Sanji fell asleep on the drive back into town. He awoke when the car came to a stop and the hum of the engine cut off. But he didn't move or open his eyes, wishing to stay asleep for a little longer.

"He gonna be okay?" he heard Shoujou's voice ask quietly.

"He'll be fine," Nami spoke from beside him. "Sorry, he hasn't been getting much sleep lately…"

"That why he passed out?" asked Masira through a jingle of keys.

Shoujou snorted. "Kids these day. Too much internet and not enough out doors or sleep."

"You know we shouldn't have taken him hiking if he wasn't a hundred percent."

"I know, I'm sorry," replied Nami. "But we really need to find out everything we can about Zoro… They were close, you know. Almost like brothers…"

Silence drew out in the car. Sanji resisted the urge to smile. Next to Usopp, Nami was pretty crafty with her lies, and hers were a lot more believable too. Shoujou sighed and Sanji heard a door pop open.

"Alright, but the kid should really rest," said Shoujou. "You don't want this kind of thing happening again. He could've died back there."

"Which is exactly why I don't want to wake him up now," said Nami. "Is it alright if we leave him the car until he wakes up? God knows he needs it."

No reply, but Sanji heard another door click open.

"We'll be in the café," said Masira. "Come inside when you're ready."

"Thanks."

Sanji waited for the doors to shut before he opened his eyes. He was leaning on the window, glancing out at quiet road outside of the café. The sun was already on its way to the horizon, the sky turning a golden colour after it.

He yawned, stretching his stiff muscles and rubbing his eyes.

"Ah, sorry. Did they wake you?" said Nami.

Sanji shook his head. "Was already awake," he spoke, his voice coming out groggy and the back of his mouth was dry.

"How are you feeling?"

He took the time to actually think over this. Truth was, his body just ached and pined for sleep more after his short nap. But he smiled at her.

"I'm better, thanks."

They were quiet after that, watching Masira and Shoujou converse with the barista in the café. They could almost hear their loud laughter from the car.

"Sanji," Nami began. "What happened up on the cliff… Was it Zoro's spectre again?"

Sanji glanced. "You saw him?"

She shook her head. "I didn't see anything. One minute, you were walking along the edge of the cliff, the next you were teetering off the edge. God, I can't even… I'm just glad Masira got to you in time."

Sanji winced as she ran a hand over her hair, a worried frown still plastered on her face.

"Sorry," he apologized meekly. "I didn't mean to make you worry…"

"What the hell happened?"

Sanji fell quiet as he tried to recall the spectres he'd seen. But the longer he didn't answer the more worried Nami looked and all Sanji wanted to do was wipe the fear from her face.

"I saw something," he answered, frowning as he tried to make sense of the memories himself. "I… can't really explain it… They were like spectres, but- I don't know."

"You said Zoro appeared to you again," Nami prompted.

Sanji gave her a curt nod. "When I heard you yell, I turned around and he was right there, reaching for me."

He shuddered, folding his arms across his chest to fight of the unexpected chill that rendered through his skin.

Nami's frown deepened. "Wait... Don't… Don't tell me pushed you…"

Sanji didn't answer, and her jaw dropped in horror.

"He led you to the edge of the cliff and pushed you?" she exclaimed.

Sanji frantically shook his head.

"No, no. It's not that… It can't be. It was more like…"

His voice trailed off as the vision came back to him. The car. The three shapes. Those voices. The body that was flung off the cliff.

He felt a lump in his pocket, and reached in to pull out the earring, holding the glimmering object in the palm of his hand. He remembered seeing it fall from the spectres as they moved to the cliff edge.

"I saw how it happened," said Sanji. "Zoro showed me how it happened. He didn't fight anyone on the cliff top, he was already passed out when they brought him there. They were trying to get rid of the body, so they threw him from the top of the cliff."

Sanji gave a short breath, feeling the satisfying click in his brain as the pieces moved into place in his mind. He glanced at Nami, but all she returned was a look of horror.

"He tried to kill you!" She said, her voice a shrill whisper.

"He showed me what happened."

"By pushing you off the edge of the cliff?"

"He didn't push me."

"You said he appeared when you turned around, and then reached for you. He pushed you!"

Sanji shook his head. "Why do you believe me anyway? For all you know, I could be making this shit up."

"And what, you jumped off the cliff by yourself instead?"

"I wouldn't do that," Sanji paused when he met Nami's stern glance. He faltered. Her eyes were welling up. Was she really that worried about him?

With a groan and a harsh sigh she left the car.

"I sure hope not," she grumbled, slamming the door shut after her.

Sanji scrambled to get out of the car after her.

"Nami!" he called out, catching her by the front of the car. "See, this is why I didn't want you involved. You're worrying about me."

"Of course I'm worried about you," she growled. "What do you think would've happened if Masira didn't catch you? And I was the one that got us to meet with these guys in the first place!"

Ah, she feels guilty, thought Sanji.

"Look, I'm fine now, aren't I?" he reassured her. "Zoro's not a threat to me. He wasn't trying to push me off the cliff, he was showing me what happened."

"Oh yeah, and what a coincidence that he appeared to you and made you stumble off the edge while he was doing so. I mean, couldn't he have just done all that without the whole cliff thing?"

Sanji shook his head. "It's not that simple. I wish it was, but it's not. I've already told you, communication is difficult between people and spectres."

He thought back to his mother back in their flat. The way she'd knock over his deodorant can to get his attention.

"Sometimes spectres have to resort to different methods to get their point across," he explained. The revelation of it only dawned on him now, but it all made sense. This was why strange things happened all the time. It was spectres trying to reach out to people who don't see.

Nami was still looking at him like he'd grown an extra head.

"Okay, you need a better way of communicating with these spectres," she said, making her way to the café entrance. "If they have to nearly kill you each time they try to talk to you, it's not worth risking your life for."

She entered the café, the door swinging shut behind her. Sanji stared at his reflection on the glass doors before him. Dark bags under his eyes, pale skin, stubble and frazzled hair. Sanji looked like shit. The bruises that had decorated his face after the fight were fading now, but that didn't help his appearance anymore. He really needed sleep.

"Séance."

Sanji paused half way through lifting a steaming mug of tea to his lips. He stared at Robin sat opposite him, glancing at him with a knowing smile and a mug of coffee held in her hands, resting against her crossed knees.

"I'm sorry?" he asked, blinking in confusion.

"A séance," Robin repeated herself. "You know, when people try to communicate with spirits."

Sanji frowned, wondering why she brought that up out of the blue. Then something clicked in his head and he glowered at his tea.

"Nami told you…"

"On the contrary, Nami hasn't told me anything," she said, and Sanji felt a bit of relief. He knew Nami wasn't one to gossip, but he felt guilty for jumping to conclusions anyway.

"It doesn't take a genius to know you're being 'haunted', Sanji."

He narrowed his eyes at Robin, who sipped her coffee innocently. She always had such an acute sense of intuition that Sanji wouldn't be surprised if she came out and said that she was a genuine telepath, or that she could see spectres too.

"Deteriorating health due to insomnia, it's clear you've got a heavy burden on your mind."

You have no idea, was what Sanji wanted to say. But he would die before he caught himself lacking manners around a lady.

"I'm sorry, but I really have no idea what any of that has to do with séances, Miss Robin."

"Clearly something isn't letting you sleep," said Robin. "And it's eating away at you from the inside. I have a friend who's known for her supernatural capabilities."

"Oh really?" Sanji couldn't help the sarcasm from slipping this time. He's met plenty of kooks before, all claiming to be 'seers' or psychics and mediums. More often that not, they were all just fakes.

Robin smiled and nodded.

"Sharley is very talented," she continued. "Not just a regular medium, she's also a person of intellect. I attended one of her séances last month. It was quite an interesting experience. She was reconnecting a gentleman with his uncle who had recently passed away, so that he could have proper closure."

Sanji snorted but disguised it under a cough. He really must be loosing it if he was acting rude in front of Robin.

"And did it work?" he questioned.

Robin nodded. "It was an emotional exchange. But he left the séance with a lighter heart."

Sanji grumbled, casting his glance around the café and sipping his tea. He heard Robin shuffle around in her handbag. She slipped a small card across the table towards him.

"We could turn it into a social event," she added. "Bring the others with us. Nami too."

Sanji snorted. No, he wasn't getting anyone else involved in his shit. He glanced at the plain white card on the table, reading the simple blue lettering printed across the top.

Madam Sharley.

"Think about it," said Robin, returning to her coffee. "Perhaps its all you need to get rid of these 'spirits' that are keeping you up at night."

Sanji stared at the card on the table. Like hell these séances actually worked. He knew it was hard to speak to spectres. It was an impassable gorge. But… That vision on the cliff top. Was that really Zoro giving him a hint? Had he gotten through to the spectre after all, and convinced him he was going to help? His phone vibrated in his pocket.

"Excuse me," he said, pulling it out and checking his messages.

It was Nami. He glanced up at Robin.

"Do you mind?"

She smiled and shook her head. Sanji opened up the message

'Hey, are you about? I'm with Luffy now and he's got some good stuff on the tournaments.'

Sanji tapped out a reply, before pocketing his phone and turning to Robin.

"I think I'm about to go meet up with Luffy and Nami. Care to join us?"

Robin hummed, pulling out a book from her bag.

"I think I'll sit here a bit longer," she replied, cracking open the heavy tome and slipping her purple bookmark to the back of the book.

Sanji nodded and downed his tea. "I'm sorry to leave you so abruptly, my dear."

She gave him a sincere smile. "Not at all. Oh, and Sanji."

Robin tapped at the card on the table. Sanji tried his best to hide his sigh. He supposed there was no harm in keeping the card, at least. He slipped it in his pocket before bidding his last flowery goodbyes to Robin and leaving he café.

Nami was hanging out at Luffy's place nearby. The Portgas brothers lived in an inner city flat above a store, and they shared the small space with three other people. Thankfully, all those people were in their twenties and out working for most of the day, just like Luffy's older brother.

Or so Sanji thought, until he entered the flat to find Ace passed out on the couch and Luffy and Nami sat on the floor in front of Luffy's banged up laptop.

"Sanji! You're here! Did you bring food?" Luffy greeted him loudly.

Sanji glanced from him, to Nami, to Ace snoring away on the couch.

"Um…"

Luffy waved a hand. "Oh, don't mind Ace. He's a heavy sleeper. Worked 'til late last night so he's not gonna be up any time soon."

Luffy sat back down on the floor, turning his laptop towards him. Sanji noticed a pile of unlabelled DVDs on the floor beside them. Luffy grabbed one a cracked it open.

Nami pulled on the sleeve of Sanji's jacket, gesturing for him to join them on the floor.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, once he sat down.

Sanji smiled. "Better now that I'm with the beautiful, Miss Nami."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, at least we know you're still a flirt, even when running on gear zero."

They watched as Luffy inserted a DVD into his laptop and waited for the slow thing to whir to life.

"You'll never guess what these are," said Nami, waving the empty case in the air.

"It's Luffy's porn stash, and we're about to delve into the fucked up mind of our glutinous friend's weird food fetish."

Nami gawked at him and Luffy burst out in raucous laughter at the statement.

"Ugh, you guys are disgusting."

"Ah, speaking of food," Luffy got up suddenly, clambering over the couch and his sleeping brother and dashing into the kitchen space. Ace merely groaned and turned over, snoring away, unaware.

Sanji turned back to the laptop now that the DVD player finally loaded. The screen blacked out, followed by the usual white text explaining copyright, then a circular logo spun unto the screen, accompanied by an 80's-esque rhythm.

"I was texting Luffy about this martial arts thing," Nami spoke over the intro. "He actually knows the guy who organizes the tournaments in the city."

"Yeah, Shanks is awesome!" Luffy appeared again, dumping bags of crisps and snacks on the floor in front of them. "He likes to come visit us sometimes, but he's out of the country at the moment. I have the key to his office though, so I took some DVDs."

"Took?" Sanji asked, raising a brow at the two of them. He had a sneaking suspicion Nami had some involvement in that.

Luffy shook his head, stuffing his face already. "Shanks doesn't mind. He says he doesn't know why they keep the records anyway."

"These clips are from last year's tournament," said Nami, clicking on one of the boxes. Two fighters began to spar on the screen. "I was thinking maybe we could find something about Zoro. Maybe even find his killer."

Sanji nodded, then he realised she's just gone out and openly explained what they were up to. He glanced over at Luffy, who was troffing a bag of crisps, before glancing over his shoulder at Ace still in deep sleep. Sanji supposed if there was anyone he and Nami could talk about their secret detective work around, it would be the clueless Portgas brothers.

Cheering erupted from the laptop and Sanji turned to see the fight was over.

"Go back to the menu screen again," he said.

Nami clicked on the screen. A still frame full of small squares flickered up. Sanji squinted at each still.

"That one," he said, pointing to a square that pictured two swordfighters. One of them had striking green hair.

The video played. Two men squared off, both decked in full Kendo gear. One of them wielded two bamboo swords. Even Luffy's snacking slowed, as the three of them watched the fierce exchange between the two fighters. Swords hitting swords in rapid clacking that echoed across the gym. People cheered as points racked up.

Everything happened so fast, Sanji couldn't even keep up with the blur of the bamboo swords that flew through the air. Soon, a bell dinged and the two fighters parted as the cheers and clapping sounded through the room.

'Winner: Zoro Roronoa' announced the referee, approaching the man with two swords. He stripped off his helmet, vibrant green hair sticking him out from the crowd. Zoro was smiling. He bowed to his opponent, then walked off screen.

"Wow, he's good," Luffy spoke through a mouthful of food.

"Is there anymore of him?" asked Sanji.

Nami clicked back to the main menu and selected another video. It was another sword fight, this time both fighters had two swords. After an exchange of blows, the fight was over. Zoro won again.

Nami flicked through several more videos, most of them sword fights, and all of those matches Zoro won.

"This guy's good," she voiced her thoughts. Sanji hummed and nodded.

He was completely captivated by it all. Zoro beat down all the others without even breaking a sweat. He didn't know much about sword fighting, or any martial art for that matter. But Sanji could see Zoro was strong, and trained to his utmost best. How the hell did a guy like him get jumped and ended up in a coma?

"Ah, I remember this guy."

Sanji startled and glanced over his shoulder to find Ace awake, leaning up on one arm and watching the video over their shoulders.

"Oh, yeah, you got to go to the tournament didn't you?" said Luffy, pouting. "No fair. I was in school."

Ace laughed and ruffled his brother's hair. "You win some you loose some."

Cheering interrupted him. Sanji turned to see the match finished, with Zoro winning again.

"This kid was crazy," said Ace. "Zoro, yeah, that was his name. Shanks kept calling he was a prodigy. Been training since he was little apparently. It shows. He beat all the other contenders, and they were all much older than him. Plus he's already developed his own technique. He gave a demo of it, you seen it yet?"

Sanji shook his head. Ace shoved Luffy with his foot, causing the younger Portgas brother to grumble and punch him in the shin.

"Show them the demos," he prompted, grabbing the bag of crisps from Luffy's arms and stuffing his face too.

Luffy frowned but quickly cracked open another DVD case and slotted it in after the other ejected. Nami flicked through the menu. At least the clips were labelled this time, and she clicked on one titled: 'Roronoa. Santoryu'

The clip played, showing a man in referee uniform talking to Zoro. They parted, the man reaching for his mic, while Zoro walked to the centre of the gym and knelt on the wooden floors. Three swords strapped onto the cloth belt around his waist.

'Zoro Roronoa, demonstrating his santoryu, three sword technique' announced the referee.

There was a short round of applause. Sanji watched as Zoro drew one sword, then another. The young man moved through a few forms with both swords, his movements fluid and precise. Then, taking a short bow, he bit one sword at the hilt, between his jaws, and pulled out a third sword.

"Woaah!" whispered Luffy, as all four of them watched on in awe.

Zoro performed a completely different set of movements, each one adapted to suit his three sword technique.

"Is… Is that even allowed?" asked Nami.

Ace chuckled. "Not in a fair fight, no. Since its not an accepted style yet. But they let him demonstrate it."

"That's so cool," Luffy added again.

Their words were a distant din in Sanji's mind. His eyes fully trailed on the video of Zoro, dancing fluidly, three blades circling him and glinting like steel petals in the wind.

He squinted. Something glinted from Zoro's ear at each movement, and as Sanji looked closer, he noticed three golden earrings jingling against each other along Zoro's left ear. He remembered the earring he discovered on the cliff top. Was that really Zoro's?

As soon as it began, Zoro's demonstration ended followed by a flurry of clapping. He sheathed all three swords and bowed before walking off shot.

'Zoro Roronoa, a student of Kuina Dojo, here at out very city.'

"Wait, pause it," said Sanji. Nami's hand shot out and the video stilled. "Go back a bit."

Nami rewound it to the part where Zoro sheathed his swords. They played through, with the refree picking up his mic again.

'Zoro Roronoa, a member of Kuina Dojo, here at out very city.'

"Kuina Dojo?" Sanji asked.

"Oh yeah," said Ace. "The kid actually lives in some dojo down south. Didn't even know we had dojos in Logue Town. Him and his mentor came all the way from Japan to build it."

"It's in the city?"

Ace shrugged. "I think so. Why, you thinking of taking up lessons, blondie?"

"I found it," said Nami. She'd closed the DVD player and opened up Google maps. A glowing blue line spread across a map on the screen, with a yellow pointer hopping up and down near the bottom.

That was quick.

"It's an hour's drive away," said Nami. "But it's just at Montplace. I can get there on my Waver."

Sanji glanced at the time on his phone. It was only three in the afternoon. He'd forgotten how many hours there were in the day now that he wasn't working them away at the Baratie.

"You thinking of going now?" asked Nami. "I could give you a ride."

"I wanna come to!" said Luffy.

Nami slapped him at the back of the head. "I can only carry one other person on the scooter, idiot."

Luffy pouted. "But I wanted to see the swordsman too…"

"Sorry, Luffy," said Sanji, getting up after Nami as they made their way to the door. "You're not gonna find him at the dojo."

"What? Really? How come?"

Sanji just shook his head. "Why don't you come over to the Baratie later?"

At that Luffy's face brightened like a child's on Christmas morning. "Really?"

Sanji laughed. "Yeah, sure. I'll see you later."

He ran down the steps after Nami, and they walked over to her scooter parked along the alley. She was checking the directions on her phone.

"You sure it's okay to promise Luffy food like that?" she asked.

Sanji sighed. "If there's one way to shut a Portgas up, it's to bribe him with food. I'll just have to deal with the consequences later."

He caught the white helmet Nami threw over at him and started to fasten it on his head.

"What exactly are we looking for at the dojo?" She asked, mounting her scooter.

Sanji shrugged. "At this point in time, any lead will do."

He got on after she wheeled the scooter out onto the main road, then held on when she sped off towards the south side of town.