A/N: I am so, so sorry for the delay! Have an extra-long chapter as an apology!
Disclaimer: No. Just no.
"...Do you think we should tell him?" Usopp asked and glanced up the gangplank, half expecting the subject of the conversation to appear.
"We probably should, it has everything to do with him," Franky replied, but he didn't look too sure of himself. The two of them hadn't boarded the Sunny yet, trying to decide what to do with what had happened at the market. "He'd be SUPER mad if we didn't."
"I'm pretty sure he'll be mad even if we do!"
"...Yeah, he will, but it's not like it's our fault."
"How about you tell him that while I stay nice and safe out of kicking range?"
"And why might you be getting brutally kicked into oblivion?" Usopp yelped at the voice that came from directly behind him, nearly jumping off the pier in his panic.
"R-Robin! Jeez, don't do that!" he exclaimed, clutching at his chest where his heart was doing its very best to pound its way out of his ribcage. Robin smiled. Usopp suspected she wasn't the least bit sorry.
"So what is it that you think will upset Cook-san so much?"
"Who said anything about Sanji?" Usopp grumbled, not feeling particularly generous at that moment, but a look from Franky had him setting aside his feelings. This could be a problem, after all.
"Some guy came up to us and said some weird things about Swirly-bro, and we don't know if it's worth telling him or not," Franky explained in a heavily summarized version of events. Robin tilted her head slightly, quickly putting the pieces together.
"Would I be correct in assuming it had to do with the islanders' poor treatment of Cook-san yesterday?"
"How did you- you know what, never mind," Usopp stopped himself halfway through his own question, realizing it was best to just accept that somehow Robin always knew everything. Trying to figure it out was simply asking for a headache. The archaeologist merely smiled in her usual mysterious fashion and began making her way up the gangplank. Usopp and Franky followed, filling her in on the details.
The trio wound up in the library, where Robin carefully put away the books she had bought.
"That sounds unusually harsh," she commented after Franky had relayed the conversation with the vendor near verbatim.
"Tell me about it, normally people don't hate us that much unless we've actually done something or they just don't like pirates in general," Usopp said, having also given his account of the day before.
"Everything about this seems highly specific, which means there is something about Cook-san which sets him apart in the eyes of the locals. Moreover, this vendor called him an 'ill omen', which would indicate the matter has to do with beliefs, rather than any action on Cook-san's part." In all likelihood, the superstitions the bookstore owner had mentioned to Robin were the issue, but that did not narrow it down enough for her liking.
Franky spoke up again, frowning. "So, what, he's somehow against their religion?"
"I suppose you could put it like that, although it may not be exactly correct."
"Well whatever it is, should we tell him?"
"I think it would be for the best. Cook-san will probably take this better coming from us than some stranger on the street."
Usopp wasn't convinced. Robin would be spared the temper tantrum, without a doubt, but he and Franky would not. Then again, it had to be done, and as Sanji's (wiser and far more experienced) friend, it was his duty! And he would see it through!
And if he happened to be within arm's reach of the door and at a respectable distance from the cook himself, well, that would be purely coincidence and no-one had any right to complain about it.
The siblings pulled away slowly from the trinket, watching the shadows quietly fade until they were almost entirely invisible again. That gentle, familiar warmth remained for a little longer, and for those moments the siblings allowed it to envelope them. Memories surfaced unbidden but this time they did not threaten to drown out all but grief. Now the good, the bad and the bittersweet played out in their heads as another life they had once lived.
For that little while, their family was whole again.
Sanji moved gracefully around the kitchen, stirring the sauce here, adjusting the heat there, all as easily as breathing. This part of the process required little thought on his part, and he allowed his spare focus to be directed at the Fish. There were a few of them around, as there always were, and none of them seemed to be in any kind of hurry to get anywhere. They gave the galley a serene atmosphere, a wonderful break from the chaos that was always present with the rest of the crew around.
He'd started paying more attention to them than before he'd stopped being able to see them, having realized he couldn't take them for granted and now that they would occasionally act so differently from what he was used to. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with an explanation for any of it, so he hoped that he could figure something out through observation. So far, he hadn't had any luck with that, either.
The Fish by the door suddenly picked up speed and veered away, slowing back down when they reached the table. Not two seconds later, Sanji heard footsteps outside the galley, and the door was thrown open by Franky. Sanji frowned in the table's direction. Had the Fish...? His thoughts were derailed, however, when he realized the cyborg was accompanied by Robin. Usopp was there too, but the archaeologist took precedence over everyone else.
"Ah, Robin-chwan, my lovely flower! Welcome back!" he sang. "...And hi to you two as well, I guess," he tacked on as an afterthought.
"Gee, thanks," grumbled Usopp, who looked rather nervous. Sanji narrowed his eyes in suspicion.
"Is something wrong?" The sniper went a shade paler, reaffirming Sanji's thoughts.
"N-no! Or, well, yes. No. M-maybe?"
"I believe Longnose-kun is trying to say that we would like to talk to you about something," Robin cut in, and beside her Usopp sighed in relief. Sanji's heart soared at the words. Robin wanted to talk to him! Perhaps all his flirting had finally... no. No, if that was the case, Franky and Usopp wouldn't be there, all stern and fearful respectively. Something really was wrong.
He gestured for them to sit down at the counters and quickly stirred one of the pots, and moved what was done off the heat. He'd listen to what they had to say, but he still had a job to do.
"So, what's going on?" he asked when none of them took the initiative. Franky and Usopp glanced at each other, while Robin appeared thoughtful.
"I visited the bookshop you recommended, Cook-san. It was exactly as you described, and I was able to find many interesting things." Sanji almost raised an eyebrow at the non sequitur, but reminded himself that he was talking to a lady, and thus owed it to her to value her every word. Moreover, this was Robin, who never said anything unnecessary or irrelevant. Still, he had no idea where this was going.
"I'm thrilled to have been of service to you, my dear, but I'm afraid I don't quite follow."
"One such interesting thing," Robin continued, as if Sanji hadn't interrupted, "was a conversation I had with the owner. He mentioned that you hadn't had the most positive experience with the locals."
That was putting it kind of mildly.
"That's... well, it's true. But I suppose that means it didn't happen to you?" He knew he was deflecting the question a little bit, but this was far more important. If Robin had been mistreated, he would kick this entire island's ass, Marines be damned.
"As far as I've witnessed, the locals are the epitome of friendliness. Of course, we have proof to the contrary in your case."
"So it really is just me and Usopp? Because I already talked to Chopper and the shitty swordsman, neither of them had any problems either." He hadn't spoken with Nami, Luffy or Brook, but he was starting to suspect they'd been fine, too. Franky hadn't said anything, but he would have by now if he'd had any issues.
"Um, actually...," Usopp said weakly. Sanji raised an eyebrow in question. "Today, er, today they didn't give me any trouble either."
"What? So they got over whatever the hell was bothering them?"
"No," said Franky, finally joining the conversation.
"No?"
"One of the shopkeepers, well he...," Usopp swallowed as he searched for words, "he came up to us and apologized to me about yesterday. Said he hadn't intended to offend me. But then he... um..."
"Basically, bro, you're what's bothering the islanders," Franky cut in bluntly.
A beat.
"The hell is that supposed to mean?" Usopp winced as Sanji raised his voice, but at the moment he was too pissed off to care. His already poor opinion of Merchant Island was falling rapidly.
"It means he went so far as to tell us to get rid of you." Sanji stared incredulously for a few seconds, replaying Franky's words to make sure he'd understood correctly. If his opinion had been low before, it was now drilling through the earth.
"What?" he hissed, a dangerous edge creeping into his voice. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Usopp slowly shifting towards the door as inconspicuously as he could. All things considered, it was probably the wisest thing the sniper could do, but Sanji wasn't up for considering much more than how he would beat some manners into the shopkeeper, and he needed Usopp if he wanted to figure out which one it was.
"And where do you think you're going?" The sniper yelped and jumped away from the door as if burned. Before Sanji could make his demands, Franky stepped in, arms lifted in a placating gesture.
"Calm down bro, it's not like we're gonna listen to the guy. No need to scare Usopp."
"Indeed. Perhaps we should focus on bettering our understanding of the situation, Cook-san." Sanji wanted to protest, but Robin was right. Not that she was ever wrong, of course.
It didn't mean he wouldn't kick that vendor's ass if their paths ever happened to cross again.
Pushing his frustration aside, he let the others explain in detail everything they had found out and the conclusions they had drawn. It didn't amount to much more than what the bookshop owner had told Sanji the day before, if a bit more severe than he had thought. He hadn't expected the islander's hatred to run quite this deep. In the end, they couldn't do anything more than agree that Sanji should tread carefully, and any time he needed to spend on the island should be in the section of the market run by foreign merchants or just avoiding the locals as best he could. It was annoying, and he doubted there was anyone around who actually would (or at least, could) do him any real harm. He'd do it anyway, if only to prevent anyone lashing out misguidedly at the rest of the crew. He was still pretty pissed off about it though, but Robin promising to look into the problem some more made him feel a bit better. She'd do such a thing for him! Oh, what a kind and generous soul she was! He had to make her something special in return.
With the discussion over, Sanji returned to his cooking and daydreaming about what snacks he could make for Robin, but all the while everything he had learned nestled uncomfortably in the corners of his mind. The sooner they got off this island, the better.
One by one and piece by piece, the siblings returned to the present time, each clutching their memories close to their hearts. Silently, they promised to hold on to them forever, and to cherish the feeling of their family being complete, even if it never truly would be again.
With growing determination to set things right, they brought the gifts together. It was time to fulfill their duty to their sister and her people.
Sanji really, really hadn't wanted to share his strange situation with the rest of the crew, but Robin, ever the voice of wisdom and reason, had calmly remarked that it was for the best that they were told; if things suddenly took a turn for the worse, everyone should be prepared. There was no fault in her logic, so there was nothing Sanji could do about it. He did make a point of being by the stove rather than the table when Robin brought it up at dinner, however.
The initial reactions were pretty much in line with what he had expected: mostly loud and ultimately not very helpful. Poor Chopper looked close to tears, leaving Sanji guilty and a little touched, but all his goodwill was overwritten by the Marimo's irritating smugness. He found it funny, the bastard. And then the man went and opened his mouth.
"I dunno, I feel like they've got the right idea. Curlicue's face is pretty offensive."
"Why you-! Like you're one to talk, mosshead! Have you seen yourself? It's nothing short of a miracle you haven't driven everyone away with your ugly mug!"
"And yet you're the one they don't like, shit cook!"
"Why I oughta-!" Sanji tried to take a step forward, but found both he and the moron had been rooted to their spots by several disembodied hands, preventing their verbal battle from escalating into a physical one. Robin held them in place for a little longer, only letting her extra limbs dissipate in a flurry of petals once she was sure they wouldn't try to fight again.
"I believe you haven't quite understood, Swordsman-san. What the islanders hold for Cook-san seems to go a fair bit further than mere dislike." Oh, what an angel Robin was! That was twice now that he owed her, and he intended to put everything he had into repaying her.
Also, Zoro's confused expression made everything worth it. Sanji didn't stick his tongue out at the swordsman because he was a mature adult like that, but he was sorely tempted.
As Franky started another retelling of what had happened with him and Usopp, Sanji tuned them out in favor of getting a head start on the dishes. He'd answer any questions anyone had, but he didn't have anything to add to the story.
The sudden silence drew his attention away from his task and back to the table, where he was met with serious expressions and varying degrees of concern. This was exactly what he'd hoped to avoid. Yeah, the situation was off-putting, but there were several people in the room who had a habit of blowing things out of proportion. In a probably useless effort to mitigate what he was sure would come, Sanji made a point of drying the glass in his hand in the most calm and casual manner he possibly could.
"Yes?" he asked, hoping they'd taken the hint. Alas, hint-taking was not one of the Straw Hats' strong suits.
"Sanjiiiiiii!" Chopper was up from his seat and wrapped around Sanji's legs with frankly impressive speed, crying garbled assurances that they'd never get rid of him, how could anyone say that, and other things to that effect. It made Sanji feel all the guiltier; he hated making the others worry, especially over something that could easily amount to nothing. They would be leaving in a little less than two days, and after that they'd never have to deal with this island again. It was that simple, and he said as much.
Most of the crew evidently didn't agree, suddenly clamoring to ask him questions and to make their own thoughts heard. Sanji couldn't keep up with the noise, so he bought some time by lighting his cigarette and picked up Chopper in hopes of calming at least some of the chaos. It didn't help a lot.
"Sanji." And then just like that, silence fell again with all eyes turned towards Luffy. Sanji straightened a little bit, recognizing the tone. It wasn't Luffy's most serious voice, the one that promised hell to all who got in his way, but it was getting there.
"Yes, Captain?"
"What do you think?" Luffy was looking him dead in the eye, and as much as Sanji wanted to insist that there probably wasn't much of a problem at all, he doubted he'd be allowed to dismiss the question like that.
"I think the locals are rude as shit, and might do... something if provoked enough, but no-one I've seen so far looked like an actual threat. Heck, Franky and Usopp heard the worst of it, not me. I can deal with it, even though the whole thing is pretty weird." Luffy tilted his head a little, considering Sanji's words, then nodded.
"You have my permission to beat them up." The corners of Sanji's mouth twitched upward. He was worried for a second there, but Luffy was letting him handle it however he wanted.
"Hold up, no he doesn't!" Nami exclaimed, garnering more than a few looks of confusion.
"Nami, how could you say that? You want to just let them treat Sanji like dirt?" Usopp protested.
"Don't you dare think I'm any happier than you are about any of this, but getting violent is a surefire way to bring the Marines down on our heads and we can't afford that right now!"
"But-!"
"I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is! I'm not saying Sanji-kun shouldn't defend himself, but we simply can't start any trouble with the locals, no matter how tempting it may be."
She was right, of course, not that an angel like her would ever be wrong, but part of Sanji very much wished he could take out his anger on those who caused it. However, putting the crew in danger was not worth the temporary satisfaction. It was pretty much the exact same conclusion he had come to with Robin, Franky and Usopp earlier, if even a little more cautious, and as much as he'd rather not, he would stick to this plan. They were leaving in a little less than two days. He could do it.
Conversation had picked up around him as he thought, mostly the more level-headed crew members agreeing with Nami, but it was all halted again by Luffy.
"I've figured out what's going on," the captain said seriously, drawing every bit of attention in the room and effectively pulling Sanji back to the present. The crew sat and stared dumbfounded, and more than a little curious. Luffy was never the greatest at putting pieces together, but he had his rare moments of insight. Perhaps now was one of those once-in-a-blue-moon moments, when Luffy caught on to what everyone else had missed...?
"They want to take Sanji away from us so he'll cook all the meat for them instead!"
In retrospect, Sanji thought, they really should have seen that coming.
Yet somehow the captain's words had nearly completely erased the tension in the room, in the way only Luffy could. The crew groaned and laughed at the ridiculous suggestion, some berating themselves for having expected anything different. The problem remained, but suddenly it seemed trivial.
With the chaos settled, Sanji put Chopper back down with a pat on the head and got back to the dishes. This time he paid attention to what was going on at the table, ready to participate if called upon.
"If I may bring up another topic, I also learned something else intriguing," Robin said as calm as ever. Sanji paused in scrubbing a pot clean, his curiosity piqued. She hadn't mentioned anything earlier.
"The bookstore owner I spoke with told me that he believes there may be something of interest on the northern side of the island and, for whatever reason, the islanders consider going there taboo."
Nami raised an eyebrow. "Did he elaborate on what that 'something' might be?"
"No. It seems he was uncertain if there is anything there to begin with."
"Then doesn't it come off as a little far-fetched?"
"Perhaps, and there is certainly a chance that the reasons for it to be taboo to go to the northern side are entirely unrelated to anything that actually is there. On the other hand, there could very well be something to find. I would like to look into it."
"It's a pretty big area to cover on your own, isn't it?"
"I have my ways, but help wouldn't be unappreciated."
"I'll go with you, then."
"Thank you. Would anyone else like to join? Cook-san, perhaps?" Over at the sink, Sanji immediately dropped everything and happily danced his way to the table.
"Of course! Anything for you, Robin-chwan! It would be my pleasure to accompany you lovely ladies even to the ends of the earth!" His heart would burst if it beat any harder, to think that Robin would ask him to come with her and Nami! Oh, what a wonderful time it would be! How romantic-!
"Pardon me, but wouldn't taking Sanji-san along fall under the category of 'provoking the locals'? Since they already... disagree with his presence, wouldn't doing something like this make it exponentially worse?" Brook asked, and Sanji wanted nothing more than to kick the skeleton for ruining his fantasies. Unfortunately, the musician had a point, and it was the only thing preventing Sanji from acting on his desires.
Robin merely smiled. "Only if they find out. I feel that there is a chance, however slim, that this relates to Cook-san's situation somehow. If that ends up being true, then it is probably worth the risk."
"Ah, I see. In that case, I hope you don't mind if I tag along as well?"
"Not at all."
"Thank you! Oh, and before I forget, may I see your- ouch!" This time, Sanji really did kick him.
"Oooh, I wanna go too! It'll be an adventure to find the mystery thing!" Luffy exclaimed, fists up in the air and eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Can I come too?" asked Chopper, equally enthusiastic.
"Of course. However," Robin cast her eyes to Luffy, "I would like to remind you that this particular adventure calls for some... discretion."
Luffy considered this. "Dis-what?"
"She means we don't want everyone and their grandmother to know what we're doing, so you're gonna have to be quiet," Sanji explained with all the patience he could muster. It wasn't much.
"Well that's boring!"
"No-one's forcing you to come."
"But I wanna find the mystery thing!"
"Then stop whining and deal with it!"
"You're no fun, Sanji."
"Too fucking bad."
The siblings reached the second's lands and sent for the leaders of their sister's people to present them with their inheritance; a gesture the siblings hoped would heal the rift they had been unable to prevent. They could not in good conscience ask to be forgiven for their failures, and so they would leave the decision in the hands of those who had suffered most.
Upon their arrival, the siblings bequeathed to the leaders the youngest sibling's belongings. The stories bound with loving care, the gifts she had once received herself, they were all given and taken with grace.
And so came the time for the siblings to add their own contributions.
The first presented the leaders with the ship, its sails pulled up but ready to swell with the wind if given the chance. He taught them each how to build their own, how to handle them, how to care for them.
The second told the leaders of his sister's home, of where to find it, how to get to this safe haven he had built far from harm.
The third informed them of the currents that protected her sister's home, how they had kept out all unwanted visitors. She promised now that these currents would never deny the fifth's people, would always lead them to this sanctuary. In this, the ocean would always be on their side.
The fourth offered another blessing of the seas: in the waters, the fifth's people could find healing, for the ocean would share its life with them. The fourth also gave them a warning, reminding them that the seas could never be owned or controlled, would never be tamed. The ocean had no master, but those who respected its strength could live prosperously alongside it.
The fifth's people listened, committing every word to memory and heart, accepting what they were being given.
Deep down, the feeling they had known all their lives of being out of place began to seep away.
"Would you like some help, Sanji-san?" Sanji looked over his shoulder at Brook, who held up a dry dishtowel. He smiled politely.
"I certainly wouldn't complain." The rest of the crew had left the galley, leaving a blissful silence which contrasted starkly with the noise from earlier. If he listened, Sanji could still hear everyone out on deck, but the wooden walls of the Sunny left it all muffled and distant. Sanji had a feeling that Brook appreciated the quiet just as much as he did, despite often being, ironically enough, one of the livelier members of the crew.
For a while, they both simply allowed the silence to continue, with only the sounds of Sanji washing up and Brook's fingers clicking against porcelain to disturb it. Sanji took the time to ponder about the newest member of the Straw Hat crew. Ever since joining, and honestly some time before that, the skeleton fit in seamlessly; even though Sanji actually hadn't had much time to get to know him, he felt completely comfortable being around the musician. Despite having only been part of the crew for a short while, it felt like Brook had always been there.
"If you don't mind me asking, Sanji-san... How do you feel about all of this?" It took Sanji a second to realize that Brook was talking about the earlier discussion with the crew.
"Didn't you hear what I told Luffy?"
"What I heard was a threat assessment. Forgive me if I'm overstepping my boundaries, but I'd like to know how this is affecting you." Brook paused for a moment. "I also think we ended up making your plans for you, without asking if you agreed at all. I'd like to apologize for that."
Sanji was a little surprised, but quickly shook his head. "No need for that. I'd already spoken to Robin-chan before dinner, and arrived at the same conclusion. I might not be terribly happy about it, but it really is the most logical one."
Brook nodded. "And your thoughts on the situation itself?"
Sanji hesitated as he weighed his words carefully, settling on an honest answer. "It's strange and more than a little annoying, but it's far from the worst we've faced."
The silence that fell after that was a little heavier, both of them remembering just how recently the worst had been. Unlike before, Sanji felt the need to say something to fill the air, to chase out unwanted thoughts.
"Why so curious all of a sudden?" Brook seemed to look him over for a moment, and by god was it a weird feeling since the skeleton didn't actually have any eyes.
"Nakama look out for each other, do they not?"
A slow smile stole over Sanji's face at the unanticipated yet completely obvious answer.
"Yeah, yeah they do." He handed Brook the last plate to dry and drained the sink. "I think I'll have some tea, would you like some?"
"Yes, please!"
Sanji selected some Earl Gray from the cupboard and set the kettle to boil. "So, how's the island been for you so far?" he asked casually.
"About as good as can be expected, I suppose." Sanji froze, realizing his misstep. If the islanders treated him like shit, how would they react to a walking, talking skeleton?
"Shit, sorry! I completely forgot!" As he said it, he realized just how stupid it sounded. How could he possibly forget that Brook was dead? All it took was a glance, and hell, Brook himself kept making jokes about it! And yet... he really had forgotten. Brook had become a normal part of everyday life.
Brook laughed, but it lacked some of its usual cheer. "No need for that," he said, echoing Sanji's words from before, "I anticipated a fearful reaction. Maybe some of it is due to the beliefs held on this island, but I think it is the inevitable response no matter where we go."
"But still..." It must be terrible, being trapped and alone for fifty goddamn years, only to be shunned upon finally escaping.
"No. If anything, the fact that you can forget means more to me than you can ever imagine. You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I..."
"You know, Sanji-san, when you all showed up at Thriller Bark I wondered if I was dreaming. This crew is more than I dared to hope for, and being part of it now makes me feel more alive than I have in a long time- even though I'm dead! Yohohoho, skull joke!" The corners of Sanji's mouth twitched upward involuntarily. Brook's humor had quickly become familiar, but his laughter was infectious.
"Of course, sometimes it's even a little overwhelming, and I don't quite know what to do with myself. Perhaps it'll take some more settling in on my part." For the first time, it occurred to Sanji that Brook might not seek out silence because he enjoyed it, but because it was what he was used to.
"If you ask me, I'd say you're already right at home with our merry little band of lunatics," Sanji told him, responding to the musician's unexpectedly candid confession with equal sincerity.
"I'm glad to hear that." Brook chuckled, and Sanji tilted his head a bit in question. "Tell me, Sanji-san, how is it we ended up talking about me when I asked about you?"
Sanji grinned. "Nakama look out for each other, don't they?"
Brook paused for what may have been a blink if he had any eyelids, then threw back his head and laughed. "That they do!"
As the siblings spoke, the fifth's people remained silent. They listened when the guardians of the realms described the end of the fifth's life, described her grave. But when they were about to disclose its location, the fifth's people finally made themselves heard.
"Please, do not tell us. You have given us the blessings of the ocean, the means to explore it all. For such a sacred place as holds the beauty of all we have ever wished to see... please, allow us to seek it out for ourselves."
The siblings were stunned by the plea, but they all realized its wisdom. For those who thrived in the arms of the ocean, what greater gift was there than the thrill of discovery?
"Very well."
Sanji got up a good two hours earlier than usual. The crew had decided to set off before dawn, before the majority of the islanders woke up. They would have gone out to explore the northern forests during the night, but Robin (wisely) pointed out that it would be near impossible to find anything in the dark, especially since they didn't even know what they were looking for in the first place.
He made a simple breakfast, then turned his attention to the task of kicking Luffy awake. In the end, he had to threaten to give all the meat on the ship to Usopp before Luffy got his ass out of bed, but after that everything was much easier. Brook had woken up when Sanji returned to the men's quarters, while Chopper only needed a slight nudge. The ladies, ever wonderful and capable, were already waiting in the galley.
The harbor was quiet, with only a few early-risers around. The sun wouldn't be up for at least another hour, and the Straw Hats had every intention of capitalizing on this chance. They quickly made their way from the markets and past the residential areas. Sanji kept his head down as best he could, drawing as little attention to himself as possible. He couldn't stop himself glancing over his shoulder every few minutes to make sure no-one was following them, and the rest of his time was devoted to watching Luffy and making sure he didn't do anything colossally stupid.
Despite his fears, however, they made it to the outskirts of town without incident. On the other hand, he now had something else to worry about.
To get to the forest, they'd have to cross through the cemetery.
It wasn't that he was scared of graveyards, not at all, but they had always made him uneasy. Thriller Bark most certainly hadn't helped on that count, but it hadn't been the start, not by a long shot. No, he'd never understood why anyone would want to be buried in a small, cramped coffin, stuck under the cold earth. That was probably why, when granny had told him she wished to be buried out at sea, the idea had made so much sense to him. Who the hell would pick soil when they could have the boundless, colorful ocean?
He remembered granny's funeral. It had been quiet, and even though she had had no family, many people had shown up. She had been well-liked, and the villagers had all pitched in to give her a proper send-off.
And they'd done it all wrong.
Granny had told him about how she wanted to go, but apparently no-one else knew. No-one listened when he tried to tell them, either. He'd done his best to make them understand, but by the end he'd wondered if he was the odd one out. Nobody else had any problems with regular burials, so why did he? He knew that's what was supposed to happen once you died, and that was all there was to it.
And yet...
He'd returned to the grave a few days later when he was sure no one was there. He had knelt down on the freshly upturned soil, grabbed a handful, stuffed it in a pouch, and then headed for the shore. He had chosen an old cove which he had discovered some two years prior, one that nobody else seemed to even know about.
He'd emptied the pouch into his hand, and with a few whispered words of farewell in the old tongue, tossed the soil out onto the water. It still wasn't right, but it was at least a little better.
He never visited the grave again.
"Oi, Sanji! You coming or what?" Luffy shouted from up ahead, the idiot.
"Yeah yeah, just be quiet!" He picked up his pace and followed his captain past the graves, the thin morning mist curling around his legs. Why did the place have to be so eerie, dammit?
He fell in step with Robin, who looked more amused than the situation called for (not that he had any right to judge a lady!). She made no comment on whatever it was she found so funny, for which Sanji found he was a little grateful. Robin's imagination was... vivid, in a morbid way.
He really didn't need any morbid right now.
For a minute, they traveled in silence (or the closest to silence Luffy could manage even under constant supervision), and when he wasn't shushing the captain, Sanji surveyed his surroundings. He ignored the shivers trying to work their way down his spine, and kept his observations analytical. One thing quickly stood out to him, and that was the fact that there didn't seem o be any barrier between the forest and the town, aside from the cemetery itself. If the islanders were so hell-bent on keeping people away from the northern side, why not build a wall or something?
"I see you've noticed it too, Cook-san," Robin spoke up from his right. Sanji nodded.
"The graveyard's not even fenced off, there's nothing stopping people from walking right through..."
"The shape of it is strange as well," said Nami, walking on Robin's other side. "I looked up any maps of the island I could find yesterday. The cemetery curves around the entire land-facing edge of the town."
"That is rather peculiar."
"Maybe they think the graveyard will keep people away?" Sanji ventured. Robin shook her head and gestured around her.
"The graves are in all good condition. Someone must come around regularly to take care of them."
"And yet no-one tries to go further? Just how is this rule enforced for people to obey it so well that not one person would try to break it?" Nami frowned, and Sanji could take a guess at her thoughts. Cocoyashi village had lived under Arlong's absolute rule, with anyone who disobeyed facing the very real threat of death.
Robin answered, "Fear is a powerful motivator, and so is belief. If people have been taught their entire lives that there is something to be scared of... I don't think many would find it in themselves to challenge that."
"Are we sure this has anything to do with fear, though?" Sanji asked.
"Perhaps not, but I find it most likely. Few things can overcome curiosity."
Up ahead, Luffy, Brook and Chopper had reached the end of the graveyard and edge of the forest.
"Come on, hurry up! You guys are so sloooowww!" Luffy complained. Sanji decided that the next time they took him along on any trip that called for stealth, they'd gag him.
The forest was darker than he had expected it to be, and they all had to take a moment to let their eyes adjust. They had brought lanterns along, but wanted to avoid using them if at all possible as nothing would raise suspicion quicker than lights where there should be none. They moved slowly and quietly until Robin deemed them to be out of earshot of the cemetery, whereupon Luffy was free to make as much noise as he wanted, an opportunity he did not waste. He instantly took to the trees, swinging from branch to branch and laughing for all he was worth. Sanji suspected the 'Monkey' part of Luffy's name was meant to be taken literally.
"So, how are we going to do this?" Nami asked as they trekked on.
"It would be most efficient to split up, but the fact that we don't know what we're looking for poses a problem. Even if one of was to come across something, there's no guarantee they'd recognize it as anything noteworthy," Robin pointed out.
Chopper tilted his head. "Wouldn't it be obvious?" The archaeologist shook her head.
"You'd be surprised. Time can hide everything astoundingly well, and what we're looking for may be something which to us would seem completely innocuous. We could stare it in the face and not notice."
Sanji frowned. Things would be a hell of a lot easier if they had even the slightest clue about this 'mystery thing', as Luffy so eloquently put it, or some starting point to work with. Anything.
He started in surprise as some Fish swam past him, less than an arm's reach from his face. He turned his head to follow their path, eyes narrowing at the strange behavior. It was like they'd deliberately caught his attention.
"Sanji-san?"
The Fish... they'd shown him the way to Chopper during the storm, hadn't they?
"Sanji-san, do you see something?"
The Fish slowed down to a stop, hovering some five meters away. The weight of attention settled on him like it had a few days ago. They were waiting.
"Sanji, are you okay?"
He took a tentative step forward, then another, without taking his eyes off the Fish. They let him get within a couple meter's radius, then suddenly took off again. Five meters further, they slowed and stopped.
"Sanji-kun, answer us!"
He followed more confidently, and the Fish matched his pace. They were definitely leading him somewhere.
"Oi, wait up!"
He wove his way between the trees and deftly stepped over roots, never losing sight of the Fish. He was vaguely aware of the others not far behind, but for now he ignored them. Just where the hell were the Fish taking him?
The trees finally made way for a sheer cliff-face, with the Fish swimming around at its base. Sanji slowed down as he approached them, waiting to see if they'd move off again. They didn't. Did that mean that this was this it?
A part of the cliff had collapsed, leaving a landslide of rock. It must have happened ages ago, since the rocks were all covered in moss. Hell, there was even a tree growing on them, towards the top of the pile. Beyond that, there was nothing special to be seen.
"Is this...," he stopped halfway through his question, and on a hunch switched languages. "Is this what you wanted to show me?" The Fish didn't react, and he felt stupid for having expected anything. How the hell were they supposed to answer? Why the hell did he think they would? He'd talked to them plenty as a kid, but they'd never-
The Fish picked up speed faster than he could track, suddenly swirling about in what he would almost describe as excitement. He froze as they closed in, moving in fast-paced circles around him. They weren't threatening, but he had no idea what to do.
"Sanji! There you are!" His concentration snapped as Chopper barreled into him. The Fish took off, back to their regular, leisurely movements, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
"Hey, get off!" He tried to dislodge the small reindeer, but failed miserably.
"Why'd you run? Why didn't you answer us when we called for you? Is something wrong? Are you hurt? Couldn't you hear us? Oh my god, have you gone deaf?"
"What? No!" Sanji wanted to growl his frustration at losing... whatever it was that had just happened, but realized it would do him no good. Poor Chopper was going to start hyperventilating at this rate. "Nothing is wrong, I just thought I saw something. Sorry I ignored you. Now, breathe!"
The others caught up to them, looking around at their new surroundings with interest, but before they could ask anything, Sanji asked a question of his own.
"Where's Luffy?" The captain wasn't among them. Had he disappeared somewhere?
"Wohoooo!" Ah. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Luffy was back to jumping through the trees. "Oh hey Sanji!" he greeted as he swung past, not watching where he was heading. Where he was heading, as it turned out, was straight for the pile of rock at the base of the cliff. Sanji and the others all winced as Luffy slammed into it face first, recreating the landslide that had made it in the first place.
"Goddammit, Luffy!"
As the dust cleared, they all approached to make sure the idiot hadn't hurt himself too bad, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"What...?"
"Hey guys! Come check this out!" Luffy's voice echoed from... somewhere. They had to push aside the rubble before they could tell where their captain had ended up.
"Oh my," Robin said, her usual calm tinged with surprise.
"Sanji-kun... did you know this was here?"
"No, no I didn't..."
Hidden behind the rocks was a cave entrance.
A/N: First off, well done Picu! I was waiting to see if someone would catch the reference XD
Because it's rather obscure, I'll just explain it here: I named Elias's ship after the Finnish national epic, the eponymous Kalevala. I actually went a little further, as Elias himself is based on the guy who compiled it, Elias Lönnrot. This information isn't really important to the story though, so don't worry if you don't have any idea what I'm talking about.
If anyone wants something to listen to while reading, I would suggest the Ori and the Blind Forest soundtrack, as well as that of Mushishi (thanks for the recommendation, tonbotomoe!) They're what I've been listening to as I write.
I'd like to apologize again for how long this took. It seemed like every time I sat down to write, something else would happen that demanded my attention. And now university has started up, so unfortunately I can't promise it'll get any better T.T But! I do promise to keep at it, I don't want to let this story die, even though I still don't really know where it's going.
Finally, thank you all again for your support! I love each and every one of you!