Inside Hiluluk's house, "You know, Chopper! Both you and I are outcasts.... we've both endured our fair share of hardship for being nails that stick out!" said the Quack-doctor while doing his chemical research, "But don't resent humans for that, Chopper." The reindeer looked at the Doctor with imaginary exclamation mark floating over his head. "This Kingdom is 'sick' presently. The King, the Government, and even its people.... their hearts are all ill.... they say there's no cure for a sick Kingdom but I beg to differ...!" Hiluluk looks at Chopper with a mysterious gaze.
"Listen to me, Chopper. Once upon a time, there was a thief from a certain Kingdom in the far west, and he was diagnosed with a grave heart disease... Luckily for him, he had all the money in the world to be treated by the finest doctors in the world. But none could cure the man's disease. They all gave up, calling it incurable. Frustrated that he could nothing but await his final moment, the man decided to climb a certain mountain. It was then he witnessed a most phenomenal sight that halted his very breath for a moment. Can you guess what he saw...?" Hiluluk asked in dramatic manner, to which Chopper shook his head.
"Cherry Blossoms!! A mountain full of the prettiest cherry blossoms he ever saw! And to his surprise, the next time he visited a doctor, he was told thus: 'Your body is completely healthy.' He was healed!" Hiluluk clenched his fist and grinned widely, "It was a miracle! It had to be a miracle! Or was it!? Could there be a medically sound explanation? Could it be that the man's sheer astonishment had triggered some natural mechanism of his body? That must have been what cured the supposedly incurable disease! Amazing, isn't it!?" Chopper was looking at grinning Doctor with amazement.
Then Hiluluk took out a giant black cloth and unfurled it, there was giant pirate skull was drawn on the black cloth with pink cherry blossom leaf's surrounding it. Hiluluk showed it to Chopper, "In other words, 'there are no incurable diseases in this world!' So, no matter what anyone says, I'll cure this kingdom even if it's the last thing I do! Thus, I shall tout this flag of skull and crossbones in the face of every disease that exists in this world!"
"Skull and crossbones...?" Chopper asked in confusion, to which Hiluluk's grin widen more, "That's right! This skull here laughs at the impossible! It's a symbol of unwavering conviction! With this flag, I shall fight on like a true pirate!" declared the Quack-Doctor with a proud smile on his face. "What's a pirate...?" Chopper asked looking at Hiluluk, "The seas are full of proud men called Pirates! You should venture the sea one day too! Then realize how small your worries are!" listening to this, Chopper tilted his head, "Really...?" Hiluluk nodded sagely, "Cross my heart and hope to die." He then made a pinching motion with his index finger and thumb, "This Island is as small as the circle I'm making when compared to the world." Seeing this, Chopper was shocked and immediately stood up, "REALLY!?" "NO WAIT! IT'S MORE LIKE THIIIS SMALL!" Hiluluk pinched his two fingers together and trying to make it look much smaller. Chopper eyes widen more at this, "Really!?" "Yup!"
A full year has passed with Chopper and Hiluluk living together. From doing experiments to making fuss in the towns, they both found a genuine companionship with each other.
"After a full year of treatment, I now declare you're in perfect health! Congratulations, Chopper." Hiluluk patted Chopper on the head, to which the reindeer smiled happily, "Thanks, Doc." Hiluluk looked away from Chopper's smiling face, "Take care then...you're discharged from my care." "Huh?" Chopper looked at Hiluluk's back in confusion, "You've been fully treated, haven't you!? So, I've got no obligations to keep looking after anymore. Now go spend the rest of your life however you want. Just get out of my lab, I've got work to do."
Chopper was kicked out of Hiluluk's hideout, he started to tremble and slowly tears started to leak from his eyes, "DOCTOOOORRRR! I PROMISE I WON'T EVER BE A BOTHER SO PLEASE LET ME IN! I PROMISE I'LL MASSAGE YOUR SHOULDERS EVERYDAY, POUR YOU TEA AND EVEN DO THE CLEANING! SO PLEASE! LET ME BACK IN! I'VE GOT NO FRIENDS AND NO PLACE TO GO! PLEASE, DOCTOR! DON'T LEAVE ME!!"
Inside his hideout, Hiluluk was listening to Chopper's pained cries with his fist clenched tight, and then suddenly he heard a loud crash. He looked outside only to see, Chopper had rammed his head straight into a giant boulder and now blood is pouring out of his forehead. "LOOK! I'M INJURED! WILL YOU TAKE ME IN NOW!?" Chopper cried while tears and snot were leaking out. But suddenly a shot was fired near his feet, Chopper looked at Hiluluk with wide eyes, "GET LOST! I DON'T CARE IF YOU LEAVE FOR SEAS OR WHEREVER! JUST MAKE SURE YOU NEVER SHOW FACE AROUND HERE EVER AGAIN!"
Terrified by this and filling somehow betrayed, Chopper ran into the snow-covered forest while crying loudly. Watching the reindeer ran off, Hiluluk entered into his hideout and plopped down against his door. His body started to tremble and slowly he started to cry, Hiluluk covered his eyes and started to sob loudly, "Please forgive me, Chopper...!"
Sometime later, "I'm....going to die, aren't I...?" Hiluluk asked with wiping blood from his mouth. "HEE HEE HEE HEE....Yes.... Yes, you will...." Kureha replied with chugging on some booze. Both of them were inside Kureha's tree house, "In 3~4 days, I take it?" Hiluluk asked, "Oh? I'm surprised a Quack Doctor can actually figure out how long he's got." Hiluluk ignored Kureha's remark and asked another question, "Is there anything you can do to help me? I'm sure with your skill, you can manage to extend it, if even just a tiny bit longer."
Kureha chuckled at that, "Still can't let go? It might be a lot easier and less painful if you just bit the dust already." But Hiluluk just shook his head, "I still have work left to finish. I only need a little more time....I have to finish the work I've spent over 30 years on." Kureha just looked at him with amusement, "If you want to live so badly, why don't you got to that country put in the far west again? Maybe there, you can see your little 'Miracle Cherry Blossoms' again... the ones that saved the Great Thief Hiluluk...."
Hiluluk was silent for a moment and then he spoke, "There's no use for that, because I'll bring the Cherry Blossoms here to this island instead...!" Kureha scoffed at that, "Ridiculous...did you forget this a winter-island where it's freezing cold all year long? Ain't no Cherry Blossoms ever gonna bloom here!" But Hiluluk looked straight into her eyes, "They will bloom! Those Cherry Blossoms not only saved the worthless life of a crook, but cleansed his very soul.... I was personal witness to its miraculous healing powers!" he then clenched his fist in determination, "Such miracles are indeed a reality in this world of ours! And I want to prove it on this island I was born! I'll show that it's possible to save anyone in this world! But i need time.... just a little more time...!"
Kureha laughed at Hiluluk's speech, "You just don't know when to call it quits, do ya...? What you're trying to do is neither medicine nor science. Even if Cherry Blossoms did bloom here, the people will remain unchanged." She then looked outside the window, "By the way...what is that weird monster that seems to be following you...?" Hiluluk's eyes widen, "What...!? It's following me?" "Looks like it...it's been outside my house ever since you came. It's been trying to keep itself hidden..."
Hiluluk sighed and told her everything about Chopper, "I see....so after a year of living with him, you suddenly chased him away...." "It was the right thing to do! Just think how he would feel, if he watched the only friend he ever has in his entire life, die right before his eyes...! Or would you rather have him sink even deeper into grief!? We're cut from the same cloth...but...no... it's precisely because of that I want to teach him, that anything is possible for even him...! I'll prove that by making the Cherry Blossoms bloom!" "Listen carefully. You'll die four days from now at 5:30PM. That is your limit. Although the germ that's infected you has no remedy, with my medical skills, I can manage to trick your body into letting you live for 3 more weeks...!"
One week later, inside Hiluluk's hideout, "Damn it!!! Another failure.... huff...huff..." the Quack doctor laid on the messy floor covered in broken test tubes and chemicals. 'Forgive me, Chopper.... but at the very least, I want you to witness my cherry blossoms, my last and greatest work...!' Suddenly he heard a knock on his door, which surprised him. He slowly stood up and opened the door and got a shock of his life, "C-Chopper! W-What happened to you!?" There on the door stood the very reindeer, with on blue eye and one of his antlers broken, he slowly raised hand and offered something to the doctor, "Mushroom,"
Hiluluk's eyes widen at the site, "That's....the Amiudake mushroom.... did you pick it for my sake...?" Chopper just weakly smiled, "Please live, doctor...I want to become a doctor too...! So please live and teach me how to become one! That is, if it's possible for a reindeer to learn...." Seeing Chopper in such a state, finally broke Hiluluk's heart as he gently hugger the reindeer into his warm embrace, "Of course you can, Chopper. How could someone so kind be unable to become a doctor...!?"
Few hours later, after treating Chopper's injuries and patching him up, both Hiluluk and the little reindeer made the soup out of the mushroom, "Well? Does the Amiudake soup taste good?" asked Chopper looking at the doctor with big curious eye. "Yuuuck! It's horrible!" "WHAAAAT!" "EH EH EH EH....don't worry, good medicine is supposed to taste bad. That's just proof their efficacy." Hiluluk get on go drank all the soup and gave a big burp, "Why, I can already fell energy surging through my whole body! Thank you very much, Chopper!" he gave Chopper a big smile, which the said reindeer returned with its own.
Chopper then looked towards the table counter where all the research components are, "Doc, what's that? That's the first time I've seen it do that." he pointed towards the glass breaker with pink smoke. Hiluluk looked at the breaker and his eyes widen in shock, he immediately ran towards it followed by Chopper, "This is it! this is the reaction I've been waiting for! I've been waiting over 30 years for this...! I did it, Chopper! My research is complete! I can bring the Cherry Blossoms to this winter island now!"
Hiluluk immediately put on his coat and top-hat and took his brief case, "Now stay put while I go out for a little bit. You're in far more critical condition than I am, what with all those wounds of yours!" Chopper nodded at that and with that said, Hiluluk left the hideout, but then suddenly he opened the door again with wide grin on his face, "Hey, Chopper! You're going to be a wonderful doctor! I guarantee it!" hearing this Chopper smiled too.
Hiluluk went back to Kureha's treehouse, "Did you hear, Kureha? This country's in a real crisis right now." "Yeah, I heard. The MD-20S have apparently all collapsed from some illness. Ridiculous....just better to leave things be, it'll solve itself sooner or later." she then took a sip from her wine bottle and then looked at him, "So? What did you come here for today? Couldn't be to say a word of thanks, right? And you still have 2 weeks left to live...." "Actually, I have a reque--" "I refuse." Hiluluk's eyes twitch, "I HAVEN'T EVEN TOLD YOU WHAT IT IS!" Kureha just shrugged, "Well none of your requests even pay out for me."
Hiluluk then handed her a pouch, she looked at him and then at the pouch and opened it and saw pink dust in it, "The hell? Is this dirt or something?" but Hiluluk just grinned and spread his arms wide, "That, my dear Kureha, is the result of over 30 years of my medical research! It's the Panacea that will cure even the sick heart of this country!" Kureha just looked at him with amused expression, "I see.... congratulations then. That's quite the pointless 30 years you've lived. So…. why're you giving this to me?" "I don't have enough of that dust nor any time left. So, I want you to make the cherry blossoms bloom in my stead."
"WHAT!? WHY THE HELL DO I HAVE TO SUCH A RIDICULOUS TH-" Kureha started yelling at Hiluluk but was cut by him, "And one more thing! I want you to teach Chopper medicine! He wants to become a doctor!" there was huge tic mark over Kureha's forehead, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! DO YOU THINK YOU'RE IN ANY POSITION TO DEMAND THINGS FROM ME!?" but the Quack doctor didn't mind her harshness instead he slammed his head on the floor, "He may be naive reindeer, but I know he can become a great doctor one day! He's a good-natured kid...! He even risked his life to make me some medicine...! So please, teach him how to become a doctor!"
But Kureha just kicked him out of her house, "NOW GET OUT!" Outside the treehouse, Hiluluk dusted his coat and laughed bitterly, "EH EH...I'll be counting on you then...take good care of Chopper...." with that, he walked off towards the ropeway station. There was a rumour spread around the Drum Kingdom, that the official doctors of the kingdom have fallen ill and that they will be not able to attend to any patients. The citizens of the kingdom become crestfallen hearing this, as the MD-20 were the only doctors the kingdom has. And when it seems like all hopes where lost, the famous Quack doctor himself at the ropeway station, "Get this ropeway up to the castle!" "What!?" "I said take me up to the castle!"
At Hiluluk's hideout, the door was slammed open by Kureha, "WHERE'S HILULUK!?" Chopper seeing her, tried to hide himself, "No need to hide, I ain't gonna eat you....and I already know who you are. Just tell me where Hiluluk is right now." Chopper looked at her timidly, "T-The doc said he'd be out for a bit...he'd all recovered from his illness so maybe he's in the town...." Kureha blinked in confusion at that, "Recovered? That ain't no illness you can 'recover' from. It's incurable with the medicine available today. Didn't you hear it yourself too while eavesdropping at my place?" "B-But! Doc said he got all better after drinking the soup made from this!" Chopper showed her the remains of the mushroom.
"Is that.... the Amiudake mushroom!?" Chopper grinned, "It's the ingredient for a panacea so he's all better now! He can live and teach me how to become a doctor!" but after hearing what the little reindeer said, Kureha's eyes widen in realization, "Hiluluk...."
Meanwhile with the said doctor, "Can't this thing go up any faster!? I don't have any time left! Hurry up!" he gritted his teeth, 'I'm fighting for every last minute and second here! So, move it!'
Back at hideout, "YOU STUPID REINDEER!" Kureha kicked Chopper in anger, and then punched him hard. Chopper was terrified by what is happening, as he looked at her rage filled expression but his eyes widen when he saw tears leaking from her eyes, "THAT MUSHROOM YOU FED HIM...WAS A POISON MUSHROOM!" Chopper was stunned hearing that, "Eating one will kill you within an hour." Chopper started to shake his head in denial, "That can't be.... I even looked it up in a book. It's a mushroom that can heal everything!" he hurried towards a book nd opened the page with the mushroom's photo, "SEE LOOK! THE PICTURE FOR THIS MUSHROOM HAS A SKULL NEXT TO IT! DOC EVEN SAID HE'S ALL BETTER NOW! SO, THERE'S NO WAY HE COULD DIE, YOU LIAR!"
Kureha just looked at Chopper and remembered Hiluluk's words, "He's a good-natured kid." tears where flowing from her eyes, "That was just him appreciating you efforts.... but you have to understand.... skull and crossbones are a symbol for poison!" Chopper dropped the book from his hands and started to shake, "You're lying!" "I'm not lying.... listen to me, there's no magical panacea that can cure everything in this world. That's precisely why we need doctors! Kindness alone can't save people! You need knowledge and medical skill to go along with it! Without it, you can't save a single person!" Chopper started cry harder hearing this, "Did you...pick it for my sake...?" he remembered those words from Hiluluk, when he gave him the mushroom.
At the town plaza, "A trap!?" one the of the citizen asked, "Yes, just as his Majesty planned, Hiluluk has taken the ropeway up to the castle. What a brainless idiot he is.... Now then, we'll start taking the usual MD-20 requests." the guard explained it to the gathered crowd of civilians. "Wait. isn't that just a little too cruel...?" "That's right! he at least headed up to the castle with the pure intention of helping MD-20!"
Back at hideout, Kureha wiped her tears and looked at Chopper, "He won't ever return to this house.... he's already decided on the castle as his grave."
With Hiluluk, "Even in my last moments, I have to do all I can do to save the sick and suffering! That is my duty as a doctor!" Inside the castle, a guard came running towards Wapol, "Your Majesty! Hiluluk is coming up to the castle as I speak!" "MAHAHAHAHAHA! he actually fell for it! What a dumb hippo he is!" Wapol started laughing at the news. Dalton who was standing near also heard the news, 'He actually came...? Is he insane!? What!? What on earth would cause him to do such a thing...!?'
At Hiluluk's hideout, Chopper burst out of the door and started to run towards the castle, "STOP IT, YOU IDIOT...WHAT'RE YOU PLANNING TO DO!?" but her screams made no impact on Chopper. With Hiluluk, he finally reached the castle, "Guide me to where the sick are! I've come cure the MD-20!" but instead of taking him to the MD-20, he was surrounded by the guards, "What...!? What's the meaning of this...."
"MAHAHAHAHA! STILL CAN'T REALIZE IT!? THIS IS A TRAP! THE MD-20 ARE PERFECTLY FINE AS YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF! ALL YOU'VE COME HERE FOR IS TO MEET YOUR DEATH, DR. HILULUK!" Hiluluk's eyes widen at what he was hearing, "Your crimes are heavy for defying my royal will for so long! Commence the execution, guards! Take aim!" tears started to roll down from Hiluluk's eyes, but instead of panic, it was relief, "Is that so.... THANK GOD, NOBODY'S SICK..." this statement stunned everyone but more so Dalton. "Here I was, thinking that the country was in crisis.... but it was all just a little trick instead...."
"MAHAHAHA! If this country really were in crisis, a quack doctor like you would be the last person I'd want to come! Ignore this quack's worthless blather and shoot!" "STOP." Hiluluk yelled as he sat down on the snowy ground, "You people can't possibly kill me." he grinned at them, "When do you think a person dies...? When his heart is pierced by a bullet? No.....When he is inflicted with an incurable disease? No....When he drinks soup, made from a poisonous mushroom...? NO!" he took a sake cup and poured some alcohol into it, "A MAN DIES, WHEN HE IS FORGOTTEN...!"
"Even if I'm gone, my dream will come true. The sick hearts of this country's citizens too will be saved...!" he looked at the crying Dalton, "Why the tears, Dalton?" "Can the same be said for the country as well...?" Hiluluk looked at the sky, "EH EH EH....As long as there are those to inherit the will.... One day, someone will come...someone with dreams wilder than mine!!!" he then looked at Wapol, "What will you do then, Wapol!??" he then raised the cup high and smiled broadly, "TRULY! WHAT A SPECTACULAR LIFE IT'S BEEN!" 'Thank you, Chopper.' with that he gulped it down in one go and with a loud boom, he blew up.
"MAHAHAHA! HE BLEW HIMSELF UP ON HIS OWN! MAHAHAHAHAHAHA! A FITTING END FOR THE LOONIEST LOON I EVER KNEW!" at that very moment, Chopper arrived there and seeing the scene, he shouted in rage and transformed into his human point and charged at the guards. But he was blocked by Dalton in his half bison form. "Get away from here! If you can't even beat me, there's no way you can on take on the rest of them! If it's about them laughing at Hiluluk's death, I apologize...! But you'll only die a dog's death by jumping in!" tears were rolling down from Dalton's eyes, "Don't become another sacrifice to this country! I beg of you!"
With that, Dalton let Chopper escape, "HOW DARE YOU LET HIM ESCAPE, DALTON! YOU REALIZE WHAT THE PUNISHMENT FOR DEFYING A KING'S ORDER IS, DON'T Y-" "ENOUGH! Don't you realize!? The only man who wished to save this country died just now! While others have long given up on this country and thought it hopeless, there was one kind doctor who surprisingly endeavoured to save it! But that man has now perished!" "So, what if one quack doctor died!? If you're going to apologize, I suggest you, do it now, Dalton."
But Dalton just stared at Wapol and the others, "I now see clearly the fate of this kingdom...inevitable ruin." "WHAT!?" "As long as we continue to trample the people beneath our feet, this country can never be fixed! No matter how advanced the doctors of this country and their medicine are, this country's doomed fate shall not change! BECAUSE THERE IS NO CURE FOR A FOOL!" "How dare you.... you should be well aware of what happens to those who truly anger me...Right, Dalton...?"
With Chopper, "Please! Teach me to become a doctor! I'll become the panacea myself! I'll become a doctor that can cure anything! Because....Because there are no incurable diseases, in this whole world!" Kureha looked at him for a second and then looked away, "Doctress....that's what you're to address me from now on...."