi wondered looking at the castle and soon to answer her question loud sounds erupted from the castle.
"Guys, what's going on?" Usopp asked as he looked towards the place from where screams and yells were coming from.
"That's our cue!" Luffy grinned as soon Chopper burst off from the main door of the castle, a sleigh tied to his back.
"What's going on?" Nami questioned loudly.
"I'm being chased!" Chopper yelled back, running to the strawhats and his friends.
"What?" Usopp questioned with wide eyes, already looking for perpetrators.
"Everyone get on! We will be getting down the mountain this instant!" Chopper announced.
"WAIT THERE!" Doctrine came rushing in the scene carrying bloody knives in her hand to throw at them.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" The Strawhat Pirates shouted in shock except for the captain who laughed and hurdled them all in the sleigh towed by Chopper.
"This is awesome!!!" Luffy squealed taking the front seat and shouting while still in the air.
"I am gonna die!!!!" Usopp screamed in fear as he cluthed the side of the sliegh to balance himself. Lucky for him, the ride in the air ended soon and they were on land.
In all this no one saw Chopper clenching his eyes shut and remembering what happened. The farewell with Doctorine and the words of how Dr. Hilluk hadn't completed his research. He didn't want to believe it, but right now his trust was wavering. Did he lie to him so that he would not be sad with his death..?
BOOM!
Chopper stopped in his tracks, transforming to his base form as they reached the cliff too, beside which the Strawhats ship was docked.
"Something is going to happen," Luffy chimed in sitting on the head of the sleigh.
The snow soon turned into an enchanting soft pink color, falling on everyone like the cherry blossom leaves in the spring season.
"This is awesome!!!" Luffy chirped while the others couldn't even find words to describe the beautiful and unique snow.
Chopper's eyes glistened at the sight. Doctor's hard work wasn't a lie. He didn't lie to him. He was successful.
"Now go my foolish son," Doctrine cried from the top of the mountain which looked as if it was covered with cherry blossom leaves.
.
Loud cheers, happy yellings, playful chirping and fighting had all ceased on the deck of the Going Merry as mostly everyone laid on the deck lost in sweet dreams.
The party which was held to commerate their new crewmate had been a blast, making everyone roll on with the party, forgetting their worries and just enjoy the night.
The only sound from the deck was a low humming noise which was making the Strawhats fall in the sweet embrace of dreams. But one layed unscathed by it. Zoro had too many questions in his mind when he woke up. Sitting up he heard the melody coming from the figurehead making him follow it to find Luffy who was sitting on the figurehead relishing the moonlight which the moon was providing, which seemed to specifically give him an ethereal glow.
"Zoro," Luffy hummed, showing that he was aware of the presence of his first mate on the deck. "You have questions."
Zoro wasn't at all shocked that Luffy could read him without even looking at him. Zoro took steps to stand beside his captain and looked at him. His soft cheeks were glowing, his hair seemed to dance in the non existent wind which was bestowed in the middle of the ocean. His captain's eyes were closed softly as his head bobbed side to side in a soft uncanny rhythm which he had been humming before.
"Yes," Zoro replied, looking straight at the soft eyes, which were not brown in color. They were scarlet red but with a warmth which made Zoro feel safe and seek for more.
"Sorry for keeping secrets from you, Zoro, but I wasn't ready before." Zoro heard and saw the confusion in his captain's eyes.
"You don't need to tell me if you feel uncomfortable," Zoro replied, not wanting to make Luffy uncomfortable at all. "But we at least ought to know what we shall do to help you. As a first mate I feel like I am failing you."
"Shishishishi, Zoro!" Luffy chuckled softly with his warm sunny smile on his face. "Zoro can never fail me. And I suppose that I should tell Zoro what's going on but Zoro ought to promise to not speak a word about it until I agree."
"I swear on my name and ambition," Zoro vowed looking determinedly at Luffy's scarlet eyes which didn't seem to scare him like the first time he had seen.
"What do you know about Nika?" Luffy asked in a soft whisper which seemed to be carried by the wind and resound in Zoro's ears.
"Your fruit name is Hito Hito no mi: Model Nika. I don't know anything other than that," Zoro answered to the best he could. He hasn't heard about Nika anywhere.
A sad smile seemed to pass on Luffy's face before he turned to face the ocean, which seemed to dance in his presence.
"Nika," A soft laughter came from Luffy's mouth which Zoro couldn't comprehend. "Many call him the Sun God or Joyboy or the Warrior of Liberation."
"He is a deity?" Zoro questioned with wide eyes. "Your fruit is a part of a deity?"
A soft chuckle escaped Luffy's mouth. "Silly Zoro! I am Nika! The fruit is a part of me!"
Zoro stood there stunned. Frozen could be an appropriate word but the thoughts which seemed to travel through his mind kept it running. A hand pressed it way on his face and Zoro belatedly noted it as his own.
"So you are a deity," Zoro spoke after a good minute of processing the information.
Looking at Luffy's face- or shall he call him Nika?- he saw something linger on his face. Something which he couldn't comprehend once again because it was gone the moment he saw it.
"Not any longer." Luffy spoke with a smile. "Those powers were a shackle to my heart which I chose to give up."
"But you aren't a human either," Zoro commented, his thoughts running over to the confession which Luffy made to Chopper, his blood and odd body temperature. They were all making sense right now.
"That's what I am afraid of," Luffy spoke pulling his legs closer to his chest. "There is something which Mama is not telling me. But I feel like I know what it is."
Zoro looked in the direction Luffy was looking. The dark waters of the ocean which were glowing under the moon and stars seemed to calm down for a moment.
"With every adventure and adversity, I feel the part which I had lost returning back to me." Luffy spoke looking at his hands, clenching and unclenching it.
"What will happen if you get it all back?" Zoro asked and the next second he saw Luffy shudder a bit at the thought and look at the sky.
"I need Zoro to guide the crew to their dream if something really happens," Luffy spoke after a moment.
Zoro wanted to ask what he even meant by that. He wanted to ask if Luffy would be leaving them! He had so many questions which were still unanswered.
The thought of Luffy leaving them. The thought of the brightest star in everyone's life leaving them terrified Zoro. His clenched fists which were turning white. The way he refused to remove his eyes from Luffy who was relishing in the joy of the gleam of the moon told stories to Zoro of how Luffy didn't himself want to speak and ponder on the matter.
Zoro had thought many things when Luffy's secrets were little by little being unveiled to him but never had he thought that his captain would be a deity.
"Zoro should sleep," Luffy stated tearing his gaze from the bluish moon to look at his face.
"I know I am being selfish, but I don't want to lose you Luffy. Whoever you might be, a God or a human or any creature, I don't care. You are my captain and my best friend foremost. I don't want to lose you too," Zoro laid his feelings bare before Luffy.
"I know," Luffy answered with his all knowing soft smile.
"Then promise me you won't leave us. That you won't disappear on me, Luffy!" Zoro spoke, his knuckles turning white.
"... Sorry, but I can't promise something which is not under my control," Luffy softly spoke, looking everywhere but at Zoro.
"You are a damn God! Don't Gods have everything under their control?!" Zoro asked, feeling his throat getting clogged.
Luffy chose not to answer as he looked at his mother. He could feel her soft humming and sadness. That was enough to answer his thoughts that he had limited time. He wasn't going to lament that or fall in despair. He was going to make memories of his adventure which would quench his heart in the darkest of the times.
He absentmindedly noted Zoro walking away sad and angry.
"Nika-sama? Are you okay?" Merry's voice came up as she hovered beside Luffy.
"Am not," Luffy mumbled holding the ship spirit and hugging it.
.
Smoker was in his daily pissed irritated mood, smoking two to three cigars at a time, when he noticed a projectile aimed at his ship.
"Who in the damn hell decided that it would be cool to attack a marine ship?" Smoker hissed under his breath and cigar, transforming his left hand into smoke and reaching out to grab the projectile which seemed to be shouting.
Confused, Smoker could hear yells and loud screaming as the projectile contacted his smokey hand, only to make him realise that the thing which he caught was a man.
Sighing at his fate, which he really thought would be good today, he brought the blabbering and screaming man to a safe landing.
"Care to explain what's going on?" Smoker asked narrowing his eyes at the intruder while his officers pointed their guns at the said man.
"I'm a king! How dare you point your guns at me?!" The said person yelled furiously.
Upon a closer look of the man dressed with tin clothes and bloodied self, Smoker could only raise an eyebrow at the statement made by the said 'king'.
"And what was a king doing in the air?" Smoker asked with a scowl on his face.
"It's all because of that damn Strawhat!" The king growled in anger before clutching his heart and coughing out blood.
"What?!" Smoker's eyes widened at the stranger who had bumped into the Strawhats.
"*Cough* I would *cough* never forgive that *cough* brat!" The king yelled out, panting heavily.
"Captain Smoker, we have confirmed that he is the former King of The Drum Island, Wapol!" A marine under his control informed Smoker whose mind was still reeling from the fact that the guy before him had encountered Strawhat.
"Prepare the medics ASAP!" Smoker ordered his crew, as he shoved the king to the infirmary to get him at least treated so that he could answer his questions.
"I swear if I see him again that kid would not survive!" Wapol growled angrily as he got bandaged by a marine.
"Is this the Strawhat boy you are talking about?" Smoker asked showing the bounty poster of the kid whom he was after.
"Yes, that's the bastard!" Wapol angrily shouted.
"What did he do to you for your to curse him?" Smoker asked rubbing his temples. That statement of his was enough to make the former King growl and hiss as he explained how he had mauled and flung him off from his own Island.
Smoker sighed, feeling that the man was exaggerating. 'Cause Strawhat was just a little kid.
"And what did you do to get his wrath?" Smoker asked taking a seat beside the said King's bed. He still doesn't want to believe that that goofy looking innocent kid would ever even harm a bug! So it was impossible to even believe that he would have assaulted a king for no reason.
"I just wanted my castle and my island back! It was his fault!" Wapol shouted angrily as he could easily sense the marine taking the side of the pirate.
"As if I believe you," Smoker scoffed under his cigar and then looked at the King who sure would have done something. But he couldn't get the specifics so it was no use to pressure him. "Where is the kid now?" Smoker asked instead.
"He is in my kingdom!" Wapol retorted angrily. "He kicked me out of there!"
Smoker couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the words. He wasn't siding with the pirate but he knew those innocent sparkling eyes of kid. Many would call him emotionless or heck just angry but he knew to read eyes and he could tell those eyes were the most innocent ones anyone can ever find. The word pirate doesn't even suit the boy! He would get his answers no matter what!
"When he's okay, send him off!" Smoker ordered one of his crew. He really didn't want to do anything with the King and he was right about it 'cause just as he left the room ignoring the strangled cry of the king, Tashigi appeared before him.
"This is the full report about Former King Wapol of the Drum Island," Tashigi saluted him before giving the papers.
A king who fled first from his own country when a group of pirates attacked it. A king who forced all the doctors in the island to work under him and not give anyone else treatment. A king who was just plain greedy and thought that the whole Island is just for him.
Smoker looked at the papers in disgust. If the papers were telling the truth then the Strawhat kid kicking his ass gave him give a thumb ups to the kid but would never say it aloud.
Another thought entered Smoker's mind. Weren't they heading to Arabasta? Or was it a wrong information? Drum Island sure was in between their paths but why would they stop there? Supplies? But from a recovering country, that didn't sound good...
.
Somewhere in the middle of the Grand Line, Luffy blinked his eyes open feeling the sun shining on his face. He felt someone's eyes linger on him and turning to the side he could see Zoro quickly looking away. Luffy pouted feeling his first mate was still upset and angry with him. Did he make the right decision by telling Zoro the truth or did he make it more complicated than he intended to? He didn't know to be honest.
"Luffy! Let's play tag!" Usopp shouted with a big grin.
"Sure!" Luffy grinned brightly hopping off from the railing and lifting Chopper off the ground in his enthusiasm. "Come on! Let's play too, Chopper!"
"We are playing tag?" Chopper asked cutely tilting his head to a side.
"Yep! And it will be lots of fun!" Luffy grinned plopping Chopper to the deck.
"Zoro! Come on, man! Join us!" Usopp shouted once more to the man who was obviously trying to sleep but yet couldn't.
Luffy looked at his first mate seeing him frown under his breath. He could feel his emotions. The pain in his heart from the last night's conversation.
"Luffy, he will surely listen to you!" Usopp tried to nudge Luffy to ask Zoro, when the latter didn't respond. "It would be more fun to play if there are more players!"
"Z-Zoro?" Luffy stuttered out in nervousness. He wasn't even sure that the said man wanted to talk to him anymore. A part of him felt broken at that said fact.
"What?" Zoro asked sharply, opening his eyes and looking straight at Luffy, making the said teen bite his lips. "I'm trying to sleep."
"That was harsh!" Usopp called out on Zoro not reading the room at all.
"Mosshead is going all old and pissy," Sanji teased from where he came out with snacks. "Anyways, I have snacks!"
"Food?" Luffy questioned diverting his mind from his first mate to the delicious smelling food.
"Wait! Ladies first!" Sanji said smoking a cigarette and taking a breath, before twirling off to the said ladies who were basking in the sun.
Nami and Vivi who had watched the entire drama couldn't help but notice the strange mood which Zoro was in. After all, he had never refused Luffy's requests even if they were way too ridiculous.
"Thank you, Sanji!" Nami and Vivi smiled at Sanji taking their pastries and juice, and deciding to not question Zoro's actions. It was really odd to see him not retort to Sanji and refuse Luffy's words.