The Going Merry slowly sailed away as everyone was now onboard. Luffy was dancing around with chopsticks in his nose as many others laughed.
"The full moon's out and the cherry blossoms are in bloom!" Zoro laughed.
"Hey Chopper! Come and join us!" Usopp yelled. Chopper just looked at them all laughing it up and having fun as he sat next to Nami. Both Usopp and Luffy came over to him to try and get him to join.
"Don't worry. They're a handful, but they're okay." she said with a smile.
"Carue! What happened to you?!" Vivi yelled in horror.
"Whatever it was, it happened to Johnny and Yosaku as well." Grace said. When they had gotten to the ship, all three were floating in the river frozen. Johnny and Yosaku were stuttering something about flowers as they tried to warm up.
"Why would they be swimming in the river?" Nojiko asked while Carue quacked.
"He said Zoro went swimming in the river but never came up, so they thought he drowned and all three jumped in after him." Chopper said.
"THEN IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Nami said as she punched Zoro in the back of the head.
"You can understand Carue?" Vivi asked.
"I originally was an animal, so understand them." Chopper said.
I
can
"So along with medicine, you can talk to animals as well? That's amazing Chopper!" Nami said with a smile. Chopper just looked at her with wide eyes.
"You..." Chopper said before dancing around. "Say stuff like that isn't going to make me happy, so shut up! Bastard!"
"Then why do you sound so happy?" most of them asked while Luffy laughed. "Wait? Nami-swan, what do you mean medicine?" Sanji asked.
"Oh. Chopper here is a doctor!" she said. "HUH?!" most of them said.
"You're a doctor?!" Zoro asked.
"Why do you think I asked him to join us?" Nami demanded.
"He's a reindeer that can change into seven forms and he's cool." Luffy said.
"Emergency food." Sanji said, causing Chopper to go blue in the face before he gasped.
"Oh no! I left my backpack behind! All my medical equipment was in it!" he cried out. "You mean this?" Nami said as she lifted his bag up. "It was in the sleigh."
"But...how did it get there?" Chopper asked.
"Guess Kureha knew what you were thinking huh?" Nami said.
"So now we've got a doctor on board huh?" Alvida said as the pink snow drifted around them.
"That's right!" Usopp said as he tried to propose a toast. The ship soon erupted into a party as everyone was now causing some chaos. Some were arguing with others, some were laughing their asses off, and some were just watching it all happen with a smile.
"You know," Chopper said with a smile. "I'm really happy!" "Alright everyone!" Usopp shouted. "A toast to our new crewmate Chopper!"
"KANPAI!" everyone shouted as they raised their mugs. The party went on for quite some time before everyone grew exhausted. The boys fell collapsed on deck while the women had more sense to go inside a warm cabin to sleep.
"That was fun." Grace said as she crawled in next to Valerie. Nami, Nojiko, and Vivi shared a bed, Valerie and Grace shared a bed, and Alvida slept by herself.
"It was." Valerie said as she yawned and laid on the bed. "You know...you've changed."
"Huh?" Grace said as she laid down next to her. "I've changed?" "Yeah. Before we even met these guys you were always quiet and laid back." Valerie said. "Now you talk more and even smile." Grace thought to herself at what Valerie said.
"Well I was part of an underground criminal organization. And I'm a little under 14." she said. "What was I supposed to act like?"
"Good point." Valerie said.
"But you know," Grace said with a smile. "I did see these guys go from serious and stern to stupid and playful all the time while I was sick. And Luffy said that I had a great dream."
"To be a world-famous artist?" Valerie asked as Grace closed her eyes and yawned.
"Yeah." she said. "I hope...I can make it come true...one day." she muttered before she fell fast asleep. Valerie watched her fall asleep with a smile.
'You will.' she thought as she too fell asleep. Soon everyone on the ship was fast asleep. All except for one.
-Up in the Crow's Nest-
Nojiko volunteered to take night watch for the first half of the night. She at the gentle snow that was falling all around with a small smile, glad that her sister was okay.
'If I had to, I'd have carried you all up here.'
She had remembered Luffy's words and felt herself tear up. Never had she met someone who would do so much for their friends. 'Guess that's why everyone here follows him.' she thought.
"Hey." someone's voice said. She snapped out of her thoughts to find Gin standing next to her. "You alright?"
"Huh?" she asked before realizing she was crying and rubbed her eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine. Here to relieve me?"
"Yeah. My turn now." Gin said.
"Alright. Goodnight." Nojiko said as she made her way towards the woman's room. She stopped when she heard some noises coming from inside the cabin and decided to sneak a peek inside. She smiled and walked in to see Luffy raiding the fridge for a midnight 'snack'. She watched him chew something before clearing her throat, causing him to jump and quickly spin around.
"AH!" he shouted before seeing Nojiko there smiling at him. "Oh. Hi Nojiko." he said through puffed up cheeks. "Sanji'll get mad if you keep raiding the fridge each night." she said as she walked over towards him. He started sweating a bit before she brought a finger to her lips. "Don't worry. I won't rat you out." she said with a wink. Luffy stared as he felt that strange feeling again before swallowing his food.
"Really? Thanks." Luffy said before reaching into the fridge but stopped when Nojiko grabbed his hand.
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