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Two families and a prince ruled the conjunction of East Blue and North Blue. Red against blue with white as the ruler controlled the land and sea. Both families were forced to patrol the areas, but their disagreements had led to grudges and hatred among the two fathers leaving a fighting feud among each other and the people that took sides. Then the white kingdom of purity took charge passing down a law that both families must protect the people of East and North from invasions, though that caused damage with the families. A family member would walk about in disguise playing hero as they patrolled the areas. The land was big, the property was enormous, and one prince shouldn't be able to handle so much unless he is king within a year. The two that patrolled the areas wearing masks and disguises spared no time or energy when they there was a ruckus in the city. They were forced to work together by prince's order, though they were allowed to hate each other but not express it in public for fear of a bloody raid. Both of them were waiting for trouble to rise or else they'd be bored to death listening to their father's rant about how much they shouldn't go near their enemies and kill those on the. They were tired of the restrictions around them, especially about the fact that their secrets had to be hidden from those hunters that were looking for them. One of the families was actually a hunter's family, though they only receive orders from the prince when they were to hunt unless there was a prized reward for the hunted.

At the roof of one of the buildings in the North Blue territory, a black figure tinted blue waited for something to happen. He was smoking a cigarette as he waited. On his shoulders was a black coat resting over a navy blue shirt and teal cravat. Everything there was hidden underneath a midnight blue cloak hiding knives and potions and bombs as well as the black gloved hands. On his head was a top hat covering the majority of his blonde hair while the white mask kept his features hidden from others. Strands of blonde hair gently danced in the wind as he continued to lean against a railing on one of the buildings. He was on patrol of course, but there was nothing happening and soon everyone would be tending to their families relieving him of his work. At first that was the case until there was a woman screaming.

With a sigh, the cigarette was left behind as the figure jumped down to follow the screams.

When he had arrived, there was a small mob of people surrounding a group of battles between the North and East houses. The hero sighed as he jumped into the battles stomping on shoulders and kicking their weapons out of their hands.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked the hero appointed by the prince. He saw the red and blue stained shirts and outfits that represented each other's houses.

"What's going on?" asked another hero that was appointed by the prince. This one had arrived wearing a bloody crimson cloak hiding his head, but leaving enough for a black mask to stand out. The cloak was a dirty wreck of flames mixed with blood. His hands were also gloved with black tinted crimson. It had been said that the heroes must wear the color of the other's house to build a trust between them. A trio of swords was by his side hidden underneath his cloak of a white shirt with a deep red cravat and brown plaid vest. Their slacks were the same with the potions and bombed they were given by the prince.

"You're early, that's new," said the blue hero.

"We were simply walking and shopping before those of the East house ambushed us!" shouted one of the men.

"No, we didn't. You started it once your house insulted ours!" shouted another stupidly.

"Enough!" ordered the red hero.

"We're bound by law of eye for an eye, if we were to stain the streets with blood," said the blue.

"It doesn't matter who started, who ended the fights are given credit for right or wrong. Now, stand down and peacefully return to your houses!" a hand was on one of the three swords the red carried while the blue took a stance.

The men from both houses were startled and flinched before bowing to the two heroes and leaving the district. The people dispersed leaving the two alone in the district.

"Well, the hour strikes, we're relieved of patrol," sighed the blue.

"Hopefully nothing critical happens tomorrow," grunted the red as he started to leave. "We'll meet whenever."

The blue stared at the back of red until he had thought about giving him a hand.

"Do you need help getting back to your house?"

"W-What? No, of course not!" the red turned around. Luckily the other couldn't see his blush. "What gives you the idea that I need to be escorted to my house?"

"The thought that most of the time there's a crisis, you're late. You were rather early today deserving a piece of credit for ending the feud out here. And by the thought that you're mostly late has been concluded that you have been lost since then," said the blue as he walked up closer to the red. "If you're lost, I don't mind helping." He cocked his head to the side hoping that there would be a positive reaction from the other.

"Do not insult me for being late," muttered the red.

"I do try not to offend, but–"

"Leave me be or else you'll be unable to try anything again," the red threatened with the chink of his sword.

The blue stood in silent as he stared at the red. They stood there like that until blue bowed his head to the other and drifted off in the direction of his house. The red stayed and watched as the blue took flight into the air disappearing as quickly as he had arrived. He grimaced before taking his leave and finding himself hiding within the shadows of the alley again.

As he walked knowing that he was completely concealed within the darkness, he threw off his hood revealing green spiky hair and three golden earrings hanging off his left ear. He removed his black mask and cloak allowing the clothing to hang from his arm as he continued to walk down the alley. He soon saw a familiar figure leaning against a wall waiting for him. Every time he was finished that person would be there waiting for him. His older sister closed her book and smiled at him kindly as she had always done. She was the first daughter of their father's, but her mother was killed as a historian leaving her father to care for her even though Zoro's mother had died as well from falling down the stairs and leaving him with his sister.

"How does my baby brother faire?" she asked. Zoro smiled seeing that his sister was wearing a simple midnight purple dress with black laces and stockings, and boots.

"Well, older sister, Robin," he replied as he was being guided back to the house.

"I saw what happened there," she started seeing Zoro turn to her with a perplexed look. "He offered you to be escorted back to the house. I don't think it was reasonable to turn it down."

"He's from the red side of Aka-Ashi, an enemy. It wouldn't have felt right."

"It does not matter if their background is full of what Father hates. It's your choice if you want to take a step as well."

"I don't know if Father would appreciate the gesture. He and Aka-Ashi have been going at this fight for too long already and I'm afraid he would snap our necks despite our blood relations."

"That may be so, but aren't you the least curious on how the other boy is feeling?"

"You're doing it again," growled Zoro. He hated it when his sister did this to him. They'd be talking about something completely random and soon it would lead down into something serious that he hated to talk about. For the last few days, Zoro admitted to his sister that he had been feeling rather empty for a while. The anniversary of his mother's death passed leaving him and his father a little depressed.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I just think that it's time that you started looking for a companion."

"That's easy for you to say, you're already in love with that engineer." This had caused Robin to smile at her little brother.

They both stopped as she crossed her arms.

"Though that I love someone, you need to love someone besides me."

"I love you as a sister, nothing more."

"And I the same, but it's time that you started relying on someone who will share the same feelings you bear. Father and I won't always be here for you."

"I know that, but until then, I don't want to look for anyone right now."

Robin frowned as her brother looked away.

"Alright, Zoro."

"Sanji, you're back!" exclaimed a long nosed teen that ran to meet the blonde removing his hat, coat, and mask.

"Usopp," smiled the blonde.

"How was it?" Usopp asked with a bright smile.

"Oh, boring, jeez, I haven't seen such boredom since Luffy passed the new law."

The two started to walk down the hall of the mansion while servants came up to take Sanji's cloak, coat, mask, and belt. They chattered for a few minutes until Usopp had informed Sanji that there was going to be a party held in the mansion. Zeff was looking forward to seeing Sanji take a shower and wear the new clothes Zeff got him.

"Of course, I'll wear them. The shitty geezer would throw a tantrum if I didn't." Sanji sighed finding the doorknob to his room.

"Well, I'll check up on Brook and see if he needs help. See you in a little while, cos," Usopp grinned and ran off down the hall while his cousin walked into the room undressing himself once the door was closed.

Sanji sighed again feeling a little emptiness inside of him while he turned on the water for the shower. His clothes were scattered about the floor in a line to the shower casement. He stood there thinking about the day and about the red hero. His family's color was red, and it was bothersome to see that type of red on the other. It was so bloody and gory, that Sanji felt as if that was the real color of the red family. Then again, he wore an incredibly dark blue today with the thought that the blue family was completely filled with darkness and without hope.

Once Sanji was finished and was walking into his room with a towel around his waist, a familiar figure was waiting in his room for him. A freckle faced brunette wearing a white shirt and slacks smiled at him. Sanji smiled back.

"Heard that you sounded down," said the brunette as he approached Sanji.

"Doesn't really matter," Sanji said sitting the bed while he watched the other starting to unbutton his shirt. "What are you doing here? I thought Luffy needed help with something."

"I told him to take a break so that he could come to the party tonight," the other replied leaning forward to lock lips with the blond. Sanji leaned into the kiss as he helped pull the shirt off his friend. He was pushed back onto the bed with his towel being swiped away from his waist and below. "He's more concerned about you and Zoro, though."

"Roronoa Zoro?" Sanji asked feeling butterfly kisses on his neck and collarbone. "Ace, I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"It's alright," replied the other who then rested his head on Sanji's shoulder. "I love you, no matter what. If you don't love me, that's alright. But I always want to be at your side when you're in trouble. If you love someone else, then make sure that I always come third or second in your life." Ace propped himself up on his hands to stare down at Sanji.

"I promise," whispered Sanji as he cupped one of Ace's cheeks.