Two hours.
That was how long Luffy had stood outside the castle without moving.
Snow piled up along the edges of the stone pillars and clung to his boots, but he didn't bother shaking it off. His eyes were closed, his posture loose, hands tucked into his coat pockets as if he were simply enjoying the weather instead of guarding a life hanging by a thread.
Inside the castle, Sanji and Nojiko waited with Nami.
Outside, Luffy waited for the world to answer.
His Observation Haki stretched outward in slow, careful waves. Nothing hostile. No humans climbing the mountain. No villagers. Only the steady, quiet movements of arctic animals far below, living their small lives beneath the storm.
Then—
"Finally."
Luffy opened his eyes.
Far to his left, two presences appeared at the edge of his perception. They moved steadily uphill, unconcerned with the wind or the cold. One was unmistakably human. The other… wasn't.
Five minutes later, they emerged from the snowstorm.
A tall, sharp-eyed woman walked forward, a bottle of wine swinging casually from her hand. Beside her padded a reindeer with a blue nose and a red hat, his posture tense, eyes wary, ready to bolt at the slightest provocation.
The woman stopped when she saw Luffy.
"Oh my," she said, lips curling into an amused smile. "Looks like we've got company."
The reindeer growled low in his throat.
Luffy raised an eyebrow at that, then ignored it and focused on the woman. He pushed himself off the pillar and brushed snow from his coat.
"Are you Dr. Kureha?" he asked plainly.
"That's me," she replied cheerfully. "Doctorine, if you want to be polite." Her eyes flicked over him, sharp and assessing. "Did you come for my secret of eternal youth?"
"No," Luffy said without missing a beat. "I came because my friend is dying."
That wiped the smile from her face—just for a second.
"Well then," she said, stepping closer, "I hope you've got money."
"Money isn't a problem," Luffy replied. His voice didn't rise. It didn't shake. "Just save her."
Something unreadable passed through the old woman's eyes.
"…Show me."
Luffy turned and led them inside.
The moment they reached the bedroom, Sanji straightened like a soldier reporting for duty.
"The doctor's here."
Kureha brushed past them and went straight to Nami. She pressed two fingers lightly to Nami's forehead.
"107 degrees," she said immediately.
Sanji froze.
Luffy blinked.
Nojiko's breath caught.
"She just—"
"Touched her—"
"And knew—"
"Excellent," all three said at once.
Kureha snorted and lifted the blanket, pulling Nami's shirt up just enough to expose the rash on her stomach.
"…Well, I'll be damned," she muttered. "You kids been vacationing on a prehistoric island?"
They laughed.
Nervously.
"Yes," Luffy admitted. "Little Garden."
Kureha clicked her tongue. "Kestia flea. Injects dormant bacteria. Five-day incubation. Fever, joint pain, cardiac stress." She glanced at Nami again. "Three days in."
Sanji swallowed. "Can you treat it?"
"Yes," she said casually. "Otherwise she'd be dead in two days."
All three exhaled at once.
"Then get out," Kureha snapped. "Chopper, we're working."
"Chopper?" Nojiko echoed.
The reindeer stepped forward—
—and shifted.
Bones cracked. Fur rippled. In seconds, the animal stood upright, half-human, half-deer, wearing a medical cap marked with a red cross.
"…Interesting," Luffy murmured. "Devil Fruit."
The boy squeaked and tried to hide behind the doorframe. He failed miserably.
Luffy burst out laughing.
"I'll ask later."
Kureha punched Sanji square in the face and sent him flying. Luffy caught him by accident as they both crashed into the hallway.
"Old hag," Luffy muttered, sitting up and pouring himself a drink on the spot.
At least Nami had a chance now.
Later, outside again, Luffy noticed something fluttering above the tower.
A pirate flag.
Cherry blossoms circling a skull.
He smiled.
When he turned back inside, he found Chopper alone at the top of the stairs, staring at him like a cornered animal.
Luffy sat down with his back to the reindeer, giving him space.
After a long silence—
"…Are you really a pirate?"
"Yeah," Luffy said, smiling. "Best job in the world."
Chopper edged closer.
"Adventures?"
"All the time."
"…Your flag is weird."
"I made it myself."
Luffy offered his hand.
"Luffy."
The reindeer hesitated, then touched it lightly.
"Chopper."
Later, when Chopper confirmed Nami would live—but needed days—they both fell quiet.
"You ate a Devil Fruit too?" Chopper asked.
"Yeah. Lightning."
Luffy let sparks dance between his fingers, shaping into a tiny electric Chopper that made the real one gasp.
"It looks amazing…"
"It's not all good," Luffy said softly. "People fear what they don't understand."
Chopper stiffened.
"How did you—"
Luffy took off his straw hat, eyes closing briefly.
"Let's just say," he said, "we've got more in common than you think."
And for the first time, the reindeer didn't run.