Second Wind

21

Wapol's face was a mix of terror and fury as he faced the three commoners who refused to let him pass. He still hadn't gotten passed his fear at seeing his best soldiers brutally beaten barehanded as if they were nothing. After seeing that he had made a break for the Drum Rockies, intent on reaching the safety of his castle. If Chess and Kuromarimo had to be sacrifices to ensure his well being, then so be it.

But upon ascending the mountain, he had found his passage to his own castle blocked by the sole surviving doctor of Drum Kingdom, the yeti that had tried to attack him 6 years ago before being stopped by Dalton, and that infuriating pirate who had had the audacity to kick him into the sea and steal his Eternal Pose. In short, he was surrounded by treason. He gritted his teeth in frustration. He now had no choice but to take his country back himself. His subordinates may have been thrashed, but he was the king. He couldn't be beaten by commoners. He had the divine right to rule by blood.

"Get out of my way!" Wapol commanded. "What right do you have to so casually take residence in the king's castle, you witch?"

"King's castle?" Kureha repeated with an innocent expression. "You must be mistaken. When I found this castle it was completely empty. It was clearly abandoned. So I took it."

"Well I'm claiming it back!" Wapol screamed in outrage. "So unless you want to be executed, leave my home!"

"Letting us off so easily?" Kureha said with a smirk. "That seems unlike you. I'd go as far as to say you're out of your comfort zone without those two brats following you around and fighting your battles for you. Where are those idiots anyway?"

"So it looks like you really intend to defy me," Wapol said quietly. "It doesn't matter if Chess and Kuromarimo have been defeated! I'll take back my kingdom on my own!" He seemed irrational at this point. Kureha frowned. Defeated? Those two? Wapol's two head officers were sole reason why the populace had been helpless against Wapol's tyranny. Dalton could stand up to them, but even he couldn't take them both at once. The only one in all of Drum Kingdom that could achieve such a feat...was her own medical apprentice. Kureha's eyes idly wandered over to the kid with the Strawhat that was standing next to them, seemingly without a care in the world. Something clicked in her brain. He had called her current patient his crewmate. That meant he wasn't alone.

She was broken out of her thoughts as Wapol finally made his move. He charged forward, most likely intent on swallowing them whole. He was intercepted by Chopper who met his charge in his reindeer form before shifting into his full zoan form as he tackled Wapol. The king fell back with Chopper hovering over him. His fist was reared back, ready to strike, but he didn't. He hesitated, then spoke. "Doctor was convinced that even you were worth saving," he said quietly before raising his voice. "If you leave now, I won't hurt you!"

Luffy pouted. That wouldn't end well. He wanted to see that punch happen. Kureha called out to him, calling him a fool, and Wapol, though confused, took the opportunity to extend his jaw and attempt to bite Chopper. He bit into thin air though, and looked up to see the reindeer being yanked back by an outstretched arm.

"You! So you've eaten a devil fruit as well?" Wapol shouted. Chopper looked at Luffy in uncertainty.

"Um...thank you," he said. Luffy grinned and flashed him a thumbs up before speaking.

"I can tell you want to beat this guy, but you're hesitating," he said. Chopper's head perked up at this, and Kureha watched intently. "You want to save this country right?" Luffy asked. Chopper nodded eagerly. This was the country that Doctor had been so intent on saving. Even if it had caused him to suffer, he would carry on that last wish of his. "Then you can't do that," Luffy continued. "You can't hesitate. I know you think that everybody has the potential to bring good to the world, but if you want to make a difference, you have to be firm in your resolve." Chopper pondered this statement as he thought back to the conversation he had had with this human earlier that day.