Who's the Fool?

"Jack, I don't want to die."

"I'm sorry."

"Jack, I want to see you smile again."

"I'm sorry."

"Jack, would you come with me?"

"Corsen...I'm so sorry."

"Chopper-san!", my voice called him back to the now. I had been silently watching him sitting like that in front of the tombstone. I barely had it in me to hold out any longer than this.

"Chopper-san", I walked closer to him, "We should get going."

He had been sitting like a kid in front of whoever's grave that was. The one worded Corsen wasn't enough for me to know if that person was even human to begin with.

"Chopper-san, should we stop to rest?", I asked him further along the way. We had been silent for far too long.

"No, let's just go see Lady already."

He replied briefly. I don't know how, despite our wounds we made it back so early.

The sun was throwing it's first rays on Mercae clock tower when we made it back to the church. As always, it was misty and foggy around the green mound where the cave-like-church was.

Opening the door, I first caught sight of Deli who was half dozing. I was soon greeted by Sight.

"Oh boy! It's you, boy!", he began to ruffle my hair like a dog's, "You don't seem very...sightly, boy."

Oh sure Sight, I bet not a lot of things are sightly for you.

"Sight, where's Lady?"

"Where? Well, isn't she with Chopper?"

"But we just came back", I turned around to find that Chopper was nowhere to be found. I supposed I had just been cast aside but still, an urge in me took me to find the two of them.

Sight told me that they had probably gone to the cliff. The green hills were not very appetizing to Lady and I often found her, looking either at the creek downhill and tossing pebbles or looking at the sky from the cliff up high. In either case, Lady seemed uninterested even then and that made me wonder what exactly she wanted to see.

When I reached the hill, I found Chopper kneeling down in front of Lady as she stood tall, looking down at him as if he was a worm. I don't know what they were talking about exactly but from the looks of things, I conferred that Lady had not been so happy to find one of his arms missing.

I wonder if Chopper had told her it was all my fault. I was afraid he might, I wished he wouldn't. I hate myself for thinking so low. In the end, I don't suppose Chopper said anything or maybe Lady didn't ask.

"Chopper", I heard Lady as Chopper was about to leave after their discussion, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"...", Chopper felt the air against his wounds that I believe must have been hurting by now, "Almost."

Later that day, I was welcomed by everyone and congratulated for receiving Ebony from Chopper. It's funny that no one even bothered to ask anything about him whatsoever.

"Oh so Chopper lost an arm, huh?", it didn't seem to be a big deal at all to anyone. I think if it hadn't been for that, I'd have beaten myself over a lot more.

The next morning Chopper was gone. His note said "gone hunting", Lady added "for wolves" to it and flashed it in everyone's face that came by to meet her. And then she laughed heartily calling Chopper an utter fool. I didn't think Chopper was ever coming back.