Free Heart

Ch 47 - I am Not Scared.

Emmy woke up with a very confusing dream still lingering in her head. The details were starting to blur out and fade from her memory but she remembered dreaming of a baby Lapin, Wapol, bloodied hands, and the face of...something...She could see the face still in her mind but she didn't know how to describe it. It wasn't quite human but it wasn't like any animal she's ever seen either.

Sharp pain stabbed all through her body but especially in her hands. The dream was pushed out of her thoughts and she focused on finding the source of the pain. She realized that she was in a room with two other beds on either side of her, with a snoring rubber boy and a mumbling cook sleeping in each.

One of the captain's hand had reached across his bed and rested on her stomach. Both his hands were wrapped in thick bandages and they were stained with blood. Luffy had somehow rolled on top of his blanket and it curled around his stomach, revealing bloodied bandages along his legs.

"Luffy...?" Emmy whispered and then turned to look at the cook, "Sanji...?"

The cook stirred in his sleep, as if hearing her words. His left hand rose out from under his blanket and he laid it above his head. Emmy let out a small gasp when she saw that his hands received the same treatment as her brother with the same stains of blood. She reached out her hand towards the cook. It's not just Luffy! This is Sanji's pain too!

"Don't touch him! The bandages might come off."

Emmy's hand jerked to a halt and then she turned towards the stern, child's voice that had shouted at her. She sucked in a breath when she saw a small creature standing underneath the doorway. It looked like a baby deer but it was standing on two feet and had a blue nose. He looked familiar yet new all at the same time to Emmy.

He was in a very peculiar position where he was bent on the sides with his two hooves pressed against one side of the doorway with the top of his head hidden behind the wall. His eyes locked with Emmy's and despite being a furred animal, it started to sweat.

"Hello...," Emmy said slowly as she folded her hands in front of her lap and bowed her head, "Are you the doctor who has been treating my nakama? If so, thank you. We are in your debt."

"EH?!" The creature fell backwards out of pure shock. Then it scrambled to his feet and began to wriggle out of delight. "Idiot. Complimenting me like that won't make me happy."

Emmy laughed softly under her breath. She didn't need her powers for this one. He showed it clear as day. "You can come in, if you want. My name is Monkey D. Emmy. What do I call you, Doctor?"

The creature's nose twitched and then tilted his head from one side to another. "You're not scared of me?"

"Should I be?"

"But I'm a reindeer...and I can talk."

"What's scary about that?"

"I have a blue nose."

"...Is that a scary thing?" Now it was Emmy's turn to tilt her head to the side, "I'm not scared of you...so you shouldn't be scared of me either..."

"I-I'm not scared!" the creature cried indignantly. His whole body went rigid and he glared at Emmy.

"I ate the Feel Feel Fruit. I'm an empath," Emmy said and she pressed her hand against her heart, "I'm still healing so my powers aren't at full strength but I can still feel your fear, you know."

The creature's blue nose twitched again. "Devil Fruit user?"

Emmy nodded. "Yes. My name is Monkey D. Emmy. May I please know your name?"

His nose twitched once more and then his shoulders lowered just a touch. He took one tentative step through the door. "I'm...Ch-"

"Chopper! If you have time to chit-chat then you have time to grind up some herbs. Go make more medicine and then change out their bandages!" a woman cackled as she clamped her bony fingers on the creature's shoulder and flung him down the hall.