"Jazpyr, JAZPYR?"
What is it?
"There's something following me, I can sense it."
Silence.
"Jazpyr?"
Just keep running. Only stop once you die.
"WHAT? WHY?"
An E is nothing compared to an A. Just keep running. It's Asura.
Sanji didn't need telling twice as he raced through the halls of the labyrinth like a cheetah chasing its prey, adrenaline and fear mixing together and surging through his veins.
He could sense it.
Sanji was too focused on where the contracted demon is to even notice the tingly and warm feeling in his chest. Like a small blaze of fire.
Just as soon as his right leg hit the ground, it almost felt as if that blaze of fire had teleported into his leg, and he almost tripped over his feet as his vision blurred and the dark color of the walls of the maze slowly faded into a dark grey as everything else went black and white. He noticed that his skin was nothing but grey instead of the light flesh color.
"This… Isn't… Normal…"
The demon skidded to a halt as he stared at the blank space of air in front of him. Well, while a normal person will see nothing, but Sanji wasn't normal. At all.
He couldn't really believe what he was seeing but… He knew he had to turn the other direction. The walls have turned into semi-transparent dark grey cuboids, almost as if they were made of black stained glass.
However, what had caught his attention was, among the barrier cuboids, was something absolutely unexpected.
It was a muscular demon; about three times the size of Sanji, with skin the color of garnets, only clothing it has was a white toga with the cloth across its chest being approximately twenty-three inches wide. What freaked him out the most was the fact that it had four extra arms and two extra heads, the two on his side facing outwards, and the eyes of all three of them were blazing red, possibly with fury and wrath.
It resembled Zoro's Asura technique.
This. Was the contracted demon.
It has to be.
Just when the stained glass walls filled in with solid matter and color returned to the world, Sanji noticed a trail of glowing red pebbles leading somewhere. Well, it seemed that they were pebbles anyways; they were too flat to be real pebbles. He did what a normal person would do, (Even though he wasn't) and followed the trail, wherever it led.
Follow the trail…
He gulped and ran faster than before, dashing past the walls like no tomorrow.
Once he saw a door, he pulled to a halt.
Blue door with exotic patterns painted with a fine brush along the sides and a golden handle…
Safe.
Sanji didn't think twice as he opened the door, and slammed it shut behind him.
That door led to Zoro's memories.
Surprisingly, it seemed quite simple for a room dedicated to a demon's memories.
Just a plain black void with the only light source being the dim cyan glow from a floating metal sake bowl filled with god knows what in the middle.
At least…
It looked like a sake bowl.
It's safe…
Sanji trusted his instinct and walked over to the bowl, looking down in it. The glow illuminated the dark room, and pretty much everything Sanji saw was just cyan.
Well, at least, that's what he thinks it is.
Seconds later, he heard something in the distance.
Nobody there.
It came again.
Still nobody there.
"Jazpyr, you hearing that?"
No response.
"Jaz-"
The sound of two swords colliding cut his sentence off as he looked around for the source, but in the dim light of the glowing liquid, he can only see so far.
Until he heard another shrill clang, and the dish seemingly evaporated into thin air, leaving Sanji in darkness.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" A voice screamed in the distance, followed by sounds of metal clashing against each other, like swords. This went on for a bit, until the sound of a man screaming in excruciating pain and falling to the ground with a moist and wet thud.
'Oi! What's going on?' Sanji shouted, but before he could continue, a faint blue orb appeared in front of him, still shining the same color as the liquid in the sake bowl.
'What the hell-'
Faint white writing appeared on the orb, and Sanji made out the numbers: 1491
'1491? What's that gotta do with anything-'
A scream echoed in the distance once again, sending chills down his spine.
His footsteps didn't make much noise as he backed away, creeped out by the current situation. Until his ears picked up the sound of heavy breathing. His heart lurched and he turned around.
It was a man. A man around the age of thirty wearing a black traditional kimono, and two sword sheaths at his side, both swords in his hands. His back faced him, and Sanji's heart still hasn't ceased beating faster than he can imagine.
"Um… sir? Sorry sir, I-uh… I didn't see you there."
He didn't turn around. Nor show any other reaction to Sanji apologizing.
"Sir? Are you alright?"
Still no response.
He was expecting him to turn around and fight him like he fought Zoro countless times before.
What he wasn't expecting was a patch of cobblestone forming at the mans feet, and as if a fire was burning a photo to reveal another one behind it, the patch spread, revealing a stone alleyway with thieves laid on the ground in pools of blood, weapons scattered around and separated from their owners.
Apparently, only one survivor remained, a young man in his teens, on the ground staring up at the man unarmed with eyes wide with fear.
"Yo kid," The man said in a gruff and hostile voice. "How 'bout you go back home and see if your mum's got supper ready?"
The teenager turned around onto his knees and scuttled away in cowardice as Sanji just stared at the scene.
"Sir, that was… pretty amazing."
Still no response. Almost as if he was deaf.
'Amazing…' A young voice came behind him, young and innocent.
A boy around ten was on the ground staring up at the man with amazed golden eyes. He looked oddly familiar.
The man sheathed his swords and was just about to head wherever he was going, until the boy stopped him.
'Sir!'
"What?"
'Please…'
He got onto his knees and bowed his head, pressing it against the floor.
'Accept me as your student!'
He turned around and eyed the child with cold eyes.
"Why?"
'I'm a student at the local dojo! The best student!'
Once again, the man eyed the child with cold eyes.
"What's your name boy?"
'Mihawk! Dracule Mihawk!'
Sanji stared at the boy, not sure how to respond. This ten year old boy grew up to be the words greatest swordsman.
Immediately, Sanji saw the extreme similarities between present day Mihawk and child Mihawk.
Black hair, golden eyes, same nose.
"Mihawk eh?"
Mihawk nodded.
The man looked at him once more before taking out one of his two katana's and throwing it at Mihawk, missing him by a few inches while the boy just stared at him.
"Fight me."
Without any hesitation, the boy scrambled to his feet and picked up the katana, getting into a stance that he's seen Zoro do way too many times. On his face, was a serious expression that he knew all too well.
"I'm not lettin' ya become my apprentice that easily. You gotta prove yourself first."
'Understood.'
Not even five seconds later, Child Mihawk charged at him, sword getting ready to slash. The man was quick and much more skilled at fighting, blocking the attack with a swift slash. The child scowled as he attacked the man again and again, each time the older man blocking his attacks with ease.
That didn't mean he wasn't bored, by the look on his face, Sanji could tell that he was impressed by the child.
His strength and speed was way beyond other children his age and apparently on par with Sanji's strength when he was much younger and under the training of Zeff, And possibly as strong as Zoro when he was that age.
The aged man had gained the upper hand and with one strong and swift slash, swung the sword at the childs sword, throwing it out of his hand with sheer force.
The child stared at the flying sword with large eyes, until it landed on the floor with a shrill CLANG.
"I have to say brat, you impress me. Under the right training, I can make something out of ya."
'Wait… Does this mean…'
"Yes."
The man got on one knee and put his hands on Mihawks shoulders.
'I'm gonna make something out of ya. My name's Kurou Shuzo.'
Mihawk smiled and Sanji stared.
"What's that all about-"
Everything faded into a tranquil and unsettling black.
Sanji was looking around him confused as to what had happened when he saw that same glowing cyan ball in the distance, barely piercing the solid darkness. He sprinted over to it, and on the ball, wrote the numbers: 1500.
The year that Gol. D. Roger died.
Something shrieked in the distance, and a picture came into focus.
It was a man, a bit younger than Mihawks swordsman master, and much taller. Hair as white as pearls covered his head with a golden sword in his right hand and back towards Sanji.
There was something under his foot.
Someone.
Sanji had heart that demons can possess people, and while the young boy was under his foot, Sanji could see his eyes were glowing and blazing with a pure and angry red.
He was possessed for sure, and we all know who that demon is.
Asura.
The boy was wounded with cuts and bruises all over his body, red blood oozing through his scars.
Weak.
Something that a demon should never be.
"You son of a bitch!" The boy called out, only for the man to point his sword to his neck.
'Demons can't win against angels, Asura. You may be the dominant race but that doesn't mean that you're the strongest.'
"I DON'T CARE, LET ME GO!"
'SAY THAT TO SATANS FACE!'
Before the angel decapitated Asura's head, a voice called out from behind Sanji.
'Oi.'
The angel turned around.
'The heck do you think you're doing?'
It was Shuzo. Older and with more white hairs.
"This is a demon, I'm gonna exterminate it from the earth forever."
'That ain't no demon, that's a child!"
'Sir, this is a possessed child, it's actually a demon-'
Before he could continue, Shuzo had already thrown a flying slash at the angel, but although it was an almighty and holy being, It couldn't dodge the attack and was struck across the chest, leaving a big and ugly gash across his chest.
'You're committing a crime against the god…' The angel gagged and coughed out blood.
'You'll be cursed for eternity you demon-'
Before he could continue, the man landed another flying slash, this time killing him for good.
"Enough of your blabberin'." He grumbled. "Don't believe in 'im anyways."
Shuzo turned to the possessed child.
'Come on kid, let's getcha to a hospital.'
Asura the child stared.
'Kid?'
"Thank you."
'No problem, stupid religious freaks everywhere, and devil fruit users are already enough. Don't believe in no god.'
'I agree.'
'Well, you know where the nearest hospital i-'
Asura disappeared, and the man stared.
"What the hell?"
The man looked around before turning his back towards the corpse of the angel and took off.
"That was weird…"
When the man was out of sight, Asura- the real demon appeared out of nowhere, wounds still there.
'If it weren't for that man I'll be dead.'
He smiled.
'I'll watch over him.'
All that faded into black as the same orb shone through the tranquil darkness and silence, this time writing: "The same day…"
Shuzo walked along a forest, the sound of running water nearby. Other than the running water of a river in the distance, a strong tranquil silence reined.
Well… Until a gunshot echoed in the distance and Shuzo fell to his knees.
A bullet had wounded his back.
Deep. It was deep.
He groaned in pain as footsteps on gravel echoed in the distance.
"Yo, we caught 'im." A male voice called out. "That legendary swordsman who killed our boss, we caught 'im."
'Son of a bitch…'
"Not so tough now, are ya?"
Before Shuzo could respond, another gunshot pierced the silence and Shuzo fell to his knees, red in his hair and dripping down his head.
Dead.
"That's pretty weak for someone who killed a man with a 50,000 bounty-WHAT THE FUCK?"
It was a circle. A circle of fire. A thin but bright fire erupted at his feet, forming a circle around the bandit who killed Shuzo.
Then another blaze of fire formed a five pointed star in the circle, turning it into a pentagram.
Almost as if he had teleported, the man disappeared into thin air.
No explosion, no flash, no smoke,
Nothing.
His companion stared at the spot he disappeared at, and wondered what the hell was going on.
"That's no devil fruit…"
Seconds later, his heart stopped as he saw a portal form on the ground, black void with purple tips at the end of its tentacles, and what had popped out almost knocked him cold.
That bandit, his upper half of his body was trying to reach out for help and liberty from whatever was trapping him. His skin was charred and burnt, in some areas even black with bright red maroon blood gashing through. His eyes were bloodshot and his mouth looked like it belonged to a monster, heavily damaged beyond recognition.
Seconds later, a maroon arm grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him in to whatever was in that portal.
Like every other memory that Sanji has seen, it faded out, and the same blue orb appeared.
"Months later…"
"Congratulations ma'm, it's a boy!"
A hospital room came into view as a woman in her thirties laid in bed while a nurse held a newborn child wailing as it took its first breaths. The nurse passed the woman her child whom she was anticipating to see, and smiled as he kept on wailing.
"He's… beautiful…"
'Yes indeed Mrs. Roronoa, what're you gonna name him?'
She thought for a moment.
"Zoro… Roronoa Zoro… It's a nice sounding name…"
'Great choice ma'm!'
Meanwhile in the room, while Zoro's mother and the nurse weren't noticing him, Asura the three headed demon sat in the corner watching a baby Zoro wail.
"So… Roronoa Zoro huh? This is Shuzo's reincarnation." He smiled. "I'm not sure if he'll be worthy of my help, but I'll watch over him until he can prove himself."
Sanji just stared at the green haired woman cradle her child. She was beautiful, with a long nose and beautiful dark eyes like black onyx's.
He was just admiring her beauty when he heard someone behind him.
"So…"
Sanji turned around, ready to fight.
"Now you know why Asura-sama decided to become Zoro-sama's contracted demon now, yes?"
A man around his age with brown tuffed up hair stood behind him smiling.
'Who… Who're you?'
"Don't worry about me, I'm Kaiso, I'm in charge of Zoro-sama's memories. Nice to finally meet you in person, Sanji-sama." He said, sticking out his hand.
Sanji stared at Kaiso's hand as he wasn't sure whether he was an illusion or not.
"You can touch me."
Sanji smiled as he shook his hand, sure that he can trust this guy.
"Asura-sama is coming for you, so you'd better get running." Kaiso said, looking around.
'Where… Where should I go?'
"You know how villains in stories are always like: 'You can run, but you can't hide.' And all that?"
'Yeah?'
"Asura-sama isn't one of those people. Blend in like a chameleon."
'What'd you mean?'
"You'll find out."
Before Sanji could ask him anything else. Kaiso reached into his blue overcoat and pulled out a glowing orb. Like the one that always shows when he was being shown another figment of Asura's memory, only smaller. This one was the side of a tennis ball while the other one was the size of a basketball.
"Just say the date, location and time and you'll be taken to that place."
'Um… Thanks? Listen Kaiso, why're you doing this?'
"I'm a good secret keeper, Zoro's secrets are always safe with me. And that also means secrets about you. He wants you to be safe and alive, Sanji-sama, you're the reason he's alive."
'I… I never knew he cared so much…'
"Good luck Sanji-sama. He's coming."
Sanji didn't need telling twice as he whispered into the orb:
"August 19, Enies Lobby, 2:00."
Nami stared at the lifeless bodies of Sanji and Zoro. With the cook gone, she had to cook for the ship, charging 100 beli for each meal. By the end of the day, she had at least 1,000 beli in her room, piling up. That old geezer of a doctor said that He couldn't do anything about Sanji and Zoro, only to hope for the best. Nami noticed that without the chefs constant flirts and compliments towards Nami, everything seemed… Oddly quiet. Nobody was there to give her ice cream for breakfast, nobody was there to watch her read, nobody was there to protect her during battles…
Without Sanji, Nami felt like she was missing a gigantic part of her life,
She sat bolt upright, with shivers running down her spine from a single thought. She shook it off.
No… It can't me…
All this time… She thought. All this time, Have I been…
Falling for him?