"STUPID! DAMN! RICEBALL! DAMMIT!"
Sakura charged with a roar and tore through the jungle, bits of dirt and greenery flying in her wake. Sanji tagged along a few feet behind, with dazzled hearts for eyes.
"Ah, Sa-chan is so beautiful when angry!" he sighed, "Like a raging fire of passion!"
Sakura whirled around, her eyes wild and her hands flickering with traces of pink light. "FIRE!? What now about fire?!"
"Huh?" Sanji stared at her, his adoring expression now filled with a hint of confusion.
"Ugh, nevermind," Sakura hurriedly muttered before turning back and batting away a leaf, "Let's keep moving forward."
Sanji stumbled in his attempt to keep up with her rushed pace. "Is everything ok, Sa-chan?"
"I'm fine," she replied without turning back.
"Zoro did do something shitty, didn't he?"
*SMACK*
Sakura's shoe caught on a tree root, and she tumbled to the ground, her face slamming into the dirt.
"SA-CHAN!" Sanji yelped as he rushed towards her.
"Alright. I'm good. Perfectly fine," she groaned, spitting out clods of dirt. Small pieces of the greenery clung to her hair and her face was streaked brown, not like she actually cared, though. As she pushed herself into a sitting position, Sanji moved to his hand towards her hair, and she instinctively shied away, her eyes wide. He immediately retracted his hand and shifted backwards so that they sat facing each other, a good deal of space between them.
"I'm sorry...there's just stuff in your hair," he murmured.
"No no, it's fine. Just a little jumpy," she muttered back, her hand attempting to straighten her bangs. She watched as Sanji's face softened, and a sympathetic smile crossed his lips.
"I know you already told me no, but really, if there's anything bothering you..." His voice trailed off and he watched Sakura expectantly.
"I…" Sakura frowned and chewed her lip nervously. How was she even supposed to phrase her worries? "Is it really that obvious that Zoro's bothering me?"
The cook stared at her before bursting into laughter.
"Even if you're a spy, your feelings about the shithead are pretty easy to see," he chuckled.
Sakura felt her face burn with embarrassment. "It's not funny, you know! And don't say it that way!"
"You're right, I apologize," Sanji sat up straighter, though his smile never left his face, "Then tell me mademoiselle, how exactly has the shitty mossball been bothering you?"
"He's...he's just..." Sakura took a deep breath, and it was almost like something in her snapped. "He's just stupid! He...does stuff that bothers me...and stuff. I don't know! Ugh!" She buried her head in hands and rumpled her hair.
Sanji's voice sounded more confused than concerned. "So...what do you mean by 'stuff'?"
How was she even supposed to start? The looks he had given her on at Whiskey Peak and on the ship. How he had reacted when he discovered her fear of fire. "He's does these things...that make it look like...I don't know, like he's judging what I do."
"What you do." Definitely confused.
"I don't know! Ugh, why is this so hard to explain?!" Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she willed them back down. She didn't have time to be a crybaby. "Sorry, I'm not really giving you much info. It's just…AGH!"
Without thinking, Sakura bolted up and punched the nearest tree, yelping when her fist flared in pain from the recoil. With a strangled scream, she slumped down at the foot of the tree. A nearby rustling indicated that Sanji had moved to sit next to her.
"Sorry," she mumbled, burying her face into the crook of her elbow.
"Sa-chan, look at me."
"No." She sounded like a spoiled child, but she didn't really care.
"Sakura, please look at me."
She looked at him.
Sanji's eyes were filled with a strange softness, with a hint of amusement. "I just need to know something. What are you like with him?"
"What am I like with him?" she asked, frowning. What kind of a question was that?
"Yeah."
"I don't know. Angry?"
He laughed. "Uncomposed? Quick to fight?"
"Uhh...I guess?"
Sanji nodded in understanding. "You're scared, then."
Sakura almost choked. "Of Zoro? You're insane."
He shook his head. "Not of Zoro. You're scared of yourself. Being yourself with others."
Now she was really confused. "What?"
"You're a spy, so you naturally observe people. See who they are." he explained, "The same goes for a cook. I have to watch my crew, since it's my responsibility to keep them healthy and fed. The emotions and actions of my crew can show me a lot, and one thing I've observed, is that you show who you are most when you're angry."
"I…"
"When you're angry, you let your true emotions show," he continued, "You become...real. Vulnerable."
Sakura swallowed. "Uh."
"Zoro seems best at getting you angry, so you're naturally most yourself around him," Sanji shrugged. "And that apparently bothers you. Enough to scare you."
She snorted. "Ok, I'm bothered, sure. I'm a spy. I don't like people seeing who I am. I can accept that theory. But I'm not scared."
"Really?" Sanji leaned forward, and she leaned back. "It seems like every time you get angry, I can see fear in your eyes."
"Stop it!" She scooted back and pointedly looked at the ground. "You may be my nakama, Sanji, but you don't know everything about me, so stop. Please."
He was silent for some time before speaking. "You're right. I don't know everything about you, and I don't know the whole story of what's going on between you and Zoro. But I do know that you grew up alone for a long time. An environment like that...You can't trust anybody."
Her hands balled into fists. He doesn't know what he's talking about.
"Being yourself means being vulnerable, and that's dangerous. So you pretend. If you have to stay alone, then you won't let anybody see who you are."
He's making it up.
"You don't know what might happen if people were to see who you really are. And that scares you."
He's lying.
Then why was it so true?
She was…scared. Scared to be herself.
A hand hesitantly touched her knee and she jerked her head up to see Sanji's face, filled with kind smile. "I know it's new to you, but we're your nakama," he said, "And no matter how shitty he is, Zoro's your nakama, too. You can trust us. You can trust him."
"You...you can't know that," she muttered.
Sanji nodded. "But I do know that you can try. If there's anybody you can be yourself around, it's your crew."
Sakura chewed her lip. "So...what do I do? Do I just spill my life story to you or something?"
"Why don't you start with Zoro?" he suggested, "He makes you angry all the time, and that's when you're more true to yourself. It's a good start."
She sighed. Bonding time with the rice ball. Fabulous.
Although, when she thought about it, it did make sense. The look he had given her when she had talked about being friends with Nami, back at Whiskey Peak. His reaction to her fear of fire. Seeing her after a nightmare. Her weakest moments.
When she had shown bits of herself. Those were the times she had gotten angry. Had gotten scared.
"Just...talk to him," Sanji continued, "It can be anything. He'll probably piss you off somehow, and you can go from there. It'll be good."
Sakura managed a half-hearted "Yay."
He stood and offered her a hand, which she hesitantly took. They surveyed each other, and Sakura couldn't help but feel a warmth for him.
"Thank you, Sanji," she murmured.
He smiled. "It was my pleasure.
*RRROOOOAARRR*
The pair whirled around and stared in shock at what they saw behind them.
"Is that...what I think it is?" Sakura stammered, the previous exchange momentarily forgotten, "How the hell did it get so close?"
"We were pretty preoccupied," Sanji noted, "Think we can beat the mosshead if we bring this thing back as food, Sa-chan?"
Sakura chuckled. "I'd say we stand a solid chance."
Sakura's time on the seas had been short, yet she had already seen a water moving up a mountain, an island inside a whale, and the seemingly mysterious cacti. It therefore wasn't much of a surprise that she and Sanji had just taken down a dinosaur.
"I've seen some pictures and heard sailors tell stories, but I never actually thought there would be dinosaurs in real life." she muttered, studying the dinosaur's head, "What was this called? A Be Wrecked?"
"T-Rex," Sanji laughed, flicking ashes off the tip of his cigarette, "Can't wait to try cooking it."
Sakura hummed in acknowledgement and scanned the jungle around them. "Any idea where the ship is?"
"Uhh…" Sanji peered up at the sun, "Not really sure…"
With a shrug, Sakura began walking to their left. "We can try going this wa…" She stopped and stood still, listening intently. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah." Sanji quickly put out his cigarette flame and went to stand by her side. "You heard somebody scream, right?"
She nodded. It had been faint, but definitely there. A woman's scream, not too far away. "It sounded like...like..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Nami-san," Sanji said in a low voice.
"I mean, maybe we're just being paranoid," she suggested, noticing his rapidly paling face. Of course, they hadn't seen anybody else during their time on the island. His lack of reaction and her sinking stomach confirmed that invalidity of her suggestion. "It came from the left, though."
Sanji nodded. "We can pick up the T-Rex when we come back. Let's go."
The last thing Sakura had expected to find in the middle of the seemingly inhabited jungle was a house.
She and Sanji had been rushing through the greenery in search of the source of the screams. Neither had dared to speak and miss another sound, but the air was quiet except for the occasional bird squawk. Just as she was about to suggest that they had imagined the screaming, a large white blob came into view. Closer inspection revealed it to be a sort of small cottage made from a white material.
"I mean I've never travelled much, but I've definitely never heard of random houses in jungles," she remarked. They were standing a few meters away, partly hidden by some bushes.
"You think it's safe to go in?" Sanji asked, peering around.
"There's nobody around," she muttered, silently making her way to the door of the cottage, "Just don't be too loud."
Sakura pressed her ear to the wall and peeked into one of the windows, but the cottage seemed to be completely empty. She beckoned Sanji to follow before leaping through the window.
The interior was rather spacious and sparsely furnished. A fews chairs were gathered around a singular table, and a Den Den Mushi sat on a table in the corner. She studied the floor and ceiling and found no trapdoor cracks or any possible hiding place. The place was devoid of life.
"What is this place?" she murmured while tapping on the walls, "Everything here is made from the same white stuff, and it's not wood or plaster."
The place in general had a strange smell, and when she scratched on the corner of the table, small flakes of the white material came off into her hand. It reminded her of…
"Wax." She studied the flakes in her hand, "A house made of wax."
"Tea!" Sanji, who had entered through the window behind her, eagerly leapt over a chair and studied the dainty teapot and cups on the table. He opened the pot top and sniffed the inside. "Still a little warm."
"Which means that whoever lives here left only a little while ago," Sakura deduced, "Only a table and a few chairs, which means that this isn't some kind of permanent home, and the material that made everything here obviously doesn't belong in a jungle."
She chewed her lip and studied the walls around her, only dimly aware of Sanji watching her with a curious interest.
"A...hideout, probably. Made a few days ago by somebody who came from somewhere other than this island. And that somebody is somewhere in the jungle right now," she finally concluded.
"Do you think it has anything to do with Baroque Works?" Sanji asked as he twirled a teacup in his hand.
Purupurupurupuru….
Sakura whirled around to see the Den Den Mushi ringing the the corner, and exchanged a look with Sanji. "I think that should give us our answer."
"Well then, should we pick it up?" he asked, setting down his teacup. Sakura strode over and studied the Den Den Mushi, and with a racing heart, grasped the receiver to jerk it to her lips.
Katcha.
"Wha-" Sanji made a move towards her, but she shot him a warning glance and he stilled.
"Mr. 3? Is that you?" The voice from the receiver was deep and obviously male.
Mr. 3. An agent of Baroque Works. This had to be their hideout, and whoever was on the phone obviously thought they were speaking to whoever Mr. 3 was. That was the only explanation that could piece everything together. Sakura glanced sharply at Sanji, who looked back in confusion.
She had to play it cool. If Mr. 3 was an actual agent, then, like the other Baroque Works, he had to have a counterpart. "Uh, no, sir, this is his partner."
"Ah. Ms. Goldenweek. This is Mr. 0."
Mr. 0. Crocodile. The Shichibukai.
Oh shit.
"Ah, Mr. 0," Sakura said, keeping her voice steady and calm. She turned to Sanji and urgently mouthed, Boss guy. Baroque Works. Sanji frowned and nodded in acknowledgement.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Ms. Goldenweek. I take it the mission went well?"
"Oh yes, the mission went great. We completed it without any problems," she replied. Her heart was racing and her head spun with ideas of what to say, but her voice refused to waver in strength. What mission? What was Mr. 0 talking about?
The receiver was silent under her expectant gaze. Beside her, Sanji was watching with a look of worry and...was that admiration?
Finally, Mr. 0 replied. "Is Mr. 3 there? I would like to speak to him."
"Oh yes, of course," she replied, while motioning for Sanji to move. He did so hurriedly, and took the receiver with surprisingly calm hands.
"Hello, Mr. 0? This is Mr. 3," he said, looking at Sakura expectantly. She gave him a nod of reassurance, and he briefly smiled back.
"Mr. 3, I trust you have a report ready for me?"
"Uh? Report?" Sanji asked, momentarily confused. Sakura felt her heart pattering with worry. Don't screw this us. Don't screw this up.
"Yes, if you did kill Vivi and those stupid kids like Ms. Goldenweek said, you should have some kind of report ready."
"Ah yes, a report for the mission of killing the kids and the princess. Yes." Sanji glanced at her, his eyes pleading for some help. She motioned wildly for him to keep going. "Yes, uhh...well, we killed them a few minutes ago. We were just going to send a report, you see. Everybody who was in on your secret's done for, so you don't needa' worry."
"Is that so? The Unluckies will be arriving shortly to check your progress and bring you the Eternal Pose."
Unluckies? Oh shit. Sakura slowly turned her head and wrinkled her nose at the vulture and otter occupying the windowsill that been empty just a moment before. She whirled back around and snatched the receiver out of Sanji's hand while shoving him forward towards the Unluckies.
"Hi Mr. 0? Miss Goldenweek here. Yeah, sorry Mr. 3's going to meet with the Unluckies right now," she said calmly. She watched as the otter dashed forward with his spiked seashell, narrowly missing Sanji, who yelped and leapt back, alarm on his face.
"What's going on? Is there a problem?" Mr. 0 sounded more annoyed than curious.
"Oh the Unluckies seem a little grumpy. Mr. 3's just trying to stop them from destroying our hideout," Sakura replied while frantically motioning for Sanji to do something. Though it was obvious that he was confused, he quickly sent the vulture flying into the wall with a well-timed kick, and smacked the otter straight into the tea set. Unfortunately, the broken wall and shattered china created a quite bit of noise.
"Oi, what do you mean, Miss Goldenweek? Why are the Unluckies upset?"
"Oh, uh nothing now. We've got it under control." It was a little hard to sound calm with a broken cottage, two unconscious animals, and a sheepish Sanji standing nearby, but Sakura tried her best. "Yeah, so mission completed. We're good. No need to track those annoying kids anymore."
Sakura's heartbeat echoed in her head as the reply came. "I see. Very well then, I shall await you at Alabasta. New orders shall come by mail since these calls are too easily tracked by Marines. That is all, and I wish you both the best of luck."
Before Sakura could give a reply, the line went dead. With a sigh, she tossed the receiver away and slumped down. "Isn't he polite."
"What are Unluckies?" Sanji asked as he picked his way over to the couch.
Sakura grasped the unconscious otter by the scruff and lifted it up. "The Unluckies are these two animals. They get sent out to do dirty work, I think. At least now we know that Baroque's Work is trying to stop us." She let the otter drop to the ground. "And this is for tricking me back on Whiskey Peak with those drawings, you stupid. Sardine. Butt!" Every word was punctuated with a sharp kick to the otter's body.
Sanji stared blankly at her. "That's animal abuse."
She slumped to the ground and blew a few wisps of hair out of her face. "Not if they fucking attacked you first. And you did kick them around, too."
"Out of self-defense!"
"Yeah, yeah, could you have at least been a little quieter?"
Sanji groaned. "The noise probably gave the act away, didn't it?"
"More like definitely gave the act away," Sakura replied drily, "I tried my best...but well..."
"You sounded really convincing, though," Sanji muttered.
"Maybe I did, but the vulture squawking and your yelling didn't." she chuckled, before stooping down to pick something up from the wreckage.
"What's that?" Sanji asked as he moved to stand by her. She studied the object, noting that it was similar to the object Miss All Sunday had attempted to give them back at Whiskey Peak.
"An Eternal Pose." she murmured, "It says 'Alabasta' on the label. If Mr. 0 mentioned the Unluckies bringing this, then it should come in handy somehow."
Sanji nodded in approval. "Makes sense." Hearts appeared in his eyes. "As expected, Sa-chan is so smart!"
Sakura rolled her eyes and made her way to the exit. "C'mon, tofu brain, we gotta' get going. The others are probably in trouble."
"What do you mean?" Sanji asked as he skirted around the unconscious otter and vulture to join her.
"This place obviously belongs to this Mr. 3 and Miss Goldenweek, which means they're somewhere on this island," she explained, "And if they have the mission to kill us, they're probably the reason why we heard Nami scream some time ago."
"Nami-san's in trouble?! NAMI-SAN!" She watched as Sanji dashed into the undergrowth, leaving a smoking trail behind him. With a shake of her head and a grim smile on her lips, she moved to follow him.
A/N: A thousand apologies for my lack of updates! I could give you so many excuses, but it all comes down to a mixture of a lack of time and mild writer's block. The chapter is a little shorter than usual, but hopefully now that it's summer I can actually update weekly like I want to. And yeah, so sorry if the talk between Sanji and Sakura is weird. I rewrote it so many times, but the scene was just so damn hard to write. The end product still probably needs work, so I would appreciate some feedback on what I could improve on. So...yeah.
Again, thank you to all who have stayed with me until now! It means to world to see you all supporting my efforts! Hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to rate and review!