Title: Of The Sky
Author: auspizien
Pairing: Zoro x Sanji
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece. All of it's characters, plot and witty humour belongs to Eiichiro Oda.
Summary: AU Set in modern-day. ZoroXwinged!Sanji, For the past four years Sanji has been stuck in the bottom of Impel. He'd been tested on, experimented with, and tortured in every way he thought possible. But when he escapes and runs into a certain green-haired man he finds that the evil of Impel runs deeper than he could possibly imagine...
"Once you have tasted flight,
you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward,
for there you have been,
and there you will always long to return."
-Leonardo da Vinci
Sanji slowly came to, swiping back the curtain of sleep to reveal the world of consciousness. He was laying face down on what seemed to be the softest surface he could ever remember, his wings sprawled comfortably behind him and his body covered in a blanket. As the events before he passed out came flooding back he began to panic. Where was he?!
He cracked his eyes open, the lashes crusted over from how much sleep he did not know. Fluttering them several times to get accustomed to the lighting of the room, the blurry outlines of furniture came into focus. The room was adorned much like a doctor's office would be, with most of the necessary equipment, except it lacked all the posters with cheesy sayings and the charters that no one ever looked at. The bed he was lying on however was unbelievably comfortable and part of him want to snuggle further into the sheets and sleep longer.
As he glanced around the rest of the room he noticed the man from earlier, sitting in the corner with a newspaper in hand, casually flipping through. Sanji took a moment to quietly assess him. He hadn't gotten a good look before, but this was undoubtedly the same man. Same army boots and mangled white t-shirt, his hat however was missing and his neon green hair stood out starkly against the grey wall.
The man glanced up, violet eyes assessing Sanji for a long moment just as Sanji was him. He closed and folded the paper, tossing it on his seat after having stood up. He made his way to Sanji's bed side and continued to watch him carefully, "Awake, huh?"
Sanji placed his hands beside his ribcage, intending to push himself up, but the man merely dropped a hand to his back, and all intentions of getting up were gone. The man's strength was inhuman. Though Sanji could tell that the man had just placed a casual hand on his back, it felt as though a massive amount of weight had been placed on top of him. It didn't hurt, but the pressure that was applied was keeping his body immobile.
"Stay. You shouldn't get up so quickly."
"You're a doctor?" Sanji asked, more than a little peeved at being forced down. But beyond that a million questions were piling up in his head and he wasn't sure what to ask first.
"No. The man who looked after you is currently in his own room," The man ran a casual hand through his odd green hair before shrugging, "It wouldn't be good to wake up and be traumatized further."
"Trauma-what?" Sanji frowned, "Who the hell are you? Where am I?"
The man let out an annoyed sigh, "Please just shut up and let me explain. It will be easier for both of us."
"Don't tell me to shut up!" Sanji scowled, "I just got out of Impel Down, I almost died. I..."
"Haven't we all?" The man interjected, giving Sanji a dark look.
"What are you talking about?"
"I have endured that place, so has everyone else that is in this base. So has the doctor that healed you. So, when I tell you to shut your fucking trap, I hope you have enough understanding of the situation to respect that."
Sanji growled low in his throat as he began to try and wriggle out form under the man's hand.
"I'll respect shit." Sanji spat, "I've been kept captive for the last four years; I'm not letting you do the same. Now let me the fuck go."
The man refused to move his hand and for all Sanji's struggles it was completely useless.
"I'm not keeping you 'captive'." Green Hair snorted, "I'm helping you. You'd be face down in the mud dead right now if I didn't help you."
"So what?!" Sanji snarled, as he completely gave up on getting away and instead opted for glaring angrily at his pillow, "Now I owe you or something?! Fuck you."
The man sighed heavily and removed his hand just as the door to the room burst open and a small deer trotted in, Sanji was allowed a moment to raise an eyebrow in confusion before it opened its mouth and informed, "I'm Chopper. I hope you're alright."
Sanji let out a yell and almost fell off the bed.
"The deer spoke. The deer fucking spoke." Sanji turned desperately to the man, "You heard that, right? I'm not going insane, right?"
Both ignored Sanji and turned to each other, and Sanji managed to stamp down his fear long enough to listen to their conversation. Even though he was still trying desperately to comprehend how the green-haired man could be having a conversation with a fucking deer.
"Did he just wake up?" The deer – Chopper – asked the man with super strength.
"Yea, he's energetic enough. Tried to get up right away."
"It's not that odd though, the only ones that get out have to be fairly fit and healthy to get away. Do you think he'd been in there long?"
Sanji scowled, "I'm right here."
The man raised an eyebrow, "Good for you. And the sky is blue."
At the mention of sky Sanji perked up, wings twitching behind him, "Can I..." Sanji sighed and glanced toward the door, "May I go outside?"
"No, I would recommend tha-"
"Chopper." The man interjected, his voice sounding the softest and gentlest Sanji had yet to hear. He glanced at him and saw the expression was directed at him, not the funny doctor. "You know what it means to everyone, once finally getting out of that place. He deserves it." He continued to look steadily at Sanji, "Then he'll return and can finish recovering."
Sanji couldn't stop the gratefulness from flooding his face, but at the same time the man's unspoken 'or else' threat had him on edge and he desperately wanted to kick the man in the face. But for the moment he couldn't care about anything else, all he wanted was to get outside and see what he had been dreaming of for the past four years.
Sanji pushed himself up off the bed and wobbled slightly, colours dancing in front of his eyes, he reached out blindly, a lurching feeling rising in his throat as he found nothing and began to fall. A steady, strong body caught him and righted his stance as he blinked furiously to get everything back into focus.
"I said you shouldn't get up so quickly." Green Hair mocked lightly.
Sanji choked down the urge to tell the man to go fuck himself, instead he stepped away from the man with a terse nod and a 'thank you'. Damn, but he kept having the man come to his damn rescue. He was going to owe him big time. And Sanji really did not like owing other people.
"How long was I asleep for?"
"A week." Chopper informed him while watching him carefully, as though he might start having seizures next.
"A week?!" Sanji shrieked.
"It's not that bad." The man said as he walked over to the door and opened it, "Many people have a long sleep when they finally get out of Impel. When was the last time you slept on a real bed? Your body needed the rest."
"The last time I –?" Sanji placed a hand to his head, "I don't remember."
A small flicker of sympathy flashed on the man's stoic face before he swept his arm graciously in front of the door, "After you. I'll take you outside."
"Thank you." Sanji muttered reluctantly as he made his way past the man and out the door.
He looked around as he had entered what seemed to be a large recreational room. The entire area was a large living space with several couches set up on one end which all circled around a rustic fireplace, and in the other end was a very large table that could easily sit over 20 people. The walls had some artistic paintings hung. And there was some furniture. The rest of the walls were covered in doors that lead off into further areas of this place.
"Where are we?" Sanji asked aloud as he glanced around in amazement, surely they weren't in a building this large.
"A few kilometers underground," The man made his way across the room to another door, "It's so scouts from Impel don't find us."
Sanji frowned as he followed him through another door and along a twisting corridor. Underground? How was that even possible? How had this place been made? But as he walked along the hall he discovered that it was indeed true. Walls, floor and ceiling were all stone.
They both remained silent for the rest of the walk, and Sanji desperately tried not to think about how these tunnels reminded him of the ones in Impel. But they were infinitely different. There were torches in convenient intervals keeping the enter place lit in a warm fiery glow, instead of the haunting luminescence of Impel, and the walls also had carvings of creatures and people and names and dates; other people that must have existed in this mount had marked their existence on these walls. It made them a lot more comforting to look at the longer he stared.
Eventually tearing his eyes away from the walls he looked at the back of the man currently leading him through the mountain.
This man had found him and brought him somewhere safe and out of the reach of Impel; for that he was undoubtedly, though annoyingly, in his debt. But what was this man doing out there in the first place? And what was with this extensive hideout?
From what he'd gathered there were other people in the base as well; but why? If this mountain system was really just a hideout for a congregation of victims from Impel, then there must be some purpose. Why had these people not returned to civilization? Should he take this opportunity to make a break for it? The questions and confusion continued to tumble through his mind as they neared the end of the tunnel.
The door was opened, and the flooding of light had Sanji shielding his eyes against the onslaught. Golden rays pierced his vision as his other senses were accosted by the sudden reality of the outside world. Wind whistled a musical tune, as he could smell the pine and sap that was brought in off the breeze, he could literally taste the freshness in the air.
Sanji exited the rocky cavern, coming out on a precipice over-looking a beautiful valley. The sun was setting far off in the distance and it kissed the sky, painting it with supple oranges and smooth rouges. The clouds were fluffy and full as they drifted lazily across the unmarked sky. A sea of green lay before him, trees weaving and twining through the valley's base before coming up on the other side and lapping at the snow capped mountains.
It was like a painting done by a frail girl who was kept locked away from the world, the only way to experience the beauty of nature was by her own hand. Sitting alone in the darkness of her keep, day by day creating the world she one day dreamt to see for herself. Paintings that looked so real, that if you were to reach out toward it, you would be certain that your hand would extend and reached helplessly for the unrivalled beauty of the sky. That your hand would grasp desperately for those far off clouds, and yet never meet them.
But her hand would reach out, her heart begging to feel those desires; and her hand would meet canvas, fingers brushing against the paint, confirming the surreal and horrible reality to her. Forever it seemed Sanji had reached out desperately in his dreams; grasping for the clouds, wishing for the touch of wind, longing for the reality of nature. And each time his hand had met stone, and he had awoken on the dank floor, hand touching the rock.
And as he stood there, faced with this surreal beauty, fear clenched tightly in him, and suddenly he didn't want to be there. Didn't want to reach out and find that this was all just a dream and that he would awaken alone and crushed in his cold, dark cell.
As a light breeze swept around him and the smells of the world invaded him he slowly reached out, hand trembling, but his hand met nothing. He couldn't touch the sky, nor drag his hand across the clouds.
Tears slowly flowed down his cheeks and he smiled, his happiness and relief overflowing as he dropped to his knees, hands dragging roughly through the grass, feeling the texture he'd wanted for so long. Wind swept across his face, drying his tears and he stared up at the graceful clouds that had transformed from vibrant red to the deepest of purple, pink happily tinging their edges.
Sanji remained kneeling there for god knew how long. Just staring out at the world and realizing that there was never going to be anything that would compare to it. Nothing was going to ever captivate him as much as this sight right now was doing to him...
A scuffle of a boot on rock reminded Sanji that the man was still there and that he probably wasn't allowed out for long. Lest they give away their cover, or something. Sanji hastily wiped away any traces of tears and stood, making his way back to the door where the super-human waited.
Sanji scratched the back of his head nervously, feeling somewhat guilty for his previous behaviour and malicious words. Just being outside had completely changed his mentality. He no longer was suspicious of these people, nor was he eager to run away, but instead felt like he had found the first step to begin healing himself. And it was here in this mountain, "Thank you."
The man cocked his head to the side before nodding solemnly, "You're welcome."
Sanji then entered the cave again and the door was shut.
~X~
Sanji was returned to the room with the funny deer – Chopper – and was immediately forced back into bed. Chopper was spewing some doctor jargon that was going right over Sanji's head. And all he could do was lay on his stomach, stare at the wall and try to calm his over-active brain as he finally came to the amazing and emotional conclusion that he had escaped Impel. That he was free.
He felt like he could trust these people. They had saved him after all. But more than anything he missed his home. As he laid there and thought about it however he realized just how stupid and irrational he had been earlier. How could he possibly go home with wings? How would he hide them? How long would he be in civilization before someone reported him and he was dragged off to a testing facility to try and deduce why he had fucking wings?
Sanji sighed as he reached the eventual, yet sad, conclusion; he couldn't return home. Not unless he could get rid of his wings, and he was positive nothing short of amputation would do the trick. The thought made him feel a little sick and he mentally shook himself.
He turned his attention to Chopper, who was coming toward him with a needle. An image flashed through his head of a dingy metallic room, blood and grime smeared on the walls and a filthy doctors glove reaching for his arm, a grotesque needle poised in the other hand. Sanji screamed and knocked the deer away and stood up on the bed so he had a height advantage over the creature.
"Stay the fuck away from me!" Sanji pointed accusingly, "Don't you dare touch me!"
Chopper, for his part, stayed fairly calm; which only served to unnerve Sanji more.
Fuck maybe Sanji was wrong? Maybe he shouldn't trust these people...
The door once again burst opened and a gorgeous young woman stood in the doorway with a cute yet serious scowl on her adorable face. The girl was unbelievably beautiful in a completely natural way, and her red hair added to her fiery appearance. In one hand she held a large metal staff. For moment Sanji was worried that she was going to hit him with it.
"Sit down. And calm down." She snapped.
Sanji sat abruptly, and the ginger girl came over to him. She kept the metal pole firmly in her left hand, gave him stern look and firmly smacked his cheek before grabbing his arm and turning it over, exposing it to the doctor.
"Behave yourself." She scolded, "He's just trying to help you. It just some medication to make you feel better."
Sanji would never argue with a lady, but as the doctor came near again and more memories began to flash through his head, he flinched and purposefully looked away. Keeping an eye on the beautiful woman he ignored the feeling of the cold metal sliding underneath his skin and when the needle was retracted he shuddered lightly but made no complaints.
"There you go." The redhead smiled, "Not too bad right?"
Sanji glanced up and found the ginger watching him tenderly and if he weren't completely mentally scarred he might've taken the chance to flirt with her.
"Nope." Sanji gave a small smile, "Not that bad."
"I know it's kind of hard." The girl reassured, "But if you want to get better you're going to have to trust Chopper. And everyone else."
"I understand... uh..." Sanji fumbled for a name.
"I'm Nami." The girl introduced, "And once Chopper has cleared you, there's a bunch of people who would like to meet you."
"Who?"
Chopper smiled, "You're not the only one that has been rescued from that place. There's a bunch of people here like you and me."
"Other subjects?"
"That's right." Nami grinned, "Though most of us were rescued. I'm impressed you were able to get away, although it is probably a lot easier to get away when you have wings."
"You were rescued?" Sanji frowned.
"While in Impel did you hear about the Demonic Snatch?"
Sanji shook his head. There was very few conversations between inmates; most had lost the will to live, let alone talk. And those that did talk were either insane, or new to the prison. Ray and Apis were some rare cases; Sanji had spent most of his four years next to lunatics.
"What's is it?"
"It's a term the guards throw around. When they find cells empty with no explanation as to why. It's really us breaking others out." She gave Sanji a sly wink, "We have our methods of escaping."
"Wow..." Sanji marvelled, "That's amazing. So you two were rescued?"
"Yup." Nami grinned, "We haven't rescued many because it is still a very dangerous, but we do what we can."
"That's still amazing. So, why are you guys doing all of this?"
"Alright, so you need rest." Nami smiled deceptively, "Now can I trust you'll behave while alone with Chopper?"
"Absolutely." Sanji smiled sincerely. But immediately noted the quick change of conversation. There was clearly something big going on here; though what it was he was still unsure. He assumed he'd find out eventually, so for now he'd play their little game.
Nami gave an innocent wave as she headed out the door, "Get better!"
Sanji watched her go with a reluctant sigh. Even more than wanting to know the truth he wished she would stay and keep him company. She was amazingly beautiful, and charming to boot. Definitely a better beside companion than that grumpy green-haired man.
"Here." Chopper offered Sanji a pair of pants and a shirt, "You probably want clean clothes. And by the way, I didn't catch your name."
"I'm Sanji."
Sanji nodded in thanks and shed his dirty,old pair of pants; pulling on the softest pair of sweats he could ever remember wearing. He quickly tied a knot with the strings so it wouldn't slid off his non-existent hips and picked up his shirt. As he was putting his hands into the sleeves he looked down at his body and froze.
For the first time that day he looked at his chest and noticed an odd abnormality. On his chest, where there should have been hair – there was none – instead there was a small plumage of feathers. He ran a distressed hand through them only to discover that they were firmly attached to his skin.
"Uh..." Sanji choked out, before he stumbled lightly to sit on the bed, "Chopper?"
"You didn't know?"
Sanji shook his head as he swallowed thickly, "Nope."
Chopper hopped up onto the bed and set about checking Sanji over, but pulled away soon with a frown, "They weren't here when you were brought in, but I guess they needed time to grow.
"I don't understand." Sanji mumbled, "How could this have happened?"
Chopper bit his lip, "There's only so much speculating I can do. What I really need is your file from Impel. Then I can see what they've done to you and figure out how to fix it."
"So, basically I'm stuck like this?"
"No," Chopper quickly defended, "Not necessarily."
"What you gonna do?" Sanji snorted, "Break into Impel."
"Um..." Chopper froze, looking extremely uncomfortable, "I'm not really allowed to tell you that yet."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Chopper stalled, "Rayliegh has to meet with you and make sure you're trustworthy. Then we can fill you in on what's going on but-"
"Of course." Sanji interrupted, "I knew it was strange for such a large base to be hidden in this mountain – and so close to Impel! You guys are going to break in, or take it down or something, right?"
Chopper looked at a loss and hung his head in defeat, "Yeah, but you aren't supposed to know yet."
"Don't worry." Sanji grinned, "Who am I gonna tell? Anyway, I have a need to break in there myself so this works out perfectly."
"Why do you need to break in?"
"I need to find someone," Sanji admitted, "And I guess also get my file so I can fix my body."
"I'll definitely make sure you get back to normal." Chopper grinned, "I'm sorry about the secrecy, but just know that I do trust you."
"You saved my life and looked after me." Sanji's eyes softened, "There's no reason not to trust you."
"Shut up! I would have done it for anyone!"
Sanji grinned at the realization that this kid couldn't possibly take a compliment. It was extremely adorable; he'd have to go out of his way to thank the kid as much as possible. He picked up his shirt and sighed as the realization dawned on him that he couldn't possibly wear it with the wings currently sprouting from his back.
"Sorry, but I don't think I can wear this." Sanji as he began folding the shirt, breaking Chopper out of his stupor of embarrassment.
Chopper cocked his head in confusion before his eyes widened, "Oh gosh. I'm so sorry Sanji! That was thoughtless of me."
"It's fine." Sanji grinned and set the shirt aside before patting his chest, "These feathers will keep me warm."
"You sure?"
"Definitely." Sanji curled his wings around himself, "See? I'm plenty warm."
"Alright..." Chopper murmured, "Anyway, are you okay with me doing a few more test? No more needles though."
"Go right ahead."
Chopper began going through a basic check-up procedure checking; temperature, hearing, sight, balance, movement and reflexes. After some more doctor speak Chopper explain that part of the injections to re-establish his balance for his wings had effected his senses. Sanji claimed he honestly hadn't noticed, but he had to admit that things definitely had more clarity, and his hearing was a little sharper. Other than that Chopper didn't seem to have any complaints.
"Your body is incredibly healthy for being in there for so long." Chopper ran a hoof over Sanji's forearm, "It's amazing really."
"I used to be really malnourished." Sanji admitted, "I was skeletal a few weeks ago."
"Really?" Chopper seemed intrigued, "What happened?"
"Well," Sanji muttered, "I was strapped to a table and had all sorts of IV's drained into me. Then I was knocked out for good few weeks while my wings grew. I woke up and my body was like this."
Chopper nodded thoughtfully, "They must have been giving you some sort of large protein supplements or control steroids. That's the only way I can explain such fast muscle growth."
At the mention of 'steroids' Sanji frowned, "Does that mean my body will start failing or something?"
"Oh no." Chopper shook his head, "You'll be fine. As long as you keep up a healthy diet. Though I will lay out a meal plan for you and some vitamin supplements. Your body is still not used to food so we will have to slowly ween you off of medication and back to solids. But with your rejuvenated body it should be in no time."
Sanji smiled gently, "Thank you Chopper."
Sanji wasn't quite sure how a deer could blush, but Chopper accomplished it and also fell into a little swoon. Murmuring about how it was nothing and that Sanji should just shut up.
Sanji rolled his eyes before yawning loudly, this seemed to snap Chopper out of his little dance and back into his 'doctor mode'.
"I think it would be best to get some more sleep. I'll go get some soup started and bring you some when it's ready. Then we can see how your body does with something that simple in its system."
"Alright." Sanji nodded, "But can I go to the bathroom first?"
"Of course." Chopper nodded toward the door at the back of the room, "Just in there."
Sanji wandered into the bathroom, knocking himself slightly off balance when he forgot about his wings, clipped one on the side of the door and almost face planted into the stone floor. After righting himself and trying to hide a blush from the odd doctor he went to the toilet to relieve himself.
The bathroom was pretty barren; only inhabited by a toilet, sink and mirror. The toilet was formed from stone, which gave way to the question as to how it was possibly made and how it could even work this far underground. Surely there wasn't plumbing? The sink was a made from stone too, the basin jutted out from the rock wall. There was a hole in the stone wall above where a constant flow of water drizzled into the sink, and another hole in the sink that allowed the water to flow back into the wall. Perhaps it was runoff from the mountain that had been redirected?
Done, he went to the sink. Part of him felt horrified at the amount of water that sluiced down the sink and was being wasted, but he rationed that it was probably just from a creek outside. He cupped his hands and gathered a fair amount of water into his hands and splashed it on his face, relishing in the refreshing feeling.
Sanji looked up into the mirror and froze.
He had changed. A lot. The last time he had saw himself clearly he had been 21 and he had still looked so childish. Now his jaw and cheekbones were more pronounce – partially from being starved – and his hair had gotten ridiculously long. When before he had had a crew cut, it was now to about his shoulders. He also had a large amount of stubble; and though Impel had kept the subjects fairly well shaven so hair would not get in the way; he still needed to shave. He hadn't realized it had gotten so out of hand.
Brushing his bangs out of his eyes he found that they were the same familiar blue that he had experience his entire childhood. Something odd caught his eye and he frowned, leaning in toward the mirror. It took only a moment to realize that his eyebrow was different, not only longer, but curly.
"Chopper!"
The little deer came skidding into the bathroom, face riddled with panic, matching Sanji's look of horror.
"What?! What is it? Are you okay?!"
Sanji pointed at his eyebrows, "What the fuck is this?!"
"Oh..." Chopper trailed off nervously, "I thought you knew about that..."
"Knew?" Sanji gestured wildly to his face, "Do you think I'd be so calm if I knew that my eyebrows were fucking curly!"
"It's actually not that bad. With your long hair they are mostly hidden anyway, plus they kind of seem... you."
Sanji groaned as he looked into the mirror and rubbed hopelessly at the swirl, "Wings, chest feathers. This is the last fucking thing I need."
"I'm sorry." Chopper mumbled quietly, "I thought you knew."
Sanji glanced at the small deer who was now brushing his hoof guilty at the floor.
"Hey," Sanji grinned, feeling terrible for making the innocent little deer feel at fault, "You are the last person who has to be sorry. I was just shocked, so I flipped. Sorry."
"I'll see what I can do about them though." Chopper reassured, "They are definitely the side effect of some sort of chemical experiment. Come over and let me take a quick look."
Sanji found himself on the bed once more as Chopper inspected the brow with care. He finally pulled away with a huff, "It should be fairly easy to cure. I'll need to make an anti-androgenic remedy to cancel the growth of hair in that area. Until then I would recommended not shaving it. It will just cause the hairs to growth back thicker."
Sanji sighed, this was the last thing he needed. But he assumed that Chopper was right about one thing; his hair was convenient enough to hide the odd brows.
"Thank you Chopper. Really."
"Just get some rest now, idiot." Chopper blushed as he hopped down from the bed, "I'm going to get that soup started."
Chopper left and Sanji lay down on the comfortable bed once more. His stomach grumbled lightly at the mere thought of delicious broth; though his mind couldn't quite remember what it would taste or feel like. But regardless anything other than pills would be absolute heaven.
~X~
A few day passed and Sanji had easily been able to ween himself off of medication and onto broth and liquid sustenance. His body didn't have a single bad reaction, and his digestive system readjusted to the new source of nutrients without fail. Chopper assumed that the steroids had not only recovered Sanji's muscles but had rebuilt his organs as well.
Sanji sipped at the soup but kept his restraint in check to not just gulp down the delicious broth. It was simple chicken and noodles, but was probably the most delicious thing had ever tasted. Nothing, not even the finest steak would probably ever compare to the soups he had had this past week.
Sanji set down the bowl, and nodded to the expectant Chopper, "I feel fine."
"That's good." Chopper smiled, "But remember that if you ever feel any dis –"
"– comfort that I'll immediately tell you." Sanji laughed when Chopper pouted and he ruffled the top of the deer's head, "I know. Chopper, you don't have to worry. I want my body to get better, I'm not going to be stupid."
"How do you feel strength wise?"
"My body feels great." Sanji smiled, "I've honestly gotten bored with sleeping and just sitting in here."
"Well," Chopper began with a smile, "That's good because I wanted to tell you that besides needing to keep your diet in check you have nothing else medically wrong with you. So if you want to go out you can."
Sanji grinned, "I'd love to. I want to meet everyone."
"Alright." Chopper smiled, "Just don't get freaked out."
"Why on earth would I get 'freaked out'?"
~X~
Sanji looked around the room at the oddest collage of people you could possibly find on the entire planet. True there were odd cases in Impel, but it was almost like the oddest had been selected to greet him at once. He would've felt awkward but they seemed to be just as curious about his odd appearance.
There was a boy whose entire body had been completely turned to rubber, the green-haired man that seemed to have inhumane strength, the ginger girl – Nami – who had that strange metal staff in her hand, a boy with mechanical arms and donned a pair of goggles, the talking deer – Chopper – whom was their doctor, a woman who had somehow managed to sprout an extra arm to keep the rubber boy at bay, a man with crazy blue hair whose body looked more machine than human, and a incredibly tall man with an afro whose entire bone structure was glowing a bright green making it almost impossible to see any of his facial features.
They were all talking at once so he could hardly discern two words as they were taking turns embracing him and congratulating him on his escape. A few of the hugs were bone-crushingly painful and left him feeling more than a little sore, and while he was being noogied to death by the blue-haired robot he was pretty sure he felt the rubber boy wrapping himself around Sanji's leg.
The blessed redhead – Nami – finally managed to get everyone to calm down, but the boy remained firmly attached to one of Sanji's legs.
"Sorry about that." Nami grinned.
Sanji quickly shook his head with a grin, "Oh no. It's fine. I'm just not to sure what I'm supposed to say."
The boy around his leg perked up, "Can you really fly?! Would you give me a ride? What's your name? "
The boy with curly hair tutted, "Luffy, watch the order of your questions."
Sanji grinned down at Luffy, "Yes, I can fly. No I don't give rides. And my name is Sanji."
Luffy pouted and made a disappointed sound, but refused to budge from Sanji's leg as the curly haired boy extended his hand, "I'm Usopp. It's nice to finally meet you."
Sanji shook the boy's hand and purposely made sure not to look at the mechanical appendage. And soon he was being introduced around and finally learning the names of these rambunctious people.
Sanji vaguely noticed the green-haired man roll his eyes and snorted derisively before turning and leaving the room. Sanji wasn't one for attention – at the moment he felt grossly smothered – but the way the man had almost been mocking Sanji was more than enough to piss the blond off.
Was it something he did? He couldn't think of anything.
Sanji inwardly scowled before turning his attention to a lovely ebony haired woman who had come to greet him.
A/N:
[1] androgens: the chemical within testosterone that causes the growth of hair