Chapter 1 – Welcome Home

Zoro took out the keys to his apartment. He heard eager scratching on the other side of the door. "Hang on, hang on, I'm coming." He balanced the small white box under his arm as he finally managed to pry the door open while keeping his foot in the gap between the door and its frame so none of his pets could get out.

"Hey guys. I'm home, and I brought you a new friend." He closed the door and set the box on the ground. A young puppy started eagerly sniffing and scratching at the box.

"Oi, Luffy, give him some space." A dark brown hamster eagerly ran between his running wheel and bowl of food. "Ok, Usopp I'll let you out, but you know Luffy will want to play."

Zoro picked up a clear plastic ball and placed Usopp inside. He walked back over to the box. "Robin, Nami, c'mere I want you to see your new friend."

"I found him on the street." Zoro proclaimed as he lifted the lid. He looked affectionately at the small dirty bundle. "What should I name him?"

"T-T—T-T-TWEET! SQUAWK!"

"Chopper calm down, you won't get eaten. Well, what do you think Nami?" The small red-haired puppy trotted over and sniffed the new comer. She wagged her tail in exception. Zoro smiled, "How about you Robin? You like him?" Robin sniffed him as well. She picked him up by the scruff as if he was her own kitten and started cleaning him. "You're such a good girl Robin."

RING......RING......

Zoro ran to get the phone.

"So, where you from?" Asked the little black haired puppy dubbed 'Luffy.'

"Mew—" The kitten was getting nervous from all the excitement.

"Wha? You can't talk? What a weirdo!" Luffy commented idiotically as he poked at the newcomer.

Usopp rolled over in his ball and bumped Luffy out of the way.

"Ignore that thing. He's got nothing but energy and an appetite. Let me introduce you: The redheaded Yorkie puppy is Nami; the black lab puppy is Luffy; the cat currently licking your head is Robin, she's kind of like the mother of us all. Anyway, the bird up there is Chopper, and I am the ever fabulous Usopp-sama!"

"Mrew?"

Usopp sighed, "Hmm, that's weird Zoro usually only picks up cursed 'pets.' I guess you're just an ordinary cat...oh well, welcome to our family!"

"Yes! Yes! Zoro has made this place a happy home for all of us." Chopper squawked.

"So? The only reason he takes us under his wing is to help us, you know that." Nami commented.

"Don't be so cranky Nami! Zoro loves us!" Luffy commented licking the small puppy on the side of her face.

Zoro walked in and promptly took the kitten from Robin, "Thank you Robin. Now what shall I call you?" He looked at the adorable little blonde kitten. He stared at the kitten. His wireless glasses were slipping off his nose. Sanji, intrigued, used his paw and pushed them back up. Zoro smiled and chuckled to himself, "That's it, I will call you...Sanji. Welcome to our home, Sanji. I'll be your new daddy: Zoro." The other pets rolled their eyes.

Sanji tilted his head, "Zowro?"

Zoro opened his eyes wide, and then smiled sadly, "You can speak?...sigh...I never seem to pick up any normal pets do I. Don't worry, I'm working on how to break the curse." Zoro had been assigned a special task. The number of missing persons had been increasing at a drastic rate. The missing persons were never found and no bodies were ever uncovered either.

Zoro wasn't sure how, but the committee he worked for had discovered that these talking animals had something to do with all the missing persons reports. And it was his job to try and find a way to reverse the effects.

riiiiiiiiiiiiing....... riiiiiiiiiiiiing

He cradled the cat in one arm to answer his cell phone.

"Hai. Yes sir. Yes sir. Ye—" Zoro gasped into the phone a little bit, "Yes sir, I'll be there right away. Well, guys. I've got to go. So you behave yourselves." Sanji started to walk after him, but Zoro picked him up and placed him back inside.

"You need to stay here Sanji. I have to go to work now."

"Zowro..." Sanji meowed.

"Listen, I'll be back in time for dinner ok?" He smiled at Sanji, but Sanji wouldn't have any of it. He wanted to stay with Zoro. He used his claws to cling onto Zoro's shoes sat defiantly upon one of them. "Sanji," Zoro said in a strict fatherly tone, "You NEED to stay here."

Robin picked Sanji up and pried him from Zoro's new leather shoes, shoes that now had scratches on them. "Great." He sighed. He looked at his watch and ran out the door.

Usopp sighed from inside his plastic ball. "You've really got to listen to him better. He really is working his ass off to help get us back to normal."

"Zowro..." Sanji mewed sadly.

"Ohh, c'mon now. Don't be sad. He'll come back!" Chopper encouraged from his perch in the wire cage that hung in the corner of a simple white room, right next to a thriving fichus plant.

Sanji started to scratch at the door wanting to chase after the big man with the kind hands.

Robin smiled a cat smile, as she was all knowing. "I know you want the kind man back, but until then, why don't you make yourself at home."

Sanji looked at her and then back up at the door. He was going to sit in front of that door until those hands came back.

Author's Note

Thank you flyfloyd, sorry 'bout the mix up ^^;