Free Heart

Ch 50 - I am Someone's Type

As the Going Merry set sail off of what was formerly known as Drum Kingdom, all eyes were on the back of the ship, rather than the front. The clouds that rested at the top of the Drum Rockies was stained pink by unusual cannonfire that saluted the pirates when they left the castle. The pink clouds shrouded around the top of the column-like mountain and made it look like a giant cherry blossom tree. Whatever they had shot into the air had also stained the snow and pink flurries cascaded down onto the island like flower petals.

It was a sight to behold and no one was more mesmerized and touched by it than the new recruit. Chopper stood at the stern with his eyes glued to his home. He hadn't said a word since they left the island.

"Is Chopper okay?" Usopp whispered to Emmy.

Emmy nodded. "Let's just give him a moment."

"He's experiencing what it's like to set out on a journey as a man," Sanji said.

"Yeah. He is about to leave the island he's spent his entire life in," Vivi added.

The crew left the reindeer to his thoughts and got themselves settled back into their ship. Soon, there was a full blown party on the deck with Luffy did a silly dance with chopsticks stuck between his nostrils and lips and the boys howling with laughter.

"Come on! Chopper! How long are you gonna be in a daze like that?!" Usopp cried as he flung an arm over the reindeer's shoulders, jolting Chopper from his thoughts, "Come on! Have a drink with us?"

"Drink?" Chopper asked.

"Come over and sing!" Sanji said as he shoved Usopp out of the way and grinned at Chopper.

"Sing?"

"Here! Stick these chopsticks up your nose!" Luffy suggested, offering Chopper the ones that were just stuck in his own orifices.

Nami recoiled from the gesture and punched Luffy in the head. "That is disgusting! Chopper, our nakama are some weird guys, aren't they?"

"Na...nakama?' Chopper repeated.

"That's right. They're over the top but since you're one of us now, you'll have to get used to it," Nami said with a grin.

"Dr. Chopper! Could you come take a look at Carue-san?" Emmy asked as she knelt by the duck with Vivi. The duck was blue all over and frozen stiff and Emmy had draped him with a blanket in an attempt to help.

"Carue..." Vivi cried, " What were you doing frozen in the river?"

"Qu-Qu-Qu-Quack," Carue stuttered, "Quack quack quack quack!"

"Tch, he probably slipped or something. He's a clumsy one," Zoro chuckled.

"Oh...he says that the guy named Zoro was swimming in the river and disappeared," Chopper explained as he walked over towards the duck, "He thought Zoro was in trouble so he jumped into the river and got frozen."

Vivi and Emmy's jaw dropped.

"So it was your fault!" Nami shouted as she gave Zoro a harsh punch to the head.

"We...we are so sorry!" Emmy said as she bowed fervently to Vivi and Carue, "As guests on our ship, your safety and well-being should not be taken lightly."

"That's okay," Vivi said as she winced just at the sight of the large welt forming on Zoro's head, "But...more importantly, Tony-kun...you can understand what Carue is saying?"

Chopper nodded. "Yes, I'm an animal by nature so I can talk with animals."

"That's incredible, Chopper!" Nami breathed, "To be able to do that along with your medical skills!"