And now, We look to Sunny and our crew left behind.
A reprise
Sanji was imitating a miserable puddle again.
Irritated, Chopper dug his hooves in his sides till he heard a groan. "Sanji! Stop blocking the way!"
"Nami-swaannn." Sanji rolled over and looked to the sky. Even his curly eyebrow seemed to lose its curls. "Robin-chamaaaaa."
"Where are they?!" Usopp said, fixing his hat and nervously fumbling with his slingshot again. He had never realised how much he had relied on his Captain's blind optimism to get through every difficulty they went through. Dammit! He was the coward, always running away.
If not for Luffy…Who would call him back.
"This situation is indeed complicated." Brook sipped on his never-ending tea. "Franky-San, how is the booster coming along?"
Franky stuck out his knee in a fabulous pose. "It's splendid! We can slowly move Thousand Sunny right away!"
"That's probably a good idea." Usopp looked around fearfully. "I don't trust these seas without Nami around."
By mid evening (Probably, it was hard to say with how volatile Grand Line weather was), Their towing bore fruit. In the distance, they could spot land. Though it was hard to trust anything after their friends were literally sucked away, They had no choice. Nami was a core part of their navigation. Sure, Franky and Brook knew enough to survive but they could never grasp the winds as well as Nami would.
Chopper turned back to his small reindeer form. "They'll probably not react well if they see me. Who wants to come along?"
"I would love to go," Franky started, "But unfortunately Thousand Sunny is in need of some attention."
Chopper looked at Usopp's shaking legs and eliminated him right away. "Sanji. Come on, It will be a change of scene, I promise!"
"I would never change from Nami-San and Robin-Chan!" Sanji cried, "I'm not a cheater!"
Everyone : What a pain in the ass…
With his teeth around Sanji's collar, Chopper waved cheerfully and descended along with Brook to get supplies. Though it wasn't night yet, the small town seemed idle enough that they couldn't see anyone roaming outside. Infact, It seemed deserted. Some of the houses had caved through with disuse and neglect, giving the appearance of a ghost town.
Brooks looked around in slight apprehension.
"What is it, Brook?" Chopper asked.
"Ah, It's just. I feel something is different. It seems malevolent but also…sad? I can feel it- in my bones! Yohohohoho"
"Sad?" Sanji raised another cigarette to his lips. "Perhaps they too miss my beloved ladies."
Chopper shook his snout. "Let's go quickly then. Someone might need medical attention!"
So saying, the trio chanced upon a small establishment in the corner of the town. The signage outside vaguely identified itself as a bar but reconstructing any meaning was impossible. The door creaked open with no resistance and Chopper realised that the lock had long since been broken. Or no- He corrected himself quickly, It was so rusted that it had broken by itself with no resistance.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
Sanji had already gone past everyone and started rooting around near the bar cellar. He hated behaving like that drunkard Marimo but he really needed something strong right now. His hands had just grasped a bottle from the back when his foot caught against something.
He looked down and gasped aloud.
"Chopper! There's a person here!"
"Move, Sanji." Chopper instantly changed forms and looked up, "I need some light. Brook, please assist me. I think…Yes, He has collapsed out of malnutrition and exhaustion. Fortunately, We came before it was too late. Sorry-" Chopper grasped the fallen man's jaw tightly and pried it open, "But, I need you to drink this."
Sanji peered over his torchlight. "Is he alright now?"
"Yes!" Chopper grinned. "He'll be waking up right about…Now!"
The man groaned and looked around absently in a daze. "Ye Gods, Am I really not dead yet?" He muttered, not paying any attention to them at all. His roving eyes found Brooks and his face almost lit up, "Or maybe I am? Dear fellow, Have you come to take me?"
"I know I wished to not frighten people," Brook muttered, "But this seems worse."
"You are not dead, Mister. Brook ate a Devil fruit, That's why he is the way he is. And I am a Zoan user." Chopper said slowly.
The man slumped down. "Oh. You really shouldn't have."
Sanji thinned his lips, tapping his foot against the cobbled floor. "Stop wishing for your own death and tell us what happened here."
The man looked away, not focusing on anything in particular, as if remembering something he longed to forget. "My name is Geto. This is…or was Fallon town. I suspect you people are pirates? Ah yes, of course, no one else would venture out here without purpose. We were small of course, but we were happy once."
"What happened?" Brook asked, solemn.
Geto said nothing and merely shook his head. "Before that, Tell me why you are here."
"Why, You-"
"Sanji!" Chopper held back his friend from kicking the man's face in. "Mister, A few days ago, Something appeared near our ship and sucked our friends away! You need to tell us what happened!"
"Sucked away, you say?" Geto's pupils were blown wide. "Are you sure?"
"You know something." Sanji grit his teeth, "Spit it out."
"I'm sorry but your friends are not coming back."
"What?!"
Geto looked genuinely sorry for them. "Every fortnight, this portal appears and takes people away. They never return. I'm truly sorry but there is nothing you can do-"
He abruptly stopped talking when a booted foot scrunched the wall next to his head. He swallowed, letting his body cower down.
"Bullshit!" Sanji was almost screaming now. "You say that one more time and I won't miss. So hell if I-"
"You lost someone, didn't you?" Brook interrupted. His voice was almost knowing, as if seeing a fellow sufferer.
"M-My wife and my…..daughter."
It was like a dam had burst. Geto bent down, sobs escaping his ruined throat as he cried his heart out. He had been grieving for five years. The people who still survived in this forsaken town all told him to move on, only to then go home and drown themselves in whatever they could find to take away the pain. Hell on earth. That was what this place was. Hell.
Sanji stuttered, chewing on his cigarette. He raised a hesitant hand, awkwardly patting Geto on the back. "I'm…sorry."
"No one knows why it started happening. Or why it only took a few at us at one time. One day, We could hear the kids laughing together and the next it was replaced by screams from mothers searching for them. Many…gave up long before me. I don't even know if any still live. I am living in the hope that I see them again but I…am so tired." Geto whispered hoarsely.
"I am truly sorry, Geto-san." Chopper patted his arm kindly, "But…could you tell me who was the first to be taken?"
"The first? That would be Sagoi-san. The poor man lost his entire family and was stranded here when his ship sailed between an ongoing conflict between two sets of pirate groups. We helped him as much as we could of course, but I'm afraid he never quite was all…there. He rarely ate and was cooped in the small house we could afford to give him, all day."
"Say," Brook said, "Could Geto-san be kind enough to guide us to his house? We might discover something."
Geto rubbed the tears off his face. "Of course. Also," He looked at the floor, as if unable to face them. "I'm sorry for saying all that. It was undeserved."
Chopper smiled at him. "No, Geto-san had his reasons. No blame lies with you for this."
The path, once clearly defined, now lay covered by overgrown and poorly-cared for weeds and wildflowers growing in clusters. The fog had turned oppressive in the time they were inside, partially obscuring their vision. The group had to rely completely on their torches to see even two feet in front of them. Fine mist fell on them, a chill sweeping through the air.
"There!" Geto called out, pointing to a tiny hut to the left. He hesitated. "Um. If you don't mind, Could you go by yourself? It's just…I'd rather not be in there again."
Sanji noticed his badly trembling hands and nodded. "Yeah. Go back. It's not safe anyways. Also," He placed his hand on Geto's shoulder again, "We'll find your wife and kid. So don't talk about dying again, alright?"
Too choked for words, Geto bowed wordlessly and left quietly.
Brook swept away the cobwebs, making a show of coughing due to the dust. "Well now-"
"Huh, what's this?" came Sanji's voice from inside.
Chopper bent down, who had again shifted to his human form and slid a finger along the floor. He licked it as Sanji looked on with disgust and rapidly paled.
"What? What is it?" Sanji asked in a hurry.
"It's human blood!"
uhm. Hi? It's been uh. 3 ish years? I've been sitting on my unfinished drafts for so long that it took me forever to find it again. But then again, that wasn't the only reason.
Many things have happened. Covid had taken quite a few people from my life way too early. I was bitter, angry and just...sad for the most part. My entrance exam kept getting postponed and I was beginning to completely lose all hope. I had stopped enjoying things and sadly, that included writing. I had written poems and short stories on and off but that's all I could stomach.
I'm in a much better space now. I have gotten into medical school! and I'm starting to work through my emotions slowly and steadily. Hopefully, nothing like that dark pit I was in, happens ever again.
The people who still continue to stick on, I am grateful to you all from the bottom of my heart. I wrote this story because I genuinely enjoyed it and I will continue to but the occasional kudos and comments made me smile just a little. I could never bring myself to reply but it was appreciated nevertheless.
Thank you. And I wish you a good day :)
Oh also, since weird things are , I am considering shifting to AO3 completely. My handle is /users/Kana_Casanova/pseuds/Kana_Casanova