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Blonde Beauty And The Marimo Beast

Le Douzième Suit: Regret and Redemption

The boy lay still, his body motionless. As pale as the moon. As still as a corpse.
Except for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. And the occasional flicker of his eyes. But that was all that told the servants of the Castle that Sanji was still alive.

It had been a week since they had saved him from near death. And still, he had not woken.

"He needs to eat," Chopper said worriedly, stood beside the bed. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, but he hadn't let his emotions stop him from caring for Sanji, who needed him.
"Can't we wake him?" Franky asked from the chair at the end of the bed. He looked worn and ragged, as if he hadn't slept in days, which was true. As much as it was true for the man by the window, tapping the wall with his long, lean fingers. Beside him lay his violin, forgotten and unneeded. He had wanted to play it for Sanji as soon as he woke, but with every passing day, they feared he wouldn't wake.

Luffy didn't want to think about that. He had tried so hard to save the boy from being burnt alive, that to lose him just from falling, it was enough to make the boy wallow in self-blame. He was sat on the bed, right next to Sanji's pillow. His legs crossed, arms wrapped around them with his head resting between his knees.

"It's not your fault," Ace said, knowing exactly what his brother was thinking. He was beside the boy, one hand on his shoulder, as he too watch Sanji with baited breath.
Usopp stood beside him too, although he didn't say a word.

Only Nami wasn't present. She seemed to have accepted that Sanji wouldn't wake up, and didn't want to be there to watch him die. She was somewhere else, busying herself with chores that needn't be done.
But if it helped her mourn the deaths of two she cared for, no one would stop her.

"He doesn't want to wake up," came a voice. Everyone turned to the door, where the Enchantress stood. She was watching Sanji, her eyes misting slightly. She felt the most pain, because she was the one who had brought this upon the boy.
And Zoro.

Even though he was already dead, he was still her favourite Monster. She had been fond of him. And fond of Sanji too. She had hoped that they would come together. Fall in love. Fix each other.
Instead, her meddling had not only broken hearts, but killed.

The villagers, she didn't care for. She had killed them as revenge for killing Zoro. She hadn't been watching, so she hadn't been there to help.
But when she saw the rose wilt and crumble, she had released her anger in storms. Lightening and thunder that she hoped would punish those that had hurt her friend…

She had killed Mihawk too. She had dragged his death out. Making it as painful as possible. She'd choke him, then let him recover, but not too much before she choked him again. She filled his lungs with poison, she burnt his eyes and left him blind. She clawed his face until he was unrecognisable and then slowly, slowly she let the ground swallow him.
He screamed and cried for mercy in the last moments before death. Then, Robin had taken his murder in stride.

But now, she felt it wasn't enough….

"I'm sorry," the Enchantress told those in the room. "I didn't mean for this…"
"We know," Usopp interrupted, not wanting to hear her excuses just yet. They had all heard them thought; the same excuses they had thought up and repeated in their heads over and over.
"It happened. And we can't change it. Zoro is d-dead," he deadpanned, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Zoro…"

Every head turned to Sanji. He had whispered the Beast's name in his sleep, His face scrunched in pain, his eyes tearing. "Come back…"

Chopper turned away, his tiny eyes once more filled with tears that he tried to hide. But he failed and sobbed into Usopp's chest who pulled him close. He curled his hand onto the boy's hair and tried to calm him, his own face twisted in pain.

They all watched silently. The pain of losing their Prince was still sore for all.
But worse for Sanji…

"No," the Blonde whispered, his hands clenching the blanket, pain deep in his heart. His breathing became erratic. He tossed and turned and, suddenly, bolted upright.

"ZORO!" But he was dead, and Sanji was here, in the castle. For a moment, they saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes. That maybe it had been a dream. That maybe he had imagined everything.

But no…

Sanji looked to each of their sullen faces. Confusion at first, but then he recognised them for who they were.
And then cried, because the one he needed the most, was not there.
It like he was watching Zoro's death all over again. He sobbed into the covers for what felt like forever. No one could take a step closer to comfort him. No one knew if they should. Or what to say.
Sanji continued to cry. Even when he voice ran hoarse, his body still shook as he cried.
And cried himself to sleep once more.

Robin was waiting for Sanji in the tower. She may not have realised it herself, but she waited for three days, not moving from the only untouched chair in the room. In her hands, she held a familiar blue-leather book. One she had given to Sanji twice, and once to Zoro. She had never read it herself. She wasn't reading it now, even as she flicked through the pages. Just passing time until Sanji came to find her.

He was here now. Pale skin, sunken eyes and an emptiness that wasn't like the boy.

"How are you feeling?" the Enchantress asked him. He jumped, scanning the debris for the voice. He hadn't seen her in the chair by the balcony.
"I'm cold," he told her, pulling the blanket further around his body. Nothing on how he was feeling, but Sanji was trying to be strong in that way. He was silent for a while, his eyes soaking up the view of Zoro's bedroom. He had only been here once, she remembered. It probably meant nothing to him then, but now it was another precious memory.

"Do you have time to talk?" the Enchantress asked, jolting Sanji from his dream-like state again. He nodded numbly, setting himself on the end of the poster bed, beside the ripped and tattered drapes. She sat beside him, both facing the open doors that led to the balcony. And just inside the threshold, was the empty stone pedestal.

"Did he ever tell you how he became the 'Beast'?" she asked, already knowing the answer. "No."
"Would you like me to tell you?"
Sanji nodded, without looking to the woman.

She fixed her eyes on the glass dome and began her story. "It started years ago. Before you were born," she added, as if this was important. Sanji just nodded numbly.
"Zoro met a girl called Kuina. She was daughter of one of the Knights that served the Royal Family. And they fell in love."

Those words sparked something in Sanji. He turned to look at Robin, eyes scanning her face to see if he could find any deceit. But there was none, for it was the truth.
Her eyes met his and held them there, as she continued. "They were lovers, but also the best of friends. They would spar as part of training, as both were eager to become the best sword masters in the land."

"On the day before Zoro's eighteenth birthday, he gave Kuina a present: a dress, to wear to his Ball. They argued over it, and fought."
Robin paused, her eyes turning away as she recalled the moment as if it was yesterday. "It was her anger and his stubbornness. They were always equally matched, but I guess the timing was wrong, or they were both distracted. She was sloppy. He used to much force."

"He didn't mean to kill her. But he did."

Sanji gasped quietly. But Robin continued.
"He shut himself away in his castle after that. Didn't see anyone, nor talk to anyone. Quickly, the Knights became divided and the land almost destroyed itself in the war. But Zoro didn't know about it, nor did he care. He shut himself away from the world and waited to die."

"Then I visited him. I disguised myself and asked for his help. He turned me away." The woman sighed, dropping her head in regret. "He angered me and I lost my temper. So I cursed him."
She could feel Sanji shift away from her, as if finally seeing her for the Enchantress she truly was.

"I couldn't undo what I had done. So I slowed the time around this castle. What Zoro thought were three years, was in fact one hundred," she said with a sad smile. "I regretted my actions, and so I tried to give him as much time as my power would allow. But my magic has been waning. I've watched over him for too long."

"Y-you cursed him?" Sanji said, slowly beginning to understand. "But you sent me-"
"To Zoro. Yes. I wanted to save you from the Villagers. And I wanted Zoro to fall in love with you," robin admitted with a sad smile. "You are a lot like Kuina. But different. I wanted Zoro to understand that."

Sanji shook his head. "But what could falling in love do? I fell in love with him but it killed him!" the Blonde cried, his voice growing louder as he became more distraught.
"Loving him broke the curse," Robin said. "But Zoro was already dead."

Sanji shook his head. "No. I was in love with him long before he died. Why didn't-"
"You never said it out loud," Robin explained, laying her hand on Sanji's, only for the boy to snatch his away. He stood from the bed, backing away. "No. No, no, no. If that were true…. If me saying it… out loud… break the…" Sanji didn't see where he was going. He backed into the pedestal. Robin cried out to warn him, but she was too far to catch it as it tipped.
The glass dome toppled to the floor, smashing into a thousand tiny pieces. Fragments of glass danced across the floor, but Sanji didn't seem to notice. He just seemed to be trying to get away from Robin, darting backwards as she reached out for the glass.

"No! Because I could've…. if I had said… he wouldn't be…. he would be…"

"Alive."

He looked to her. Something sparked in his eye. "You have magic. You can use magic," he asked, almost excitedly, no longer retreating as Robin cautiously closed the gap. Sanji grabbed her when she was within reach, his grip inhumanly strong.
The Enchantress winced, but that didn't stop Sanji as he smiled, repeating himself. "You can use magic. you can, can't you?"
"Yes, but-" Robin began, but she was interrupted. "You can bring him back," Sanji said excitedly. "You can bring him back!"

"No!" Robin all but shouted. "I'm not strong enough anymore! I can barely keep this Castle lost from time!" She was crying now. "I used up most of my abilities in my anger. I brought the storm, the fire and the smoke," she wept, ignoring the tears that streamed down her face. "I can't bring him back. He's gone Sanji. He's gone!"

The boy stopped. His smiled vanished. He moved back, releasing Robin.

He was in shock.

All of a sudden, his skin paled, almost ashen as he stumbled forward. Arms reached out to steady himself, but there was nothing but air. His mind went black, his eyes rolling back into his head as his body slumped into the waiting arms of the Enchantress.

He lay there, his heavy body awkwardly draped across her knees. As still as a corpse, barely breathing at all.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, stroking his hair gently, feeling her chest grow wet from more tears.

Even in sleep, Sanji wasn't free from pain.

Years passed the castle. But nothing from the outside world ever changed them, thanks to the magic that Robin has cast over the castle. Sanji continued to age, due to the Enchantresses waning power, but remained quiet and restrained. No longer lifeless, but not quiet happy, like he had been when Zoro was alive.

The servants, who had now become Human, also began to age. And they continued to care for the Blonde, taking the duty upon themselves, for Zoro.
Each did all they could for him, continuing the chores they had, as if life had always been this way.

But eventually, time came when everyone didn't wish to remain in the castle any longer.

Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock

Sanji and Chopper stood on the steps of the castle, arms raised in farewell as the three horses trotted through the Iron Gates. "Will they be okay?" Chopper asked, watching as the silhouette of their friends slipped out to the forest, and they were gone. "Of course," Sanji said.

"Luffy has been wanting to go adventures forever," the Man said, watching Luffy, Nami and Usopp leave for their adventure.
"Nami will keep them safe," Chopper agreed, wiping away tears he had hoped the Blonde would not see.

"I'm going to miss them," he whispered, letting Sanji pick him up into his arms. He was still just small enough to be carried, and still child-enough to enjoy it.

Sanji smiled softly. It was genuine, but still a little empty as he led deeper into the Castle.
"I'm going to miss them too."

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Sanji looked to the castle, half obscured by the wold of trees, that had grown over the years. Wild vines, ivy and plants of every kind had taken the Castle as its own. Roof tiles were missing where blossom trees grew on the third floor. Even Zoro's tower, had been over run, although the roses that grew there could never compare to the Enchanted one.

He didn't miss the castle anymore. He preferred the little cottage in the corner of the grounds to the emptiness of the castle. It was too big for just himself, now that everyone else had gone.

Ace had gone first. He had set to the seas. His plan was to sail the Grand Line and come home, but he had become too caught up in his adventures.

No one was sad though. Because they too, set out on their own.
Brook, took his violin and songs with him. He had become a musician, who travelled all over the red line.
Franky had left without much of a plan, but became a great architect. He helped build the cities to the North, where the snow fell and the wind blew.

Luffy, Nami and Usopp had followed Ace to the open seas. But they had returned after ten years, and took Chopper with them.

No one knew when Robin had left. Maybe the day Sanji woke up. Maybe after.
But he hadn't seen her in years.

He hadn't seen anyone in years….

Tick Tock

Sanji sat in his rocking chair by the dying embers of the fire. He sighed deeply, fighting the sleep that called to him invitingly. He felt tired, but he wasn't ready to climb the stairs to his bedroom just yet.

Sanji returned to the book he was reading. It was written by Nami, some several years ago, but he liked to read about their adventures from time to time. His memory was failing him in old age, and he found he had forgotten some of the tales. It was like reading anew book every time.

The window buffered in the wind, and the fire danced to life for a moment, before settling back to just glowing embers. A hand brought forth a log, and laid it in the fire.
"You should stay warm," came the sweet, gentle voice. Sanji turned, smiling at the face of a very dear friend. "You haven't aged a day, dear lady," Sanji told her.

For it was true.
Robin remained just as beautiful and just as regal as he always remembered. Smooth, porcelain skin, small gentle features that were pulled into a smile.

"You are just as handsome as ever, dearest Sanji." Robin bowed her head, kissing Sanji's wrinkled cheek.
"It had been a while," he said softly, his voice a little raspy. "Too long," she agreed.

Robin smiled to him, before taking Sanji's hand in hers. She took Nami's journal and closed it, before pulling Sanji from his chair. His body remained it was, but she took his soul and held it gently in her hands.

"I have one last gift for you," she whispered, kissing the soft light before it faded in her hands.