So yeah. After ending Ouroboros, and suggesting a sequel, I received kinda a lot of messages saying that a sequel would be awesome. And so I decided to start one! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Veratican Justice does not own One Piece, only the concept of this story.
Commencing: Fanfiction: We'll Meet You At Diablo Mountain: Chapter 1
Chapter 1
A week had passed since the incident with The Serpent's Circle, and yet none of the Straw Hats had overcome the paranoia they now had of the sea. It was plain as day.
Sanji was sure of it. Despite the joy of his (stolen) gold, and the relief of finally finishing the scary trip through the sea of black, he found himself peering out into the sea unconsciously, as if waiting for the Nocturnal jellyfish to emerge from the water and demand revenge. He would also flinch when coming across water disturbances in the New World, particularly waterspouts, thinking how the latter eerily resembled the jellyfish's tentacles.
The rest of the Straw Hats weren't much better, though Sanji knew that he had it lucky. After all, he wasn't the one who saw the vision of his loved ones. Heck, he didn't even remember his family, much less desire. Genuinely, he felt sorry for his crewmates, who had their depressing past shoved right back into their faces.
The previous night, when he had awoken for the night watch and had gone out to search for Luffy, who took the first watch, he found the young captain sitting on the Thousand Sunny's mast head, gazing longingly at the sea, no doubt remembering the waving visions of his lost ones. Sanji had to drag Luffy (literally) back into the dorm, the captain whimpering names of "Ace," or "Sabo,"
Nami, Sanji noticed, was spending more time among the evergreen leaves of her orange trees, tending them carefully and sometimes cuddling up against the trunk of a tree, regardless of the rough bark, shedding a few tears.
The rest of the Straw Hats were like this, too. Sanji had caught all the Straw Hats showing vulnerable parts of themselves. (Yes, the insensitive Marimo too.)
The Straw Hat crew would continue their morning activities, though they lacked energy. Even the impact that the energy incarnate (Luffy) gave Sanji when he barreled into the cook, screaming "FOOD!" seemed drained of its energy. Sanji hated himself for it, but he actually missed the energetic routine of the Straw Hats.
But that wasn't the major worry. Ever since departing from Tamton Island, Sanji had felt a presence. Not like the grandma ghost presence, but the feeling that someone was watching him. He would feel eyes burning into his back, and he would turn around and see nothing.
"Are you alright, Sanji-san?" Robin took off her reading glasses as she glanced up from her book.
"Yes, I'm fine, Robin-chwan." Sanji glanced around one last time and handed her a glass of fruit punch. "Robin-chwan," He decided, thinking that it was best to let the most intelligent individual of the crew know. "Have you felt them? I have."
Robin's face showed the slightest of confusion. "Them? Sanji-san, I'm afraid that I need you to explain."
And so he did, from the start to the end.
Robin nodded slowly. "I guess so, I have felt it also."
"Robin-chwan, you don't think-?" Sanji glanced around nervously.
Robin smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure if there was we would've already found out. Perhaps just a side effect of the paranoia."
"Yes, Robin-chwan!" Sanji noodle danced away to serve Nami her drink, though he still felt uneasy. He was so sure that someone was watching him… And it wasn't one of the Straw Hat Crew.
"Alright, show yourself." Sanji said aloud after turning a corner and heading down a dark alley. The Straw Hats had docked on a nearby island to stock on supplies-which Sanji had offered buying, and Sanji was very sure that someone was tailing him.
"My, you really are unique." A man in a black trench coat followed him. A fedora hat shielded his face with shadows, though not his brilliant green eyes.
"You were the one on the Sunny, right?"
"Yes, indeed."
"Why are you here?"
"To deliver a message."
"Alright, what message?"
Suddenly the man moved, and he was behind Sanji.
Sanji whirled around. "What-?"
"My captain has given me a message to deliver," The man delivered three sharp jabs and a kick that sent Sanji flying into the wall. "And he told me to deliver it in such a way that you, and your crewmates will never forget it."
"The hell?" Sanji roared, and he set the groceries down. (He was still carrying them.) "Diable-!" Before he could heat up his leg, the man blurred and suddenly he was in front of him, and a single thought flashed through Sanji's mind before getting slammed into a wall again. Fast!
"Really, I'm disappointed." The man pulled out a knife and went to work. Sanji barely managed to avoid the glinting blade.
He kicked the blade from the man's hand, and the man clenched, throwing it at Sanji. Sanji snorted and moved sideways, but suddenly, before the fist even connected, blood spurted from Sanji's chest. He staggered back in shock.
"What?"
The man unclenched his fist, and a sword materialized in his hand. "You haven't improved at all." The man said. "Or that might just be my upgrade of powers."
"How do you know?" Sanji said, and roared "Diable Jambe: Flanchet Strike!" He hurtled at the man, spinning before lashing out in the air, leg flaring. Satisfaction flooded through him when he felt his foot crunched against the man's face.
"Ah," The man tapped a finger to his temple. "I'm sorry, I wasted my time with you. I'd better finish this now." He clenched his fist again, this time pointing it at Sanji instead of going on offensive. There was a shot, and Sanji staggered back, coughing up blood. The man had nailed him in the chest.
"It's not fatal, I'm afraid." The man said, a weapon forming once again in his hand, this time in the form of a gun. "If you were killed, the pain inflicted on your crewmates wouldn't be as satisfying as them watching you struggle." The man dropped the gun, and his fists clenched the air again.
Right. Sanji thought. It's probably knives again. He was right. The man swung, and Sanji feinted panic, jumping to one side. A sharp blade, invisible, caught his ankle, and fresh blood spurted out. He kicked the man's hand, and the knife dropped to the floor. Sanji grinned. Now for the finishing touch…. He lifted his leg, ready to deliver the fight ending kick, when the man turned, his left hand lashing out.
Sanji caught a glimpse of his clenched hand, as if it was holding a knife that was not there. Shit! The knife slashed across his body, opening it up, sticky, wet blood erupting from the long gash. Sanji hit the ground with a thud, and the world rocked before his eyes. He tried lifting his hand, slick with blood, but it fell halfway.
"Who the hell…." He rasped. The man said nothing, and moved towards him. And Sanji fell into nothingness.
"Usopp-san, have you seen Sanji-san?" Robin called up to the Thousand Sunny.
"No, in fact I haven't," Usopp peered down. "Something wrong?"
"I'm telling you, stupid Ero-Cook probably got caught up with some girls." Zoro snorted. He shifted the bag of supplies that Nami made him carry. "Hey, mind if I throw this up here?"
"No," Nami shot at him before turning back to Usopp. "We were supposed to meet up at the Town Square after buying the assigned supplies." Nami explained. "Chopper, Robin, Zoro and I bought the supplies, and Sanji was in charge of the food supplies. He didn't come though, so we thought he just came back to the Sunny."
"Did you try, Nico Robin?" Franky leaned over with Usopp.
Robin nodded. "I can only go to places where I've been before, but the city is huge. There are alleys and pubs that I've never been to before, and Sanji-san isn't in the places I searched."
"What?" Luffy jumped down from the Sunny. "Sanji's missing?" Luffy was panicking, most likely afraid that another jellyfish had abducted Sanji.
"He is?" Brooke followed Luffy down, and Franky and Usopp followed.
"We should search together," Chopper suggested. "Cover more ground,"
The Straw Hats nodded.
They found him in the darkest alley in the city.
The blonde cook was lying facedown, brutally mauled, his blood splattering the walls. The groceries lay on the ground, forgotten, and he made no notice of the Straw Hats. Chopper squeaked and scurried over, checking Sanji for his pulse.
"Who did this?" Luffy growled. "Who?"
Nami didn't say anything: She had stepped back, hand covering mouth and was struggling to hold in the bile rising in her throat.
Even Zoro was taken aback: He had unsheathed his swords; looking around if the attacker was still there. But he was careful not to look at Sanji's body.
"He's still alive," Chopper announced after inspecting Sanji, and almost all the tension lifted from the Straw Hat Pirates shoulders.
"But who would do such an Un-Super thing?" Franky asked.
"Whoever it was, I'll kill him!" Luffy huffed. Zoro and Robin nodded in agreement.
"But where will we find him?" Usopp asked.
Chopper glanced at a wall and shrieked. "Look!"
The Straw Hats followed the direction where he pointed, and understood why he screamed, and the answer to Usopp's question.
On the wall, painted with Sanji's blood, were the words:
WE'LL MEET YOU AT DIABLO MOUNTAIN
"Really, Camour, you had to do that," A man, eyes shielded by a red pirate hat sighed. He tilted his pirate hat-now adorned with a flaming red feather, so that Camour was able to see his blue eyes.
"Do what, Aetern?" The man in the black trench coat, Camour snapped.
"Why didn't you hold back on him? I'll be fighting a weakened opponent be the time they reach Diablo Mountain."
"Where is Diablo Mountain, anyways?" A woman in her early twenties snorted, twirling her black striped hair.
"It's the tallest volcano in the Island Satanus, Becadell, and the most dangerous." A man with periwinkle blue hair said. "It's where captain was born, and it is a rather suiting place to fight for us," He laughed. "Diablo-Devil, suitable, no?"
"Oh, shut up, Avery." A woman in her late twenties said. "No one finds your jokes funny, so quit making them." She had pitch-black hair, swept back in a bun, heavy lidded eyes, and she smoked a pipe.
Avery stepped forward, eyes flashing dangerously, when a blonde haired man, sitting so quietly in a corner that no one noticed him, spoke up. "Now, Avery, I'm afraid I can't have you splitting bones every now and then. Even with my devil fruit power I can't manage this much."
Avery said back down and smiled. "Whatever you say, Remei." He turned to the black haired woman. "Omista, are you ready?"
"Always, Avery." Omista said. "Have you chosen my victim, Camour?"
The man in the trench coat was nowhere to be seen.
"Camour," Aetern growled.
There was an annoyed sigh, and Camour materialized in front of a wall. "Yes," He said. "I have,"
"Who is it?" Omista demanded.
"The orange haired girl, Cat Burglar."
"Really?" Aetern cocked his head. "I think Straw Hat would be easier."
Camour nodded. "Yes, but he's too stupid. It will be hard for Omista. Cat Burglar is more of her type."
"Very well then," Remei straightened his doctor's cloak. "Let us get to work, then."
"Yes," In unison, the group rose and headed for the door.
End Of Chapter One
Okay, so Nami's going to be the next victim, and Omista is going to be responsible.. :P It's going pretty well, and there's probably going to be more nakamaship/hurt/angst in the next few chapters too! R.G.A
-Veratican Justice