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  --xLOVEx--

  They walked through the snow-filled hallways, the wind whistling through the cracks ione walls. Chopper led them to a room where an elderly woman with gsses and a thick coat sat reading. Dr. Kureha looked up, her sharp eyes taking iuation at a gnce.

  "Another one sick, huh?" she said, getting up and iing Vivi. "Lay her dowhere."

  Coby carefully pced Vivi on the bed. Dr. Kureha began her examination, her hands moving quickly and effitly. Chopper watched closely, assisting her without a word.

  "Prehistoric bug bite, you said?" Dr. Kureha asked.

  "Yeah," Coby firmed. "We just came from Little Garden."

  Dr. Kureha nodded, pulling out a small vial from her bag. She ha to Chet this ready."

  Chopper rushed to prepare the medie while Kureha tinued her work. After a few tense minutes, Chopper returned with the prepared antidote. Dr. Kureha administered it, and slowly, Vivi's breathing began to steady.

  "It'll take time, but she'll recover," Dr. Kureha said, stepping back. "Yht her just in time."

  Coby nodded, relieved. "Thank you."

  Chopper looked at Coby and then back at Vivi, his usual shyness creeping back. "She'll o rest for a while," he said quietly.

  Coby turo Luffy. "We'll stay here until she's better."

  Luffy grinned. "Got it. I'll find some food!" He g Chopper, who stood nearby.

  Chopper's eyes widened in arm. "I'm not food, you bastard!" he shouted back, feeling insulted.

  Luffy just ughed, clearly enjoying the rea, and started chasing after him. Chopper, flustered, ran off, muttering under his breath. Luffy followed, still ughing.

  Dr. Kureha watched the se unfold and sighed. "Your friend is a strange one," she remarked, turnitention back to Coby.

  Coby nodded. "His name is Monkey D. Luffy. The man who will bee the King of the Pirates."

  Kureha raised an eyebrow, curious. "Why are you tellihis?"

  Coby shrugged. "He would say it eventually anyway."

  Kureha smirked but didn't press further. She looked over at Vivi, who was resting peacefully. "She'll be fier some rest. But you'll o keep an eye on her for a few days."

  "Uood," Coby replied. He goward the hallway, where Luffy's ughter echoed with Chopper's frantic protests.

  "Does that straw-hat idiot know where he's going?" Kureha asked, clearly amused.

  Coby shook his head. "Probably not. But he'll find his way back when he's hungry enough."

  Kureha chuckled at Coby's remark. He gnced around the room, then asked, "You were attacked by pirates, right?"

  Kureha nodded. "Bckbeard and his crew. They caused quite a stir, but they left when they couldn't find what they were looking for."

  Coby nodded, recalling the se from the ahe king of this try will return in a few days. Are you prepared?"

  Kureha frowned, her eyes narrowing. "How do you know that?"

  "We saw them," Coby lied smoothly. "They were searg for aernal Pose to Drum Isnd."

  Kureha's frown deepened. He teically 'saol and his crew ing bad attack the castle in anime, so it wasn't really a lie.

  Kureha's frown deepened, clearly disturbed by the news. Coby tinued, not missing a beat. "How about I beat them and kick them out of the isnd in exge for you treating my friend?"

  Kureha studied Coby for a moment, her gaze sharp. "You're fident you hahem?"

  et her eyes. "I am."

  She smirked, clearly intrigued by his offer. "Fine. But don't expect me to up your mess if you fail."

  Coby gave a small nod. "Deal."

  As the versation ended, Coby noticed Luffy and Chopper rushing bato the room. Luffy was grinning widely, clearly having had his fill of fun.

  "Oi, Coby! This little guy's fast!" Luffy excimed, pointing at Chopper.

  Chopper puffed up his chest, trying to look proud but still clearly shy around the crew. "Your praise doesn't make me happy, you bastard," he said, but the little reindeer couldn't hide his happiness as he danced in pce.

  Coby chuckled. "He's also a doctor."

  Luffy's eyes lit up. "Join my crew, back-up food!"

  Coby facepalmed. "No one's gonna join you if you keep calling them back-up food."

  True to his words, Chopper immediately hid behind Dr. Kureha, looking more nervous than ever.

  Chopper peeked out from behind Kureha, his curiosity getting the better of him. "How did you stretch your arms like that?"

  Coby answered before Luffy could. "Because he's a monster."

  Chopper's expression fell, clearly hurt by the ent. Seeing this, Coby smiled aached his hands from his wrists, letting them float mid-air. "And I'm ooo."

  Chopper's eyes widened in surprise. "W-what kind of monster are you?"

  Before Coby could expin, Kureha's voice cut through the moment. "Are y to steal my assistant?"

  Coby quickly raised his hands, still detached from his wrists, looking like humanoid Hunter. "Haha, it's not like that! We're him a ce to see the world. Chopper, the world is vast and amazing."

  Kureha's expression turern, and without warning, she grabbed a nearby broom and started swinging it at both Coby and Luffy. "You brats aren't taking him anywhere!"

  Coby and Luffy quickly ducked and dodged, ughing as they avoided her swings. The noise from the otion grew louder, eg through the castle halls as Kureha chased them away.

  Only Vivi and Chopper remained in the room after Coby and Luffy were chased out. The noise had woken Vivi, and she slowly opened her eyes, groggy but aware of her surroundings.

  Chopper noticed her waking up and quickly moved to her side. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice soft.

  Vivi blinked a few times, her gaze fog on Chopper. "I'm... better, I think." Her voice was weak, but the worst of the fever had passed. She noticed Chopper's blue nose and unique appearance, but she didn't ent on it. Instead, she gave him a small smile. "Thank you for helping me."

  Chopper blushed, shuffling his hooves awkwardly. "It's nothing. I'm just doing my job." He goward the door, where Coby and Luffy had just been. "Those guys... they're really something."

  Vivi chuckled softly, nodding. "They are. Coby especially... he's been by my side this whole time."

  Chopper's ears perked up at the mention of Coby. "He's strong, isn't he? And that power he has... it's amazing."

  Vivi's smile grew. "Yes, he is. But more than that, he's kind. They all are, in their own way."

  Chopper shifted, clearly thinking hard about something. "Why are you with them? Are you a pirate too? How is it being a pirate?" His eyes gleamed with excitement.

  Vivi smiled at his enthusiasm. "I'm ly a pirate. I joihem to get bay kingdom, Abasta. They're helping me because of a dangerous group trying to take over my try."

  Chopper's excitement dimmed a bit. "So... it's not all about advehen?"

  "Not always," Vivi replied. "But there's adveoo. They've been through a lot, and they never give up. That's what makes them special."

  Chopper's expression turhoughtful. "I see... They sound like good people."

  "They are," Vivi agreed. "And they could use a doctor on their journey. You'd be a great help to them."

  Chopper hesitated, gng toward the door where Kureha had chased Coby and Luffy out. "But... I don't know if I'm ready for something like that."

  Vivi reached out, pg a hand on his hoof. "You never know until you try. Besides, Coby and the others would be there for you."

  Chopper looked down, clearly flicted. He didn't respond immediately, but Vivi could see the wheels turning in his mind.

  At that moment, Coby and Luffy burst bato the room, both ughing and out of breath from dodging Kureha's broom. "Chopper! You've got to join us!" Luffy excimed, clearly not giving up.

  Coby added, "We could really use your skills, Chopper. The world's a big pce, and you're meant to see more of it."

  Chopper looked betweehen back at Vivi. Her encing smile seemed to push him further toward his decision.

  "But... I ot leave Dr. Kureha" Chopper asked, his voice small.

  Kureha appeared in the doorway, crossing her arms with a smirk. "I've managed without you before, you little brat. I'll be just fine."

  Chopper still vehemently shook his head. "No, I ot leave you alone, Doctor!" His voice was shaky, and he quickly ran off to the side.

  Kureha sighed, clearly irritated by his stubbornness. Luffy, uerred, chased after Chain, yelling, "Chopper, e back here! You're joining us!"

  Coby walked over to Vivi, who was now sitting up, looking much better. He k beside her and gave her a soft smile. "How are you feeling, Princess? You made us all worry."

  Vivi smiled back, though still a bit weak. "I'm feelier, thanks to you and everyone."

  Kureha, overhearing them, snorted as she passed by. "Yirlfriend's fine, o fuss."

  Vivi's face turned red, and she murmured quietly, "I-I'm not…"

  Coby chuckled at her rea but didn't push it further. Kureha crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really mean it? You want to take him with you?"

  Coby nodded. "Our captain's pretty stubborn. Once Luffy sets his sights on something, there's n back."

  Kureha grinned. "It won't be easy to vince Chopper though." She paused and looked at Vivi. "You probably don't know his story. It's a sad one. A normal blue-nosed reindeer, kicked and scarred by his herd because he was different. Isoted throughout his life, he came across the Hito Hito no Mi. Thought he could live among people after that, but his human form... well, it was monstrous. People called him a monster and chased him out, same as his herd did. That is, until he met Dr. Hiluluk."

  Vivi listened quietly, her expression softening with every word. She g the door where Chopper had run off. "I didn't know... That's awful."

  Kureha nodded. "Hiluluk was the first oo treat him like a person. Taught him about human s, about life... They became close, he became a father to Chopper. But Hiluluk was dying. When Chopper found out, he did his best to help. Tried to save him with a poisonous mushroom he thought was a cure. But Hiluluk, stubborn fool, went out with a bang, helping his people o time. Gave his life for this try."

  Vivi ched her fists, looking down. "He's been through so much." Coby listened from the side, and sighed. Hililuk was a real man and he respected him from bottom of his heart. It was one of the few characters Coby deeply respected in his past life.

  Kureha crossed her arms. "And now you lot want to take him out to sea. Think he's ready for that?"

  Before anyone could answer, an explosion echoed through the castle. Coby gnced out the window and spotted ol.

  "They're faster than I thought," he muttered.

  Kureha moved closer, peering out the window. "ol and his men," she said, her voice tinged with disdain.

  PS: Double Chapter. Thanks Natsu Kurosaki for support!

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