Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
A/N: I was reading the part where Robin turned into a toy, and my initial thought of this was, "What will Zoro look like if he were a toy?" And then this plot bunny appeared. Very horrible plot bunny I'll have to say.
WARNING: violence, blood, and character death
Sanji never left the kingdom of Dressrosa before, and he never was the type to have the wanderlust either. The kingdom offered everything he could ever want: plentiful wealth, in which he could indulge in fun activities fit for a grown young man; varieties of ingredients imported from several unknown countries, so he could experiment and prepare fantastic meals; and happiness. Happiness was key to this kingdom's success, and he saw it throughout Dressrosa.
The kingdom was like it was plucked out from the last pages of a fairytale book. "Conflict" never existed in the glossary. Everything got resolved before problems arose, so no one became angry. Sanji would like to say the same, except for one little thing. Well, it wasn't really little. It was a big and agonizing problem that he wished it could go away and find another person to harass and annoy.
It always happened the moment he got outside of his house. Sometimes he wished he could stay in his house forever, but he needed to take care of the café. When he opened the front door, there it was. It was this large, ugly and green stuffed animal, pathetically resembling a tiger. It was always covered in dried up dirt on some parts of its body. The left eye button was loose and fell off its face, but two thin strings prevented it from completely falling off, making it creepier than cute. It also smelled too, but who cleans toys? It had this perpetual smile sewn on its face that was supposed to reflect happiness, but it looked like mockery to him. The only reason why he didn't order anyone to throw it into the scraps was because it was quite strong for having long lanky arms, cotton thinning out from prolonged use.
"Come on, toy. I got new stock of ingredients from the dock, so help me carry them."
"Okie dokie!" The toy replied in a singsong manner, but its voice was not high enough.
It was early in the morning, but the town was already alive with the citizens and toys. Sanji easily weaved through the crowd, but the toy took longer. Sometimes, it took hours for the toy to finally reach the dock because it couldn't find its way. Sanji got so mad because by the time the toy arrived, some of the ingredients showed signs of bruising from the brutal sun. As punishment, he always kicked the toy around like a soccer ball until the toy wailed, hoping that would teach it a lesson. It never did—that toy found a way to get lost.
Sanji slithered out the busy streets, and when he turned back he was surprised to see that the toy was wobbling right behind. It found its way for once.
"What are we carrying today?"
"Shut up toy." Sanji snapped as he lit a cigarette and dangled it between his fingers, "Just deliver them to my café."
"Okie dokie!"
When they arrived at the dock, Sanji found the ship that imported goods. Today, he ordered a rare fruit only found in the South Blue. The color and shape of the fruit was shaped like a heart, so it would be perfect for topping desserts. The couples of Dressrosa would go mad over it.
"Carry these." Sanji ordered the toy to five large wooden crates filled with the exotic fruits, "Meanwhile, I'm going to check out the wharf."
"To see him?" The toy asked in a quiet voice.
Sanji quickly looked over his shoulder with a scowl, "Yeah, so what?"
"You've been hanging around with him a lot more these days."
"Of course I am. He's a great guy. Funny, fun to talk to. All the good stuff." Sanji's sweetened smile twisted into a dark snarl, "If you bother us again like last time, I'm going to shove this in you and watch you burn." He plucked the cigarette from his lips, so the toy could see it clearly, if those button eyes had the ability to see.
The toy waved his arms like a hula dancer, "Ahaha, of course I won't! I don't want to burn!"
"Good, then go and do your job. I want them to be at the café before I return."
"Roger that!" The toy flopped his hand over his head to gesture a salute. Sanji snorted and headed toward the wharf. Little did Sanji know, the moment the café owner turned and faced the other way, as the toy lowered its arm and watched him leave, the air shifted around it. It was filled with pain and loneliness, completely betraying the large, bright smile permanently sewn on its face.
Sanji spent an hour with the man, whom he and the toy were bickering about earlier. They were together for two years and were called 'the happy couple' – but this was a bland compliment in the romance soaked kingdom of Dressrosa. Once they get married, then they would be showered with more colorful laudations. Speaking of marriage, Sanji took his eyes off his lover and glanced down at his left hand.
"Sanji, what are you thinking of?"
"Eh? Oh, nothing." Sanji smirked and poked his lover's cheek, "Looks like you have something on your mind."
"Does it look obvious?" The other chuckled.
"Yeah, I can read through the back of your easy brain of yours."
"Well, you're kind of right. I do have something…wait," The man turned, so Sanji could only see his back. In the meantime, he slowly took a sip of rum. The weather was hot today, so he pressed the large ice cube to his lips to cool down.
"Sanji."
"Yeah…" When he turned to see what his lover was holding, his eye widened in surprise. "Shit…no way…"
-.-.-
The toy was carrying the last box of fruits to the café. The sun was beating down, and its skin was made out of polyester, so it was absorbing every ray of heat. It couldn't sweat or feel the temperature, but it could see the ground quivering from the hazy heat. From behind, he heard a burst of cheerful chatters, so the toy took a moment to see what the commotion was about. A large group of young men and women were carrying all sorts of flowers.
It appeared that someone proposed another and it succeeded, so the civilians celebrated by decorating the house or a building where the engaged couples lived or owned. The toy shook his head to get rid of a hopeless memory and picked up his cargo. But as the group walked past the toy and began heading toward the same direction, the toy's cotton stuffed legs began to shake.
"Oh god. Please no."
The toy froze as the group continued on walking, chatting about the newly engaged pair. It was the usual comments of, 'I knew they will be together someday' and 'they are going to be so happy together' but when they also uttered, 'I wonder if he would quit his job at the pier and work at the café?' toy stopped dead at its tracks. Its hands loosened the grip of the cargo held above its head, and it slid downwards. The heavy box fell on top of the toy, and it was squashed face down with an 'omf!' Squeezing its head out so it could at least see the situation, its heart—if it had any—shattered as the citizens began decorating the flowers outside of Sanji's café. Its face was stuck with a sweet smiling expression, but inside its old cotton fluff it was weeping, begging for the endless nightmare to end.
"What are you doing here, and how did this happen?" The toy recognized the voice right away and it flailed its arms in a feeble attempt to escape. Sanji sighed and with his two hands he lifted the box off the toy's back. It stood up and peered up at the blond man. Sanji noticed at the toy's lifeless eye was glued to his right ring finger. A smile formed across his face because he was expecting the toy was filled with rapture and was going to endlessly congratulate him about his engagement.
"Hehe, look, he finally proposed to me! Took him long enough." Sanji knelt down, so he could show the ring better, "Isn't it pretty? It's exactly how I wanted—"
"No! No no no no no this can't be happening!" the toy shrieked.
"No…?" A vein popped on Sanji's temple. Sometimes this toy fell into these bizarre temper tantrums. When they fought, Sanji always won because he scared the toy about being taken to the scraps. The toy would behave, but the fight would start again when Sanji was going out on a date with his lover.
"Don't marry him! I-I won't let you!"
"What do you mean, 'you won't let me'? You're not my parent—"
"Cook, don't you see?" The toy shrieked, patting its body with its long arms several times, "You can't because I'm your fiance!"
"My fiance?" Sanji chortled darkly, "A toy? My fiance? You got to be kidding me."
"Cook, don't you remember—"
"Stop calling me that, toy."
"Cook," the toy gasped, "I'm Zoro."
"Didn't we talk about this before? I don't know any guy named Zoro, and I never had any boyfriends before except now. Can we drop the subject now?"
"No!" the toy screamed, stomping its fluffy legs against the cobblestone ground, "No, you're wrong! You did have a fiance! I was turned into a toy by Dofla—" The toy was cut off when Sanji grabbed a fistful of its face and squeezed hard. Its head also didn't have enough cotton, so it was very squishy. Sanji knew the toy didn't feel pain, but this always shut it up.
"Listen here, toy. Doflamingo is our hero. He saved our kingdom from a disaster ten years ago! Don't you dare talk shit about our hero!"
"You're the dumb one, shit cook!" the toy shouted with an insulting nickname that irked Sanji even more, "It was all staged! King Riku was—"
"Do you know what King Riku did!?" Sanji breathed through tightly clenched teeth, "Do you?" He was squeezing so hard, he could feel the strings sewn across the toys face growing taut and about to snap. He had explained it before, but he should have known toys were dumb because toys didn't have brains, "His army killed my parents."
"It was all done by D—"
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." Sanji dropped each symbol heavily and raised his voice until he was yelling. His raised his other hand, the pointer finger and thumb almost touching each other, "I'm this close to calling the guards to take you to the scraps. If you want to stay, you better forget about this and behave." The toy fell silent, its face still squashed between Sanji's clenched fists. Sanji was panting from yelling so loudly. He closed his eye and took careful breaths, but he was feeling better. The argument was over.
When he slowly removed his hand away from its face, the toy remained silent. Good toy. That was how they were supposed to be; Sanji couldn't understand why this one wasn't as obedient as other toys. But when he stood up and went over to the abandoned crate, the toy remained standing where it was, as if it was suddenly broken. That wasn't possible. He wasn't one of those robots-Sanji was still puzzled on how they were charged.
"Come on, finish what you were doing."
"Cook…"
"Stop calling me that."
The toy went silent again, registering Sanji's order. Still, the toy didn't move. Sanji thought the toy forgot the previous command, so he reminded it, "Hey, remember I told you to deliver all five boxes to the café? There's one more here."
"Can't you," Sanji noticed a waver in the low, singsong voice. It raised its head and for a brief second the smile on its face appeared fake, "Can't you tell that I'm crying?"
"Toys don't have feelings." Sanji snapped, "Now, get back to work." The toy lowered its head and sluggishly went to the crate. It was being too slow, so Sanji gave it a warning kick.
From then on, the toy stopped talking nonsense to him. At last, peace finally arrived on Sanji's doorstep. Now, all he needed was the greatest happiness in the world, which was the wedding. On days when he wasn't working at the café, Sanji visited his fiance's house and they planned their wedding. They discussed about it inside their homes and at night, so toys wouldn't disturb them. Especially the annoying tiger toy, but these days the toy became very obedient. At first, Sanji considered not inviting the toy to his wedding, but because it was being a really good toy, he reconsidered it.
When he asked the toy if he wanted to come, the toy wasn't able to answer right away. Sanji dreaded another battle, but after a few sputters and grumbles, the toy finally said 'yes.' Now that was done, Sanji was going to invite others while ordering the wedding arrangements for the right plans and decorations.
The couple decided to surprise each other for the wedding outfits, so they went to different suit stores to find the one they wanted. Probably they would end up choosing the same type of suit, but that would still be interesting. The toy tagged along with him, although it wasn't as perky.
"Cheer up, toy. It's my wedding and weddings are supposed to be something to celebrate about." Sanji frowned when the toy didn't respond. He wanted to kick him, but these days the toy cried easier, and it just looked bad on his part. "I'll tell you what, I'll buy you a nice bowtie to wear at the wedding. How do you like that?"
"Anything you want that makes you happy." The toy finally responded but its voice was hollow. Sanji frowned again, but he decided to ignore it.
Once inside the clothing store, Sanji took his sweet time scanning through the suits and discussing with the clerk about the best selection. The toy quietly sat at one of the couches with its hands on its lowered head. When Sanji wasn't ordering it around, the toy would find a place to sit and sat with his head down. Sometimes it tucked its knees close to its chest, so it looked like a green ball. Sanji didn't want to disturb it while it sat in that position because the toy was in a sad mood, and Sanji—and the citizens of Dressrosa—perceived sad toys as something to look down upon on. Toys shouldn't be sad because they have no reason to. They didn't have tragic pasts like humans did, so they should always be chirpy and ready to bring smiles to human's faces. These types of toys should be put into the scrap, but to be honest Sanji was too attached to the ugly toy.
He picked several outfits he wanted to try on, and he tested them out in the changing room. After trying on the seventh suit, he was starting to doubt if any of them looked good. Shit, maybe it was a better idea to buy suits together, so he could get an genuine opinion than the clerk's lukewarm "You look great! You should get that one" comments repeating like a broken record. He raised his head up, remembering that there was one spectator, so he hastily changed into one of his more favorite suits. When he stumbled outside, the clerk complimented with the same phrase once again, but he walked past him to the sitting toy.
"Hey toy. How do I look?"
The toy looked up, with a bright smile stitched across its face and fell very still. The button eyes were stagnant, so Sanji couldn't tell whether the toy was carefully viewing him from head to toe. But then he saw the little frame tremble, a broken sigh seeping from perhaps the sewn mouth, and it whispered in a breath so weak and seconds from breaking down in sobs, "You look great…!"
"Hmph, that's what the clerk told me too. You're no help." Sanji growled and stomped away, feeling stupid for asking a toy of all things about his appearance. After this, the toy stopped following him to places where Sanji planned his wedding, and it grew sad every single day. Even if Sanji kicked him around, shouting insults, and threatening it to be dumped into the scraps, the toy didn't chuckle and dance around anymore.
-.-.-
"Man, why did we have to have our wedding on the day when Doflamingo declared he was going to step down from his throne? Everyone's going crazy!"
"Aren't you scared?"
"Yeah…I still can't believe it…do you think we should cancel—"
"No, we planned this for months…it must be a mistake." His fiance whispered and pulled Sanji close. "Ready to go?"
Sanji nodded and took his finace's hand, "I'm ready." They were not in their suits yet, but once they arrived at the church, they were going to change and startle each other. He danced and twirled at the thought. What suit did his fiance choose? Sanji hoped he picked the right one that matched his.
He peered down to see the toy trudging slowly behind. The little black and white bowtie he picked out for it made the toy appear a little bit more likeable. The toy was looking anywhere but at Sanji and this concerned him. Was this toy really going to be sour and stubbornly believe that it was his fiance? He didn't want to be reminded about that on the best day of his life.
"Toy, stop with that moping and dance when the ceremony starts. I don't want a gloomy mood at my wedding."
A short sigh was the only response he received.
As his fiance, or now husband, had predicted, the newspapers were a large bluff. Sanji was relieved that he didn't give in and cancel the wedding because rescheduling would have taken another three months or so. Everyone headed over to the reception inside an elegant building a few miles away from the church, with a vast forest stood right between them. The church and the building were located in a suburban side of Dressrosa, and there was a rumor that the reception building was like the inside of Doflamingo's castle, but this wasn't confirmed. They chose this spot because they wanted to celebrate in private. The Dressrosa citizens went crazy when a couple married, and crowds of strangers could enter the reception to dance and enjoy the glorious day.
Their families greeted each other at a large banquet they reserved just for the reception. Friends danced with their partners or hung out at the long tables decorated with plates upon plates of mouth-watering food. Some toys were invited too, but they were in charge of taking in empty plates, offering hors-d'oeuvre to guests, and uplifting the mood by playing music and performing a cute dance sequence.
Sanji scanned throughout the banquet, but there was no sight of the tiger toy. He wasn't really worried about it because the relationship between him and the toy was growing distant. At the same time, he was missing the usual twirls and dances it did and how they bickered about everything.
He walked up to one of the toys and tapped its head, "Hey, have you seen a toy that looks like a tiger?"
"Ahh…ummm…" the toy rolled its large round eyes around in a clockwise motion, and then its face rattled as it nodded, "Yes yes! It's still in the church."
"In the church? I told it to come here after the ceremony was over."
"I think jammer monkey said that it wanted to stay there a bit longer." Jammer monkey was a large monkey shaped toy that was clumsily dusting off the floors with a broom. Sanji eyed the toy before he looked back at the toy that kind of looked like a frog. He wasn't sure what it was supposed to be.
"Thanks. I'll maybe go and check it—" Sanji was cut off when the frog suddenly jerked and twitched violently. He staggered back, and realized that all of the toys were reacting in the same manner. "What the hell-!?" His words were lodged in his throat, and then roughly swallowed them down when the toy before him morphed into a human man. Sanji stepped backwards, but he lost his balance and he fell hard on his bottom. His two thousand Beli white wedding suit was going to get a stain from that fall, but that wasn't part of his worry.
Sanji gasped out a breath when something triggered in his mind. Memories he didn't know he had resurfaced like an artist painting on a large parchment paper with ink. The artist's hands were a blur as the brush soared over the parchment, the image forming right before his eyes. Slowly, but surely, a light reflected behind Sanji's visible eye; the missing piece of his life. The most important piece, and he had forgotten about it for exactly two years. A sharp pain struck his head and mind when a young man with short green hair appeared on the parchment, a man with a gentle smile and arms stretched out, ready to embrace Sanji in them.
"Zoro…!" Sanji gasped, tears falling down from his eyes, "Zoro, Zoro Zoro oh god…I remember!" He glanced at his right hand, but the ring was gone. The one Zoro gave him before he suddenly disappeared. Where did it go? Oh, shit. He didn't know why he had it on his hand, so he threw it away. In front of him too, when Zoro was begging him to remember him. Oh god. No no no, this couldn't be happening. Where was he? Church, oh yes the church, where Zoro witnessed him marrying another man. Oh fuck. This was bad, so so bad. He needed to find him and hug him, kiss him, and most of all—
Sanji burst out of the banquet building and ran toward the church. The building was a few blocks down and through a thick forest. By now, the wedding suit was just an easily stained white suit, so Sanji pushed through the thick brush, not minding the branches tugging at the fabric.
There was a loud boom, and Sanji turned to see the whole top portion of the Doflamingo's castle got sliced off. The blond's jaw dropped as the towers flew several meters up into the air, and then slowly made its way down to the forest and towns below. Thank god they didn't have the reception there, but what was going on at the castle? What was going on in Dressrosa? Why are all of the toys turning into human? Were all toys humans before? Why had he forgotten about Zoro? His senses were keen from adrenaline, and there were angry shouts, clashing swords, and blasts of pistols. The metallic scent of gunpowder hung heavily on the forest floor. Was there a war? Where did Peace go? Sanji mentally pinched himself and urged him to first head to the church. Meeting Zoro was his first priority; learning about the current state of Dressrosa would come afterwards.
He started on his feet again, but another sound ripped throughout the kingdom. This was a sound Sanji had never heard before. He wanted to focus on running, but he looked up to the source of the sound and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Millions of thin wires shot out from the top Doflamingo's broken castle and was reaching out toward the ends of this island.
"What is going on?" Sanji shouted, his one visible eye growing wide, a sinking feeling plunging into his gut. This was an emotion he hadn't experienced in years. Flashbacks of his parents being slaughtered by the King Riku's army rushed through his throbbing veins. But was that really King Riku's doing…? If not then, was it really…
Finally, the icing on the cake was a loud crack of a radio being turned on. Sanji faintly heard cheers from the residents of Dressrosa, but when Doflamingo explained the rules of the "game," Sanji's face blanched. Who are these people, and their bounties were absurdly high! Monkey D. Luffy was on this island? He thought he was dead! And who was this 'god Usopp'? What did they do to drive Doflamingo to boiling anger? And this killing spree, it was just too familiar to the events of ten years ago. Was it really their hero who tore their old country to ruins and plunging them down again? Hot tears rolled down his face. This wasn't fair! Why did this all needed to happen on his wedding day that could also end up being the day he filed a divorce?
He rubbed his face with his sleeve and ran as fast as the speed of the ominous wires threading through the sky. When he saw the church coming into view, another wave of tears began to pour out. Zoro was with him all this time, and he didn't remember a single thing! What was it like to be forgotten? Sanji wanted to throw up at the mere thought of it. Oh, how he wanted to pull Zoro into these arms and tell apologize with every breath he had in his lungs.
When he was within sight of the building, he heard shouts and screams. A man collapsed at the entrance, his head and arms cut open and bleeding. Sanji gasped, as he recognized it as the priest and rushed up to aid him.
"What happened?
"I-I've been attacked…!" The priest gasped, "It's like ten years ago…!"
"Wait here," Sanji gently placed him down, "I'll promise to call someone to help you."
"No son, don't go inside!" The rush of blood pumping in Sanji's heart deafened the priest's kind words. Something was oddly strange about the building. Just an hour ago, the church was singing with the chorus of happiness, but now there was something dark and sinister oozing from the chapel. But Sanji knew he was inside because the idiot had the intimidating aura. His expensive shoes clashed against the marble tiled floor and landed on the soft red carpet. He placed his hands on his knees to catch a breath and then looked up.
He stopped breathing when he saw a familiar figure standing at the center of the chapel, his back facing him. Sanji was where the mans stood along with his husband—now an awkward stranger-pledging their love before the priest who was now dying at the doorsteps. Although the church was now dim, Sanji could make out the short, green hair, three golden earrings, and the silver band around the man's right hand.
"Zoro…!" Sanji shouted as loud as he could, and his heels kicked the ground as he rushed toward him. "Oh my god, Zoro!"
"Cook-!" Zoro shouted, however, in a hoarse scream, "Get away!" Sanji saw a long gray blur dancing between Zoro's skillful arms.
"Zoro!"
"Don't come near me! Cook, please run away!" Zoro screamed as he charged toward him with an object moving too fast for Sanji to see what it was. His lover's face was twisted in horror, and Sanji didn't understand why he looked so afraid. He was screaming again, warning Sanji to get away, but he didn't want to. He spread his arms widely with tears falling uncomfortably down from his face. Oh how he missed touching that soft green hair, smell the metallic scent of sweat, the low baritone voice that rose an octave when he laughed, and the beautiful smile whenever their eyes met.
"Z—"
Sanji froze when they slammed into each other's chests. The wind knocked the air out of his lungs, but that was not all. He let out a gag, a sputter, and then a mouthful of blood bubbled out and dribbled down onto his neck and suit.
"Huh…?"
"No nono no no no no no! Sanji!" Zoro's desperate voice rose to a bloodcurdling scream. He quickly threw his arm back to rip the sword out of Sanji's abdomen. He let out horrible screams again when he slashed another across Sanji's chest. "Sanji!"
"Somebody stop me! Kill me please!" Zoro cried, sobbing loudly as he was showered in his lover's blood. When Sanji collapsed onto his knees and slid down onto the soggy floor, Zoro's body jerked and was rushed out of the church, searching for another victim to hunt.
Sanji was face down on the carpet drank every drop of blood he had in his body. He shifted his head to the side, so he could breathe and panted in quick breaths. The pain was inevitable. Tears burned like acid as it fell down Sanji's face. Was this some sort of nightmare? The pain felt too real to be dreaming.
The terror and fear frozen in Zoro's ice blue eyes, and the way he was screaming for himself to stop, it was just like the crazed King Riku and his army. Zoro was right. Their deplored king was under control, unwillingly attacking his beloved people.
"For once…" Sanji chuckled bitterly, and coughed up blood, "I should've listened to you…"
Knowing Zoro's devilish luck, the man would survive this hell, and then he would live on with anguish. He knew because Zoro loved him, and he never used his skill for murder. He could faintly hear Zoro still begging for someone to stop him, but the blond chuckled again.
"N-No one can stop you, idiot…you were the strongest guard in Doflamingo's army…I remember…I remember that everyone battled over you, but in the end…I won…I won your heart and you loved me...and we…we were supposed to get married…"
Then one night, Zoro was raising suspicions about Doflamingo and went on an investigation. He promised Sanji he would come back, and if Zoro's assumptions were right they were going to leave Dressrosa and marry on a different island far, far away from the dubious kingdom.
Yes, Sanji remembered now. There was something weird going on at Dressrosa. The kingdom was too happy. Now, this was the result of a decade of ignorance. But there was hope. Monkey D. Luffy was a young man with a strong will. Newspapers wrote about him being a dangerous criminal, but if this were true then why was he in this kingdom where oppressors were hidden and forgotten, where everything believed that true evil was the hero and the real one was the most hated man in the world? He might be able to save Dressrosa, maybe save it in time before there was more unnecessary bloodshed. Where was Zoro? Was he still being controlled under Doflamingo's power?
"Zoro…I-I feel awful to say this, but…I…I missed you so damn much…!" Large droplets of tears fell down his face, and his hand reached out, trembling as he heard distant sounds of screams, "Zoro…come back…Z-"
No one heard the sound of a hand splashing into the bloody puddle.
The End
