As you may have realized by now, I'm an idiot.

When I was describing the seven living in the cottage, I completely forgot to mention Sabo's scar.
In any case, I went back and added it to chapter 4.

Vivi, Chopper, Luffy, and Usopp were awoken by the sound of the front door opening. The sun had set and the others had returned.

"Heigh-hum, heigh-hum, it's home from work we've come!" Brook called.

"Welcome back," Vivi and Chopper called as Luffy and Usopp sat up attentively.

"We brought beer from the market," Robin said from the entryway. "We can have it with dinner."

"Dinner," Luffy murmured, his stomach growling.

"I think I'll pass," Vivi said quietly. "I'm not good at handling alcohol," she added to Luffy and Usopp.

"Who's cooking tonight?" Chopper called. He sniffed the air and frowned. "Um . . . which one of you is all dirty?"

"It's my turn," Franky said. "And we brought someone with us who really needs a bath."

At this, the four curiously left the living room and came to the entryway to investigate. While Vivi and Chopper looked surprised and nervous (both quietly hid around the corner, Chopper's head behind the wall and his body sticking out), Luffy and Usopp gasped.

Sanji stood with his wrist held firmly in Sabo's hand. His eyes were darting around as if he was trying to figure out where he was. He didn't seem to notice Luffy and Usopp.

"Sanji!" Luffy cried.

"This is Herr Sanji?" Ace asked in surprise. "He's not usually like this, is he?"

"Like what?" Luffy asked. He looked at Sanji and frowned. "Hey, Sanji? Are you okay?"

"Apparently he's gone deaf and blind," Robin said. "I'm not entirely sure he can speak, either, but with his hearing gone, it probably makes no difference to him."

Luffy's eyes slowly traveled up Sanji, taking in his filthy appearance, his darting, unseeing eyes, and his air of nervousness.

He pressed his lips together and reached a hand up to Sanji's face, touching the side. Sanji froze and grabbed at the unknown hand, pulling it off and backing away directly into Franky. Sanji whipped around and turned his head this way and that as if searching for a way out.

Luffy grabbed Sanji's wrists and turned him around to face him. Sanji's eyes were wide with panic.

"What did she do to you?" Luffy whispered.

No response, of course, but without any apparent danger, the panic faded some from Sanji's face.

"She?" Robin murmured. "You don't mean Königin Nami?"

"Sanji was sent to kill me, but he didn't," Luffy said slowly, searching Sanji's face for some light of recognition. "Stepmother must have been furious, and she can use magic, so . . ."

"That's awful," Sabo said sympathetically. "But . . . are you fine with this, Prinz Luffy? If he was sent to kill you . . ."

"He didn't want to kill me in the first place," Luffy said. "And even if he wanted to finish the job, I don't think he knows who I am."

Usopp cleared his throat and tapped Luffy's shoulder. He gestured to Sanji, and then himself.

"You want to try," Luffy said, making sure it wasn't a question. "Okay."

He stepped aside and now Usopp took one of Sanji's hands in his own. He brought the hand up to his face slowly and, once he'd made it clear that it was a face Sanji was feeling, brought the hand to his nose. Sanji's hand felt up and down the protruding feature—and suddenly a light of recognition lit in his unseeing eyes. He smiled in relief and mouthed, Usopp . . .

"Oh, he recognizes you," Luffy said in delight.

"That nose is pretty unique," Franky remarked.

"You're one to talk," Ace said, nudging him. "Hey, Prinz Luffy, Herr Usopp . . ."

They looked up. Usopp kept a reassuring grip on Sanji's wrist.

"If you two—" Ace looked at Vivi and Chopper. "And you two—" he looked back at Luffy and Usopp. "Are okay with it, we might need to let Herr Sanji stay here for some time."

The four in question nodded.

"So, first off, he needs a bath," Ace continued. "I and someone else can take him to the river and get him clean. We've got fresh undergarments that he can wear. After that he should probably have something to eat."

Luffy and Usopp nodded in agreement. "I'll go with you for the bath," Luffy volunteered. "Sanji's helped me out so many times and I want to return it. Besides, I need a bath, too."

Usopp pointed to himself and mimed the sun rising.

"'I'll take a bath tomorrow morning,' he says," Luffy translated. Usopp nodded.

"Right then," Franky said, clapping his hands together with a metallic clink. "I'll start cooking up dinner, you two can take care of Herr Sanji . . . and Chopper, can you check him over when they're back?"

"Of course," Chopper said, eyeing Sanji as he stepped out from around the corner with Vivi.

Usopp gave Sanji's hands to Luffy and Ace, who tugged and led Sanji out the front door. The night was cool, but warmer than the previous one, thanks to the lack of rain.

"With all respect, mein Prinz, it's time to strip," Ace said, taking off his shirt and pants and leaving him in nothing but drawers. Luffy cheerfully did the same and they both helped Sanji get off his clothes. Though he resisted at first, Luffy made him kneel and feel the river to show him that it was time for a bath. After this he was more compliant.

They slowly led Sanji into the river and all three shivered. The water was warmer where Ace was and they stood near him.

As they began rinsing out the dirt from Sanji's matted hair, Luffy's eyes were drawn to something on Ace's chest. His eyes widened.

"What happened?" he asked in awe.

A large, pink, and shiny scar was in the middle of Ace's torso. Ace was quiet at first, but briefly turned, and Luffy saw an identical mark on his back. It was as if someone had blasted a cannonball through him.

"It's a long story," Ace murmured, concentrating on a spot of dirt on Sanji's left shoulder. "Sabo and I . . . we were in a big fight a long time ago. We barely got away with just our scars."

Luffy remembered the scar covering nearly the whole left half of Sabo's face, and the clouded eye . . .

"I don't want to talk about it," Ace said abruptly. "Forgive me if that's rude."

"No, it's okay," Luffy said quickly. "I understand."

Ace grinned and they kept at their work in silence—until Luffy brought up a handful of water and splashed Ace's face.

Dripping with water now, Ace glowered at Luffy, who was laughing at his expression. Ace grinned mischievously and brought up a handful, splashing it into Luffy's face.

This started a splashing war between the two, filled with childish giggles and whoops. After some time they remembered their task and got out of the river, leading Sanji out with them, and got their clothes back on.

When they came back to the cottage, they found that Robin (it had to have been Robin) had laid out the fresh clothes. They helped Sanji into these and Ace placed his palms on Sanji, slowly running them down his body to heat him up. Sanji sighed as the cold river water burned off of him, leaving him clean and dry.

Dinner was just as good as lunch and breakfast had been. Usopp helped Sanji eat, and Sanji seemed to enjoy it as well.

After the meal was over, the ten retreated to the living room. Ace and Sabo lit up the fireplace with a whoomph and a crackling of the flames. Luffy made sure Sanji was comfortable by the fireside as Chopper gave him a checkup. Sanji squirmed, but Luffy gently held him down.

The flames licked up the logs and the light danced, reflecting off of everyone's eyes, giving an odd glowing effect to the whites.

"I should chop up more firewood soon," Franky murmured, breaking the calm.

"Oh, everyone . . ." Luffy straightened his posture and bowed from where he sat. "Thank you so much for bringing Sanji here, and taking care of him like this . . . I don't know what would have happened to him without you." He straightened back up.

"It's no trouble," Brook said reassuringly. "He was already being taken care of, but that man asked us to take him off his hands and bring him to a doctor."

Chopper finished checking Sanji over and sat back down.

"That reminds me," Robin said. "Prinz Luffy, Herr Sanji was with a peasant when we found them, but the peasant seemed to know him. I don't suppose you know any peasants . . . ?"

"A peasant . . . who knows Sanji?" Luffy murmured. He looked at her. "Don't tell me . . . what color was his hair?"

"Why, green," Robin said.

Luffy's eyes widened and he gasped loud enough to make Chopper and Vivi jump. "But—that's Zoro! That must have been Zoro!"

"Zoro?" Sabo asked curiously.

"He was a weirdo, if you ask me," Franky said, rubbing his chin. "He was following his own footsteps in circles."

"That's definitely Zoro," Luffy said, grinning from ear to ear now. "Oh, I'm so glad he's okay!"

After some happy bouncing where he sat, he explained the situation.

"That's so sweet," Robin said, smiling.

"I want to go out and look for him," Luffy said. He jumped up. "I'll go right now!"

"You're joking," Brook exclaimed. "It's far too late, mein Prinz! The sun has long set, and even if Frau Vivi accompanied you with her lights, it's very easy to get lost in these woods if you don't know where you're going!"

Luffy slowly sat back down, sagging into the couch. "But . . . Zoro . . ."

"We promise we'll keep an eye out for him," Ace offered. "We go through those woods every day on our way to and from work. If we see him, we'll tell him you want to talk to him."

Luffy grinned. "Oh, would you? Thank you so much!"

Usopp cleared his throat. "By the by, where is it you work? Is one a blacksmith and another a clerk?"

"Close," Sabo admitted. "Ace and I work with Franky . . ."

"And I'm a toymaker," Franky completed. "Little windup things. I could make fifty a day."

"We light the fires," Ace explained.

"I work as an assistant in a bookstore," Robin said. She chuckled. "When my boss found out about my anatomy, she only said, 'Well, more arms means you can work twice as fast.'"

"I cover up my bones and perform with the local theater troupe," Brook said cheerfully. "I'd like to think I'm quite popular."

"You are," Sabo said.

Chopper cleared his throat. "A-hem! After examining Herr Sanji, I've concluded that he is indeed deaf, blind, and mute. Like Prinz Luffy said, it must have been a curse, since there's no sign of injury and his senses were fine a few days ago—right?" he asked, glancing at Luffy.

"Right," Luffy said, nodding.

"And there you have it," Chopper concluded.

Ace grinned. "You're a great doctor. Thanks, Chopper."

Chopper grinned. "Your compliment doesn't make me happy at all!" He yawned. "You bastard . . ."

"I think that's our cue for bedtime," Robin said gently, noticing that Vivi was also yawning and Sanji was struggling to keep his eyes open.

Everyone stood and headed upstairs after putting out the fire. Luffy helped Sanji into bed and got him under the covers. Sanji quickly fell asleep—he must have been worn out from the events of the past two days.

"Next time I see her, I'll punch her, I don't care what she says," Luffy muttered under his breath. As Franky powered himself down, Luffy climbed into bed and fell asleep with the others, leaving the house dark and quiet as a shadow.

Starting next week we'll be updating on Tuesdays!