Taken

"Hey, you're not bad," Sanji said as he watched Zerina easily worked the dough for their rolls he had planned for dinner.

"Thanks," Zerina replied. Her bow staff bumped against her legs when she shifted on her feet. "Growing up on Hydra, I learned a lot. Cooking was one of those things. But I'm no where near your level."

Sanji chuckled. "I suppose I am a bit over your level of cooking."

"Boasting a bit, huh?" Zerina raised an eyebrow at him. It's been two weeks since she had broken down and told him everything about her home island. The tension between them had completely vanished. They had become friends. And she felt a whole lot better having someone nearby who knew what she was going through.

"It's fine to boast a little bit," Sanji replied.

"Yeah, right. Just don't boast a lot. Your head with get too huge and you won't be able to fit into your kitchen," Zerina said with a smile. "Franky would have to add on to the Sunny just to accommodate your bloated head."

"Hey!" Sanji protested with a friendly shove to her arm. "I'm not that bad."

"Not yet," Zerina quipped. She grabbed the small bowl of melted butter she had prepared before she started making the rolls. She then she grabbed the sugar and mixed a small amount into the butter. She tested the sugary butter to make sure it was the right mixture. "Perfect."

"What are you doing?" Sanji asked.

Zerina reached for a baking brush and paused when he spoke. Her cheeks flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot not everyone puts sugar on their rolls!"

Zerina turned to dump out the sugary butter, but Sanji grabbed her wrist and pulled her away from the sink. "It's okay. I was just asking a question. I've never put sugar on rolls before. Was that something you learned back on Hydra?"

"Yeah." Zerina nodded, self-conscious now. "It's just a little sugar. It adds a very nice sweetness to the rolls. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take over completely. I was just doing what I was used to doing. We don't have to put it on them. I've had them without sugar too. They're good either way."

"No. Go ahead and put it on," Sanji said.

"Are you sure? This is your kitchen," Zerina said with a blink. "I'm just a guest in here after all."

"You are not a guest, Zeri," Sanji said pointedly. Zerina's eyes widened at him using one of the two nicknames the crew started using on her. "You are a part of the Straw Hat crew. You know, you really need to get over doubting that you belong here. I know you're scared about what might happen with Hydra and your family, but you are under our protection now. If they try to take you again, we'll stop them just like last time."

Sanji planted his hands on his hips. He finally noticed her wide-eyed stare at him. "What's with that look? Do I have something on my face?"

"No," Zerina drawled. She turned her eyes to the buns then forced herself to pull them back to him. "It's just…that's the first time you've called my by one of the nicknames the other's gave me. It was…nice."

"Oh." Sanji's eyes widened a bit. He nodded when he realized he did call her by a nickname. "I did say Zeri, didn't I?"

Zerina nodded. "Sanji?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad we finally became friends," Zerina said. She shifted back and forth on her feet. "And I'm glad you're keeping my secrets. For now, anyway."

"I'm glad we finally became friends too," Sanji said. He ruffled her bangs. "And I'm only keeping your secrets for a while. We still need to figure out how we're going to tell Luffy about this. He has to know."

"I know." Zerina nodded. "I know. But neither one of us are anywhere close to coming up with a plan that doesn't end up with him running off in a mad fit to fight a bunch of wish makers who can easily kill with words."

"I know." Sanji turned back to the stove and flipped his sea beast meat while Zerina started brushing the sweetened butter over the rolls. "But there has got to be a way to break this to him without him running off like a madman. Maybe we can use sea prism stone on him?"

"We'd have to leave it on for a long time to make sure he doesn't run off on us," Zerina replied.

"True." Sanji nodded. "I've been thinking about everything you've told me about Hydra and you're wish granting abilities."

"What about them?" Zerina looked back over at him.

"You all have a weakness," Sanji stated simply.

Zerina raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh really? Other than my own glitches I've never noticed a weakness from anyone on Hydra."

"Well, I know you all have one," Sanji replied. "And you might be closer to it than you think."

"I'm afraid I'm not following you," Zerina said. "How?"

"It's all about balance," Sanji said. "Take a look at devil fruit users for an example. Could you imagine what the world would be like if the sea prism stone didn't exist? There would be no way to stop devil fruit users."

Zerina opened her mouth to protest, but quickly shut it. She kneaded her eyebrows in thought. When she spoke, her voice came out just above a whisper. "Do you…do you think that's actually possible? That we all who grant wishes, have some kind of weakness? That my aunt and all of the other elites could be stopped? I could be free of their torture? For good? For ever?"

"I don't want to get your hopes up, but yes, that is a possibility," Sanji replied. "But we won't know that if we don't go back to Hydra. Or capture someone from there who desperately want you back."

"But that still doesn't make sense," Zerina said. "I don't know about any weakness. Why would they keep me like that when I know nothing?"

"That I don't know." Sanji shrugged "This all really is just a theory. If you weren't important, in some way or form, then there would be no reason for you to remain there. Your parents would have been able to keep you."

"My parents," Zerina whispered. "Is it possible that my dad knows more than he's letting on? After all, they didn't have a relationship right off. I was born sometime after they met. Mother could have told my dad…but he wouldn't keep secrets from me…would he?"

"I don't know your dad like you do. I don't even know him like Luffy does," Sanji said. "But I know a lot of parents would keep secrets from their child if it knew it would protect them. And I'm sure your dad loves you enough to do just that."

"But." Zerina dropped her eyes to the counter. Tears pressed against her eyes. "But why would he keep something like this from me? If he knew anything about this…"

Sanji turned and blinked at her. He freaked when he saw he upset her. He waved his hands in a panicked fashion. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! I'm just…I'm just guessing that's all! Please don't cry! I'm sure your father loves you!"

"I'm sorry." Zerina swiped the back of her arm over her eyes. "I didn't mean to cry. It's just…I always…I mean, I've never thought about my dad would ever keep a secret from me. But now I'm not so sure."

"What do you mean?" Sanji asked.

"Something that happened when I went to see him," Zerina said. "There's a blank spot in my memories about that trip."

"A blank spot?" Sanji blinked.

Zerina nodded. "I arrived on the ship, said hello to everyone, took a nap with dad, but asked him to tell me about my mother before I fell asleep, he spoke about her until I did fall asleep, then I woke up, meet Benn on the deck, went down to the island, ate lunch, talked about mother's song, sparred, doctor visit, dad and everyone teased me about Luffy, ate, slept again, then came back to the Sunny."

"And why are you'll me all this?" Sanji asked. "Sounds like a normal visit to me. I don't see a blank spot either."

"I'm not sure. It's just a part that really has me confused," Zerina replied. "I know something else happened when I was there. I just can't remember what it was. It wasn't anything bad, but I think it was something important. Or maybe I'm just over thinking everything. Maybe it's nothing."

"Maybe it's something," Sanji stressed. Zerina lifted an eyebrow at him. "If you feel so strongly that something else happened when you were there, then surely something did happen. Your instincts are telling you this. So you need to listen to them."

"So…" Zerina chewed on her bottom lip. "Should I go see my father and just ask him about all of this upfront?"

"If you think that would help," Sanji said with a nod.

"I'm not sure it would," Zerina replied after a minute of thought. "If dad doesn't want to tell someone something, then he's not going to do it. Not even if I'm the one asking about it."

Sanji and Zerina then fell into a heavy silence as they thought about the predicament they were in. Both jumped about ten feet when the door suddenly opened and slammed against the wall. Luffy cried out, "Meat!"

"You idiot!" Sanji shouted. He leaped into the air then slammed his foot into Luffy's head. "Don't startle us like that!"

"Hm?" Luffy lifted up his head and blinked several times. Zerina was standing with one hand on the counter and the other over her heart in an attempt to steady the racing organ. "Rina? Why are you in here?"

"H-Helping Sanji cook," Zerina stuttered.

"Or she was until you rudely interrupted us," Sanji scoffed.

"You've never help Sanji cook before," Luffy said. He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, well I," Zerina started.

"That's great!" Luffy then suddenly shouted, cutting her off.

"Huh?" Zerina blinked in confusion.

"We now have two great cooks on the Sunny!" Luffy shouted enough to bring in some of the other Straw Hats. "But you're my co-captain first and foremost!"

"What's going on in here?" Robin asked.

"Is something wrong?" Chopper added.

"No, this idiot is just shouting like usual," Sanji said. He pinched Luffy's cheek and pulled it a foot from the rubber man's face before releasing the captain. Luffy's cheek snapped back in place, vibrating his head.

"All right then. We'll just let you get back to cooking then. It all smells real good," Robin said as she headed back out the door.

Chopper started to follow Robin out the door, but paused and turned back to the two cooking. "By the way, I seem to be missing a jar of antibiotics. Have either of you seen it?"

Zerina flinched and clenched her teeth. How could she have forgotten about that? Sanji had taken the jar and had been applying that on her scar since she told him everything. She opened her mouth to say something, but didn't get a chance as Sanji spoke first. "Oh, I took it. I had to deal with a cut that got a bit infected a while back. Sorry. I forgot to tell you."

"Oh. That's okay. How is it doing? Do I need to take a look at it?" Chopper asked. Luffy slowly slide up to the stove and reached for the meat sizzling on the pan.

"No. It was nothing serious," Sanji said with a wave. He then slapped Luffy's hand. "It's healing up nicely. But I will let you know if something bad pops up with it."

"You be sure to do that," Chopper said with a nod before grabbing Luffy and exiting the kitchen. "Let's go, Luffy."

"Hey! Let me go! I wanna stay with Rina!" Luffy whined as he was drug out of the kitchen.

"You only want to try and steal meat," Chopper's voice said just as he closed the door.

Zerina's eyebrows turned up in worry. She looked back at Sanji who had turned back to his meal preparations. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to lie to your crew."

"Your crew? They're our crew, Zeri," Sanji said, tossing a charming smile over his shoulder at her. "And I didn't lie. Think about what I really said."

"What you really said?" Zerina blinked then thought about his words. "Um…"

"I said, 'Oh, I took it. I had to deal with a cut that got a bit infected a while back. Sorry. I forgot to tell you.'," Sanji repeated.

"But you weren't the one who had the injury," Zerina said.

"He didn't ask who had the injury. He asked about the jar," Sanji replied. "So, technically, I didn't lie at all."

"I guess so," Zerina mumbled. "It still doesn't feel right."

"Would you like to tell him the complete truth?" Sanji asked.

"Do you have an idea on how to keep Luffy from running off yet?" Zerina asked.

"We could just tell Chopper for now," Sanji said. Zerina walked back over to the buns. She finished them up and slipped them into the oven. "That would help if something goes wrong with your back again."

"I don't know," Zerina whispered. She placed her hands on the counter. "I just don't know."

"I know this is hard, but the sooner we get it over with the better it's going to be," Sanji said softly. "The people back on Hydra can send more things after you. That one could have really don't some damage if I hadn't been close by. What if they send more than one next time? What if they make them things stronger?"

"Luffy's going to be so furious," Zerina whispered.

"He'll cool off eventually," Sanji said. He watched her closely. She was intensely weight her options, knowing he was right. He saw that. He saw she was ready to just tell Luffy and get it over with. He gave her a few minutes of silence before speaking again. "We have sea prism cuffs on board. We can tell him, all of them, after we eat."

"Yeah," Zerina said, barely audible.

Later that night, after the crew had eaten, Sanji asked them all to gather out on the deck for dessert, which was apple pie. Zerina sat down on the mass deck, with Luffy beside her. She passed on dessert. Her stomach was far too upset. She was barely able to even eat enough dinner so she wouldn't make anyone suspicious. She glanced up at Sanji. When he nodded at her, she nodded back. He then disappeared inside the ship and returned a short while later.

The blonde cook walked right up to Luffy, who had scarfed down his pie in one bite. "Captain?"

"Hm?" Luffy blinked up at the cook.

"Put out your hands," Sanji said.

"Why?" Luffy asked.

"Just do it!" Sanji snapped. "Or no meat for an entire month!"

"What?!" Luffy shouted. "Why?!"

"You'll find out. Now do it!" Sanji yelled.

Luffy shouted, but then his voice trailed off when Sanji clamped the cuffs on the rubber man's wrist. "Fine! But this had better be wort…thash she prishm shone."

"Huh?!" Everyone, but Robin, shouted as Luffy slumped to the deck with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"What the heck, Sanji?!" Nami screamed.

"What's that for?!" Chopper wailed.

"Bad idea!" Brook said.

"What's gotten into you, you stupid cook?!" Zoro asked.

"Have you lost it, bro?" Franked asked.

"Listen up, everyone!" Sanji then shouted as he looked over each and every single one of his crewmates. They all flinched at the seriousness in his tone and face. "Zerina has something she needs to tell you all. And before you all get upset, hear her out completely and try to understand her reasoning before jumping to conclusions."

All eyes pulled over to Zerina. She could feel their eyes on her even with her bangs falling over her eyes. The strongest was Luffy. He stared up at her with his typical innocent, trusting expression. She flinched when he spoke. "Rina? What's going on?"

"I…I have to tell you something, Lalu," Zerina forced herself to say. "And you're not going to like it."

"What are you talking about?" Luffy asked, just as happily as ever.

"I've been keeping something from you," Zerina said. "Something…something happened back on Hydra."

"Hm?" Luffy blinked. He then took in her posture from his spot on the floor. He blinked again when he noticed how hard she was clenching her hands together on her lap. He tossed his eyes over to Sanji. The cook just closed his eyes and took a puff of his cigarette. Luffy brought his eyes back to her. "Zerina? What's going on?"

Zerina clenched her teeth when he used her full name. He rarely ever did that. "Luffy…I…I…"

Something suddenly splashed into the water right beside the Sunny. It rocked the ship, tipping it over on its side, almost spilling water onto the deck before righting back up. The shocked crew fell over onto the deck, Nami, Chopper and Brook almost slipped into the ocean if it hadn't been for Robin's quick thinking in using her powers to grab them. Zerina grabbed Luffy. But with her still broken wrist, she could only hold onto him with one hand while pressing her right arm onto the bench. He started slipping from her. "Luffy!"

"I got him!" Sanji said, appearing right beside Zerina. He grabbed onto their captain and helped her hold onto him until the ship was back in its up right position.

"What the heck was that?!" Franky asked.

"Huh?" Zoro looked up when he sensed something. Nineteen burning dark purple objects were flying right towards the ship. He pulled out his sword. "Oh crap! Here comes more!"

"What are they?!" Nami asked, twirling her baton. "Meteors?"

Zoro sliced at the things, but his attack did nothing. The things just kept flying towards them until they were right on top of them.

"We're gonna die!" Usopp and Chopper shouted while crying and holding on to each other. Suddenly, the things stopped. "Huh?"

The dark purple blaze around the things disappeared, revealing them to be the exact same strange purplish silver human shaped like thing as before. Zerina's eyes widened. "No…"

"Not again," Sanji said. He pulled the key out of his pocket and unlocked Luffy's cuffs.

"What's going on?" Luffy asked.

"Too late for explanations! Everyone! Listen up!" Sanji shouted, everyone looked at him. "Those things are after Zerina! We can't let them have her!"

"What?!" They all shouted, but Robin.

"Why would they be after you?" Luffy asked.

"I, uh…" Zerina dropped her eyes to the deck.

"Never mind that! Here they come!" Sanji shouted.

Zerina's mind went blank as the Straw Hats dove head first into battle with these strange creatures. Her ears lost their ability to hear as she watched the creatures easily hammer down the crew. Luffy's punches bounced off their sleek bodies. Zoro's sword slashes had zero effect, the slashes didn't even leave any cuts. Robin couldn't touch them due to them being able to burn her hands, so she stood helplessly back. Nami's, Franky's, Brook's, Chopper's, Usopp's attacks were ineffective too. Sanji jumped into the air. He spun around and slammed his foot into the head of one of them. His eyes widened when his attack did nothing this time. "What the heck?! That move completely damaged the last one!"

"Will someone tell me what the heck these things are made of?" Zoro asked while slashing repetitively at one of the invaders. The thing didn't even look at the swordsman. It just hovered in place until all of them looked down at Zerina at the same time. The thing then slammed its fist into Zoro's cheek. Zoro's body when flying down to the ship and through a wall.

"What?! It swatted Zoro away like a fly!" Chopper screamed.

"Zerina!" Luffy suddenly shouted. A petrified look spread over his face. "Look out!"

"Huh?" Zerina turned her head to see what had gotten him so upset. Her eyes widened when she saw a twentieth thing standing behind her, the one that hit the ocean. It was five times bigger than the others. It's stomach opened up like cabinet doors. Before she could process what was going on, the creature grabbed her and shoved her into its hollow torso.

"Zerina!" Luffy shouted as he ran towards the thing. The creature shot up into the air. Luffy threw his arm at the creature, grabbing it by the ankle. He winced when the hot surface of the creature singed his hand. The creature lifted the rubber man up into the air. "It's so hot! Rina! Hold on! I'm coming for you!"

"Luffy!" Zerina cried. She tried to exit the torso, but the creature's arms were crossed over its stomach, effectively holding her in place. She pushed fruitlessly against it, burning herself in the process. She jerked back, unable to do anything.

"Let her go!" Luffy shouted. He grabbed onto the creature's other ankle. The creature didn't even look down. It just kept rising into the air.

"Luffy! Look out!" Zoro shouted.

"Huh?" Luffy looked over his shoulder to see the rest of the creatures flying towards him. Their bodies became engulfed in that strange dark purple fire again. As they flew passed him, they sliced up Luffy's body, repetitively burning him until he had no choice but to let go. He fell towards the ocean. "Crap!"

"Luffy!" Zerina cried, tears pouring down her cheeks.

"Sky Walk!" Sanji shot himself into the air. He kicked Luffy back to the ship before continuing his way up to the thing that held Zerina.

"Sanji!" Zerina shouted just as the torso started to close up.

"I'm coming!" Sanji propelled himself harder until he grabbed onto the torso doors. His hands sizzled as the creature pounded at the cook's back. He winced at the pain, but started to force his way into the torso.

"Sanji! Your hands! Stop it! Let go!" Zerina cried.

"I'm not leaving you alone with these things!" Sanji snapped. "Either we both get taken! Or we both escape!"

"Don't be stupid!" Zerina shouted. "This isn't your problem!"

"Who'd being stupid?!" Sanji shouted back. "How many times to I have to say it?! You are my friend! I'm not going to let them take you! At least not alone!"

"Sanji…" Zerina's voice trailed off as Sanji managed to force himself inside just before the torso closed, encasing them in darkness.

"No!" The Straw Hat shouted.

All of the creatures gathered together before shooting off into the sky.

Luffy stared in shock. His heart pounding erratically in his chest, his blood boiled in his veins, his mind shot back to loosing Ace. He wanted to scream. He wanted to scream out her name, to demand them back, but nothing came out. His mouth just bobbed opened and closed until he dropped to his knees, his arms dangling helplessly at his sides, his eyes fading away until he just stared off into nothing.

The rest of the crew just stood still. They watched helplessly as their captain fell to his knees. The pained expression in the young captain's eyes burned holes in their hearts. There was nothing they could say to make this better, to make this easier. Those things took two of their friends. And there was nothing they could do about it. They had no clue what they were, or where they went.

They exchanged looks, silently asking what they should do. But no one answered. No one had an answer. They hung their heads in defeat, but their eyes quickly shot back to Luffy when he started to glow white.