Whole Cake Island
Part Seven
Sanji held Neo's hand firm as he lead her down the hallway. At each cross hall they paused so he could see if the way was clear until they reached his room. "I need to go see Big Mom."
"Why?"
"I'm hoping to convince her to let my crew go," Sanji said.
"We're not leaving without you." Neo crossed her arms.
Sanji turned to the door then looked back at her. "Will you stay here until I get back?"
Neo grabbed his shirt. "You are coming back right?"
"Of course. I won't be gone long." Sanji squeezed her shoulder and left.
Neo sighed at the click of the door. She looked around, hoping he wouldn't be gone long. A bed sat in the corner of the room. A large wardrobe was opposite from it. Next to that was an open door. She walked over to find it lead to a kitchen. "I wonder if all the bedrooms have kitchens in them or if Sanji's is special."
Her eyes then landed on a closed door. With nothing else to do she walked over and looked inside. It was a bathroom with a large tub and shower.
Neo paced the room for a few minutes before sitting down on the window's wide ledge. She stared out at the rain while wondering how Law and the others were doing. As the minutes pass she felt sleepiness tapping at the back of her mind and closed her eyes. Resting would be good right now.
Neo had no idea that she had fell asleep until someone tapped her shoulder, causing her to jolt.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's okay." Neo rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"It's fine." Sanji joined her on the window ledge. "Luffy and the others will be spared. Big Mom promised me she'll let them go. The Baratie will be fine as well."
"As long as continue to be her obedient little slave and get married." Neo frowned.
"Neo, try to understand that I'm doing this for you all." Sanji took her hand in.
"I don't accept that. You're being an idiot. Luffy's not going to let you go. Not like this."
"Go back to Law."
"Not going to happen. I'm staying with you until you come to your sense." Neo pulled her hand away from him. "You can't trust Big Mom. And you can't trust Pudding."
"You can be so stubborn. Almost as stubborn as Luffy." Sanji ran his fingers though his hair.
"Get use to it. We're not leaving this island until you come back." Neo crossed her arms with a firm huff. She looked back out the window and continued to watch the rain. For the most part she ignored Sanji. She didn't even look at him when he got up and left the room. This time he came back with flowers and a hum on his lips. "Why are you so happy?"
"I'm going to make some food for Pudding," Sanji said. "She didn't eat much during dinner. Said she wasn't feeling good."
Neo watched as he moved into the kitchen. She was about to get up and follow him but was stopped by a knock on the door.
"Into the bathroom." Sanji rushed back into the room.
Neo slipped into the bathroom. She stayed by the door and listened to a servant speak to Sanji. Their voices fade away from her. She assumed they moved into the kitchen or left the room all together.
"You can come out now, Neo," Sanji called to her several minutes later.
Neo left the bathroom and followed him into the kitchen. Spices floated on the air.
"Ah, rats!"
"What is it?" Neo walked over to him.
"I've made a rather vulgar looking bento out of usual habit!"
Neo looked at the bento. "It looks fine to me. In fact it looks like the stuff you make for Luffy and the others."
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure Pudding wouldn't typically eat something like this. Well, oh well. I'll eat whatever ends up being left over. I made some for you too. You need to eat healthy while pregnant."
Neo sighed. "Do you really have to go see her?"
"I do." Sanji placed the bento and a bottle of wine in a picnic basket. "Stay here and behave." He placed a kiss on her temple. "I'll be back soon."
"Fine." Neo huffed. "But if you're not back within two to three hours I'm coming after you."
Sanji chuckled and closed the door behind him.
Neo stared at the door for a while before pacing the room. Her mind drifted back to Law. If only her magic would come back. She wanted to know what was going on. Surely Big Mom wasn't telling the truth. There's no way the emperor would let them leave so easily, especially after they defeated Cracker and everything else that happened between her and the Straw Hats. Luffy had already picked a fight with Big Mom. If there was a time for Big Mom to get revenge it would be now.
Neo had no idea how long she paced when a tap on the window broke her thoughts. She rushed over when she saw Sanji there and pushed open the window, bring in a sweet smell. "Sanji, what are you doing outside?"
"I'm sorry, Neo. I should have listened to you."
"Huh?" Neo blinked.
"You were right about Pudding." He held up his hand. "Come on. Let's go."
Neo took his hand and crawled out the window.
Sanji shut the window, reclaimed her hand, and ran away from the castle.
"Sanji, what happened?" Neo asked then noticed the rain felt odd on her skin. She brought her hand up to her nose and sniffed it. "Is it raining syrup?"
"The wedding is a sham," Sanji said. "Big Mom's after Germa's technology. She's going to kill myself and my former family at the wedding."
"What?!" Neo gasped. "Sanji, what happened?"
"Hold up." Sanji came to a stop.
Neo looked forward to find a dog had stepped out in front of them. Its bared its teeth at them as it moved closer.
"Hey, you, stop that. It's not for you. Go on now." Neo waved her hand at the dog. The dog whimpered but ran off. As they closed the distance to where they had left Luffy, they spotted several people laying on the ground. "I knew Big Mom would sent someone after us. Where are they? My magic is still out. I can't sense Law or Luffy."
"They're fine. I'm sure. Come on. Let's fine them." Sanji rushed forward.
Neo followed his lead. They looked through the fallen people, trying to find their friends until a familiar growl echoed through the air. "Think we found him." Neo laughed. They followed the sound until they spotted Luffy shriveled like a prune leaning against a fallen King Baum. "Really? You got this skinny looking? You ate all those crackers in the forest. And it's only been a couple hours."
Luffy's stomach growled again. He twitched, sniffed, and opened his eyes. "Thandi."
Sanji averted his eyes. "I never told you to wait."
Luffy chuckled.
"If you think you can... eat." Sanji dropped the basket beside his captain. He sat down on a fallen chess piece looking soldier. "It got all messed up by the rain. What a failure of a meal, am I right?"
"Luffy, were is Law?" Neo looked around.
"He's probably around here somewhere. He didn't get captured like Nami and I did." Luffy shoved the food into his mouth. "Delicious! This is great! Incredibly delicious! You even put all our favorite foods in here. Yum! So good!"
"You liar." Sanji pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Ah! What a meal!" Luffy, back to normal, stood up. "I was about to completely prune up!"
"You're done eating. Now leave," Sanji said.
"What are you saying?! Come with me!" Luffy said.
"Sanji," Neo started.
Sanji held up a finger. "One, I disrespected and injured my own captain to the best of my ability despite the fact that you came here to save me. This is why I no longer have the right to return to the ship." He held up another finger. "Two, my greatest saviors... that old man you already met and his crew from back where I was raised are all being held as hostages right now in case I screw up somehow. That's why there's no way I can run from the wedding ceremony tomorrow." A third finger went up. "Three. My bloody family has been targeted by Big Mom. In a few hours from now, they'll all be killed. I have no obligation towards them and they're definitely all rotten to the core. But I don't have it in me to let them die off either. In conclusion these are the three reasons I can't go back with you."
"He's right, Straw Hat." Law appeared.
"Law!" Neo ran to and threw her arms around him. "You've been gone too long!"
"Says the one who took off from me." Law stroked her hair.
"Please leave now," Sanji said.
Luffy punched Sanji.
Sanji crashed to the ground with a wet splat.
"Tell me the truth!" Luffy said.
Tears stream down Sanji's face. "Luffy... I... I want to... go home to Sunny!"
Neo cried. "Sanji!"
"But I can't find the strength to run away from here! Once the ceremony begins, there's no way I'll be able to stop everything on my own. But I somehow still want to save those scumbags that I don't even think of as my family!"
"Of course you do. That's just you, isn't it?" Luffy said.
Sanji looked up in surprise.
"We're here for you. Let's wreck that wedding together!" Luffy grinned.
"Yeah!" Neo nodded.
Sanji walked back over and sat against King Baum.
"Oh! Yeah! Jinbe's here!" Luffy said.
"Really?!" Neo asked and Luffy nodded.
"Yeah! I was totally surprised too!" Luffy said. "He helped me and Nami escape."
"So Nami's safe, then? I'm so relieved," Sanji said.
"But anyway, now we've just got to think about how we can meet up with everyone. They'll all be stoked once they hear you're coming back." Luffy held up a hand to catch syrup rain. "They were all worried."
"And in spite of that, I caused them all terrible grief." Sanji raked his fingers through his hair.
"Oh, the rain's letting up," Luffy said.
Sunbeams poked through the parting clouds.
"Hey! Luffy! Are you there?!"
"That's Chopper's voice," Luffy said.
"Where is he?" Neo looked around but found no sign of the reindeer.
"Still in that mirror world." Law looked at the ground. "There must be a piece of a mirror here."
The pirates combed the ground.
"Found it!" Luffy knelt down and picked something up. "It's coming from this little piece of mirror."
"Luffy, can you hear me?"
"Why is there a voice coming from a mirror?" Sanji asked.
"It's a long story, but all you need to know is that Chopper's inside of the mirror with everyone else. Chopper, are you guys all right?" Luffy said.
"Ah! Luffy! You're really there! I'm so glad!"
"Luffy, do you have Sanji with you?" Nami asked.
"Yep. He, Neo, and Tra are all here. What about you?"
"We were able to find and rescue everyone from inside the mirrors, Luffy," Carrot said.
"And what's more, Brook was able to get his hands on a copy of the poneglyph!" Chopper said.
"Whoa, really?! You guys really are the best!"
"Luffy, it's great that Sanji's with you, but were you able to reach an understanding?" Pedro asked.
"Sanji's not coming back just yet," Luffy said. "Starting now, we're going to bust up Big Mom's tea party and wedding. And save Sanji's family! And once we're done Sanji will come back to us!"
Gasps came from the mirror.
"Luffy, we're talking about an emperor here. The last thing I want is to endanger everyone. No, endangering Nami and Neo because of my own selfishness," Sanji said.
"Stop talking like that." Neo bopped Sanji on the head.
"What the heck is your problem?! I heard you had a huge fight with Luffy, so I was crazy worried, you dummy!" Chopper said.
"I'm just... so happy... you dummy!" Carrot sniffled.
"You simpleton!" Brook added.
"As long as we do all that, Sanji will come back to the crew, right?" Nami asked.
"Ah... Nami? Um..." Sanji said.
"Ah, and Sanji. Regarding the matter of you throwing me down into the depths of fear itself I will never forgive you!"
"Ah!" Sanji gasped, clutching his head as if he were stabbed by Nami's words.
Nami continued, "But I suppose I can put it behind me for the time being. The tea party's around the corner, after all. So I'm going to bring you back even if I have to drag you. Got it, Sanji?!"
"Eh?! Could you possibly be proposing to me, Nami?!" Sanji asked. "This all makes me feel oddly relieved."
"Well then, Luffy. We all know what we've got to do," Jinbe said.
"Jinbe!" Neo looked into the mirror. "How are you doing?!"
"Fine. It's good to see you too, Princess." Jinbe smiled. "Listen, even though we don't necessarily have to take out Big Mom herself, every time Mama has a tea part, she looks forward to it from the very bottom of her head. To destroy all that would mean to incite the full blown wrath of one of the emperors. And what's more, you all it seems you've already been confronted by various ministers, but within the Big Mom pirates, they are but the tip of the iceberg. There will be many fierce warriors above even them in attendance at the tea part. And not to mention the emperors of the underworld, invited from various nations from across the seas. As for we, who are standing against them, there are merely twelve of us."
"Hey! Don't you include us in your mess! Don't go fudging the numbers! There's only ten of you! And you can all go and get yourselves murdered as far as I'm concerned!"
Neo hummed at the sound of Brulee's voice. "She decided to join us?"
"I did not!" Brulee shrieked.
"Luffy, I already spoke about this with everyone on this end, but forgive me for changing the subject but there's something you need to hear. Do you know of Capone 'Gang' Bege?" Jinbe said.
"Yeah." Luffy nodded. "He's the guy who made off with Sanji."
"The jerk! I'm going fry him with a lightning bolt!" Neo gritted her teeth.
"Neo! You're so cute when you're angry!" Sanji spun in a circle.
"Right. He's one of the Worst Generation. In other words, one of your contemporaries. In his native West Blue, there are five enormous mafias which have the underworld of the entire sea under their control. The five great families and of the five bosses of those mafias, one of them is none other than Bege himself. The moniker 'Gang' comes from the remnants of his younger days. He was one crazy whippersnapper. He became infamous as a loose cannon. I've heard that he's the sort of man who'd cut off animals heads and laugh as he watched their writhing bodies!"
"That's terrible!" Neo tightened her hold on Law. "The poor babies!"
"Even people met the same fate at his hands. In his younger days, he was already gunning for the heads of the bosses of the underworld. Even if they commanded an entire family, he'd go straight for the head of any boss who dared resist him and no one else. But in spite of all that, he showed no interest in improving his status or acquiring territory. He stole money and precious items and nothing else. From then on, he sat back and watched the blood soaked struggles for power. He merely laughed as he watched the powers that be in the underworld panic. Saying he's a man with bad taste would be an understatement. However, in this world its eye for and eye. Before long, those who would seek revenge on him came for his head in droves. And yet, that was all fun and games for Bege. He had an iron clad fortress awaiting them and sent them packing with their tails between their legs, laughing all the while. And once he grew bored of his dominance, he set out to the seas. But his methodologies didn't change. He quickly gained infamy by taking only the heads of renowned pirate captain, but leaving their crews intact."
"And why are you telling us this now?" Luffy asked.
"As he journeyed he was continually chased by those seeking revenge. And to someone like that, there's no better place to hide than under the umbrella of an emperor. And now his sharpened wariness, in addition to his defensive prowess, have had their valued acknowledged, and, as of this tea part, he's finally earned the title of Rook...
"As a combatant in Big Mom's forces, he's been given full authority over the security detail of the event. Since he and his men will be on guard duty, that means there will be no one to get in his way. The main even of this tea party is the wedding ceremony. And as you know, Big Mom is planning on slaughtering everyone of the Vinsmokes at that ceremony and obtaining all of the Germa for herself. But, amidst all the festivities Bege intends to take Big Mom's head then and there."
"What?!" everyone gasped, even Law twitched.
"Are you serious?! This tea part is just steeped with conspiracy!" Sanji said.
"Luffy, as for Pekoms, who guided you all here, the truth is he was taken by Bege and his cohorts. And was offered to become an accomplice with their schemes."
"Pekoms! So that's where he went!" Luffy said.
"But Pekoms, who has a strong sense of duty, refused! And in order to ensure that he kept quiet, he was shot, and dropped into the sea for the sharks to feed on him. However, lucky for him, he was found by one of my comrades and saved by a hairs breath. He's currently recuperating."
"So he's safe them. I'm glad to hear it! But I've had it up to here with this Bege bastard! I'll never forgive him!" Luffy said.
"Luffy, from here on out is the meat of the conversation. I've heard everything about this plan. From Pekoms himself and I've done quite a bit of thinking how you should act from here. Once you heard this whole story, I knew that you would want to rescue Sanji and his family. I feel bad for Pekoms, but is now really the time to make an enemy of Bege? The tea part will begin at ten. That's only about five hours away. Unlike the twelve of us, who, starting now, are trying to make up a plan from scratch."
"I told you not to include us in your schemes!" Brulee said.
"Bege and his crew have meticulously made preparations for this day. Sanji! Luffy! Neo! Law! Would you join forces with Bege?"
"I don't like this guy, but I'm okay with it as long as we get Sanji back," Neo said. "Bege just better not hurt any animal in front of me."
"You might be on to something there!" Luffy said.
"Whoa! Luffy are you insane?!" Sanji asked.
"Luffy, you haven't actually been taken in by Jinbe, have you?!" Nami asked.
"See? What did I tell ya? Just what I though he'd say." Jinbe laughed.
"Luffy! We voted against it, four to two!"
"I've actually already made the preparation for a meeting. Should we go see him?" Jinbe asked.
"All right! Let's meet with him right away!" Luffy nodded.
"Huh?!"
"Calm down," Luffy said. "If we don't like the sound of it, we can just turn him down! Our objective are slightly difference after all."
"Bege's hideout is in the northwest part of the island," Jinbe said. "We'll head there ahead of you using the mirrors. Let's me up there."