Brook had been on the phone with Laboon now for over an hour, laughing and chatting about music and life and everything in between. And while it was amazing to see the old man so happy, Sanji couldn't help but sit there at the kitchen counter, brows furrowed and fingers tapping a little anxiously on the glass of juice he held between his hands.
He sat there and stared into space, not even really looking as Brook's form passed by now and again outside the glass doors, pacing the back patio with energetic gestures and a grin on his face.
What the hell did all of this mean? How the fuck was it possible that Laboon would suddenly, out of nowhere, regain contact with the man? Sure, luck could make anything happen, but this felt like….something else. And Sanji felt foolish for thinking that.
Nothing was wrong with Brook physically. If anything, he seemed even more lively than usual, so the game hadn't harmed him in any way when he'd died, but the fact that this spell of good fortune had occurred immediately afterward got Sanji wondering crazy things. Things he never would have wondered before he got his hands on this fucking weird-ass game.
And it didn't make sense because why would Brook dying in the game be able to make something good happen in real life...?
Suddenly, a head popped into his line of sight, a head with an army green bandana tied around it.
Usopp stared at him from across the counter, lifted a hand, then slowly began to wave his arm up and down to get Sanji's attention.
Sanji's gaze sharpened, fixing on Usopp, who didn't say anything when they made eye contact, just looked at him with his mouth drawn in a tight line before he started making strange wave motions with his arms, crossing them and uncrossing them fluidly.
The blond watched the dance for a long moment, deadpan. Then he finally quirked a brow and said, "What."
"Nothing - you were spacing out," Usopp replied, finally assuming a normal position, resting elbows on the marble countertop.
"Yeah, well, I'm thinking," Sanji mumbled with a huff, plopping his chin into a hand and pouting slightly.
Usopp mirrored his pose, exaggerating a pout on his own lips to try and make Sanji crack a smile.
"Thinking about what?" he asked, and when he jutted his bottom lip out even more ridiculously, Sanji couldn't help but reward him with the smirk he was looking for.
"Crazy stuff," Sanji replied, unable to suppress a chuckle. "Probably better if I don't mention it."
"Something's too crazy for Captain Usopp, the greatest storyteller that ever lived?" Usopp asked. Then the younger boy pointed a finger dramatically at his friend, assuming a grand pose. "I challenge you, Sir Sanji, for this 'crazy' knowledge you speak of!"
The blond let out a short bark of laughter in response to that. His friend had no idea how oddly relevant his theatrical statement was.
Should he tell him? Should he tell him everything about the game? About what he'd begun to wonder? Because if Usopp refused to believe it, then Sanji supposed there was really no use thinking about it any longer.
"I…." he started to say, and he almost pulled his 3DS from his backpack that sat at his feet. He almost gave in to the want to explain himself.
But he chickened out. Because at the last moment, a memory hit him.
He remembered when he was young, after his mother's death.
As a boy, he could have sworn he saw her in places, especially at night, when he struggled to fall asleep. His eyes would close, tears streaming down his face, and suddenly, when he most needed it, he'd hear her voice, far too clearly to be his imagination, he always thought.
Her gentle tone would soothe him, and when he opened his eyes, there in the darkness, he'd been certain that he saw her standing over his bed, the radiance of her beautiful smile comforting him.
As a child, it had been the last bit of hope and happiness he'd clung to. He'd been sure it was real, and he'd been confident enough to tell his brothers.
But they'd laughed, insisted, harshly, that it couldn't be true. That their mother was dead and there was no way she could ever come back. They'd told him he was insane, tried to beat sense into him….
Usopp wasn't like his brothers. Far from it.
But Sanji left his 3DS in his backpack.
"Do you….believe that….one person can have control over fate….or destiny?" he asked instead, knowing that just that question alone sounded ridiculous.
He'd stopped having hope for that kind of shit long ago. And even if it did exist, why should he be the one in control? If the game even did what he thought it would…
Usopp looked surprised by the question, but he didn't laugh, didn't say anything right away. In fact, a pensive look came over his face, his brows drawing in and fingers stroking at his chin in a gesture that genuinely meant he was deep in thought, despite how caricatured it was.
"I dunno, Sanji," he eventually replied. "It's a cool idea, but it seems like a lot of responsibility, y'know? Some superhero stuff."
"Okay, maybe not - all fate, but - what if one person could make - things happen for people they care about?" Sanji amended, honestly unsure of how to word the outlandish thought.
Again, Usopp considered his question seriously, tapping a finger over his lips. It was obvious he was unsure where these questions were coming from, but he seemed more than ready to entertain them, for which the blond was thankful.
"Well….that's one thing, but….I kinda like to think that every person can make things happen for themselves, y'know? It shouldn't all be on one person…"
"But, suppose it was!" Sanji cut in more forcefully. "What if they could - make good things happen! Should they do it or should they not mess with how things are supposed to go?"
Usopp's brow furrowed.
"Good things…? Well...I guess if they're helping people then it's okay, but-" And he cracked a tiny smile. "Why are you asking this? You watch a movie or somethin'?"
Sanji sighed, wishing it was that simple.
"No, I was just - thinking. Y'know, deep shit you think about when you're falling asleep. That kinda thing."
Usopp chuckled.
"Gotcha. Know what I think about when I fall asleep? I think about that time an asteroid crashed down right outside my window when I was just a baby! And riding the asteroid were a pair of aliens that said-" He imitated his best nasally alien voice. "'Take us to your leader. We're hungry!' So I brought them into my house and told them, 'I am the leader! It is I, the emperor of this galaxy! Let me show you the wonders of peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches!'"
"You liar," Sanji muttered, though he couldn't help a smile, despite the abrupt change in subject. "So, as a baby, you just walked on into the kitchen and made them that shit?"
"Yup! And we all went bowling afterwards and played Xbox!"
"Uh huh," the blond replied, shaking his head in response to the blinding grin Usopp shot at him, just before his friend's eyebrows lifted and eyes widened.
"Oh! That reminds me!" the long-nosed boy exclaimed. "What did that game turn out to be? The one you bought yesterday?"
Sanji felt something strange twist in his chest. He'd decided to avoid the topic of the game, and yet, Usopp had gone right ahead and brought it up, despite not knowing just what it entailed.
"Turns out it's just Animal Crossing," he heard himself saying before he could decide otherwise. "Think I'll take it back after school tomorrow. Don't want two copies silently guilting me into playing."
A somewhat disappointed look came over Usopp's face a second later.
"Aw man. I was hoping for something more exciting," he mumbled, but shrugged. "Well, at least it was only fifteen bucks."
"Yeah…" Sanji mumbled, lifting his glass and taking a sip of his juice, a strange guilt overcoming him.
It was almost like he couldn't talk about it. Like something was preventing him...but he knew it was merely his own paranoia about what the others would say.
Until Usopp asked, "Can I see it?"
There was a long pause, in which Sanji didn't reply, just blinked at his friend as if he hadn't heard the question.
"What?" he eventually stuttered foolishly.
"Yeah," Usopp said, holding out a hand. "Maybe I can hack into it and see if there's already a save file on it or something."
"Oh, I don't - I mean, it's fine," Sanji quickly stammered, unsure how Usopp would even go about such a thing...or if it was even possible, for that matter.
But Usopp grinned, jamming a thumb to his chest proudly.
"No game is too hard to crack for the great-"
"Alright, alright," the blond muttered, uneager to hear another ridiculous spiel, and after a moment's hesitation, forced himself to duck under the counter with a few quiet curses under his breath.
How could he justify lying about the game to his friend?
He slowly pulled out his 3DS, sat up and flipped it open, fully prepared to power it off and hand him the cartridge only, stalling as long as he could.
But Usopp snatched the 3DS out of his hands before he could protest, turning the screen towards himself and frowning.
Sanji watched with dismay as Usopp's eyes fell upon the screen, which was still paused on the title slide for the next chapter of the fantasy game, that familiar "Proceed" pictured over a faded image of the prince's castle. The faint orchestral score of the background music played from the speakers.
Strangely though, Usopp frowned, briefly turned the device back towards Sanji, and asked, "Is it off?"
He pressed the power button then without further word, and Sanji lunged forward, nearly knocking over his juice in his haste to stop Usopp from shutting off the game.
But nothing happened.
The game kept playing as before, even when Usopp mashed the button again, held it down for longer. It had no effect.
"Think you gotta charge it," Usopp said with a chuckle, eventually passing the 3DS back to the stunned blond, who sat there with arms still sprawled over the counter, a look of complete confusion on his face.
Because the game was still playing, plain as day, on the screen, and the music was clearly audible.
He took the 3DS back slowly, stared at it to make sure he wasn't imagining it, then whipped his head back up to look at his friend.
"You messin' with me?" he asked, to which Usopp frowned.
"What do you mean?" Usopp replied. "It's dead."
It wasn't, the blue power light blazing strong. In fact, Sanji turned up the volume experimentally, blasting the music unexpectedly, but Usopp didn't even flinch as he normally would have at such a sudden loud sound.
Could he….seriously not see it?
"If you need to borrow my charger, you can," Usopp was saying, still just as oblivious as before, and Sanji felt his heart begin to pound harder in his chest.
"Ugh, turn that fucking music down. It's obnoxious."
Suddenly, a dumb voice behind him, and Sanji couldn't help but jump in his seat, visibly, judging by the snort he heard from the mosshead.
Zoro and Luffy had come back, both of them coming into the kitchen, Luffy with a caterpillar on his eyebrow that immediately drew Usopp's attention, the younger boy abandoning his exchange with Sanji in favor of running at Luffy to get a look at the bug.
But Sanji could hardly care about that, because Zoro had reacted to the music, when Usopp hadn't. And while it was still possible that Usopp could have been messing with him….the hunch Sanji had? It told him otherwise.
"I said turn it down. You deaf or somethin'?" Zoro muttered as he stalked past, jerking his chin irritably at the 3DS still blasting sound.
The blond gaped at him, for once not even focused on the asshole's bitter tone. He watched as Zoro's eyes lingered on the screen, actually noticed what was there before he looked away and made his way to the fridge, throwing the door open and sticking his head in.
Luffy and Usopp were still entirely preoccupied with the caterpillar, Usopp letting it crawl all over his hand as he examined it more closely and made comments about its coloration.
Sanji made a split-second decision.
"Luffy!" he called out impulsively, then got to his feet and practically shoved his 3DS in the boy's face. "Check out my new game!"
He knew the kid wouldn't be able to resist messing around with it.
With the 3DS an inch from his eyes, Luffy blinked innocently, staring at the device for a long moment.
Then he promptly burst into full-blown, stomach-holding laughter.
"Good one, Sanji-!" he cackled, tears of mirth coming to his eyes. "There's nothing even there!"
More laughter, and Usopp joined in as well, looking a little relieved that Luffy was now in on the joke too.
"Right? He sure got me!" Usopp agreed, just before Luffy practically hopped onto his back and knocked him over.
Luffy pointed to the back door, as if he expected Usopp to drag him there.
"C'mon, Usopp! Let's go caterpillar hunting! I wanna find one as long as a snake!"
"As long as a snake?" Usopp chuckled, indeed half-dragging the other boy along, still holding the caterpillar gingerly. "That's nothing! One time, I wrestled one as big as an elephant!"
"Really?!"
"Uh huh! And its mother was there too! She was so mad I disturbed her house that she force-fed me spinach and soap opera reruns-"
And that was the last Sanji heard as the two younger boys tumbled eagerly out the back door and went gallivanting across the patio towards the woods, past Brook, who was now seated comfortably on one of the deck chairs, still chatting amiably on the phone.
This left a thoroughly perplexed Sanji alone in the kitchen with Zoro. And of course, his 3DS in hand that still blared his game, unmistakable on the screen.
Zoro had straightened, yet to move from the open fridge, but with a stick of string cheese jutting out from his mouth rather comically as he stared after Luffy and Usopp, looking entirely befuddled, brow drawn in tight and features scrunched like some kind of neanderthal trying to process fire.
He stood there for a few seconds. Then he quickly stalked over to peer at the 3DS, leaning intrusively over Sanji's shoulder as he examined the screen, tapped a grubby finger at the power light.
"Th'fuck? There's totally a game," he mumbled around the string cheese, and seemed about to grab the 3DS from Sanji's hands to start pressing buttons before the blond snatched it out of his reach and quickly grabbed his backpack, backing slowly towards the hallway, even forgetting his juice on the counter.
He glared at Zoro, though he didn't really have reason to. Zoro had just confirmed the game's existence, and it seemed he was the only one aware of it.
But wasn't that reason enough to glare? Why the hell could only Zoro see it?
Sanji hurried from the room without another word, desperate to disprove this theory.
The horses are still panting heavily from the forceful gallop away from the castle, their legs quivering and heads hung low as they take great gulps from the cool stream.
They'd been lucky to get away as fast as they had, but it's honestly only because they managed to gather half the necessary supplies in their haste to escape. They hadn't been dragged down by extra weight.
Sanjius slides off Siren's back, the memory of those arrows thudding dully into Brokard's chest replaying over and over in his mind.
He leaves Siren there to drink, his friends slowly regaining their bearings as well, atop their mounts, and he starts to stumble his way through the underbrush, to the edge of the trees.
Instantly, an arm crosses his path, and he finds himself manhandled back towards the group by Sir Zorin.
But this time, he's not having it. Zorin dragged him all the way here, practically, and he doesn't care if he's still in blasted shock. He's going to damned well have his way now.
He shoves Zorin away with a broken utterance of, "Get off me," before he nearly collapses against a tree at the perimeter of the clearing.
He can smell the foliage, that fresh scent of pine that often draws him to the forest on overcast days when the ocean isn't favorable.
But there's also a whiff of smoke in the air.
They're atop a hill, and spread out below is the town surrounding the castle, and the sea beyond. And Sanjius can't take his eyes off the bright flicker of flames that burns brilliantly in the night sky, engulfing a block of buildings near the port, where a huge ship is docked - the invaders' ship - the sails furled and painted with the number, "66."
Sanjius has no idea who they are, why they are here, or how they got as far as the castle itself.
But he can do nothing aside from watch as his beloved kingdom struggles without him there.
He has fled, and there is no greater shame than that, for a royal.
And Brokard is…
He doesn't know how long he stands there and stares, doesn't know how long he stands there with the cool breeze blowing peacefully around him and the quiet sounds of the brook behind him, his friends' voices….the shouts and cries from town barely audible in the distance, almost as if they don't exist at all.
"Your Highness…"
A quiet, cautious voice and a gentle hand on his shoulder, but it's enough to have him snap, nearly lashing out at the person beside him...until he sees it's Namilia, sorrow on her face barely masked by worry as her eyes flick over him.
"Your Highness, Robisia wishes to check you for inju-"
"I'm not hurt," Sanjius replies, his voice soft, but his tone tense as could be.
"Yes, but those arrows were poisonous. My powers cannot counteract such afflictions. I would just like to be certain," Robisia says from somewhere behind him, and it's only then that his expression hardens over and he finally tears himself away from the sight of his pillaged kingdom to turn back towards the group.
They've all dismounted, and they're all looking similarly solemn.
Sir Luffient stands silently near the horses, his head bowed and his eyes obscured by his sweaty hair that flops into his face. Sir Usio and Sir Francus are close by, both clearly trying to keep tears at bay by keeping their gazes fixed firmly on the resting horses near the water.
None of them are in full armor. There hadn't been enough time, only for shoulder and chest plates which were still thrown on far too hastily. Weapons are now strapped, with equal haste, to the horses.
Robisia is seated on a fallen log next to Sir Chonrad, who is currently wrapping a roll of bandages over Sir Zorin's arm, the white cotton slowly obscuring a line of strange green leaves Chonrad has placed over Zorin's wound, most likely for medicinal purposes.
"It only grazed your skin," Sir Chonrad is saying to Zorin, voice a near whisper, and quivering at that, despite trying to sound confident. "Not enough poison entered your bloodstream to do you much harm. We'll keep the wound clean and be mindful of it…."
Zorin murmurs, "I'll be fine," watching Chonrad finish his wrapping for a few more seconds before his eyes have lifted to the prince.
Their gazes meet for a second, and something peculiar passes there. Sanjius feels it. He's not sure what it is at first, though his mind eventually settles on 'guilt' when Zorin quickly averts eyes a mere second later.
Good. He should feel guilty. Brokard didn't have to be the one to….to….
"Your Highness…"
This time, it's Robisia's hand that touches him, gently encircling his wrist and pulling him over to sit on the log as well, her fingers automatically glowing an icy blue as they hover over his head, his arms, and torso, down to his ankles before finally pulling away.
"You are unharmed," Robisia confirms, sounding relieved, but her voice also has a grave tone to it, the unsaid, 'But at what cost…?' lingering in the air.
Sanjius doesn't reply. He can't. What can he possibly say or do that will remedy any of this? He's always believed his friends when they say they will lay down their lives for him, but he's never expected for it to be put into practice.
Perhaps he and his kingdom have simply been lucky up until this point.
As if reading his mind, Robisia murmurs, "Prince Sanjius, your safety is of utmost importance to the kingdom. We all know this. Brokard knew this especia-"
"But he didn't have to - to do that!" Sanjius insists, knowing he shouldn't be raising his voice against her, but unable to help it when he remembers his loyal companion calmly placing himself in the path of those arrows, as if it had been his destiny all along. "It shouldn't matter if I'm - royalty! I never wanted any of you to-"
"Robisia…maybe it's time..."
Surprisingly, it's Francus' voice that interrupts him, the large knight fixing a serious gaze on the older woman, who seems to understand his meaning as soon as their eyes meet.
Hers flash with an odd darkness before they close and she nods, looking almost resigned for a moment.
But focus returns as soon as she opens her eyes, her gaze softening somewhat when it falls on Sanjius.
The prince doesn't understand, and neither does anyone besides Francus and Robisia, by the looks of similar confusion that cloud their expressions.
"Time for what…?" Sanjius mutters cautiously, feeling his heart clench hard in his chest. He's not sure if he can take any more shock. Not tonight.
Francus and Robisia share one last glance before Robisia sighs.
"Your Highness, it appears that your father, or at least, your father's army, is to blame for tonight's attack."
There is a beat of silence while the news sinks in amongst the group.
It's followed by collective gasps and noises of disbelief from his friends.
But Sanjius remains quiet, and he's not sure how. For some reason, the news isn't as shocking as it perhaps should be. His father may have been missing for years upon years now, but who else would attack the kingdom? Baratia is allied with all its surrounding nations.
It's not surprising when he thinks about it, especially given the timing. It's been a long time since his father disappeared, but what better time to retake his throne than before his son's coronation? His father always did have a flair for the dramatic…
Robisia seems to sense the prince's lack of reaction, but she still reaches out to squeeze his hand comfortingly.
"He wants his throne…" Sanjius mutters, brow furrowed, though his gaze is fixed blankly ahead.
He can feel his friends watching him, though one seems to watch with more intensity than the rest.
The swordsman may have lost an eye, but his stare continues to be the strongest.
Robisia lets out a breath, seems to hesitate a little, and Sanjius isn't quite sure why.
Until she speaks, and as soon as she does, he understands her hesitation.
"Your Highness, your father was never the rightful king…" she says gently, but with confidence in what she has to tell him.
She doesn't waver, even when there are yet more sounds of shock from the younger members of the group. Francus betrays none either, however, and in fact, it seems this is what he'd been urging her to tell the group.
Sanjius isn't sure what he feels, but, again, it's not the reaction one would expect him to give.
And he's not quite sure why he remains silent either. Perhaps it's his trust in Robisia that has him waiting patiently for the rest of what she has to say.
She takes his silence as an opportunity to continue, her blue eyes trained only on him now.
"Do not mistake me," she implores. "You are indeed next in line for the throne. But it is through your mother's blood. Your father was not of nobility. His title was one of ceremony, brought about by his marriage to your mother."
She takes a moment to glance at Francus, who moves to calmly sit across from them, leaning back against a tree.
Usio and Namilia look ready to interject with questions, but Sanjius holds up a hand, demanding they listen without a word.
Out of the corner of his eye, Sanjius can see the deep furrow in Zorin's brow, but the mosshead says nothing.
Robisia continues.
"A year before you were born, your father overtook the throne by force. From your maternal grandfather, King Zephyr," the woman explains. "It is unknown whether your grandfather still lives. There was a great skirmish, and he disappeared. It's possible your father's army killed him. However, I'd like to remain optimistic. Many believe that he led the rebellion that drove your father out."
Sanjius watches her for a long moment, and she holds his gaze seriously.
Eventually, he murmurs, "How do you know this….?"
Robisia sighs.
"Both Sir Francus and I had parents who supported your maternal bloodline. My mother and his father. Unfortunately, they both perished in the fight to prevent your father from taking over. This is why, five years later, we elected to devote ourselves to you, following the Queen's death, and the disappearance of your siblings."
Francus nods solemnly in agreement, and it's clear that only he and Robisia know about this. The looks on his other friends' faces spells that much. The two may hail from different lands, but they were the only ones alive for this rebellion Robisia speaks of, weren't they.
Save for Brokard….and Sanjius realizes, with a sharp pang in his chest, that he'll never know how much his loyal comrade knew…
"Why didn't you tell me…?" he asks quietly, an important question that isn't necessarily accusatory, rather the next logical inquiry he should pose, his mind working automatically.
But Robisia has an answer right away, and it's clear it's been premeditated.
"Until today, it was a bit of history that did not affect you. If your grandfather was indeed killed, he is no longer in power. And if he wasn't killed….well, I believe his choice not to emerge from wherever he has hidden himself has made clear his intentions. We did not wish to burden you with yet more darkness."
Sanjius supposes he should be grateful. Robisia is right, after all. When his mother died and his father disappeared with his siblings, he'd been a mere four years old. Until now, he's lived untroubled, without fear, and with the support of his people.
And thus, it's with a level head that he nods, though it's mostly because there's nothing else to do.
Brokard is dead, and he has no doubt other innocents in his kingdom are too, potentially at his father's hands. As things stand, it is his responsibility to fight for them, to take care of his kingdom.
Perhaps this is what Robisia is thinking as well, because she again squeezes his hand gently and says, "This is why you must be protected, at all costs. Brokard knew this. You are the kingdom's hope. You must stay alive. And all of us are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure this."
He doesn't like it. He hates the thought of more of his friends dying for him. He hasn't even come to terms with Brokard's sacrifice, and here his friends are, looking at him with the same resignation in their eyes as Brokard had when those arrows pierced his chest.
But hasn't he always been prepared to die for his country…?
"You all have my eternal gratitude," the prince says, the words sounding hollow and well-rehearsed, despite the fact that he means them. "But our cause will be better fought with you all alive. If my father has truly returned to take the throne, then he will surely not go down without a fight. And that still leaves the matter of my sister. If she is with him, then I'm afraid she is the true heir-"
"But-!" Usio finally interjects quickly, the tiniest bit of fear in his voice. "The people have chosen you! I know they'll fight for you! You've stayed in Baratia all this time! You are our prince!"
"I appreciate that," Sanjius replies, again in a voice that almost seems reserved for these kinds of situations. He wasn't entirely aware he was capable of this calm leadership. "But you all must be ready for anything."
"Yes," Robisia adds. "There may still be some traditionalists amongst the people. As the prince says, we must be prepared."
"S-So what do we do?" Chonrad asks, trying his hardest to combat the tears that stubbornly well in big, brown eyes. "We're strong, but - there's only - e-eight of us now….we can't take a - a whole army!"
"So we get a bigger army."
It's Luffient that speaks next, his voice unwavering and assertive.
When Sanjius turns his head to look at him, the knight is standing, fists at his sides and a serious look about his face that is rare but powerful.
"We keep going to Whole Cakia. We find the princess lady that Sanjius is supposed to marry, and we bring back more fighters," Luffient states, as if it will be the simplest mission, and in his mind, it probably seems that way.
His eyes lock into Sanjius then, and it doesn't matter that he's not royalty. He may as well be with that commanding aura.
"I don't want anyone else to be my king," Luffient proclaims. "Only Sanjius. He can be king of Baratia, but I'm gonna be king of his whole army so that Baratia can keep being free. We're gonna save the kingdom. 'Cause it's his and that's the way it should be. And we're gonna make Brokard proud."
Luffient finishes his little speech, and there is silence, save for the very distant chaos that's close to inaudible beneath the gentle lapping and trickling of the nearby stream.
But his words ring clear, and, over every bit of carefully concealed uncertainty in Sanjius' mind, washes strength.
Some would think it foolish or weak, that a prince would allow a knight's decision to hold such weight, but Sanjius doesn't see it that way. His friends' wishes are his, just as his are theirs, so it's completely natural that he feels some of the burden lift off his shoulders, especially when the others begin to react with gradual concession, even amusement.
Namilia is wiping tears from her eyes, but she's back to chiding Luffient for his one-track mind. Usio and Chonrad have put on their best brave faces, and both Francus and Robisia have gentle smiles.
Zorin takes his eyes off Luffient though, and turns his gaze to the prince again, a lingering smirk on his lips as he quirks his brow, almost in challenge.
It's rather infuriating. This is not the time, nor the place for a challenge, and seeing how smug the damned bastard looks after everything should be an insult to the tragedy unfolding but a mile away.
But it is also not the time to grieve. Not yet. It is not the time for hesitation or doubt.
Baratia is his. Baratia is theirs.
It is their home, and though Sanjius hates to leave it at a time like this, he knows when a fight is futile.
"You heard him," he says, breaking Zorin's gaze, having apparently held it for longer than he'd thought.
He gets to his feet and moves towards the horses, only looking back over his shoulder when he reaches Siren's side, tightening the straps on some of the supply packs he'd quickly attached to her saddle.
"Let's at least find a safer place to camp for the night."
They'll need to regroup in the morning, probably find a village in which to pick up more supplies, but for now, with his friends at his side, mounting their horses and willing to press onward, Sanjius thinks he can at least get through this night.
One step at a time...
One by one, Sanji had shoved his 3DS in everyone's faces, as dumb as it was. And one by one, everyone else in the house had expressed their utter confusion over the weird joke Sanji was apparently playing. The joke that involved the existence of some "imaginary" game. He hadn't tried it on Brook yet, but he wasn't looking to interrupt the man's exciting phone call. And if it hadn't been visible to anyone else, why would Brook suddenly be able to see it?
The blond had been creeped out, but also furious, and he'd stormed to his room and locked the door, eager to keep out the mosshead until he could fucking process what was going on. Not that Zoro had even tried to come in.
Why Zoro…? Why Zoro? Was it because he'd been the one to come across the game initially? Was that why he could see it and no one else could?
Possibly. He'd rubbed his dirty fingers all over it in the store. Maybe his plant DNA had gotten infused somehow.
But it still made absolutely no sense. It was like some...some magic shit, and this was all territory the blond felt entirely nervous about entering. That would just be crazy, after all. Magic wasn't real.
There had been nothing else to do but throw himself onto his bed and tear into the game once more in search of answers.
But soon enough, dinner time had crept up, more quickly than Sanji had anticipated, and yet, the game hadn't revealed any more hints as to what the fuck was going on with the day's odd occurrences, at least not that he could tell.
A little frustrated, especially after so many cutscenes, the blond ultimately shut his 3DS and headed back downstairs to help Robin with dinner preparations. He could handle it all himself, but he had to admit there was something nice about having a partner of sorts in the kitchen, an extra pair of hands.
Things seemed relatively normal, he thought, aside from Robin suggesting they adjust the menu a bit to include some of Zoro's favorite foods, just to help him feel better after that morning. That was all fine. Zoro liked simple, easy shit. The problem was that Sanji's mind was entirely elsewhere.
Hands were able to work automatically, through sheer muscle memory until he had, by most people's standards, a rather impressively designed meal of rice, fish, and vegetables laid out on the table.
But his full heart wasn't in it, and though most didn't seem to notice as the meal was devoured with the usual vigor, flying limbs and raucous voices filling the kitchen, Sanji could still somehow sense the stupid mosshead's awareness of this fact.
Sanji had sat himself at his usual spot at the far corner of the table, closest to the kitchen, should he need to run back and forth, Zoro on the same side, with Luffy and Chopper between them. He knew Zoro sat there so there was no risk of eye contact happening.
But then why the hell did he keep feeling those glances? Why did Zoro keep looking at him each time Luffy sat back, affording him a view?
He'd been trying to avoid the fact that there was something they both knew about that no one else did. And he'd assumed Zoro would want to as well.
Sanji ignored it, instead focusing on monitoring the comfortingly chaotic table as he usually did, trying to keep creeping hands from Nami or Robin's plates, refilling glasses where needed and dishing out seconds (or thirds).
It was almost enough to distract him from his swirling thoughts.
Until, that is, the meal began to die down, Luffy flopping back in his chair, looking stuffed and exhausted from shoveling so much food in his face. With Luffy calmer, the entire table seemed to follow suit, and, soon, Chopper had leaned forward to look across the table at Brook, curiosity shining in his eyes.
"Brook, what did Laboon have to say?" the boy asked, swinging short legs that just barely touched the ground. "You two were talking for a while."
Brook looked up when the rest of the table turned to him, still with a smile on his face from the happy little tune he'd been humming but a minute ago. In fact, his mood had been considerably energetic the whole meal.
"We certainly were," the man replied. "I apologize, Chopper~ We couldn't finish the puzzle."
"It's okay," Chopper assured. "You and Laboon hadn't talked for a hundred years!"
"A hundred~" Brook chuckled. "Not yet it hasn't been~"
Oddly though, a second later, the old man quieted a bit, lips turned up placidly. But his smile looked a little bittersweet now, and something about it struck Sanji, made a twinge of nerves tug at his chest.
"Laboon is doing well," Brook continued, despite the look. "His adopted father passed, I'm afraid, but the boy is grown up. He has his own band now~ A rock band called Whale. I'd never heard of them, but apparently most of their publicity is directed online. I suppose it's no wonder an old man like me wouldn't know of them. But they're beginning a nationwide tour soon."
"Really?" Usopp chirped. "That's so cool!"
Luffy let out a listless cheer of, "Yeahhh…", an attempt at excitement but a failure given his current food hangover.
"You gotta go see 'em play!" Franky added. "Hell, I wanna go! Bet they're super awesome!"
"I'm certain they are," Brook said with a smile. "He played me a few snippets of their songs over the phone."
But then Sanji saw that smile fade just a little bit, and he barely had time to wonder why before Brook continued.
"Actually, he...invited me to join them on the tour," Brook said.
The reaction from the table was, first, collective disbelief and shock….followed quickly by simultaneous outbursts of joy from the youngest members of the group especially.
Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy practically dove on the man with excited cries, Luffy and Chopper from across the table, narrowly missing the serving dishes.
Just as quickly as things had quieted after the meal, frenzy and commotion picked up again, and Zoro was left feeling rather overwhelmed.
Sanji had to have felt it too because he wasn't reacting as the others were, Zoro noticed. He sat quietly, despite Brook's news, with a furrow to his brow that he'd had for most of the meal, and Zoro knew it probably had nothing to do with Luffy's table manners either.
No, knowing that idiot, his mind was in the same place Zoro's had been that whole afternoon.
He could see Sanji's game. No one else could.
Why? And why were….things happening, all of a sudden?
He'd had interviews, and now someone Brook hadn't heard from in decades appeared out of the woodwork and invited him to join a new band?
Zoro supposed he should be happy, but he couldn't help but wonder if Brook's opportunity wouldn't fall through like his had. He wasn't a pessimist. He was just being realistic.
All of this felt too weird, too out of the blue, and Zoro couldn't place the odd feeling he had in regards to all of it.
And the one person who maybe, just maybe, felt it too, was Sanji, who seemed content to pretend nothing was off.
Like he would even talk to Zoro about it anyway.
"So are you gonna do it?" Luffy was asking Brook, a starry look in his eyes as he no doubt imagined the man in a concert arena again, rocking out like he used to.
"He has to!" Usopp exclaimed, sweeping a hand out in front of him. "Just imagine! His big comeback!"
Brook chuckled, an arm around Chopper's shoulders, the boy having, at some point, circled around the table to settle in the old man's lap.
"I'd love to. Truly, I would," he answered, but he paused soon after, guilty eyes flicking to Franky and Robin, who'd both looked at each other as well. "It would be a commitment though….a year-long commitment."
"A year?" Chopper yelped, Luffy and Usopp sharing similar looks of surprise, despite their encouragement of moments ago.
Brook nodded, lips turning up a little sadly.
"Yes," he said. "I must think hard…"
But it was Robin who swiftly cut in, kind support and confidence in her eyes.
"Brook, you mustn't let us hold you back. If you wish to pursue this, by all means, you should," she said. "You would be missed, but Franky and I are more than capable of handling things."
"Yeah, bro," Franky added. "You can't really pass this up. YOLO, right?"
"Don't say that," Nami scolded, cringing at his word choice, but she nodded in agreement, though she looked a little sad about it.
It took Usopp and Chopper another moment before they eventually nodded too, but Luffy didn't even hesitate in screeching his support from where he'd sprawled himself over the table, now the sole barrier between Zoro and Sanji.
"Yeah, that's….that's awesome, Brook," the blond murmured, and Zoro couldn't help his gaze from shifting back to the other teen yet again.
Sanji looked to be in some state of disbelief, and while that was probably understandable given the massive opportunity Brook had just been afforded, it was like his mind was elsewhere, not lending the conversation his rapt attention like the others.
"You should do it," Zoro heard himself contributing, because he knew Brook should, and he didn't want his previous silence to seem unsupportive, despite his distraction with Sanji's potential thoughts.
Brook was slowly looking more comfortable, allowing himself to get excited again now that he knew he had their support, and chatter began anew, this time about whether they'd be seeing Brook on TV anytime soon, or whether Nami could start selling his autograph.
Of course this meant their old friend would have to leave them, and that was fucking bittersweet, but ultimately, this was good. They all knew he'd been itching to get back into performing again, despite his advanced age. And honestly, more power to him.
Zoro could only hope his own stupid botched interviews had been a fluke.
So why the hell did Sanji seem so damn perturbed? Why did he clean up after dinner as quickly as possible, with hardly a word to anyone, and steal away upstairs like he was late for something important?
Zoro followed him. He'd probably get his ass kicked for it, but he followed him, despite how much of a dick Sanji had been to him earlier, because Sanji always did this. He always fucking isolated himself, and while Zoro understood, did the same thing more often than not, this time, it was probably over something dumb.
He didn't even know if he was going to confront Sanji, just that he found himself walking upstairs and hovering outside the closed door to their room, a few minutes after Sanji had disappeared through it.
Unsurprisingly, he heard the blond's muffled voice inside, and the sound of footsteps padding back and forth across the carpet.
The weirdo was in there, talking to himself, pacing back and forth.
Zoro risked leaning closer, pressing his ear to the door to try and hear what the guy was saying.
Strangely, Sanji seemed stuck between the words "kill", "dead", and "leave"...peppered with various frustrated noises and curses.
The last clear question Zoro heard was, "Should I kill someone else…?" before things went quiet and he heard the creak of Sanji's bed, then the music of his 3DS when he no doubt opened it again.
"What the hell…?" Zoro mumbled under his breath, utterly baffled by what sounded like murderous thoughts from the blond.
He moved away from the door, leaning, instead, against the wall beside it.
Eventually, he slid down the wall to the floor where he sat, wondering when the hell he'd become so damn preoccupied with a guy that treated him like shit.
Not to mention what that said about him.
They've moved their small caravan a few extra miles into the forest, stopping at a secluded little glen with a concealing canopy of leaves and branches from the trees above them, still beside the stream.
Namilia has put up a protective spell over their little camp, just in case, and everyone is settling down for the night. It's late; they're exhausted, and they need their rest for the long journey ahead, not to mention combating any potential foes that may pursue them.
Sanjius isn't surprised when Zorin elects himself as watchkeeper with a promise to wake Robisia after an hour so she can have a shift. It's a promise he surely won't keep if the prince knows anything about his knight.
He should be resting too. He should be settling down with his friends, seeking comfort from them, but instead, Sanjius has snuck off into the trees by himself. Feet move as quietly as they can, and he's thankful for the bed of dead pine needles that coats much of the forest floor, softening any sound he makes.
It's dark, but the moon is bright, filtering through the trees in long beams of silvery light. There's beauty in those beams, but, in the prince's mind, they simply turn into ghostly arms - the people, his people - innocents that are, tonight, lost to this world because of him, reaching for him fruitlessly.
Rationally, he knows it's useless to blame himself. No good will come of it. And yet, all that fills his mind is the thought that he'll never hear Brokard's contagious laugh again, never hear the sweet sound of his violin melodies, never be able to rely on him for advice or….or anything.
It's this that has him stopping, closer to camp than he'd intended, but when his legs practically give out, he knows he's not going any farther.
Tears have stained his cheeks, teeth clenching painfully against the burning in his throat and the sobs that threaten to escape him.
The prince huddles himself at the base of a tree and pulls up knees. He buries his face against them and cries in a way he hasn't for many, many years.
He cries until everything fades to black.
When Sanjius opens his eyes again, the moonlight is no longer strong. In fact, the forest is imbued with the faint purples and blues that signify the coming sunrise.
He's fallen asleep, he realizes. For many hours, it seems.
The prince lifts his head from where it had fallen against the rough tree trunk, glancing around him, rather disoriented by the fact that he's outside to begin with, the events of the previous night not quite seeping back into his memory for another few moments.
But then, Brokard's final smile. The image of his saber outstretched, and that single arrow sailing across the great hall-
Sanjius uses all of his willpower to block it from his mind, instead lifting a hand to numbly wipe at his face and the remains of tear tracks.
He stays where he is for several minutes, not yet hearing movement from the direction of the camp. Everyone else is probably still asleep.
He looks down at himself. He's still wearing his same tunic and breeches from the night before, the only thing protecting him from the elements his long cloak which - he realizes hadn't been on him when he'd wandered out here.
The prince sits up, staring down at the thick blue fabric as if he's never seen it before, but he can't remember taking it, which means someone brought it to him. But who?
A rather embarrassing stomach growl keeps him from thinking on it for too long. He should prepare something for the group to eat before they start moving. So he gets to his feet, a little stiff from his odd sleeping position, tying his cloak tighter over his shoulders and heading back towards camp.
He finds himself taking his time, examining various bushes and discovering that some are medicinal herbs. He distracts himself from his darkening thoughts by picking some to take back to camp, knowing Chonrad or Robisia can make use of them. And he's also a little surprised to find a hunting knife lying on the ground by a tangle of tree roots. He picks this up too and slips it through his belt.
Sanjius is used to getting up early, and perhaps it's his internal clock that's gotten him to rise now. This time of day, past the dead silence of the night, but before the rising of the world, is so peaceful to him, and it's almost as if only he exists. With none of the pain and suffering that only comes about when other people awaken.
Between the trees, he sees a glimpse of Wado's glistening white hide in the distance, the horse's head bowed as she quietly grazes on a patch of grass, taking advantage of the fresh dew.
She hears his approach and she looks up, her long forelock nearly obscuring her dark, inquisitive eyes before she goes back to grazing calmly. In the dim light, she looks almost like a unicorn, and despite everything, Sanjius almost smirks at the thought of Sir Zorin riding one of those shimmering magical beasts into battle. Perhaps if he imagines the fool wearing a gown as well, it will make him feel even better.
"We should get moving soon."
Sanjius nearly jumps out of his skin, whirling around to face the source of that voice as if it's an attacker, even if he recognizes those gravelly tones. He can't exactly help it. A few hours ago, he was forced to flee for his life.
A few muttered curses under his breath, a hand subtly rubbing over his chest as his heart hammers beneath. When he's regained some semblance of his dignity, he manages to glare harshly at Zorin for sneaking up on him.
The knight is standing a few feet away, an arm resting on his swords, the other bandaged one hanging at his side, his expression passive. He doesn't show any amusement over spooking him, at least, but Sanjius still feels the need to be curt with his reply. He's not exactly in the mood for stupid tricks right now.
"We're not going anywhere until we've all had something to eat," he mutters, hands moving to absently bunch together the herbs he carries. Thankfully, his little scare didn't cause him to drop any.
"Fine," Zorin mumbles right back, but instead of stalking off, he just stands there, and when Sanjius looks up, their eyes meet awkwardly, both averting them as soon as they do.
Sanjius doesn't know what in damnation he's supposed to say. Well, he does know. A 'thank you' is in order. Zorin saved his life, after all. But, in the process, he left Brokard, and-
No. He'd thought about it last night, but he knows he can't blame Zorin for that now. Even if Zorin can't be harmed.
Brokard was close to all of them. And as unfeeling as Zorin seems, Sanjius can see the unexpressed grief on the knight's features when he steals another glance his way.
"Does your arm pain you…?" the prince asks eventually, feeling as if he never really made the conscious decision to speak, but he does.
Zorin looks almost surprised, for a moment, that Sanjius has even said anything more to him. His eyes widen the tiniest bit, and he slowly looks up again with an almost wary expression.
"No. It doesn't," is all he says, an answer that Sanjius knows he'd give regardless of whether it hurt or not.
But his tone isn't forceful. He's said it almost automatically too, a natural response to the question.
It is out of the ordinary for the two of them to interact without confrontation, after all.
He notices how Zorin's eyes drift to the cloak over his shoulders...
Silence stretches between them for long enough to make it uncomfortable, but still, neither leaves, something compelling them to stay, and that's when Sanjius finally musters some semblance of courage within him.
"Thank you," he breathes, focusing eyes on the tiny links of Zorin's chainmail, because it makes it easier. "I….you saved my life...last night. I'm in your debt."
With his gaze directed where it is, he sees the slow breath Zorin takes, that breath that tries to be calm but ends up having the slightest tremor to it.
Zorin is such a mystery to him. He doesn't know his motives for coming to the kingdom. He knows next to nothing about where he came from. The knight is always, without exception, stoic in the prince's presence.
But this is the first glimpse Sanjius has ever had into Zorin's mind, the first glimpse of emotion he's seen from him. And Sanjius has to quickly swallow a lump in his own throat at the thought of Zorin's face last night, that quick flash of unbridled pain he barely remembers seeing as the knight dragged him away from Brokard's fallen form.
Zorin is the only one who was there, after all…. He and Zorin are the only ones who saw it happen… This connects them, like it or not.
"There's no debt to repay," Zorin replies, interrupting his thoughts in a soft voice Sanjius has definitely never heard him use before.
The prince blinks, finds his eyes drawn upwards to the knight's, only to see that Zorin is already looking at him.
In fact, he holds his gaze rather intensely for a long moment before he breathes matter-of-factly, "I'll always protect you, Your Highness."
But then he seems to become aware of himself and what he's saying, enough that a bit of sharpness returns to his eyes and he quickly looks away.
He mumbles something about getting back to camp, then strides off to gather Wado and begins leading her away, though Sanjius could swear, as he stares after the two in some semblance of shock, that she nudges him in the right direction with her nose when he starts to drift.
Has this moment really happened?
Is the death of a dear friend really what it's taken to bring any sort of civility to their relationship?
There are things Sanjius feels he should have asked Zorin, namely why those bandages are still on his arm. He remembers how the swordsman healed overnight after his fights in the training grounds, after all. And surely he would have ripped said bandages off by now if he had.
But for some reason, the impulse to ask had left him as soon as they spoke, and while he doesn't regret what little he said, there was certainly more on his mind…
It's not the right moment though.
And for the first time, Sanjius actually feels like perhaps there could be another moment…
He pulls his cloak tighter around his shoulders and follows after Zorin.
Sanji blinked down at the screen, the screen that now rather triumphantly displayed, with a short fanfare, 'C Rank achieved.'
"You've gotta be kidding me…." he hissed, knowing exactly what that usually entailed in games like this.
Somehow, he'd fucking managed to increase the level of his character's relationship with the dumb knight, and dammit, he hadn't even been trying to. He'd wandered the woods in search of items, wondering what the fuck he was supposed to do next.
Brook was leaving. Brook was going on tour, and Sanji was almost certain it had to do with his death in this mysterious game of his. Did he experiment? Should he kill someone else off? He didn't want to lose party members so soon, but - fuck, it was the only way to test his theory.
The problem lied in the fact that, should his theory be true, another of his real friends would walk out of his life…even if he desperately wanted the best for them.
All of this had been on his mind, far more important things. He'd only talked to the mosshead in the game because he'd appeared out of the fucking bushes, and yet, that had gone and leveled up their relationship. Something they couldn't even do in real life.
Not even after every crazy thing that-
All of a sudden, across the room, the doorknob turned, almost tentatively, and Sanji looked up, with an odd sort of anticipation in his chest, to see none other than Zoro himself step into the room, the other teen's eyes immediately flicking to Sanji, then down to his 3DS, as he did.
He entered quietly, closed the door behind him, and crossed the room to take a seat on his own bed. But instead of immediately curling up and facing the opposite direction, or rummaging for headphones, he actually stayed facing Sanji, looking like he felt just as hesitant and nervous about the situation.
Sanji sat there silently, waiting to see what Zoro would do.
It took a long moment, but finally, Zoro's eyes met his.
"Um….so….what's the deal with that game….?" he asked awkwardly, as if fearing Sanji's judgment over the simple question. "I mean, if we can both see it….are we insane or is everyone else…?"
The blond resisted the urge to let out a breath of disbelief.
He certainly felt insane, or at least like he was dreaming, considering all that had happened, and the fact that Zoro was really sitting across from him, trying to talk to him properly for the first time since…..ever.
He could easily avoid this, and he certainly felt self-conscious, feeling the intensity of Zoro's gaze that was equal parts uncertain and somehow hopeful, if he'd correctly identified that emotion behind Zoro's eyes.
Zoro was not his friend. That was still obvious.
But Sanji couldn't deny the desire to unload all of this on someone. And if Zoro laughed, well….he supposed the two of them had nothing to lose. Zoro had asked first, and, should he make fun of him, Sanji kicking his ass couldn't set back a relationship that didn't exist.
"Your dumb moss brain is never gonna believe me," Sanji muttered, though it wasn't a dismissal, and in fact, he couldn't rid his voice of the vulnerability he felt, no matter how hard he tried.
Zoro seemed to notice this because his lips turned up the tiniest bit, and his shoulders relaxed.
"Try me," he replied, a challenge in his voice.
A beat, and then Sanji sighed, setting his 3DS aside in preparation for his explanation, the screen still proudly displaying that dialogue box.