A/N: These guys should be tried for Den Den Mushi cruelty. Also, thank you to everyone whose commented so far! I really appreciate it!
(54)
It wasn't until a day passed that he spoke with Nami. Well, she cornered him on his way out of the Galley more like it, herding him inside and shutting the door behind her.
"Wha—?" he started to say, but she'd already yanked something out of her pocket, holding it up for him to see.
"A couple of the guards found this lying beside a pair of busted goggles. It wouldn't happen to be yours, would it?" she asked, though her eyes held a sharpness to them, as if she already knew the answer to the question.
Considering she was holding his Den Den Mushi, that wasn't a good sign. It squirmed in her palm, once again, drenched in snail sweat and swiveling its eyestalks around frantically.
Shit. With everything that'd happened, he hadn't even noticed it was gone. If he didn't handle this correctly, there were going to be consequences. He had to play this off.
"Uhh," he pointedly looked away when the Den Den Mushi's focus snapped to him with something like pleading. "I-I don't know what you're talking about. Nami. Dear."
An exaggerated sigh, then she backed away. His chin popped up, skin losing several shades of color at the sight of a sweet smile spreading across Nami's lips.
"Well, if that's the case, then I guess I'll just throw it out. Since we don't need it and all."
Heart thumping in his chest, he watched her move to the door, mind a neverending loop of 'oh shit's, and 'just let her throw it out's. It's not like he needed it anyw—
Nami's fingers coiled around the handle.
"AH! N-Nami!"
For a moment, they simply remained still, Nami with her back to him, Sanji with a shaking arm still extended. He had a feeling the look on his face was identical to the Den Den Mushi that'd just been told it would be thrown overboard. At a pace far too slow, her cheek turned enough for the corner of her eye to become visible, then, she whirled around at a speed faster than light, thumb, and index pinched together.
"Well, I guess I could give it to you, at the cheap price of five hundred Berry, that is!"
His jaw fell, part horrified at the prospect of being played so easily, part delighted over the wonderful navigator's genius intellect. There was a war waging within him, his love of women clashing against his dignity. It wasn't a long fight, however, considering dignity was something he'd thrown away long ago in his pursuit of beautiful ladies. He had no regrets.
Stuffing a hand into his pocket, he retrieved his wallet, an action that made Nami radiate joy like a beacon of light.
"Nice doing business with ya!" she sang, a tad too eager as she ripped the Berry from his hand, tossing his Den Den Mushi into the air without a beat in between.
He managed to catch it right before the shell smacked into the floor. Usually, this would've been the timeframe Nami used to escape, but instead, she slid into a chair at the table, meticulously counting the amount he'd given her. Guess she didn't trust him. He'd be offended if she didn't act this way towards everyone when Berry was concerned.
Anyways, now that that was over with, his current position finally clicked in his brain. He was alone with Nami. Nami, who hadn't looked at him in days, let alone gone out of her way to speak with him. Why tonight?
He made sure to keep a decent amount of space between them as he approached the counter, leaning his hip against it and giving the Den Den Mushi a quick once over. His thumb brushed over the '66' painted across its shell, vibrant and nerve grating as it'd always been. Looked fine. A pity, really.
"What's that go to, anyways?" Nami asked, almost too offhandedly as she tucked the Berry into her shirt.
He had a feeling the question wasn't as casual as she'd like him to believe. Shoving the snail into the shell with his thumb, he slipped it into his pocket. Out of sight, out of mind. "Nothing that matters."
"Oh?" Again, she spoke in a disinterested tone, though made no move to leave, keeping her chin rested on an open palm.
He glanced at the door. Considered running. Besides, if he didn't fall asleep before Luffy or the mosshead, he'd be kept up all night thanks to their damn snoring. Then again, knowing those two it was already too late.
Exhaling, he ran a hand through his bangs, moving to the refrigerator instead. For whatever reason, Nami was finally talking to him, he may as well make the most of it.
"Want a drink? Tangerine juice, right?"
"Yeah," she answered, no longer surprised when he casually lists something she likes.
With a nod, he proceeded to pour her a glass, lighting himself a cigarette and plopping into the chair across from her. She stared into the cup, swirling the juice without a word. This went on long enough to make him question whether or not she'd elected to start ignoring him again. Should he ask?
"Na—"
"You—"
They broke off, Nami chewing her lower lip, Sanji letting his mouth hang open like an idiot.
He recovered enough to stammer, "G-Go ahead, Nami."
Bobbing her head in tune, she returned to her slumped posture, "You kill people for a living."
"Ah," He hadn't been expecting that. Should've. Sitting there in silence, he tried to make sense of his jumbled thoughts enough to form a response. Couldn't, and in the end, gave up, releasing the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Yeah."
Nami didn't bat an eyelash, "How many?"
"Not sure."
That got her attention. Pushing herself up straighter, she scoffed, "How could you possibly not know that?"
He shrugged, "Been awhile."
"How long, exactly?"
"Since I was eleven."
Nami, who'd made the mistake of trying to take a sip, promptly spat it out again. Jumping out of her seat, she smacked her palms onto the table, eyes having gone wide in horror. "Since you were eleven!?"
He didn't get what the big deal was. "Yeah."
"Why!?" she spluttered, then, seemed to realize how insensitive that came out, and murmured, "Uh, I-I mean..."
Sanji tapped his cigarette against an ashtray, flicking the ashes off before taking a long inhale. As he released the smoke from his mouth, he said, "Everyone has things they're good at."
She sobered, startled stare taking a somber turn, "Is that so?"
Snagging her cup by the handle, she moved closer, stopping a mere two feet away and leaning on the table. His heartbeat picked up several paces, thumping in his chest so loud he wondered how she didn't hear.
"Isn't there anything you want?"
Her words hung in the air, seeming to gain a weight of their own, bearing down on him. He struggled to draw his next breath in, cigarette forgotten despite the scent of tobacco drifting to his nose.
He forced a smile, "I don't follow, Nami dear."
"Like a dream. Or a goal. You always act so complacent, like you couldn't care less no matter what you're doing or where you are, but there has to be something you're working towards, isn't there?"
He wasn't sure how to respond. The expression he was wearing must've been more telling than he'd like because Nami raised a brow at him. Guess it wouldn't hurt to tell her about his mission. That was what he wanted, after all. It was.
As he began forming the words, an image flickered in his mind, an ocean filled with every fish imaginable, scales shimmering like diamonds in the clear water, coral of all colors stretching to the surface—just like that textbook had depicted it. Yearning squeezed in his chest, and, on an impulse, he asked, "Have you ever heard of the All Blue?"
Blinking, she tipped her head to the side, "..I think. Isn't that that mythical ocean? The one where every sea merges? I read about it a bit when I was still studying Cartography."
"Yeah," he replied, voice growing breathy with a childlike excitement he hadn't experienced in decades. It was dumb, unnecessary, but now that he'd started, he couldn't bring himself to stop. "An ocean with every fish imaginable, a chef like me could make all kinds of meals in that place! There hasn't been concrete proof such a place exists, just old stories from sailors, but if it did..." He'd never find it. Because he was going to die soon.
Shoulders slumping, he averted his gaze. Not like it was real anyways.
"That does sound amazing," Nami said, startling him in its sincerity.
He almost pulled something in his neck turning to face her. She was grinning at him, hands clasped by her cheek almost dreamily.
"All right! If you ever find a place like that, you'll have to cook us all a feast, okay!"
"Okay," he agreed without thinking, "Anything for you."
"Good!"
Ah, crap!
Polishing off the last of her drink, she placed the cup in the sink and headed for the door, pausing briefly by the frame.
"It's a promise, then!" her expression darkened several degrees, "So if you don't keep your end, I'll be adding six trillion Berry to your debt."
Before he could argue he wasn't searching for it, protest it was a myth, ask when the hell he'd become indebted to her in the first place, she slid outside and closed the door behind her, leaving just as swiftly as she'd arrived. Now what?
With a sigh, he discarded what was left of his cigarette. Whatever. Guess he'd do some dishes.
(55)
"You've read that?"
"You did suggest it to me, did you not?" Robin said, smiling in earnest.
She'd been doing that a lot lately. It was weird.
"Yeah," he admitted, "But I didn't think you'd actually read it, you usually stick to those fucked up horror novels."
"It's good to try something new every now and then, Sanji," she replied, and for some reason, it sounded a bit like a scolding. "Have you read the books I recommended to you last time?"
"Uhh," He hated horror novels. Especially the kind she read, they always had tragic endings. "No, not yet."
Her smile deepened. "I guess I have no choice then," Without another word, she ducked into her and Nami's shared room, leaving him standing in the hallway twiddling his thumbs like a moron. A minute later, she returned with a giant stack of books, shoving them into his arms despite his protests.
"I do expect you to have all of these read before the week is over."
Sanji could feel himself dying a little on the inside as he stared at the worn book on top, painted in such a way, it appeared blood had splattered across the cover.
Robin looked on unrepentantly.
(56)
"Huh. 'In an act of terrorism, a group of unknown assailants shipped several dead bodies to Marineford.'" With a sigh, Nami passed the newspaper to Robin. "Can you believe that? Honestly, the nerve of some people!"
Robin chuckled.
Sanji and Usopp looked away, whistling low notes beneath their breaths.
(57)
"The hell happened to you?" Sanji remarked, studying the bruises along Zoro's cheeks and the dried blood on his upper lip.
They'd only been in Mock Town for half an hour, how in the hell had he and Luffy ended up in such a state?
"Nothing happened," he answered, flopping onto the deck and laying his head on his arms.
Clearly, something had happened. "What, some lowlife punk get the upper hand on you? I knew you were pretty pathetic, but I didn't think you were that weak, Marimo."
His eyes popped open, apathy vanishing in place of annoyance, "The hell did you just say!?"
Unfazed, Sanji crossed his arms, "Anyone I need to kill?"
With a snort, he slumped onto the deck once more. "As if."
(58)
Sanji was pissed once Skypiea was said and done. Not only had they elected not to tell him they were going nor how (a move he suspected was intentional), he'd almost died again, this time saving Usopp, who was responding to that sentiment by being mousy as hell around him. It was annoying. He couldn't figure out if it was some kind of guilt factor or if the sniper had finally lost it. Could be both, though he was leaning towards the latter.
That's why, when Usopp approached him, posture of someone doing the same with an extremely hazardous bomb, Sanji couldn't decide if he wanted to slap him or smoke through an entire pack of cigarettes.
"U-Um, Sanji," He stammered, voice low and unsure, "T-There's something I need to ask you about..."
Sighing, long hard, he went for the cigarette option, not replying until he had one lit. "Yeah? Talk."
Usopp's spine shot ramrod straight, a confidence so forced Sanji wondered how he managed to fool anyone.
"S-So, I've been thinking for awhile, and I was wondering, well, actually, it all started with a bunch of giant serial killer werewolves, you see, then I—"
"Usopp,"
"Y-Yes?"
"The hell are you saying to me?"
Slouching in defeat, he muttered, "W-Well... I... was... just... W-What's it like to.. k-kill someone?"
If Sanji hadn't frozen solid, he might have choked on his cigarette.
Usopp slumped onto the deck, legs crisscrossed, head down, "It's just... I'm not like you, or Luffy or Zoro. I'm not even like Nami and Chopper. Actually, I'm kind of useless, aren't I?" Swallowing, his fingers dug into the fabric of his pants, "W-Whenever I think about seriously hurting someone my knees start knocking together and I... just freeze up. Compared to Luffy and Zoro.. a-and to you, I should just—" he cut himself off, going quiet for several heartbeats before adding in a cheerful tone, "Well, I was just wondering is all! Not a big deal!"
Sanji had absolutely no idea what was happening or how to handle it. When he didn't respond, Usopp began babbling.
"Y-You see, I know sometimes you gotta, and I'm sure my old man has done it a lot, so it can't be that bad, right? Plus, Zoro—"
"Usopp,"
"Y-Yes?"
An image of his old self flashed through his mind, grinning at a tiny rat as it chowed away at bits of a sandwich. "I think you're fine as you are."
Usopp opened his mouth, stared, closed it, then shot to his feet, palms raised between them as he backed away. "R-Right, o-of c-c-course, I wasn't suggesting—I was just curious, is all! A-Anyways, sorry for taking up your time! See ya!"
He bolted around the corner, disappearing below deck if Sanji had to guess. For a moment, Sanji stared after him, unsure what to do and whether he'd messed up. If Usopp's reaction was anything to go by, he probably had. Damn it.
Why hadn't he gone to Robin or mosshead with this? Then again, Robin joined the crew only recently, and Zoro was... Zoro. And it's not like the rest were any better, either, Luffy probably would've tried to feed him a steak or something since he seems to believe it's a magical cure-all, and the rest had never killed anyone. That meant Sanji was the approachable one. He needed out. Soon as possible. This was all kinds of wrong.
"Sanji!"
He jumped about a foot into the air. Was pretty worried someone else had decided to have a weird whatever that'd been with him, until Luffy skidded around the corner, grinning so widely he couldn't help but relax.
"I'm starving!"
Sighing, he flicked his cigarette overboard, "Yeah, yeah, I hear you."
(59)
Usopp's mood worsened after their run in with Aokiji. Sanji noted it, however, was a bit preoccupied with the fact Robin had nearly died in front of him. It'd been half a day since, and he still didn't know what to make of it. He'd never seen her that riled up before, never seen her that reckless. No, Robin always had the upper hand. Calm, collected, never allowing her emotions to show, nor to sway her decisions. This was wrong, and he hated it. He'd never seen her this vulnerable.
If only that marine bastard had kept his mouth shut. If Sanji saw him again—
Shoving away the murderous thoughts, he refocused, instead, recalling everything she'd told him of Ohara. Wasn't much, but he'd caught a few slivers during their discussions of 'whose life was the shittiest.' It was a game they'd taken to playing after she'd found him dying in a ditch. He'd been what... sixteen? Fifteen? Hell, it didn't matter. After she'd patched him up, they'd started going back and forth. Never stopped, either. Not really.
So far, the only things involving Ohara she'd mentioned were her aunt, the kids bullying her, and something called a Buster Call. He was still kind of hazy as to what a Buster Call entailed, though, hadn't bothered to look it up. Felt too much like invading her privacy.
Cloth rustling behind him drew his focus, and he craned his neck to peer at Robin over his shoulder. She was staring blankly at the ceiling, shivering having stopped, skin glowing a faint gray in the dim lighting. He figured it was time for another round.
"I got lectured by mosshead," he said, "Twice."
Blinking, her gaze drifted to him, lingered, then trailed away, mouth tipping up just a tinge. "I got chewed out by Doctor-san yesterday for a morbid comment on Sniper-san's health."
"Hah, that's nothing! I got bedridden by him after Alabasta, and when he caught me doing dishes in the Galley instead of sleeping, he chased me around the Merry throwing things at me the rest of the night. Think he takes after that crazy Granny of his."
"I was once hospitalized for an entire week.
"Two weeks."
"Suffered severe burns down my arms."
"Been stabbed through."
"I want to stay with this crew."
His heart clenched. Resisting the urge to pull his knees to his chest, he murmured, "Can't relate. Guess you win this round."
A chuckle, soft, breathy, "We're not supposed to lie, Sanji."
He didn't look at her, though the sound of fabric shifting hinted she'd rolled over. He wondered if that was okay in her condition. Should he ask Chopper?
Rather than the Doctor, he turned to Luffy, who was sprawled across the mattress on his stomach, blankets long since kicked off, snores blending with Zoro's. On second thought, she'd probably be fine.
Yet, he couldn't shake the uneasy pit in his stomach.
(60)
Being in Water Seven again was nostalgic, to say the least. It was the first place he'd visited outside of Germa, not to mention, a nice town in general if you looked passed the slums. Actually, it used to be a lot worse, didn't it?
The mayor, Icecube or whatever, must've made a lot of reforms. No dumbasses trying to bum smokes off everyone, no shady dealings in dark alleys, no eyes on his back, as though planning to mug him. It was a refreshing change, though, at the time, he'd found this place to be a safe haven. He hadn't realized how messed up that was until now. Whatever.
Rather than think about it, he focused on his list, making sure to buy every single item he'd added to it. Spices, herbs, fruits—all the things Luffy wouldn't consider in a million years. As for meat, they could always fish off the side or kill a Sea King. Not a big deal.
After that was over with, he returned to the Merry, still empty besides for the napping Marimo, and prepared several dishes, storing them in the fridge along with a note detailing how to heat them properly. Nami could handle that part.
Pulling down the sleeves he'd rolled up to his elbows, he glanced at the notepad. Considered leaving a letter. Then again, that would make it harder, wouldn't it? Better to leave without saying anything.
Besides, he'd already practically filled the thing with recipes for them anyways, another note on top of that would be overkill.
In the spirit of that, he strolled out of the Galley, refusing to look back even when he vaulted the railing and disappeared into town.
(61)
Leaving was easy in some ways, yet hard in others. On one hand, it's not like he had any belongings to lug around, on the other, he didn't have any belongings. Didn't even have the luxury of 'borrowing' clothes from his friends anymore.
And he'd thought earlier was nostalgic, now, laying on a shitty mattress in a shitty hotel room, he could almost imagine he'd never met the Strawhats in the first place. Almost.
The heavy silence hanging over him like a veil was enough to shatter the illusion. No yelling, no arguing, no snoring, no brawling. Nothing.
He didn't get why this bothered him. It's not like the Merry had been a five-star passenger ship. In reality, it was a rickety, leaky, patch job that could stop functioning at any given moment. Had stopped functioning. Sometimes in the middle of a shower. Damn, he'd hated that.
There. That's something he didn't miss. If he focused on the things that'd bothered him, leaving would be a breeze. Yeah. That was the plan.
(62)
The plan didn't work. Well, to be more precise, Luffy threw a giant monkey wrench into it, set it on fire, then scattered what remained on the breeze. He had no way to confirm this was Luffy's fault, but screw it, he was blaming him anyways! Who the hell else could've caused such a mess!?
Glaring down at the paper, he scanned the words: 'WANTED,' along with the bounty pictures of Luffy, Zoro, and Robin that followed. The hell had they gotten into while he was gone!? Why did everyone want them dead!?
Almost too furious to focus, he forced himself read the article included, pausing, rereading, realizing he didn't understand a word of it.
'Strawhat Pirate's
'Iceberg shot in bedroom'
'A manhunt for—'
Stopping there, he started from the beginning. Then, again and again. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't adding up.
Who shot Icecube? Surely it couldn't—
She wouldn't—
She said—
Fingers digging into the newspaper with such force, they were practically gouging through, Robin's words replayed in his ears, "I want to stay with this crew."
The paper crumpled.
"I thought you said we weren't supposed to lie."
(63)
Returning to the Merry so soon after leaving may have been embarrassing if the crew was actually there. Instead, he found Usopp hammering several boards to the side, covered in bruises and bandages. Had Robin done this too?
Edging closer, he studied the guy closer, the blood crusted to his upper lip, his swollen cheek and filthy arms. No. Robin was neater than this. Looks like he got into a fist fight.
Wait, if Usopp was hurt, then where was Chopper? Where was everyone else?
"Hey," he said, surprising himself with how raw it came out.
When Usopp didn't reply, he jabbed him in the ribs with his knee.
"OW!" Usopp yelped, scooting several paces away with a hand over his side, "H-Hold up, y-you bastard, I don't know who you are—" he broke off at the sight of Sanji's scowl.
"Eh, uh... Sanji? W-What're you—?" his expression darkened, an almost ravenous tone entering his voice, "If you're here to pity me or whatever then just get the hell out!"
"'Pity' you?" Sanji echoed, "The hell are you talking about?"
To his credit, Usopp seemed genuinely surprised, "They didn't tell you?"
"What?"
"Well..."
Usopp talked while he worked, rambling on about all kinds of bullshit, the Merry being called irreparable, losing their Berry to the Franky family, Usopp challenging Luffy for ownership of the Merry and leaving the crew. Sanji needed a smoke when they reached that part. Two of them. By the time he'd finished, Sanji was reaching for a third.
"But they're wrong!" Usopp insisted, "The Merry is fine! They're just giving up too soon!"
Sanji wasn't sure what to say. If he recalled correctly, the Merry had been a gift from Usopp's girlfriend, hadn't it? Jealousy aside, this ship was sentimental to him, he guessed. If a girl had given Sanji something, he knew he'd want to cherish it. Still, wasn't attacking Luffy a bit overboard?
"So," Usopp went on, tone oddly blank, "You should go find them. They're probably at a hotel by now. You used to be an assassin, right? I'm sure you can find them, no problem."
"I'm still an assassin. And, I'm leaving the crew too," Sanji murmured, studying the storm clouds lining up the horizon.
Usopp whirled around fast enough to nearly faceplant, "What!? Seriously!? Wait, you're not leaving because of me, are you!?"
"No, I left yesterday morning," As an afterthought, he added, "Though, after everything that's happened, It's not a surprise no one noticed."
Shock vanishing in place of agitation, Usopp dropped his hammer, stomping over and grabbing Sanji by the collar—a sentiment not appreciated one bit, considering he'd just bought this shirt, damn it.
"What the hell are you saying!? You left the crew!? Seriously!? After everything we've been through!?"
"I never planned on staying." Sanji grit out, resisting the urge to knock his friend off.
"No! Listen to me! Don't you get it!? From here on out, our enemies are only going to keep getting stronger! They need you, Sanji! You're not a wimp like me!"
"Hah!?" Sanji, in turn, snagged Usopp by the front of his overalls, looming over him until their faces were inches apart. "You're still on about that shit? You really think Luffy and the others care about crap like that!?"
"I know they don't!" Usopp snapped, voice raising to a yell that filled the empty space, "That's why I have to go on my own! Otherwise, I'll only keep dragging them down!"
Jerking away, Usopp turned and stomped over to the Merry again, back facing him.
"That's not how it works, Usopp!" Sanji tried. But, hell, wasn't that how it worked? Isn't that why the bastard hated him? Because he was useless to him? Because he'd only dragged the family down? Shit. The hell was he supposed to do? Lie to Usopp?
"That's not..." he started again, "That's.."
Usopp didn't say anything, slumping down onto the ground. Sanji stared for several beats, then copied him, pulling his knees into his chest and lighting a cigarette. The smell of tobacco wafting to his nose didn't do much for his mood.
Why did everything always have to go wrong?
"Hey!"
It'd barely been a day, and yet...
"Lis'sen up!"
Robin, Usopp, even the Merry...
"I'm here to kidnap you!"
Everybody had—wait, what?
For the first time, he noticed a shadow bearing down on him from the railing of the Merry, as did Usopp, considering how fast he scurried backward. When he reached Sanji's shoulder, he miraculously gained an awful lot of confidence, jabbing his hammer at the guy.
"Hey, get off of the Merry, or else he'll kick your ass!" he yelled with a gesture to Sanji.
"Oh? That so?" With a smirk, the guy flipped his sunglasses up in an exaggerated motion that reminded him of Ichiji.
"You heard the guy," Sanji snapped, temper spiking, "Get the hell off of there!"
"Sure thing," he replied, stepping off the ship and landing several feet away.
Two figures followed, landing behind him in ridiculous poses. He was so distracted by their box-shaped hair, he barely registered when the guy cracked his knuckles.
"Hey, there, longnose. I'm here to beat the hell outta ya again. And your friend too."
Sanji tipped his head, acknowledging. "Oh?"
"This actually makes things super convenient for me," his smirk widened, "If I just beat the both of you up and take one of ya, the guy I leave behind can do the honors of relaying my message to the rest of your pals, right?"
Sanji didn't appreciate the assumption he could beat either of them. Then again, now that he got a better look at him, this was Franky, wasn't it? Leader of the Franky Family. That meant he was the bastard who pummeled Usopp and took the Strawhat's Berry.
Drawing a knife, he reflected, it would be fine if he killed this one. Wouldn't it? He'd caused them an awful lot of trouble, so he didn't see why Luffy would mind. Probably wanted to kick the guy's ass himself. Yeah. It should be fine.
"Strong right!" Franky yelled, literally shooting his fist at Sanji, a chain linking it to his elbow.
A cyborg? Those existed!?
Sanji jumped to the side, narrowly dodging, then slung a knife at the girl to Franky's left. She moved her head out of the way, arms tucked over her chest.
"Ha! I wouldn't do that if I were you! The last time someone attacked us, Big bro went on a rampage!"
"Why you—!" On cue, Franky drew his weird as hell hand back, reattaching it then popping his knuckles open. "Don't you dare attack Kiwi and Mozu!"
Gunfire lit up the spot Sanji had been standing, one scraping his cheek as he darted to the side, another his shoulder. Probably would've been worse, if a hammer hadn't smacked into Franky's jaw, a loud THUNK resounding over the clearing. For a moment, everyone simply stared, Franky with his head still tipped to the side, Sanji with his mouth hanging open. Even Usopp looked horrified, expression mirroring Kiwi and Mozu's until their gazes shifted to him.
"Y-Yeah!" he shouted, jabbing a thumb at himself, "A-And there's more where that came from!"
Franky glared at him.
Usopp vanished from sight, reappearing behind a rock about a yard away. "I'm sorry!"
How in the hell—? Ah, screw it, he didn't have time to rationalize that out.
Darting forward, he planted a hand on the ground, throwing his weight into a kick aimed for Franky's head. Instead of ducking, Franky blocked with his arm, sending bolts of pain up Sanji's ankle, along with another loud clang.
"Shi—"
Franky brought his free hand down on him, smashing into his stomach without an ounce of restraint. Reminded him of his brother's punches. He'd forgotten how bad that hurt.
He crashed into the dirt, ribs creaking painfully, hell, probably cracking. He didn't have a chance to recover before a foot slammed into his side, sending him skidding away.
"Ah! Sanji!"
Distantly, he noted Franky calling for something. Then, his body crashed into a rock and everything went black.
(64)
When he woke up, it was to a ruddy fabric inches from his face and an ache in his ribs. Shifting, his fingers dug into it, pushing his tired body to his knees. A couch? But, where—
"Ah, so you're up already, huh?"
Sanji flinched, fingers flying for the knives stashed in his shirt only to find it gone, replaced with a layer of bandages trailing all the way from his neck to his waist. The hell!?
"Welcome to the Franky Families super secret hideout!"
Chin snapping up, he locked eyes with Franky, who was sitting on the couch two cushions away, a bottle of cola in his hand and a knee slung over the other. Damn bastard was underestimating him! Sanji was about to wipe that smug grin off his face when a familiar voice stopped him.
"Hey! Sanji!"
He followed it, locating Usopp by the... Merry? How had the Merry gotten inside—? No, nevermind, he didn't want to know. At least, Usopp was alive. That was something.
"You okay!?"
"Yeah," Sanji muttered with a glare at Franky. "And you?"
"What? Me!? Of course, I'm fine!"
Sanji refused to allow himself relief, scooting away until his back was pressed against the armrest.
"You should show us a little more appreciation," Franky said, though he didn't sound bothered, "If it wasn't for your pal over there, I would've left you to be swallowed up by Aqua Laguna."
"'Aqua Laguna?'" It was that time of year already?
"Yeah, that's right. I was gonna ditch you in an alleyway in town or something, but he wouldn't shut up about it, so I just kidnapped ya as well."
Sanji stared uncomprehendingly. How had this moron beaten him?
"Anyways, you have Mozu to thank for those bandages there. You know, the girl you chucked a knife at." he said, rubbing his metallic nose with a freakishly large thumb, "Eh, but we've already forgiven you for that. You're buddy told us all about it..."
Sanji narrowed his eyes. Told him? Told him what?
A sniffle and with a jolt, Sanji realized the guy was sobbing.
"He told me all about how your father beats you! I'm so sorry for hitting you back there! UWAAH!"
His father!? Did he mean the bastard!? As shitty as he was, he hadn't hit him! Why in the—
Behind Franky, Sanji noticed Usopp flash him a thumbs up, an almost triumphant gleam to him. He didn't...
Out of nowhere, the woman from earlier popped up, also sobbing loudly.
"It's completely understandable for you to be so on edge all the time!"
"We're so sorry! You poor thing!"
...That bastard.
"Wait. No. Stop crying." Sanji said, mind clicking off.
Thankfully, this time it actually worked, Franky dabbing his eyes with a hanky. "Shut up, you jerk! I'm not crying!"
"And neither are we!" The girls wailed in sync.
Sanji didn't know how to deal with this.
(65)
It was official, he hated those CP9 bastards. He'd left for only a minute to get his stuff, and yet, by the time he'd gotten back, they were having some kind of standoff by the Merry. Not wasting a second, Sanji ducked behind the corner, reigning in his breathing and crouching low.
Lots of names were being tossed around out there, Cutty Flam, some Tom guy, something about Icecube, then Franky got pissed and presumably taken down.
Peeking, he confirmed his suspicion, studying the hot blonde towering over him, some kind of barbed wire in her hands. It'd taken her no less than an instant. Sanji didn't like that. He doubted she was the strongest of the bunch, either. No way he could take them down on his own.
His gaze drifted to Usopp, who was shaking like a leaf, hand clutching something. Wait. What was he...?
Gritting his teeth, Usopp's arms shot up, slingshot posed as though to fire. "Hey, hold on just a sec! Let him go!"
No! That moron!
Resisting the urge to yank his hair out, he ducked behind his cover again, forcing his itching legs to remain in place. If he went out there, he'd get himself caught too! Several thuds, a yell, the sound of rushing water, and when he looked again, the Merry was being thrown down a waterfall-like current, vanishing out of sight to the sound of Usopp's pained screams. Shit.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed himself against the wall, wanting to light a cigarette, knowing if he did, the smell could give him away. He needed to get out of here. They were professionals, if he hung around much longer, he'd be spotted for sure, and tailing them was out of the question.
It's not like he needed to anyways. He didn't understand why they were taking Usopp, but from how they were talking, it sounded like they intended to leave Water Seven, and as of now, there was only one way out. If he beat them there and stowed away on the sea train...
Yeah, then he could sneak Usopp—and Franky if he's feeling generous—into one of the railcars and detach it. If he could think of some way to contact the others, some way to tell them what was happening...
Slowly, he lowered a hand into his pocket, pulling it out with a certain Den Den Mushi clasped within it. This was a risky move. If Nami didn't find it, he could lose his only link to Germa.
No, he couldn't think about that. Nami knew what it looked like, knew it was important, and if Sanji had learned anything after spending time with them, it was that Luffy never abandoned his crew. Trusted them unconditionally. He wouldn't take Robin's betrayal lying down, would probably go after her demanding answers.
And if Robin wanted to get out of town before the storm hit...
They were all heading to the same place. Whether they'd make it in time, he had no clue, so for now, all he could do was leave a way to contact them behind and hope for the best.
(66)
Nami did find it, in the end. He never should've doubted her, not even for a moment! She was so amazing and wonderful! He swooned at the sound of her voice, not caring that he was currently on top of a moving train, a certain pair of morons not far behind. Even when she yelled at him to get serious, he wasn't bothered. It wasn't until she mentioned Robin that he sobered, and when she told him about the deal Robin had made, he felt like he'd been punched in the gut by Franky again.
"She sacrificed herself for you guys?" he murmured, the words feeling foreign. "Why would she...?"
"Isn't that great!?" Nami exhaled, relief flowing from the transceiver in waves. "She didn't betray us, after all!" A brief pause and he could almost imagine her holding up a fist. "Now, all we have to do is get her back from those guys!"
"'Get her back?'" Sanji echoed numbly, "You want to..?"
"Of course, Robin's our friend!" she insisted, reminding him of Luffy. "We're the Strawhat Pirates! We never abandon our comrades!"
"H-Hold on!" palms slick with either rain or sweat, he drew the transceiver closer. "This is the World Government we're up against! This isn't just some opposing army, if you piss them off then it's not just them you'll be up against, but the entire world!"
"So what?"
Now, it was Luffy, the Den Den Mushi imitating a serious scowl. Sanji reeled back.
"World Government? Entire world?" A scoff and his voice grew louder, "I don't give a crap about any of that! Robin is my crewmate!"
Around him, time seemed to slow, rain hitting the train at such a rate, it was almost as excruciating as the heart slamming against his bruised ribs. Just like when they'd met, Luffy wasn't boasting nor was he trying to prove himself. He claimed Robin as though it was a simple truth. Robin, along with the rest of the crew were his, end of question. In the face of such unwavering confidence, what could he even say?
"Sanji," Luffy murmured, "Robin's your friend, isn't she?"
Sanji opened his mouth, stopped, mulled it over. Remembered her reading on the deck with a soft smile, lounging in his latest hideout like she belonged there, teasing him when he'd demanded how she'd found him, ruffling his hair, always trying his cooking. "Yeah," he answered, barely aware he was speaking. "I wanna save her."
Luffy's tone softened, "Then do it. Honestly, Sanji, you can be so dumb sometimes."
Franky was sobbing, but Sanji hardly heard him, grip tightening on the transceiver to such an extent, he was practically breaking through it.
"Yeah," he agreed, words coming out choked. "I'll definitely bring her back."
A toothy grin spread across the Den Den Mushi's face. "Good! Go, kick their asses!"
(67)
"What're you going to do?"
If Usopp heard he showed no sign, too busy staring holes into the train beneath them. Couldn't blame him. This toppled with the fact he'd been rescued again would do a number on anyone. Sanji had known this would likely be the outcome. Hadn't cared at the time, nor did he now. Hurt pride was better than being thrown in Impel Down, or wherever the hell else CP9 had planned on taking him.
"Such a touching story!" Franky continued to cry, strumming away at a guitar two sizes too small for him.
While he was talking to Luffy, Sanji had been able to ignore it, but it was seriously freaking him out, and he wished Franky would stop. He'd never met someone who cried this much.
"H-Hey..." Sanji tried, feebly outstretching a hand to him.
"I'm not crying! Shut up!" he said, tone thick and raw from all the crying he was most definitely doing. "I've made up my mind!" He sniffed, far too loudly, "I, Franky, head of the Franky Family will lend you all a hand!"
Sanji tuned him out right as he started rambling on about Robin getting caught being problematic for him as well, more concerned over Usopp, who was staggering to the drop between two railcars.
"I'm not going," he spoke softly, and yet, his voice easily carried despite the storm raging around them. "I wanna save her too but... I already left the crew! I'm not like you. I can't just go back after everything I said!"
"What do you—" Franky started, but Sanji cut him off.
"Leave him be."
"Wha—!? Jeez, talk about stuck up."
Not a minute later, the 'mysterious Sniper King' made his appearance, theme song and all. It was completely ridiculous, annoying, embarrassing as hell, and yet...
"Hey Sniper King, think you could get me a mask as well?"
After all, he didn't want the World Government to see his face.
(68)
To say the rescue attempt went bad was an understatement. Not only had Robin recognized them both instantly, the fact he'd been there had made her angrier for some reason. She refused to escape with them, left with CP9 of her own will, hurt Usopp. He didn't understand. Not until door guy hung back long enough to explain what a Buster Call was.
Sanji was furious. Getting angry for someone else, this was a first for him, and to be frank, he'd never been this worked up over anything before. Not even when he'd accepted the bastard intended to leave him in that cell to rot. Using Robin's greatest fear against her... No, could he really say he was mad for her sake? This situation was far too similar to his and the bastard's deal. Then again, the bastard didn't care enough to come after him as long as he laid low, but with Robin...
Sanji punched the thing closest to him, which happened to be the wall. A loud creak, his fist burying several inches into metal, he reiterated; he wasn't just mad, no, he wanted to kill every single one of CP9! She hadn't done anything wrong!
He stayed that way for a while, pacing, cursing, lighting a cigarette only to abandon it. Usopp wisely kept his distance, Franky, on the other hand, had already tried to calm him numerous times. It wouldn't work. He knew it wouldn't. Even after Luffy showed up with the others, the anxious energy building up remained, though he tried harder to reel it in. Save it for the first CP9 scumbag he got his hands on.
"WOAH!" Luffy was yelling, him and Chopper practically glowing. "A REAL HERO!"
Sanji wished he was surprised.
"I knew right when I saw his cape!"
"Wearing a cape means he's a hero!? That's so cool!"
In sync, their awed gazes swiveled to him.
"He doesn't have a cape, but he has a mask," Chopper exclaimed, "Does that mean he's a hero too!?"
"Hah, of course, it does!" Usopp yelled far louder than necessary, jabbing a thumb at him. "This, young friends, is my sidekick! Knife guy!"
Sanji promptly planted his knee in Usopp's gut. Usopp crumpled.
Luffy gasped, "Knife guy!?"
"SO AWESOME!"
"No, it's just me," he said, "Sanji."
"Sanji!?"
"Why didn't you tell us you were a hero's sidekick!?"
"Wow! That's even cooler!"
Behind his mask, he could feel his cheeks heating up. This was too much.
Zoro planted a hand on his shoulder. "Nice to meet you," a smirk, "Knife guy."
"Shut up!"
"So, what exactly happened here?" Nami asked, changing the subject.
Ah, she was so glorious—
Her serious expression became shadowed, "Knife guy."
Betrayal! He slumped onto the floor, depression hanging over him like a cloud. "Nami... why..."
Luffy laughed and Sanji, despite knowing he had no idea what the joke was, wanted to deck him. This wasn't fair!
(69)
Although he hated the mask, he stood proud alongside the crew, unrepentant even as Robin yelled at them, pleaded with Sanji to stop them, as Usopp shot the World Government's flag down. He didn't understand what he'd been so afraid of. Robin, seemed to be having a similar thought, tears racing down her cheeks as she finally declared what she'd wanted all along.
"I want to live!"
(70)
He made quick work of the blonde woman, then of the wolf. By the time he'd reunited with Robin, things had gotten worse, battleships surrounding them, marines charging, Luffy fighting somewhere by himself. He didn't get a chance to speak with her until it was over, ships sinking in the whirlpool courtesy of him closing the gate, that annoying weasel getting what had to be the fiercest clutch Robin had ever delivered. Sanji had seen a lot of violence in his life, and he still cringed. Hoped he was never on the receiving end of that.
After things settled down, she was the one to approach him, sliding off his mask and planting a kiss on his forehead. If that had been Nami, surely he would've deteriorated into a whirlwind of hearts, but seeing as it was Robin, he cringed harder than before. It was like being kissed by his sister!
She pulled away with a loud, hearty, laugh at the horrified expression on his face.
Nice to know nothing had changed between them.
(71)
Usopp was being stubborn, and it was bugging the hell out of him. After returning to Water Seven, Sanji wasn't content to leave things as they were, so he'd spent the past two days gravitating between Usopp and the rest of the crew, trying to convince Usopp to forget about his pride for once. This was getting ridiculous. As if that wasn't bad enough, after another botched attempt, he'd returned to the Galley-La Company only to find it swarmed by marines and a giant hole in the wall. Not a good sign. Yet, strangely enough, there were no sounds of fighting. Had they been ambushed that badly?
Ducking behind the fence, he trailed around to the back of the building, hopping over with ease, then sticking to the sides. Stopped outside the dining room's window, where two figures were already crouched and wait a second—
"Usopp!?"
Usopp jumped about a foot in the air, whirling around and frantically shushing him. The frog merely tipped its head to the side.
"I thought you weren't going to apologize."
"Ah, uh, I'm not! Besides, there's more important matters at hand right now!"
"Riiiight," he said, creeping closer, "Let me guess, you figured they'd accept you back if you busted in there by yourself and played the hero."
The look on Usopp's face told him he'd hit it right on the mark.
Rolling his eyes, he stopped by the window Usopp was peering through. "So what's the situation inside?"
"I'm not completely sure," he hummed, finally snapping out of it, "But apparently, that marine is Luffy's grandfather."
"What!?" Sanji blurted out, resulting in the frog and Usopp slapping a hand over his mouth.
"SHHH! Shush, shush, shush!"
What the hell!? His grandfather was a marine!? Wait, wasn't that...
Jerking away, he shouted, "GARP!?"
Usopp tackled him in another bout of frantic shushing. "They'll hear you, moron! Be more quiet!"
"But Garp—" he rambled, voice muffled by his Usopp's palm, "Luffy—"
"I know, I know, it's insane! To think his grandfather would be a marine hero."
Usopp let him up when he'd calmed down a little. Well, more like, when he'd fallen into a stunned silence. With a final shush, he scooted to the window again, peeking inside.
"They were saying something pretty strange right before you showed up."
Sanji couldn't imagine what could be stranger than this, yet, crawled closer anyways, joining Usopp.
"What? So he didn't tell you?" The geezer was saying, a finger shoved up his nose.
Yeah. That was definitely Luffy's grandfather.
"Your father told me he saw you off at Loguetown."
"Luffy's father?" Sanji mumbled beneath his breath. "In Loguetown?"
That was a crazy coincidence. Wonder what he'd been up to there?
"My father!?" Luffy said, seeming every bit as shocked as they were. "W-What's he like!?"
"Huh? Ah, your father's name is Monkey D. Dragon, he's a revolutionary."
Beside him, Usopp yelled and fell over. As to what he'd been screaming, Sanji had no idea. His hearing had gone out.
He'd misunderstood. He must've. Luffy's father—
His—
No. No way.
That—
This was—
Barely aware he was moving at all, Sanji stood, legs swaying, pulse hammering in his ears. He took a step closer, staggered, took several back, then, without a word of explanation, turned and bolted.
"Ah!? Sanji!"
Sanji didn't answer, shoving his way through the crowd of marines and out the gate. As he ran, his hand slid into his pocket, fingers clamping around the shell of his Den Den Mushi, yanking it out. He skidded to a stop at the coastline, drew his arm back, ready to chuck the damned thing into the ocean and be done with it for good. Heart sped up until it was all he could hear, all he knew, arm began shaking.
'Sanji, from today forth, I'll allow you to leave this cellar,' a voice echoed in his brain, 'But there'll be conditions.'
The muscles in his arm screamed.
'From here on out, you'll do whatever I say,'
He couldn't breathe.
'Carry out any mission given to you,'
Just throw it!
'But don't get the wrong idea,'
Sanji's knees buckled, Den Den Mushi clattering uselessly onto the ground at his side.
'I don't consider you my child. You're the one thing in this world I'm ashamed of.'
His eyes felt hot. Really hot. The heat trickled down his cheeks, falling from his chin, and it was only when drops of water smacked the dirt by his hands that he realized he was crying.
"This is... too much! Damn it!"
(72)
Sanji felt empty. He didn't return that night, nor the next, the weight in his pocket heavier than it'd ever been. Didn't bother Usopp, didn't check on Luffy, didn't seek out Robin. Just wanted to be left alone. He'd thought it over. A bit. His mission. He was still going to do it. Stopping was impossible. He couldn't do that. He... If he... If he stuck with Luffy, Dragon would show up eventually, wouldn't he? When he thought of it like that, he was able to return, albeit, he kept to himself. Didn't answer where he'd been. Didn't talk. Not when Zoro started hassling him, not when Chopper asked if he was okay.
He hated this. Didn't want to be here. Couldn't even look at Luffy.
When he was shown a bounty poster titled 'Knife Guy,' he barely reacted, only taking it from Nami's hands and wondering why life hated him. It seemed like no matter what he did, no matter how much he tried, everything always blew up in his face. He was tired. Should stop thinking.
Kept up that mentality through the Florian Triangle, to Sabaody, to the Auction House. Killed Absalom, killed anybody who got in his way, really, resulting in several one-sided arguments between him and Zoro—one-sided meaning he sat in silence while the guy yelled at him. Demanded what had gotten into him, as if Zoro himself gave a shit about taking lives. But, this was how he'd always been, wasn't it? It was only around them he'd started acting strangely.
Ah. Whatever. He wished Dragon would show up already.
(73)
Sanji stared at the newspaper blankly, at the tattoo on Luffy's shoulder. Three 'D' crossed out, then two 'Y.' Three days, two years. Huh.
"Well!?" Iva demanded for what had to be the hundredth time, shoving the poster of 'Knife Guy' in his face. "Are you this guy or are you not?"
Sanji recoiled in disgust. Nowadays, that horrid abomination was the only thing capable of spurring a reaction out of him. Despite this, he forced himself to look at it before lowering his gaze to the piece of Vivre Card rustling on his palm.
.
.
.
"Isn't there anything you want?" Nami asked, "Like a dream, or a goal."
.
.
"So, why don't you help out the next person you come across?" Vivi spoke with a soft smile, "Then the one after that and so on. Then the next time we meet, you won't have such a brooding look on your face. Only then will I consider forgiving you."
.
.
.
Sorry, Nami, Vivi. In the end, he—
"No," Sanji answered, "I'm not."
Dropping the Vivre card onto the ground, he turned and walked away, Iva's stunned gaze searing into his back the entire time.
—was just too much of a lost cause.
(74)
When the meetup date finally rolled around, Sanji didn't show up.