*Still The Second Day After The Seasonal Storm.*
While Zino made his way toward the castle's shipyard, Kaya lingered behind with Dr. Kureha, her eyes glinting with quiet excitement.
"Um, Doctor… would it be alright if I read some of your medical books?" she asked with polite determination.
Kureha raised a brow, studying her. "You? A doctor?"
Kaya shook her head. "No… but I want to become one. I've studied some basics. I want to learn more so I can help people."
There was a brief pause before Kureha snorted. "Hmph. At least you've got fire. Fine, come in. But no smudging the pages, or I'll throw you off the mountain."
Kaya's face lit up. "Thank you, Doctor!"
While Kaya stepped inside to immerse herself in the thick tomes of Drum Kingdom's medical knowledge, Mikita stood by the entrance with her arms crossed and an expression that screamed boredom.
"Books, huh…" she muttered. "Not my thing."
With a sigh, she turned on her heel and trotted after Zino. "Guess I'll see what the snow-eater's up to."
...
Down near a large stone platform behind the castle, Zino stood before a snow-covered dock where a ship rested—half-buried in frost but intact. It was modest in size, maybe half as large as the Silent Orca, but its frame looked sturdy, and the sails had been well-kept under a frozen tarp.
Zino clapped his hands together and rubbed them. "Not bad. Might actually float."
He climbed aboard and began inspecting the deck, the masts, and the rudder. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what he was doing. He tugged on a rope, knocked on the wooden hull, and stared at the wheel with vague confidence. "Yep. Seems ship-shape."
Mikita arrived moments later, watching him with a raised brow. "You sure it's usable?"
Zino turned, grinning. "Totally. See that? Still sturdy."
"You're not a shipwright," Mikita replied flatly.
He shrugged. "Eh, details."
She crossed her arms. "I don't wanna die freezing in the middle of the sea."
"Trust me." He knocked on the mast. It creaked in response.
Mikita glanced around the snowy area. Just then, something—or someone—caught her eye. A pair of round, brown ears poked up from behind a barrel, along with a set of trembling blue eyes. It was a strange creature: part animal, part human. A reindeer… standing on two legs?
Before she could say anything, the creature squeaked in panic and ducked. Its little hooves scrambled in the snow as it dashed away in a puff of powder.
"What the—?" Mikita blinked. "Did you see that?"
Zino turned around. "See what?"
"There was that… reindeer!" Mikita squinted. "The one that peeking on the castle gate."
Zino rubbed his chin. He knows that guy, but keep pretending not knowing. "Hmm. Maybe it's one of the island's unique wildlife?"
"No way. That thing had eyes like it understood us. I think it was watching us."
"Watching us?" Zino echoed, hopping off the ship. He scanned the surroundings with Observation Haki. "sounds weird."
"Really weird," Mikita agreed. "What kind of creature lives in a castle with a doctor and wears a hat?"
Zino smirked. "Well, if it's smart enough to eavesdrop, maybe it's smart enough to talk."
"Maybe," Mikita said thoughtfully, her curiosity piqued.
Meanwhile, behind some snow covered barrels, Chopper huddled behind, his heart thumping in his chest. "They saw me…!"
But something inside him stirred. They didn't scream. They didn't throw snowballs. They just… looked curious.
And for Chopper, that was new.
A few minutes later, Zino finished his inspection of the ship. He gave the mast a satisfied pat and grinned. "Alright… this'll do."
Then, without warning, he extended his hand, and in a flash of light, the entire vessel vanished—pulled neatly into his System Storage.
Mikita blinked. "Wait. What just happened?"
Chopper, who had snuck back to peek from behind a snowbank, nearly fell over in shock. His jaw dropped. "H-He made the ship disappear?!"
Zino dusted his hands. "Done. Let's head back."
He turned and strutted away from the dock like nothing unusual had happened.
Mikita stared at him, still stunned, before trailing behind. "You could've told me you had that trick up your sleeve."
"Where's the fun in that?" Zino grinned over his shoulder.
As they moved along the snowy path toward the castle, Chopper scrambled to hide again, slipping behind some protruding snow. His little heart pounded. "Who are these people?!"
Reaching the castle courtyard, Zino called out for Kaya. "Hey! Time to go!"
Inside, Kaya quickly closed the thick medical book she had been poring over and looked up at Dr. Kureha with gratitude. "Thank you so much for letting me read these. I learned a lot."
Kureha nodded with a smirk. "Hmph. You're a curious one, at least. Don't let that curiosity kill you."
Kaya gave a small bow. "I'll be careful. Goodbye!"
With that, she hurried to meet the others. As soon as all three were together, Zino wrapped an arm around Kaya and Mikita's waists.
"Hang on," he warned.
And with a powerful burst of Geppo, he launched the group skyward, leaping from foothold to foothold in the air as they descended the towering mountain.
From above, Dr. Kureha and Chopper stood near the edge of the castle terrace, watching the trio shrink into the distance.
"That boy…" Kureha muttered, narrowing her eyes. "He's not normal."
Chopper nodded slowly, still fixated on the disappearing figures. "Who were they?"
"Pirates," Kureha replied casually.
Chopper's eyes widened. "Ehh?! How do you know?!"
The old doctor shrugged. "They smell like one. And they've got that look in their eyes."
Chopper's hooves fidgeted nervously. "Pirates…"
His mind swirled with emotions. He remembered the man who once inspired him—a kind doctor who raised a pirate's flag and spoke of freedom, the kind only pirates could find upon the open sea. That memory stirred something deep in Chopper's heart.
Could he… really become one?
Kureha noticed the subtle shift in his expression. A quiet longing had taken hold behind those round, expressive eyes. But she said nothing. Some dreams were best left to bloom on their own.
"Come on," she said brusquely. "We've got work to do. It's time to make the trip down to the village again."
Chopper nodded absentmindedly, still caught in thought, and followed her back into the castle, the winds howling softly behind them.
...
Meanwhile, Zino and the girls had safely landed at the foot of the mountain. With the ship now secured in his storage and their business at the castle concluded, the trio began making their way back toward the village.
As they walked through the snow-covered forest, they stumbled upon a small commotion—two large bears trapped beneath a fallen tree branch, struggling to free themselves from a heap of snow and debris caused by the earlier avalanche.
"They're stuck," Kaya said, concerned.
Zino wasted no time. With a few swift movements, he lifted the heavy branch, allowing the bears to shake off the snow from their bodies. After they got out, they bowed to Zino, and he bowed in reply.
Then, the bears retreated safely into the woods. Kaya smiled softly as the animals disappeared among the trees.
"Not all pirates are heartless," she muttered.
Soon after, they arrived at the village. The aftermath of the avalanche was immediately apparent—thick layers of snow blanketed the streets, rooftops, and pathways. Villagers were hard at work, using shovels, tools, and even their bare hands to clear out the snow. Piles of white lined the roads, and children helped by forming snowballs and tossing them aside, turning a bit of the chaos into play.
Dalton looked up from where he was helping dig out a buried fence. Upon seeing Zino, Kaya, and Mikita walking toward the center of the village, his face lit up with relief.
"You're all safe," he said, striding toward them. "That's a relief."
"We made it," Zino said, brushing some snow from his shoulder.
Dalton's expression turned serious. "A huge avalanche came down this morning—one of the largest we've seen in years. Nearly buried half the village."
Zino winced. Kaya and Mikita exchanged glances. Both of them had the same thought—Zino's shout earlier, with its strange mix of wind and aura, might have triggered the snow collapse.
Zino scratched the back of his head, a sheepish expression forming. "...That might've been my fault."
Dalton raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"I, uh... might've let out a strong shout on top of the mountain," Zino admitted. "Didn't expect it to be that loud."
Dalton stared for a moment, then sighed. "Well, what's done is done. No one was seriously hurt. Still, be more careful."
"Right. I'll make it up to you," Zino offered, rolling up his sleeves. "Let me help dig out the village."
Kaya narrowed her eyes. "You just want to eat more snow, don't you?"
Zino showed a serious face. "I just want to help these poor villagers."
Kaya sighed in defeat. "Go on, then. Just don't cause another avalanche."
With renewed energy, Zino dove into the snow removal effort—quite literally. As he cleared paths, he scooped generous amounts of fresh snow into his mouth, much to the amusement and confusion of the villagers.
Mikita and Kaya just shook their head. They then joined the rest of the townspeople, lending a hand in any way they could—shoveling walkways, helping dig out livestock shelters, and assisting elderly villagers.
Despite the earlier scare, the atmosphere in the village began to lift. The sun peeked through the clouds, and laughter gradually returned to the snowy streets.
Even in the chill of winter, warmth spread—through effort, cooperation, and a pirate or two with good intentions.
...
As the sun dipped beyond the snowy horizon, casting an orange glow over the white-dusted landscape, peace finally returned to the village. The paths had been cleared, rooftops were safe, and the villagers could move freely once more. Children ran about, throwing snowballs and laughing, their joy a sign that normal life had resumed.
However, not everything was quiet.
Just beyond the village square, a rather strange sight continued to draw attention.
A small crowd had gathered, watching with a mix of amusement and disbelief as Zino stood beside one of the snow mounds—still devouring it. Shovelfuls of snow vanished into his mouth in rapid succession, as though he were a machine specifically built to consume the frozen white powder.
Dalton stood nearby, arms crossed, his eye twitching as he watched Zino inhale snow like a man possessed. "Does he never get full?" he muttered under his breath.
"It's his ability," Kaya replied simply, standing beside him, her tone calm. She didn't elaborate further, not seeing the point—trying to explain Zino's appetite was like trying to explain the sea to someone who had never left land.
One of the villagers scratched his head and mumbled, "It's kind of like Wapol's ability, isn't it?"
Dalton nodded slowly. "Yeah. But this kid... somehow it feels different."
Before the thought could settle further, Dalton turned to Kaya with a more serious expression. "I heard you're planning to set sail tomorrow."
Mikita, who had just walked up with a yawn, pointed casually at Zino, who was still crouched by the snow pile. "Captain decided that. We just follow him around."
"I see," Dalton said, glancing at the strange young man again. He paused a moment, then asked, "Do you know where you're headed?"
"To Alabasta," Kaya replied softly.
Hearing that, Dalton's gaze softened. "In that case, we'll help you prepare. You'll need supplies for the journey."
"Oh, no, you don't have to do that," Kaya quickly replied, waving her hands. "We can manage on our own."
Dalton smiled gently and shook his head. "It's on us. Your captain helped defeat Wapol and brought peace back to this country. We owe you a debt. Providing food and materials is the least we can do in return."
"That's right!" a nearby villager added, having overheard. "Hey, everyone! They're setting sail tomorrow! Let's get some supplies ready for 'em!"
"All right!" another villager called out. "We'll pack the best we have!"
Excited voices rose all around as the townspeople sprang into action. Some ran to gather fruits and vegetables from their storage, while others brought out barrels of clean water and bundles of medical herbs. Blankets, extra clothes, and fishing gear were also offered.
Kaya looked around, a little overwhelmed by the sudden generosity.
Mikita gave a lopsided smile. "Guess being good has its perks."
Dalton chuckled. "You've made a good impression here. We won't forget it."
As the sun disappeared entirely and the stars began to twinkle above the snowy land, the village came alive once more—not with fear or struggle, but with kindness, warmth, and the spirit of farewell.
And Zino? He was still eating snow.