Guest: They were lost, but were found! :D Reiju is a good older sister - it's important to tease ; )

Janshal: There you are, you little ghost. Mama Vinsmoke sure was - her legacy will live on!

21: Time

Sanji stared at the travelers around him, fascinated by all the shapes and sizes, the noises, the constant activity of a busy space station. While most of it was maintained in rigid order, the fact that the universe held such a diverse spectrum of beings held his attention for most of the time. They were seated in a far corner of a terminal, using jackets for blankets, bags as pillows – Zoro was snoring loudly in the midst of a nap, and Law was catching up to him in volume. Both catmen were taking advantage of their natural urge to nap, and Sanji, while exhausted from the trauma and travel, was taking in the sights around them. To their left, curiously sticklike beings argued in some odd tonal noise with each other over what looked like a map. Further from them was a blob that slowly rotated from the inside. To their left was a curved wall that extended down a escalator to which travelers hurried up in their haste to make a flight.

He looked down into his water bottle, hearing Chopper's soft concern. Reaching for the extra water that Law had bought him, Sanji poured that into Chopper, hearing him drink noisily. While he poured water into the bottle, the level of matter didn't increase – that fascinated him for those minutes while Chopper absorbed that, twirling around with a happy chirp before sputtering a contented whistle. Recapping the second water bottle, Sanji put that aside and kept Chopper in one hand. He then looked at the catmen snoring in tandem, his expression turning worried. A heavy weight of feeling hit him, and he didn't know how to identify it. He shifted closer to Law, snaking a foot around his closest heel, watching him carefully for movement. But once his position went unregistered, he relaxed and continued staring out at the world before him.

His heart ached for the loss of Zeff, but he did feel comfort in his last words. He had to accept that he had gone nearly without pain or torture – it was quick. And his death wasn't by the cancer that slowly ate him up from inside. Law had said that he'd pass eventually by this disease, so Sanji thought that Zeff took his own death as a warrior's relief – going down fighting, not struggling against an invisible growth from the inside, rendering him useless.

He understood why the group refused to house him after that – he understood that they were scared, that death wasn't normal for them. They didn't understand the sort of life that he did – he'd warned them earlier, but they had to learn this way. What he felt more rotten about was how comfortable he'd let himself be, basking in their simple warmth and friendship, enjoying their humor and moods; their environment was much different from his, and even if he didn't allow himself to experience most of that pleasure, knowing it was a matter of time, he still felt upset by the loss of it.

He was upset. He was sad. He felt low. He felt responsible, but at the same time, he'd warned them. He was angry, but as he examined this emotion, he was angrier at himself. For ever thinking that life would be so easy when it had only been a hardship from the start.

He looked at the catmen again, unsure of how to feel about their companionship. He looked at them individually, taking in their snoring faces, amused with how two tough looking men could look so vulnerable. Then he thought of what his brothers would do to them once they caught up; Law, especially. Ichiji would need him to switch them back, to reattach Niji's arm. They could do horrendous things to him in front of Sanji, and Sanji knew he couldn't do anything about it but regret.

He felt his chest grow heavy with weight. He felt helpless. All those times watching his brothers torture rats and animals in front of him for their amusement made him physically ill. But then he told himself that these men were not rats – they were actual fighters, and they were capable of great things. They were like him. Sanji wondered if he had faith in himself, furrowing his brow. If he couldn't have faith in himself, then how could he have faith in others?

He exhaled low, looking at his fingers. He had been unable to stop his brothers from killing those animals, to stop them from hurting him; he had been unable to convince his father that he was worthy of saving; he had been unable to stop Zeff from dying, and his newest friends were scared of what trouble he brought to them, so they pushed him away to be safe. He felt painful frustration building in his chest. What made him worthy of continued torture of those around him when he was told that he wasn't worth anything?

Thinking about these things, he felt like such a failure, a waste of space. A reject. He had no confidence in himself as a person. He started to question why the effort when he had finally been treated to the worlds outside of the dark cell, seeing their beauty and grace as something he couldn't be allowed to keep. He looked around himself, desperate for a distraction as his thoughts drifted back to the darkness of the cell. He saw a human weaving through heavy foot traffic, and he pushed himself to rise, seeing that the man was carrying something in both arms. It looked like a baby goat. An animal of that size seemed to immediately dissolve the rising feelings of worthlessness, appealing to his interests. He put Chopper down, out of reach so no one would knock him over.

He headed in that direction as the man pressed himself up against a pillar, clearly overwhelmed by so many travelers, with so many languages playing overhead with none of the signs apparently not displaying his language. With his tight, curly hair covered with a brilliant print headwrap, overalls, printed cape, faded backpack and a side carrying satchel, he looked as if he'd just left some sort of farm. He had a long nose, dark skin and a wide mouth, and he looked quite expressive. The goat called out in his arms, and he hushed it with a cape tossed over it, the animal impatiently shaking it off so it could see.

"Oh, thank you, another human!" the man cried cheerily, darting in his direction. Sanji was surprised that he understood him – then touched the translator he had clipped on his ear, feeling foolish. The goat released a happy bray as they neared him, and Sanji reached out and touched it, the goat leaning into his hand. It was a small animal – either young or dwarfish – and brown with white spots. It sniffed him as the man sobbed dramatically, clutching the animal to his chest. The goat then bit Sanji and kicked frantically as Sanji retracted his hand with a startled noise, skin stinging from the bite.

"I'm so SORRY!" the man cried, bursting into another round of tears, trying to control his goat. "Are you okay? Do you still have your fingers?"

"It's fine." Sanji shrugged, reaching out to pat the goat again. The goat cried out with fear and struggled to get away, causing Sanji to pull back with a confused expression. It was the first time an animal reacted so negatively to him, and he didn't understand why.

"Listen, I can't find my terminal. This is the first time I've ever been here! I've been racing all over – this has been the worst trip of my life! I'm going to die before I get her home! Can you help me find my way? I'm trying to get to the south blue!"

"I think so." Sanji wasn't sure if he could, but the man pulled out his ticket and showed him the contents as the goat struggled in his grasp. He eventually tucked it under one arm and pranced frantically as Sanji studied the writing, then looked up at the constantly changing screens above them. He located the terminal number, time and ship, then pointed at the ticket, then at the screen. "There. Gate 267, wing 8, level 16."

"How is that even helpful?" the man asked, his tone lifting with incredulity. "This is a mad house! Oh, never mind, it doesn't matter, I'm just – so happy to see another human! We're rare out here! Everyone was ignoring me!"

The man pushed his goat's head away when it tried to reach out and bite him again. Sanji stepped back with a worried look, the man pleading with it, "This man is our savior, right now! We need to be nice to him!"

"Oh, good, I'm starving," Zoro said suddenly, mouth watering at the sight of the animal that snapped to attention. He reached for it with trembling hands, pupils expanding ominously. "A snack!"

Sanji reached down and yanked hard on his tail, causing him to yowl and swat at him. "You jerk!"

"You asshole!"

The man retreated with his goat, who promptly pissed all over him, making him cry out with consternation. The tiger's tail snapped from side to side as he eyed the terrified animal, who then went stiff in the man's arms. Travelers walked around them with irritation, the man sobbing all over again as Sanji frowned at Zoro. The tiger gave the crier a dirty look, mumbling underneath his breath as he turned away with his shoulders slumped.

"You're such a bully," Sanji muttered.

"C'mon, stop wandering off," Zoro complained, yawning as he made his way back to their spot, Sanji following after him with a regretful look at the man and his goat. "Fuck, I'm starving. I could do with some fresh meat, right now. Look at this guy. Utterly useless. Still sleeping."

He kicked Law's foot, the catman snorting himself awake. Once he realized they were up and moving, he yawned and stretched. Sanji sat down next to him, retrieving Chopper as Zoro's stomach growled noisily, and the tiger hunched in on himself with a groan.

"Seeing that goat killed me," Zoro complained, digging in his jeans for money.

"'Goat'?" Law repeated, salivating as he pulled his jacket back on.

"Nice, fat and juicy. Sanji wandered off."

Law looked at Sanji with consternation as Sanji waved off Zoro's complaint. "Don't do that. You do need a leash, don't you? You realize you could get lost or kidnapped. Humans are not treated well in these sorts of places. Also, those people could see you - !"

Sanji shrugged; he spoke less because lately, with all his thoughts, he couldn't find the strength or wind to say more than a few words here and there. It felt difficult to speak when he couldn't seem to articulate the painful weight in his chest, his lungs, over everything that had happened.

"Deaf ears, cat," Zoro complained, counting his money. "I need food."

"We need to save what we have for the next flight out," Law grumbled, covering his stomach as it complained noisily.

"I can't believe you robbed a bank and threw away the money. You can't even be a good bad guy!"

"I didn't think it was necessary to have all that money! Besides, the exchanger was very suspicious about what I did have when I had it changed for usable travel credits! We are lucky we got this far without being stopped."

"Earth will not bother with us if we're gone – "

"Germa can learn our location if they tracked Earth funds!"

"ARGH!"

All of them looked up as the man with the goat approached them, and both catmen were then standing at complete attention, looking upon the terrified animal with hunger. Sanji then understood why the goat had bitten him – it had smelled the scent of those he was traveling with, and only responded appropriately. He felt relieved knowing this, having thought that even animals were going to reject him from now on.

The man clutched his animal tightly before he looked at him. To placate him, he stood up in front of the catmen, placing himself between them and him.

"Don't eat her! Please! Look, take my bag. Here. Take it!" the man said, bumping his hip out, indicating a small satchel. "There's food in there. Take it! It's all I have! Just don't eat my goat! Look, please, I need help finding my way there!"

"Look, guy, we're in no state to help you right now, when we're this close to making that delicious thing a meal," Zoro said, slurping up his saliva as Law followed the goat with every movement the man made. The animal had gone stiff again, deadweight as terror rendered it paralyzed. "Where you headed?"

"South Blue. My planet, we're – close to the Vega system. It's a farming planet, we grow crops and distribute them to other places of interest throughout the galaxy. We're a peaceful people, we're not any trouble."

"What's so special about her?" Law asked, drooling.

"She's a god. She was away on business."

Both catmen straightened up and stared at him with disbelieving expressions while Sanji looked at the goat with surprised respect. The goat looked normal to them – it blinked its eyes slowly, one ear lifted, then resumed playing dead.

"She encourages our crops to grow strong and wide," the man said with pride.

"I'm sure even gods taste delicious," Zoro muttered to Law.

"It looks scrumptious," Law whined.

"I'll have the head, you have the ass. Give Sanji the scraps."

"YOU CAN'T EAT HER, our crops will DIE! We will DIE!" With a huff, the man shifted the goat from one arm to the other. "Look, my name's Ussop. Where you guys headed?"

"No where in mind. Someplace quiet," Law said, pursing his lips. He licked his lips, struggling to look away from the animal that continued to play dead in the face of larger predators. "What is your planet like?"

"Peaceful. Very quiet. Full of fields, water and we're limited on technology," Ussop said cautiously, eyeing them and their swords. Both catmen looked intimidating – one tall and skinny with anxious actions, the other burly and cross - but their tough appearance was ruined by the visible drooling and wide pupils set on his goat. The human looked his age, but he seemed to glow – standing there with a vague smile and tired eyes, interested in his goat like a child would. "We're not big on fighting, we're wimps. We just farm. You guys are a weird trio, what's your story? I thought half-men didn't mix well with humans."

"We're from the calm belt. Just looking for a place to…avoid big noise," Zoro said.

"You aren't criminals, are you?" Ussop asked suspiciously, holding his goat out of their reach. "Am I going to get into trouble for talking to you?"

Law and Zoro said nothing, Sanji looking worried.

"Probably not," Zoro lied.

"Give us your goat, first," Law said, hand out.

Ussop sniffled, trying not to sob again. He clutched his deity close, burying his face into her neck before pulling away. "Listen, just help direct me to my ship, and we'll be on our way! Our morning worship needs to start with her being there!"

"These guys think a goat is a god," Zoro said to Law, as if Law didn't hear. "If they're that goofy in the head, they might be our best bet."

"What are your people like?" Law asked Ussop curiously, reaching out and grabbing Sanji as Sanji caught sight of what looked like a massive deer roaming through the terminal, its antlers spread wide, four eyes blinking in unison. Both catmen caught sight of the animal as Ussop fumbled with his answer, the goat craning its head over his shoulder to look at the deer as well.

"Uh, well, we're non animal, really, but…mostly androids. Worker bots. Cyborgs. Uh…we're peaceful, so we're very laid back and calm and - ! Of course, our god is a goat! To bring upon us happiness and prosperity!" he then exclaimed, holding her high above his head before pulling her in tight against his chest.

"Sounds interesting. What about Imperials?"

"Oh, no…there's really no known empires or such in our part of the galaxy. No one rules over us. We really don't encounter any trouble. No known predators," Ussop added.

"Do you guys need help?" Zoro asked, Law looking at him with a start.

"We can't go there," he hissed.

"If they're mostly farmers comprised of humans and androids, they're not going to have the technology Germa needs to locate us there. They're mainly appliance related. Farming communities often lack access to huge cities, governments and military units," Zoro said. "It'll be like living in the country with no Wi-Fi."

"Ugh."

"Don't 'ugh'! It's good! Besides, while we're there, we'll find somebody that can direct us to a better place," Zoro added. "If we venture into a heavily populated area with high traffic, they're going to look there, first. They won't think to look at a simple farming community – most of these places don't keep track of human workers because of the high volume of drop-out rates. They work only to feed themselves – like living in poverty."

"True," Ussop muttered, shrugging. The goat brayed. "It's not a bad life. It's not exciting, either. We don't have things like… 'Wi-Fi', and the only visitors we get are ships that haul out our crops. We're not even governed by any formal entity – we're simple village people. We don't even have telephonic satellites to communicate with outside people – just satellites to keep our machinery working."

"You have experience with this?" Law asked Zoro, tightening his fingers in Sanji's shirt as Sanji stepped away again, catching sight of a fast moving mouse man that darted in and out of the high traffic line nearby. He drew the man back against him, holding him in place like a parent would with a child, Sanji scowling. "This sort of life, this sort of planet? How will we make funds to travel away from there if we need to?"

"It's no big deal, stop overthinking! Besides, we can train there in peace." Zoro reached over and rapped on Sanji's head to catch his attention, Sanji looking at him with a pained expression. "And you can train, too! We need to talk about your eating habits - !"

"We'll assist with you," Law told Ussop, pushing Zoro's head aside to force him to stop talking. "As long as we can join you back to your planet. We're not outlaws, or anything of the sort. But I'm sure we can help."

"Uh, one thing, though. We're all vegetarians," Ussop said slowly. "We don't eat meat, we don't use fur in our clothing, and – if you're both predators, you'll need to get used to eating proteins, tofu, non-meat products. My people will accept you without no question, just to warn you. We're real big on animals."

"We're not going," Zoro decided.

"Not even fish?" Law asked.

"Oh, we have fish! We just don't eat them."

"We're going," Law told Zoro.

Ussop looked at them with horror. "You can't eat them! They're dirty! They're disgusting creatures! They spread famine and disease and they're gross to the touch! They're pests! They eat all our water!"

"Look, we're going. We're useful. He's a really good cook, I'm a surgeon, and he's…well…he'll scare away scary animals for you."

"And other predators," Zoro assured Ussop seriously.

"We really have no where else to go. Please take us in. I'm sure there's something we can contribute to."

Fretting, Ussop examined them, the goat in his arms staring at them with seemingly unblinking eyes. Then he looked at Sanji, who looked at him with a slight smile. All three of them looked exhausted, tense and miserable – stinking of travel. Whatever the relationship was with them, he assumed the catmen were a couple and the human was their slave – or adopted kid, something – but while they looked scary, they didn't seem evil. The tall one spoke with a sort of educated air, while the shorter one seemed in charge – but neither dangerous. Florence wasn't reacting to them with alarm – just terror, considering how they openly salivated as they looked at her.

He exhaled heavily, and nodded. "Sure."

: :

The planet they arrived on lush, green, vibrant with life. The mountains were small, rounded, covered with rows upon rows of man-made fields. The flats of the land were fields of food, with large running rivers, very small settlements in between. Huge pieces of machinery floated in lazy action – picking up water and spraying over these fields, or tending to replanting, removing sections of trees with massive umbrellas of green. They flew in on a very small ship with a cyborg pilot that barely looked at them.

The goat had her own seat, looking out the window with interest, Sanji pressed against his, taking in the sight of everything with an expression of awe. He leaned over to grab Law's jacket, the man staring at the goat with intense concentration, forcing him to look out the window. He shook his head, not enjoying the sight of being so far from the ground. But he did linger against Sanji for a few moments, before nosing his hairline, kissing him there before anyone else could notice.

"Can I just pet her?" Zoro asked Ussop, leaning over his seat as he stared at the goat. Ussop trembled, looking up at those visible teeth, drool leaving the corner of his mouth with slow action.

"It's probably best that you don't," he said reluctantly, pulling the goat onto his lap and using his body to shield her.

Ussop then looked over to see Law close his fingers over Sanji's thigh, saying low, "Don't run off. Stay in sight. Don't talk to anybody unnecessarily. Please don't look in full detail at anyone until we know for sure if they're fine with it. Not everyone outside of Earth is okay with certain relationships."

Sanji looked at him with a frown, but he conceded with a nod.

"Does he not talk much?" Ussop asked Zoro curiously.

"He does. Little shit's got a foul mouth and a bratty disposition. You'll wish he'd shut up, more," Zoro commented, lip curling. Ussop wasn't sure how to decode that expression. There wasn't any animosity to him, but the way he spoke suggested a sort of superior attitude over the other.

"He is…important? Or something? The way you two crowd him - ?"

"No. No importance. Hey!" Zoro then snapped at them, shifting away from the seat to venture over to the pair, both of whom looked at him sharply. "I thought we agreed on this – "

"But we don't know how accepting these people are - !" Law argued with him, flustered before Zoro turned and looked at Ussop.

"Is there a problem here with people not accepting homos?"

"…Huh?" Ussop asked with a clueless expression.

"You know. Men who like other men."

"No. What…like…why would it be bad?" Ussop asked, bewildered. "In this community, it's whoever wants you! Nobody's picky, here. Why? Are you…'homos'?"

"You guys are fine," Zoro then said to Law, as if Law didn't hear this. He looked annoyed, Ussop looking at them with a bewildered expression as the goat turned to look at them as well, seemingly understanding their conversation.

"It's important that people know their relationship," Zoro muttered with a disgusted look. "So it's not a surprise if anybody makes a wrong move on either of them. Fucking childish."

"Look," Law said, his face red, "I know it's my fault. It was over before I knew what happened, and I've made a very conscious effort this time to keep it from happening again."

"W-w-what did you do?" Ussop asked, freezing as his heightened danger senses caught whiff of something ominous in the catman's words.

"He mauled this dude in a restroom a few stations back," Zoro said as Law fell silent, looking ashamed of himself. "We had to stuff his body into a floor vent to prevent being detected so early on in our goddamn trip."

Ussop paled, the goat stiffening up in his arms with similar fright. He studied the taller catman – sure, he had an intense face, and he constantly vibrated with anxious action, but he didn't seem dangerous. He looked mangy to Ussop – with patches of white on his skin and missing fur on his tail. But he had tattoos, and he had a mean growl. Ussop reconsidered his malfunctioning warning senses.

"I had a good reason," Law mumbled, reaching over to sit Sanji back in his seat. He then reached out and rubbed the man's throat with his fingers, in a vaguely intimate gesture that made Ussop feel like he had witnessed something too personal. So he blushed and looked away, pretending that he didn't.

"But…you don't seem like a mauler," Ussop pointed out.

"I'm not!"

"He's a nervous wimp. We're working on him, though," Zoro assured Ussop, the cyborg telling them that they were going to land, soon. "The other guy will steal your animals' affections, so lock them up tight. I refuse to sleep with other animals."

Ussop stared at him, unable to understand his meaning. He looked from him to Law again, wondering if this was some sort of polyamorous thing.

"For some reason, animals like him. Not this guy, though," Zoro said, sitting and resuming staring at the goat that fitted herself against Ussop, trying to hide from him. "This guy's smart."

"Her," Ussop corrected. "Her name is Florence. She is our deity."

Zoro shrugged, sure that Florence would taste good raw or cooked.

Once they landed, they gathered their things and disembarked, Florence leading the way. The air was crisp, with a slight nip in temperature, promising cold later on in the evening. Milling around the landing site were people dressed similar to Ussop, and they all cheered once the goat appeared before them. A small band played jovially, but it was the sight of watery beings clustered in the background that made Sanji fumble with his water bottle. He poured Chopper out while Law and Zoro watched with similar expressions as the goat was praised over by respectful bows, wreaths tossed in her direction, older people crying with exaltation at her hooves. She stood still, taking in their adoration grandly, children setting out small bowls with grain in front of her. Ussop joined in with their revelry, happy crying.

"This is ridiculous," Zoro muttered under his breath, not seeing Sanji rejoice as Chopper and the other watery beings greeted each other cheerfully, expanding and shrinking in size, revealing similar antlers, noises and mass as they swept around each other.

'Hi!' Chopper greeted, his tonal voice vaguely clear. The others answered back in their language. They then separated from each other, reforming their bodies and chirping while Sanji watched with a thrilled smile.

"Goats are food, not gods," Law agreed, still hungry. He surveyed the people that worshiped Florence, finding them healthy and happy. They didn't have harsh expressions that he expected of farmers. None of them carried any sort of weapon, and most had curly hair in random braids. They wore aprons, dresses, trousers in matching browns and greens, fitting for their surroundings – and it didn't seem to matter what gender wore what. Most of the kids ran about with long hair and clothing that made it near impossible to tell gender. This was something new for him, too, so he couldn't help but look on with interest. He'd come from a place where gender was black and white, and Earth – and this place – was definitely fascinating with their lack of lines.

Then he looked quickly to see if Sanji were nearby, and watched as Chopper interacted with the other Water Mites, all talking excitedly with each other. He elbowed Zoro to look, and once he did, he was surprised, too. Law walked over because seeing this was more exciting than watching people worship a goat. As he did so, Chopper raced about him, uttering tonal noises that were answered by the other beings, but apparently they all accepted him as well.

"Ah! So that's what he was carrying!" Ussop exclaimed, catching sight of the group.

"Water Mite?" Zoro asked, frowning.

Ussop slapped his arm, then clutched his hand with pain. "No, they're water givers! They help this world flourish! Without them, we couldn't grow during certain times of the year! They regulate temperature and mass and provide – all of them are precious!"

"They're pests in our line of duty," Zoro said, Ussop choking in mid noise. He looked up at him with horror.

"'Pests'? What's wrong with you people? Water Givers are the source of life!" Ussop watched as Florence pranced away, calling out for the other goats that were walking their way. A couple of kids followed her, giggling as they threw out rose petals in her path. Zoro reached out and snagged Sanji's arm before he could follow, catching sight of the animals.

"Bad," Zoro repeated firmly, Sanji ripping his arm away with a growl and an insulted expression. "Bad."

"Anyway, c'mon, I'll introduce you!" Ussop then said cheerily, waving them towards the people that were looking their way curiously. Most of them wandered over with cheerful greetings, innately curious about the half beasts. They had to look up to do so – the tallest of them was still inches shorter than Zoro and Sanji. The kids immediately hid behind the adults, but everyone's faces changed from interested to terrified. Some froze, some stared with horror – then they looked absolutely awed, whispering hastily to each other. "Everyone! Listen! These guys helped me out! This is Zoro, Law, and Sanji! And their companion, Chopper!"

Questions rang out, most of them with joy and delight as they watched their Water Givers crowding around them without fear or hesitation, Chopper whistling merrily as he curled around Law's shoulders. A few brave souls ventured forward to look at them, eyes wide at the sight of their beastly characteristics. Their excitement caused them a little nervousness.

"Ussop, tell them we don't like to be touched," Zoro said, snatching his tail and wrapping it around his waist.

"For some reason, they like you guys," Sanji muttered, surprised. He hit Law's chest with the back of his hand as he heard a low growl coming from him, already warning some of the braver kids to back away from him. "Be nice."

Ussop relayed the message to his village people, then stepped to them with an excited wave. "Come! Let me give you a tour of the place! You guys can stay with me, I've got a nice place."

"This world is really quiet and…different," Law said, reaching out and grabbing Sanji once he saw the blond interested in a row of moving plant stalks that had four legged creatures roaming through them, whining. He hesitated for a moment, but then held his hand instead.

The townspeople were looking at Sanji with expressions of admiration, clearly captivated by the sight of him. They made indications of his glow, by the sight of his hair, and he paused in mid step to look them over as well. He reached out to capture one woman's hands and examined them, touching her calluses and stained fingers, the woman blushing as others giggled around her. Then he reached out and touched a man's free flowing hair, tight curls captured in his fingers as the man looked at him with both fright and appreciation of his own. The hands of brave children reached up and touched Sanji's jeans, awed at the material before examining his shoes, touching his backpack. Most of them wanted to touch his hair, but they were too short.

Law could feel his chest tightening, and he struggled to keep this ugly jealousy at bay as some of the village people reached out to touch Sanji's face, all of them with curious expressions. He heard himself growl, and he struggled not to do so – but his jaw tightened and his teeth clenched and he blinked repeatedly to calm himself. Chopper's nubby hands grasped him by his jawline, giving a low noise as the weight of him registered on Law, reminding him not to make any sudden moves.

Then he just couldn't take the sight of people pawing at the man, so he reached out and grabbed Sanji by the hand to walk off with him, growling low, ears flattened. Some of the people that were watching didn't react to the sight of the action with negativity – they looked at each other with understanding, delighted to find that this was something they could identify with.

The villagers' welcoming and awed curiosity eased Law's tension as the group began separating to head off into different directions while a smaller group followed them from a short distance.

"From sun up to sun down, we work in the fields! But today is special because Florence is back," Ussop was saying. Law studied their houses – they were on stilts, lifted nearly thirty feet above the soft dirt, and building from mud, stone and wood. There were solar panels attached to the steeple roofs, heavy wooden doors, wide porches to allow them access to neighbor's homes, and animals raced freely about. He was more interested in how these people lived than the attention the people had for them. More villagers ventured out from their homes to stare at them curiously, kids racing away from their families to join those that were trailing after them.

"Do you guys have any experience with this?" Ussop asked, Zoro looking around with curiosity.

"Just a little," he said. "These two need to be trained."

"As long as you're willing to help, we're more than willing to provide!" Ussop said cheerfully. "Listen, the Water Givers come through sometimes, dragging the river from one side to the other. That's why our houses stand so high."

"'Dragging'?"

"Yes! Twice a day! You'll see. Over there," Ussop pointed in the distance, where heavy machinery operated, large, horseshoe like shapes taking to the air to slowly hover over some fields nearby, "is the machinery district. It's comprised mainly of androids and farming tools. And over there, is Florence's palace."

He pointed off to a grand, stone like castle. Zoro's mouth dropped open, and he shielded his eyes from the sun to see goats perched in various areas – as well as birds, monkeys and what looked to be a large cat prowling near the front gates. The screeches of birds, braying of goats and shrill screams from the monkeys made a terrible noise.

"Every morning, just before sunrise, we gather over here. We begin our day with morning prayer, to allow Florence to bestow us with her good fortune," Ussop pointed to a worn circle just outside of the village with several large stone statues surrounding it. Most of them were carvings of animal gods in all their prancing glory. They were half animal, half man, all of them holding various items of importance. Zoro and Law looked at the statues with flat expressions, then looked at each other, suddenly understanding why the villagers were treating them as they were.

Ussop's face brightened with delight. He looked at them again, as if seeing them for the first time, then at the statues. "I thought everyone was making a big deal out of nothing! I just thought they were admiring you guys because you're carrying big swords and everything. Well, doesn't that change all! Maybe it was fate that brought us together!"

At the delighted sound of a goat calling out, everyone turned in Florence's direction. She stood nearby, ears flicking. Most of the villagers gasped, looking from her to them. She walked around them, both catmen eyeing her with extreme restraint. She then nodded and started eating on some greens nearby, tail flicking.

"She has decided," Ussop said with a clenched fist. "She has welcomed you three to her home."

The villagers cheered noisily, Florence startled and running a short distance away before finding other things to eat.

"Please take this seriously," Zoro whispered to Law.

Law gritted his teeth. "I am trying so hard…!"

"Will we be served fish, though?" Zoro asked, causing them all to falter, then stare at him with horror. Even Florence looked at him, uttering a short noise. She suddenly darted off, her goat friends running with her.

Ussop cleared his throat, looking at him with a vexing expression. But he spoke with intense disgust, voice lowered to a whisper. "Ah, no. Fish are not edible, here. They are…abominations. Even the Water Givers don't touch them. I'm sorry, we can't help you, there."

"Who made us come here?" Zoro asked, looking at Law directly. Law looked off into the distance, stomach growling. Sanji reached over and patted it gently. "If I walk away from this place a vegetarian, you are going to be the first one I eat."

"Why did you trust me in the first place? You know I don't know what I'm doing half the time!"

"I thought with your new balls you had an idea!"

"Obviously, I don't have hair on them, yet."

"Let's get you comfortable!" Ussop said, interrupting the growling and snarling after, Sanji looking around himself with a smile, unbothered by the display of tension. "Come!"

At his house, located near the edge of town – where Florence clearly roamed, her walking trail surrounding his house – the three of them were treated to a cozy set up. It was a one room spread, but the other villagers hurried over with extras. Ussop showed them the bathroom, and ran a bath – the setup was run by solar energy, and there was plenty of it. The trio settled in, eating with grateful action the food that the villagers also brought over, and fell asleep with full bellies.

In the morning, Ussop rose with the chirp of the birds, readied himself and looked over at the three still sleeping. He brushed his teeth and fixed his hair and by the time he made his way to the front door, the other villagers were making their way to the prayer circle. Florence called out anxiously, causing other animals to take up the call.

He looked behind him to close the door when Sanji scooted out with him, looking bright and chipper. With a warning finger, Ussop said, "Behave. I noticed those guys watching you closely, so I'll take on their task. Don't wander off, don't talk to people, and don't look at them."

Sanji scowled at him impatiently. "They only say that to make themselves feel better."

"Aren't you a grown man?" Ussop asked curiously, making his way downstairs, the other villagers delighted in seeing that Sanji was with him. "Those two treated you like..."

"Like I said, it makes them feel good."

"That's a strange thing to say," Ussop said, eyebrow lifted.

"It's complicated. How you know this language?" Sanji asked, looking for a translator.

Proudly, Ussop touched his chest. "I am the unofficial ambassador for my village! I'm the one that takes Florence wherever she needs to go. So I had to learn this language."

"This…'business trip'? What goat have with business?"

"It was up to her to decide what sort of crops we're to plant for next year, so we attended a farmers' convention to decide what is in demand," Ussop explained, as they walked the trail down to the prayer circle, where Florence stood in the center. Everyone gathered around her, seating themselves in a neat circle. Sanji sat next to Ussop, kids crowding around him with sleepy expressions. All of them were happy to see that Sanji was joining them, eager to show off their custom to a foreigner. Pleased to have been accepted without any prejudice, Sanji felt welcomed and eager to learn something new, mimicking their positions.

Florence gave three barks, and all of them lowered their heads, silent. Sanji followed their lead, seeing that the kids were peeking at them, the adults closing their eyes. For some seconds, the world around them was quiet. Nothing made a sound. Even the machinery had stilled. Florence began nibbling at someone's headwrap, then pranced off. Seeing that everyone's head was still lowered made him stay in that position. He and the kids exchanged silly faces until another goat called out in the distance, and everyone sat up straight, exhaling grandly. Then they all stood, brushing themselves off, and went their separate directions. Sanji followed after Ussop as the man shooed off the kids.

"Why pray?" he asked curiously, walking beside him. "To goat?"

"You guys don't?" Ussop asked, horrified. "Do you have any gods?"

"No. Just man. Man is god."

"So weird," Ussop commented, looking at him with bewilderment. "C'mon! You can stick with me, today, let those beasts rest! I'll show you around!"

By the time they returned home that evening, Sanji had draped himself over Ussop's back and was making him carry him back to the village. Ussop struggled with each step, grunting and complaining as the Water Givers swirled around them with cheerful noises, the village kids laughing and making fun of them both. Ussop dumped him before he reached the stairs, huffing.

"I don't know where you come from, but here, we don't usually do things like this," he said firmly. "You need to toughen up, mister. I can't keep babying you."

Sanji crossed his ankles, looking at his hands with dismay. They trembled, blisters formed on his palms and fingers. His back ached and his face felt sunburned. He'd spent most of the day helping the kids pluck what looked like chokeberries from lettuce-like leaves, then plucking open pods to remove shards of fat that left his fingertips stained. His entire body ached from constant movement. He was bewildered how the kids that had helped him all day could still have the energy to run about.

Chopper appeared at his side, asking, 'All right?'

Sanji nodded as Law walked out from the house, looking down at him with a frown. Ussop, hands on his hips, said with motherly disapproval, "This one is not used to hard work, is he? Did you pamper him where you came from?"

"No. We didn't do this type of work," Law said, looking over the villagers that were returning, all of them talking cheerily as they returned with dirtied clothes and high spirits. There were elderly visitors to Ussop's house all day, greeting the catmen and feeding them surprisingly filling meals while chatting about their planet's benefits. Law had to admit, he'd never felt so welcome anywhere, his entire life. The villagers treated the pair like they were gods. They gave them recently sewn clothing to ward off the slight chill, with matching designs to fit the village colors.

"Zoro went fishing."

"EW!" Ussop exclaimed as Sanji stood up, brushing himself off, wincing at the cringe in his back. "How can you do something like that? Fish are disgusting! Nasty!"

"They're common where we're from, and they're excellent sources of protein," Law said, waving at Sanji to come up. Once he reached him, Law took his hands in his, studying them. Ussop thought it was both weird and yet nice to see the catman look at the human the way he was – with both adoration and concern. "Trying something new? That's good, I hope you had a good time."

"it was different. Interesting to know where food come from," Sanji answered gruffly, cheeks turning red under Law's examination.

Law leaned in to sniff him, lightly licking his temple before giving a deep inhale of his hair, his neck, releasing his hands to brush through his hair. It was comparable to seeing a mother cat looking over one of her children, making sure they were in good health after some brief adventure. Ussop wondered if he'd start licking him clean, soon, and wrinkled his nose at the thought.

"Good, you ate. Come clean up."

"Somehow that's gross, too," Ussop muttered, walking up. "How can you lick somebody and tell if they ate?"

"I can taste the extra protein, and he smells different," Law explained, motioning Sanji to the bathroom to take a bath. "So, one of your older villagers, they mentioned that foreigners are rare, here."

"Yes. It's not that exciting, I guess," Ussop said with a shrug, unwrapping his hair. "Plus, with the lack of technology, it's just not that interesting. Which is fine – we're peaceful people, here. Can't harm a fly."

Law frowned, chewing on his claws as he heard Sanji splashing around. Ussop found some nail clippers and tossed them to him impatiently. Using it, Law murmured, "Then we won't be staying very long."

"It's fine if you guys do! Everyone really took a liking to you," Ussop said merrily, watching as Chopper formed in the doorway, sliding in with a curious sound. "And you have a Water Giver, which makes you very important people, indeed. Water Givers are very picky about whom they chose to watch over."

"Why?"

"Because they're givers of life!" Ussop cried dramatically, hands in the air. "They provide the ultimate gift! They are gods!"

"Everything is a 'god' to you."

"Water Givers only choose people that are pure hearted because they themselves are pure!" Ussop said, hands shaking. Law made a face, sure that this man was much too dramatic. Surely, his life was that boring that this was his only way of making it exciting. "So for you to have been chosen - !"

"We tried to kill it. Numerous times."

"WHY?"

"Because it ate up all the water, and we'd all die."

"You people don't deserve him!" Ussop snarled at him, shaking a fist in his direction.

"Sanji saved it."

"That guy is utterly useless," Ussop said with a grave headshake and a sigh, but Law did not feel any ill will towards him because of his words. "Most kids don't get the attention that he does. I ended up having to go find him, twice!"

"His attention does wander, but he's not useless."

"You guys baby him too much. He is a grown man. He needs to do grown man things. How is he going to be self supporting if he has you to rely on, all the time?" Ussop asked on a lecturing tone, looking at him sternly.

"He'll make it on his own, I'm sure. But I won't let him."

"Humph," Ussop muttered, hands on his hips again. "I suppose it's all up to me, then. I can't take on anymore tasks. My hands are full as it is. But if you insist – "

"No one has insisted upon you anything."

" – then I'll have to teach him to be independent and self-sufficient."

"But if you're there teaching him this, then he wouldn't be independent and self-sufficient, because you're telling him what to do."

Ussop made to speak, then lost words as he thought about them. He looked at Chopper, pointing at Law. "Kill him. This is Florence's order."

"You're an idiot."

"I bring you guys home, take you into my house, and take care of your kid, and you call me an idiot?" Ussop asked, outraged. Sanji peeked out from the bathroom just to make sure things were okay, but he was amused by the exchange, finding it hard to be offended. He saw that Law had a similar expression as Ussop stood up to him.

Zoro walked in at that moment, shirtless, and Sanji's eyes widened with awe at the sight of him. The tiger was carrying some fish in one hand, and Ussop shrieked as he saw this. Quickly, Sanji dried off and dressed in the clothes Law had set out, hearing Ussop freak out.

"This looks like salmon, but it has weird teeth. These other guys practically swam up to me, begging to be caught!" Zoro exclaimed, setting them all into the sink. He washed his hands and then pulled his shirt out of his belt, pulling it back on. "COOK! Get out here and make yourself useful!"

"Oh, they all look so scrumptious!" Law said, looking over the glistening scales, smelling them with a happy expression.

"Oh my god, did someone try to kill you?" Ussop asked, mesmerized by Zoro's scar, then examining the fur trail down his spine. He reached out to touch when Zoro whirled on him, snarling, causing him to shriek and jump back. Sanji left the bathroom, straightening his sweater before kicking Zoro aside.

"I can cook, tonight," he said to Ussop, rolling up his sleeves as Zoro made to retaliate, but Law loomed over him with a warning. Caught up with the sudden tension, Ussop stared at the two that glared at each other, tails snapping. "It will be good. You change mind about fish, entirely!"

"But…!" Ussop pointed at the two men.

"Don't worry about them. They kill each other, we wear their skin as coats…and they probably taste extra delicious," Sanji added in a murmur, both catmen turning to look at him with twin expressions of horror. Sanji chuckled as he felt their attention on him.

"That's not even funny," Zoro muttered, turning away. "I'm going to go back outside to do something manly. I've got some built up aggression."

"I'm going to go groom," Law mumbled, scratching his goatee.

Ussop didn't understand why both catmen had turned extremely nervous, reduced to anxious ear flicking and stiff tails. But they both walked off hastily, hurrying down the stairs. He looked back at Sanji as he hummed, locating a few knives from his drawer.

"Are you some sort of animal tamer?" he asked suspiciously, taking a seat at his battered kitchen table.

"We didn't have many, where I'm from."

"Where are you from?"

"North Blue."

"I know, but where…?" Ussop asked with exasperation.

"I don't…remember. Most of my life was spent in a cell…I'm recently freed. Enjoying my freedom, now."

Ussop held his lips in an 'o' before he exclaimed, "That's terrible! But I guess it makes sense, with how easily distracted you are by everything…"

"What's 'terrible' is how dull these knives are," Sanji admonished, looking for a sharpener. Ussop showed him how to use it, and watched as Sanji cleaned them after. He refused to watch as Sanji selected one of the fish, admiring it for those moments. Sanji heard Zeff's voice in his head explaining to him how to identify dangerous fish, and which parts shouldn't be touched. He set the fish down into the cutting board, cleaver over the animal. Fingers tightening over the center of it, he then froze in that position, feeling immense sadness well up in him.

For a moment, he couldn't breathe. His throat clogged, and he blinked repeatedly, lowering the cleaver.

"What's wrong? Are you sick? Did that fish make you sick? Are you going to die?" Ussop asked, rising from his seat with panic, seeing him only from behind.

Sanji shook his head tightly, fighting to overcome those feelings that threatened to break through. He swallowed hard, and tightened his mouth, aware of something building up inside of him. He gripped the sink, looking at the solar powered lights to maintain some control. A rushing between his ears thundered noisily, and his lungs tightened. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to breathe, feeling a strong blockage build hotly between his heart and throat. He turned away from the sink, thinking he needed fresh air, and bumped into unmoving surface, immediately wrapped in strong warmth.

"Breathe, breathe, breathe, it's okay," Law said to him gently, before leaning down to blow softly over his face, and that was all Sanji needed. That block left his chest, and he heard himself give a sharp sound, feeling Law hold him again, rocking him gently. "It's okay, let it out, it's okay…"

Sanji grabbed his arms, to push him away – he needed air – but his body didn't listen to him. He ended up holding onto him instead, grieving noisily. "He was so nice to me!"

"Yes, he was. He cared about you very much, Sanji. You were all he talked about when I worked on him. Don't think for a second that he doubted his decision," Law said to him, stroking his hair as he held him tightly.

"I couldn't help him! I couldn't do anything, I couldn't - !"

"Don't blame yourself, there was nothing anybody could do in your position. Those bastards knew it. It's not your fault, it's not. Zeff knew what they were capable of, and yet he loved you anyway. It's okay to cry, let it out…let me help you, I have you, just let it out…"

Zoro popped in with an alarmed expression, Ussop clueless as he paused just inside the doorway, unsure of what was happening. Seeing the two, Zoro exhaled with vague relief. He walked over to just to make sure he wasn't needed, for Law to acknowledge him being there. Law nodded to indicate that he had the situation handled, so Zoro head bumped him lightly to show approval of the gesture, then ruffled Sanji's hair with an affectionate hand before walking away. He gave a grim smile, then pulled Ussop out with him, shutting the door behind him.

"What happened?" Ussop asked with alarm. "Is that fish killing him? I don't know what to do! Who should I get? Should we kill it ourselves?"

"No, everything's alright. He finally broke down. This is a good thing. This is good," Zoro repeated, leaning against the railing to look over the village, hearing Sanji's muffled wailing, Law's quiet comforting. Worried, Ussop looking from him to his door, then struggled to relax as he saw that Zoro wasn't bothered in the least. The tiger only looked thankful.

"He lost his father. A lot of bad things happened. I guess he just intended on keeping it to himself, but…it's not always a good thing. He's not on his own, anymore, he doesn't have to do that," Zoro added, more as reflection than conscious thought.

"Oh," Ussop murmured, relaxing now that he knew no one was in any danger. His entire body slumped with relief. "Oh, that's too bad. You're right, it's good to release it, now. Huh."

"C'mon. Let's give him some privacy. He'll be okay."

"Yeah, okay, you're right. Come! Let me show you the other side of the village, the dangerous side," Ussop then said, taking the stairs down as Zoro followed.

"What 'dangerous' side? The only danger I see are those curves, over there!"

"BAD! Bad! Those women belong to us!"

: :

Hours later, Law found Zoro and Ussop standing near the blacksmith's, where they were watching him weld a black bladed axe. Ussop was sitting on the fence, Zoro watching the other man with intense fascination as Law walked up to them, following by people that looked up at him awe.

"He okay?" Zoro asked.

"Yes."

"It's good he was able to express that. He wasn't acting himself for awhile."

"Right?'

"Look at this," Zoro said, pointing at the axe. "You ever hear of this? 'Haki'?"

"No. What is it?"

"It's what some guys use to strengthen their weapons – "

"Tools!" Ussop insisted tiredly.

" – to make them stronger. They use their fighting – "

"Working!"

" – spirit to make their weapons strong, to cut through anything."

Law looked over with interest, noting that the blade was no longer black. The blacksmith set it down, and then grinned at them both. "How?"

"You will it! Everyone here knows how to do it! I'm strongest, of course, being that I'm Florence's ambassador," Ussop bragged, hand to chest.

The blacksmith said something to him, which caused Ussop to sputter with an insulted expression. The elderly man turned to the catman gesturing at Zoro to pick up a sword. He unsheathed one, the blacksmith exaggerating his own movements to have Zoro follow his example. He demonstrated with the axe once more, the blade turning colors before he brought it down over his own anvil.

Law was in awe.

Zoro concentrated on his own sword, straining to force his will over his sword. Law looked at him, then tilted his head.

"Are you trying to poop?"

"NO!"

Ussop snickered, then laughed outright at Zoro's reddened expression. Law shrugged.

"Can anyone use haki? Or is that just something that's natural for you guys?" Zoro asked.

"I'll translate," Ussop said, gesturing at the blacksmith to explain. It took a few moments, but he explained, "It's a spiritual force, a will – if you have a strong will to accomplish something, to know what you are absolute with, then you can force it over yourself, over your tool."

"We're staying," Zoro told Law. "This is the type of training we need. It's of basic origins, used for basic things, but I've never heard of this concept, before!"

"I just…don't want to endanger anyone," Law muttered low, Ussop straining to hear what was being said.

"I don't think they'll be able to find us this quick," Zoro said. "It took them six months to get to Earth."

"We used our IDs to pay for the tickets," Law reminded him.

"Just to the station! All we had to do was pay cash up front to the cyborg that brought us in!"

Law remembered this, thinking that it was odd to do so. He shrugged, still doubting that they'd have so much time here.

"We'll learn this, we'll master it, and be out before then. We'll be long gone. The universe is a big place."

"Well…I came to talk about that, too," Law said slowly, gesturing at him to walk out with him. Zoro sheathed his sword and followed, Ussop and the blacksmith looking at each other with puzzled looks.

"My last conversation with Corazon, I told him I wasn't coming back," Law said, once they were far enough away so that Ussop couldn't overhear. With some nervousness, he added, "I told him I'd…I'd taken a human as a mate."

"Well, it'll eventually get out there."

"Those two hate humans. He would've been fine if I were on my own to escape Doflamingo's reach, but once he heard that…I realized what sort of position I was putting him in. So I cut ties with him, too."

Zoro's eyebrows lifted. "With your own father?"

"Yeah."

"So…more than likely, Doflamingo's going to find out you're not going back to give him your life, and…"

"He's going to be looking for me."

"So we've got Germa and the Donquixotes looking for us."

"Yes."

"Even more reason to master this haki," Zoro said, fist curled with determination.

Law studied him for a few moments. "You like this sort of thing, don't you?"

"Look, two great things happened so far; I found out that I still have potential to grow into against strong opponents, and I've discovered a farmer's ability to make myself even stronger. How is this not good for me?"

Law scratched his head, then shrugged.

"Plus, I'm not bored, and I'm learning new things. I'm out of my comfort zone."

"I wasn't even sure if you were even in it."

"Spider Miles was stifling me, and Earth was suffocating me. I'm not meant to be in one spot being one thing. With this situation, I can be different things. And look at you, being all independent, and shit. Is that what made you rob a bank?"

"Yeah."

Zoro smirked. "Bet you that fox is regretting his decision, now."

"I haven't even thought about that guy in weeks. Why are you bringing him up, now?"

"Who was that guy, anyway? Some moon prince? There's like, five of them…"

"Three, you bastard."

"Because you chose to prey on an innocent, defenseless little human – "

"NO, it was the other way around!"

"Oh, so your dick just sort of tripped into him several times in a fucking row. Hah! 'Fucking row'!"

"You're so fucking crude, shove the fuck off."

: :

Nami looked up, the bells ringing on the door as it opened. She looked up from her floating computer panels, watching with a critical expression as the man approached her desk, looking around with a sneer to his face. He was very tall, having to hunch a little as he swept up to her desk. She didn't think too much of his feather coat and hat – it looked too much for her. Because of the battle that had happened nearly a month ago, she was forced to work in the computer room as a precaution, using her AI form to keep herself out in the open while the guys were away. The mood within all of them were somber, quiet, and her husband had been a little subdued, lately.

It was hard for her to climb out of bed sometimes, but on the days that she did, she began feeling a little better. She just wished she could talk to either of the three that had left them; her heart ached with their absence.

"Can I help you?" she asked stiffly, her purple form shifting from behind the desk to face him from the side of it.

"I'm looking for someone," the man said in stunted English. "My son. We had a misunderstanding."

"Who?" Nami asked, alerting the guys at the shop with some fear as she looked up at his face, trying to see Sanji in those features.

"He was registered here at this address. It's urgent that I speak with him."

"How can I help you if I don't know who you are?"

"I apologize. I am Corazon."

Nami's eyebrows jumped into her hairline as she looked him over. She was startled that she hadn't even made the connection, fist to her temple with forgetfulness. "I'm really sorry, sir! But…he moved out some time ago. He didn't say where he was going."

He frowned heavily, jaw tense. It took him a few moments before he asked, "Was he alone?"

"No."

"Did you know him?"

"Yes, we worked together numerous times."

"Was he…he was with a human?"

"Yes," Nami answered firmly. "But I refuse to say anymore than that. If he hadn't said anything to you, then I can't answer for him."

"I understand. Another question. Did a fox come through here at any time? He was in this area."

"No," Nami answered, shaking her head. "Law had mentioned that he had a fiancé, but the guy dumped him. He was broke, he couldn't go very far. But he had his reasons to go. He's not here on Earth…I've looked for them. They were my friends…"

Corazon's lips thinned, jaw tensing once more. He looked down at the floor, then examined the office for some moments. Nami stared at him curiously, a little in awe over facing royalty – over the fact that she was looking at Law's father. He didn't talk about them much, but to know that he was part of that entire circle…!

"Was this human from here?" he then asked.

"No."

"Law was suddenly interested about Germa. Why?"

"I don't know. He was nosey about a lot of things. He always asked about a lot of random subjects."

"Did he leave behind anything? Books? Notebooks? Anything?"

Nami shook her head – she was lying, because they kept Law's apartment untouched. Waiting for him to come back if he needed to. But she didn't want to say much to this man if Law suddenly dropped contact with him. He must have had his reasons.

"No. He didn't have much, he wasn't planning on staying on Earth very long," she said. "He was set on marrying that fox, and when that fell through, he…stayed for a friend. But then this thing with…the human, it was…he was happy."

Corazon's face twisted with disgust. "'Happy'? With a human?"

"Apparently so." Nami fiddled with her fingers, looking slightly ashamed. "Enough to take on the universe and run away with him."

Corazon frowned. But he said nothing more, giving a long exhale through his nose. He then nodded his head, turning away. "Thank you. If the fox does come by, please tell him his time is limited."

"S-sure," Nami murmured, watching him leave. She wondered if she should feel some way about the entire thing, but as Luffy and the others burst in through the kitchen doors, all of them tense and ready to fight, she felt the feeling go away. "Guys, it's okay. False alarm."

"What happened?" Luffy asked, sniffing the air. "Ugh, cigarettes."

'Corazon was looking for Law."

"So, he didn't go home," Franky said, shoulders slumping.

"It sounds like he couldn't," Nami murmured with a pained expression. "When I told him he'd left with …well, he'd asked confirmation, if he were with a 'human', and…it was repeated with such disgust…"

"When he first arrived, he didn't think too much of humans," Bepo said, fiddling with the desk. "He looked at us with disdain, but he warmed up right after that. He wasn't bad, he was just…but he didn't want to go home, anyway. He spoke of it like it was a duty."

"Wherever they went, I just hope…and I'm not saying this sarcastically, or with any malice, but I hope they're happy," Luffy muttered.

"Luffy…if possible, why don't I try and track them down, and – "

"No. I can't risk it. They knew when you were looking into their personal information, I bet they're watching us," Luffy said stiffly. "They probably already know that they're gone."

All of them were then silent, Nami looked at the desk. She had some pictures there – of the crew, of herself with Luffy, and in the recent ones, she looked over Sanji's smiling face with Brook at the window, at Law scowling while Zoro said something to him, Bepo's eyes wide with horror – at a group pic of all the crew where Law tried to hide behind Franky and Zoro flexed impressive arms and Sanji grinned at Zeff's shoulder. Her heart ached again.

Luffy reached out to touch her, having entered the computer room as she sat at the chair, the towers around her whirring noisily as they helped maintain her form outside. He gave her a worried look as the others headed to the kitchen to look over leftovers from last night. "Nami…I'm sorry. I feel like I did something wrong."

"No," she said, wiping her eyes. "It's just…the decision was made as a majority, I just…miss them. But admire them, too. And I'm happy for them, I just…it feels wrong to have let them go. They were our friends – they are our friends."

"They will always be."

"I just think that they felt abandoned and rejected, and…I can't take this anymore," she sniffled, grabbing tissue nearby. "Because they weren't! and Zoro was brave, he just thought – those are his friends, he'll just be with them anyway…!"

Luffy sighed heavily, brushing his hands through her hair. Leaning in to nuzzle her neck, kiss her tears away. He said nothing, though, just letting her cry. Eventually, though, something would change for them. All it took was some time.