"Haha, Dr. Chopper, you're so cute."
Leo grinned as he looked at Chopper's flustered expression. His fingers twitched as he resisted the urge to pinch the little reindeer's cheeks.
"How about it?" Leo continued warmly. "Do you want to become our partner? Join us and sail the seas as Pirates?"
"Our crew is in need of a ship doctor, and you're clearly very talented. You'd be a great addition to our team."
"P-Partners? Pirates?!"
Chopper froze in place as though struck by lightning. His eyes widened, and his fuzzy body stiffened.
"...Are you guys really Pirates?" he asked hesitantly, his voice trembling.
"Yes," Leo answered with a nod and a smile.
"Is... is that true?"
"Absolutely."
"Do you have... flags? With skulls? Like, skulls and bones?"
"Of course. It's hanging right on our ship."
As Leo answered Chopper's every question with patience, Nami—who was lying in bed nearby—raised an eyebrow in amusement. She was clearly entertained by the back-and-forth exchange.
"You seem pretty curious about Pirates, huh?" Nami chimed in suddenly.
Startled, Chopper jumped like a scared cat. His eyes darted to her, and he stumbled backward in a panic. He knocked over a wooden shelf behind him and shouted frantically:
"N-No, idiot! No!!"
Nami ignored his flustered denial and replied playfully, her tone light and teasing.
"Yeah, yeah, got it~"
Then her voice softened. She offered Chopper a gentle smile, one filled with genuine warmth and kindness.
"Still… why don't you come with us?"
"Let's set sail together. Be our ship doctor. Be our crewmate."
Chopper sat on the floor, stunned by their back-to-back invitations. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He stared at them with wide, uncertain eyes. For a moment, he seemed to consider it.
But then he remembered something—something painful.
"Stop joking!" he shouted, a trace of bitterness leaking into his voice.
"I—I'm a reindeer! How can I travel with humans?!"
He stood up suddenly and pointed to himself.
"Have you ever seen a reindeer that walks upright? That talks like a human? And look at my nose! It's blue! BLUE!!"
"You... you're not scared of me?"
Chopper's voice trembled. He stared at Nami and Leo, bracing for the judgment he had come to expect from humans.
Leo and Nami exchanged glances, and then, almost as if rehearsed, they both smiled warmly and said in unison:
"Hehe... So what? What does that have to do with us inviting you?"
"You're still Chopper."
Chopper's eyes welled up, but he turned away and yelled:
"You're all idiots! I won't agree to this! Humans can't be trusted, you jerks!"
He bolted out of the room, leaving tears in his wake.
---
Just as the room quieted down again, an elderly voice cut through the silence.
"You two are pretty bold, huh? Trying to snatch my reindeer while I wasn't looking?"
Dr. Kureha stepped through the side door, as casual as ever, and flopped into a nearby chair with a bottle in hand. This time, she had clearly switched to a stronger drink.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Isn't this exactly what you agreed to, Dr. Kureha?"
With a sly grin, he pulled out a bottle of fine liquor from thin air and offered it to her.
"Hoh?"
Kureha's eyes sparkled. She snatched the bottle, popped the cork, sniffed it, and gave Leo a satisfied nod.
"You're a good one. If you're set on taking him, then take him."
"But," she added, her tone more serious, "that child's body is injured. His wounds aren't something ordinary medicine can heal."
"I figured as much," Leo replied. "But if you approve, we'll take care of the rest."
Dr. Kureha waved a hand dismissively. The rare alcohol in her grasp had already distracted her attention.
"This must be from Wano Country," she muttered. "Can't find this stuff in regular shops…"
Nami, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.
"Um… Can I ask about Chopper?"
Leo didn't answer immediately. He simply nodded at Nami and turned to chase after the little reindeer.
"Alright, little girl," Dr. Kureha said, setting down her bottle. "Let me tell you a bit about that stubborn reindeer."
She took a swig and began.
"That child… he was cast out by his tribe the moment he was born…"
---
Meanwhile, on the castle's rooftop...
Chopper had fled all the way to the top. There, beside a flag bearing the skull-and-sakura emblem of his late mentor, he sat quietly, the cold wind tugging at his fur.
His heart felt heavy.
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.
"Yo. Running away like that? Doesn't suit a man, you know."
Chopper turned and saw Leo standing beside him, holding something pink and fluffy in his hand.
It was a marshmallow.
Leo held it out.
"Here. For you. Consider it a thank-you gift—for saving Nami."
Chopper frowned, clearly torn.
He wasn't about to be bribed. No way. Just because he liked sweet things didn't mean he'd fall for this trick.
But...
Why does that marshmallow smell so good?
And the color—it's pink! It must taste amazing…
Unable to resist, Chopper hesitantly reached out his hoof and took a tentative bite.
His eyes sparkled instantly.
Delicious!!
The soft, sweet texture melted in his mouth. It was like biting into a pink cloud.
Okay... maybe this human wasn't so bad.
Not only had he invited Chopper to join their crew, but he also gave him such a tasty treat.
But still… humans couldn't be trusted!
But the marshmallow... oh, it's so soft and fluffy...
Leo watched Chopper's rapidly shifting expressions and chuckled.
"That's a Sakura Pink Marshmallow," he explained. "From the Fish-Man Island. I got it fresh this morning."
"Fish-Man Island is real?! I thought that was just a legend!" Chopper exclaimed in wonder.
Leo's smile deepened. He pointed toward the fluttering flag beside them and continued in a soft, sincere tone.
"Of course it's real. And there are all kinds of islands out there on the Grand Line."
"Each one has different marshmallows... different foods, different people. All of them waiting to be explored."
"If you become a Pirate, you can travel to every one of them."
"You can taste sweets from all corners of the world... help people along the way... and live a life full of wonder."
He paused, then added:
"As a real man, how could you not go and see the ocean with your own eyes?"
"Chopper, come with us. Be our partner."
"Dr. Hiriluk… I bet he wanted you to chase the dream he couldn't. To see the sea he always talked about."
Leo gestured toward the fluttering skull-and-sakura flag.
"Isn't this... his dream?"
Chopper stared at him, wide-eyed. His small hooves clutched the marshmallow, his mouth slightly open.
Leo's words echoed in his heart.
He didn't understand how this human knew so much, but...
Something about Leo's voice—his conviction—made Chopper believe.
But… I'm just a talking reindeer with a blue nose.
I'm not human. I'm a monster.
"Can I... really be a Pirate?" he whispered.
Leo gently patted Chopper's head, his voice full of warmth.
"You're not a monster, Chopper."
"You're my partner."
As the cold wind howled around them and snowflakes drifted across the sky, the sakura-flagged pirate emblem flapped proudly.
Under the moonlit sky, a human and a reindeer sat side by side—one offering his hand, the other holding a half-eaten marshmallow—both with smiles as bright as the stars above.
Ãdvåñçé çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)