What if the Straw Hat pirates went back in time.

Chopper woke up with a start, his tiny reindeer body shivering as though he'd been trapped in a bad dream. The room was warm and familiar, yet it filled him with a strange unease. The walls were lined with shelves cluttered with vials and beakers, herbs hanging from the ceiling to dry. A soft blanket covered him—one he recognized instantly as the one Doctor Kureha always made him use when he caught a cold.

"This… this is my room…" he whispered, his voice trembling. His wide eyes scanned the space, trying to make sense of it. He could hear the faint crunching of snow outside as the cold mountain wind rattled against the shutters.

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Doctor Kureha. Her usual air of confidence was laced with irritation, though it didn't fully mask the concern in her eyes. "Chopper, what are you doing? You've been sitting there like a lump since this morning." She stepped closer, her arms crossed, eyeing him suspiciously. "You're not sick, are you? Or worse—did you accidentally poison yourself?"

Chopper flinched, her sharp tone cutting through his disoriented thoughts. "No, I…" His words faltered as he struggled to explain the storm in his mind. How could he tell her that he felt like he'd just lost something precious—something too far out of reach?

Kureha raised an eyebrow. "Spit it out already. What's got you so rattled?"

He looked down at his hooves, his heart pounding in his chest. "I… I just had a strange dream. No, it wasn't a dream—it was real. I was with my friends, my crew. But now… I'm here." His voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

Kureha's expression softened ever so slightly, though she hid it behind a sharp quip. "Sounds like you've been working yourself into a frenzy again, thinking too much. Take a deep breath, stupid reindeer." She walked over and tousled his fur roughly, in the way only she could. "You're not making any sense, but whatever's wrong, you'll figure it out."

Chopper wiped his eyes and nodded, trying to hold back the tears. Kureha left the room with a wave of her hand, muttering something about brewing more tea. As soon as the door clicked shut, he finally let himself cry.

"What's happening to me? Was it really all just a dream?" He hugged his legs close to his chest. "No… No, it couldn't have been. Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Sanji, everyone—they're real. I know they are!"

His tears slowed as determination began to set in. 

"I'll find them. I'll find all of them," Chopper said to himself, clenching his fists. He looked out the frosty window toward the snow-covered mountains in the distance, a spark of hope lighting in his eyes. "We're nakama. Nothing can keep us apart for long."