Sanji sat on the basement stairs, staring at the figure tied to the chair about five foot away from him.
The smoke from his cigarette made a trail up the darkened stairway towards the closed door.
The guy had a bandana on his head, a dirty white t-shirt, a green haramaki and black trousers with worn black boots.
He looked about the same age as himself so he guessed he must be about eighteen or nineteen. He didn't look so dangerous knocked out and tied up but apparently he was here to kill Sanji.
Robin had heard him rustling around the back and had used her terrifying ability to knock him out. In the teens pocket had been a picture of Sanji, this address and a description of his fighting skills.
Now Sanji just waiting for him to wake up, he'd asked the others to leave for just now, though he knew they weren't far. He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray next to him and looked back up at his would be assassin.
He was met with cold dark eyes, it felt like he was staring at a demon here to destroy his soul, rather than the teen that he'd looked like whilst unconscious.
'Where are my swords?' his voice was cold, threatening a violent end if unanswered.
He was almost swept away with the threat and almost answered but reality came back and stopped him.
'You're the one tied up I'll ask the questions' Sanji sounded way more confident than he felt, good.
'Were you coming here to kill me?'
The teens response was an almost demonic grin, he'd take that as a yes.
'Why?' What the hell had Sanji done to piss someone off.
'Where are my swords?' the guy clearly had a one track mind.
Sanji stood up and stretched, he'd been sitting down too long.
'If you answer mine, I'll answer yours' that seemed fair, more than the guy honestly deserved.
His captive seemed thoughtful, that made a pleasant change from the I'm going to kill you aura, though personally Sanji preferred him unconscious at least then he looked human.
'My boss was paid to have you killed, from what I heard it was to punish some guy by killing his chef. I don't usually care why I have to kill someone but this one amused me' he gave Sanji another cold grin.
Sanji felt his stomach fall, someone had it out for Luffy, that put them all at risk. For once he was glad that Luffy's obsession with food was well known and that whoever had paid the hit had aimed to take out his personal chef. He had to go talk with the others, they were all at risk especially his beloved delicate ladies.
He headed for the stairs and made it up the first two before the others voice made him pause.
'Where are my swords?' the voice wasn't as cold as before and he almost picked up an edge of desperation.
'You came to kill me why the hell would I tell you anything' he let the venom soak into his words, this wasn't just about him anymore Nami and Robin were at risk.
The assassin's face turned to fury and he began rocking his chair trying to knock it over. Sanji went over and held him in place by his shoulders.
'See if I told you where they were you'd just escape and take them, not really in my best interest is it.' Sanji was sure he could take the unarmed swordsman one on one but if he got to one of the ladies then Sanji would do anything to save them.
'I swear I won't escape just tell me where they are' the guy sounded sincere.
Sanji laughed out loud he couldn't help it, this was ridiculous.
'Yea I'm going to take my assassin's word on that'
What did he take him for some kind of idiot.
The guy screwed up his face looking frustrated.
'I would never break my word unlike some' he sent a glare Sanji's way.
'Oh sorry I don't want to tell my potential killer where the weapons of my demise are hidden' his tone was laced with sarcasm.
He heard the teen sigh, he looked Sanji in the eye looking a lot less murderous. 'Are they safe, you didn't damage them did you?'
'I threw them in the trash they should safely be at the dump by now' this guy was pissing him off, he didn't even know why he was wasting his time here anymore.
The sudden murderous rage of the guy was terrifying and he could see him straining against the ropes. A bit more and he would snap them, though not without taking some damage.
Holy shit this guy was strong and stubborn as fuck.
'Calm the fuck down I was kidding, I hid them somewhere in the house not telling you where though' he sighed giving in before the idiot hurt himself, he really couldn't be bothered knocking the idiot out again.
Great bandana boy was back to trying to stare him to death, note to self assassin's have no sense of humor.
'How do I know you're telling the truth?'
'You'll have to take my word for it, plus trash doesn't get collected at the weekend if that helps'
He slumped back down in his seat and Sanji could see welts where the rope had dug in, he felt a little guilty.
Only a little though after all this guy was here to kill him.
He wasn't sure what compelled him to move closer to the figure slumped in the seat but he did. Once he was there he checked to make sure the ropes were still tight, maybe that's why he was here. He was about to turn away but before he did he took the guys bandana off, it was bugging him and he figured he'd maybe look less threatening with it off.
Green hair, that was a really odd colour, Sanji froze. He had only ever known one person with it. A kid he had went to school with, who had disappeared when he was eleven.
'Zoro?'
The teen didn't react at all, Sanji went forward and pulled his face up a bit. The angry face looked about right, he had been a moody kid and they had fought a lot.
If he remembered correctly Zoro had grown up at a dojo, he had been training to be a swordsman…
'Marimo?' still no reaction, it had been eight years but Sanji was pretty certain. He needed to go tell Luffy, fuck if he was right they needed to call Koshiro. How would he get his number? How would he know if he was right? Sanji's mind was reeling and going way too fast, first he would get his friends and see if they agreed.
He ran up the stairs, he was too anxious worry about the look of confusion the swordsman was giving him.
The gang was sitting round the table waiting for him, they were about to start asking questions but he stopped them.
'Guys I think that's Zoro down there.'
Luffy shot up and bolted down the stairs, although he had been in the year below him, he had been best friends with Zoro.
The rest of the gang except for Franky, Robin and Brook had all been at school or friends with him.
Though the story was well known enough that even they knew who he was talking about.
Koshiro had been a single parent raising his two kids and running his dojo. His kids had been exceptional fighters and his dojo was popular. One day his kids had gone out to train, even though they were only ten and twelve they were trusted with live blades.
They had never came back, the marines had searched for almost two weeks, when they had found Kuina's body. She had been shot but they had never found any trace of Zoro or the sword Wado Ichimonji, the family heirloom.
People had originally accused Koshiro of being involved because they felt he had been too calm, but he had asked what good it would for him to lose control? Would it bring Kuina back to life, would it return his son? People had backed off after that.
Eventually things had calmed down, Koshiro's dojo reopened about six months after the disappearance and technically the marines were still searching for Zoro.
Luffy bounded up from the basement.
'It's him I'm sure it is' his eyes glittered with hope.
'What about the sword?' Usopp asked
Sanji looked at him confused.
'The swords we took of him, wouldn't one be that special sword?'
He froze the teen had been obsessive about his swords, he ran up the stairs and grabbed the three swords of his bed.
Ok so he hadn't done a great job hiding them.
He ran back downstairs and placed them on the table. Robin had her laptop open to the old article on one of her archive sites, the image of Zoro next to his sister, made him angry. Who the hell could hurt that young lady and if it was him what the hell had they done to Zoro.
Further down the article was a picture of the stolen sword, they had hoped if someone had tried to sell it they could find the missing boy.
It had never shown up at any pawn shop or antique store and the reason was clear, it was currently sitting on their table.
Holy shit, Sanji fumbled to light a cigarette, he took a long draw and let the nicotine calm him.
They all looked at each other 'What should we do?' it was Nami-swan who finally broke the silence.
'We should probably call the marines?' Brook looked unsure, well as unsure as a skeleton could look.
'We don't know who took him, do you think he'll talk to us?' Robin was looking at him for answers.
'Well he never responded to his name but maybe if we threaten his swords he might talk or he may go on a murderous rampage.' Sanji shrugged trying to get rid of the image of Zoro struggling against the chair ' He's really strong I think us having his swords is all that's keeping him in that seat'
'We should call Koshiro' Luffy sat with his hat slightly over his eyes, it was rare to see Luffy this serious.
'What if he was involved?' Usopp sounded concerned.
'He wasn't' Luffy sounded confident.
'Can I go look at him?' Chopper piped up from his end of the table 'Maybe I can find out if there's anything wrong with him'
Chopper hadn't gone to school with them but when they all met up at the weekends and after school Luffy had always brought the reindeer along.
'I'll go with you he's a little intimidating' Sanji smiled at their young medic.
'I'll call Koshiro but no one here says anything to anyone understand' Luffy looked at them from just under the rim of his hat.
They all agreed, Sanji had forgotten just how close Luffy had been with Zoro.
He led their adorable medic down the stairs, Zoro was exactly where he had left him. It didn't look like he'd been trying to escape.
'Hey Marimo' no response, he just looked confused 'Choppers just going to check you out he's our doctor'
Sanji felt uneasy, there didn't seem to be anything of the kid he remembered left in there.
He watched Chopper nervously go up to the swordsman, Sanji felt sorry for the poor kid, Zoro was pretty intimidating.
He saw Zoro watching Chopper and started to worry he'd go for him but then he saw Zoro relax in his seat and the look he was giving Chopper wasn't exactly warm but it wasn't malicious either.
Maybe there was hope after all.