Back at the Castle…
Ace took his chance and snuck down into the dungeon. Sanji had been released, the only prisoner that was left was Chess.
The fire user made his way to the cat-boys cell and sat outside it.
"Oh, nice, some company." Chess yawned.
"I just wanted to see how you were…" Ace looked over the boy, Chess looked hungry, pale, sick almost and tired.
"I've been better." He said, sitting up from his laying position.
Ace nodded and looked around to make sure no one was listening.
"It's working out just like you said." Ace smirked.
"I know it is. That stupid king wouldn't refuse his 'wife'." Chess stated, as if Ace were stupid for thinking otherwise. Ace rolled his eyes at Luffy being called a 'wife', a look of disgust crossed his face as he thought about the forced marriage. "Hey." Chess said. Ace looked at him.
"What?"
"Don't worry. The plan will work. Ryuu can't stop all of us, he especially can't hurt us when Luffy loves us so much. We have an advantage." Cheshire reassured the older brother. Ace nodded, not liking the idea of using his sister like a shield.
"I think she loves him." Ace said.
All was quiet.
"She dosen't. Not more than she loves you, and those other two." Chess snorted. "You have...the bonds of history. Or something." Ace chuckled at that.
"You just sit tight until we can find a way to get you out of here." Ace stood up.
"Where would I go? Idiot." Chess laid back down, going back to his nap as Ace walked back out of the room.
At the same time, Luffy had dragged Ryuu out of his office and into the kitchen.
"Lu-Luffy-chan! Slow down!" Ryuu laughed light heartedly at Luffy's eagerness. She talked on and on as they made their way to the kitchen.
"You'll love Sanji's food, he makes this great dish and...well… all his dishes are great, but I hope he makes a chocolate cake, I love chocolate!" She smiled as she walked into the kitchen. Ryuu stood by her side, looking around at all the food that was being prepared.
"Good afternoon your highness!" someone noticed the 'couple' and bowed. Sanji looked over, a large smile on his face.
"Luffy-chwan~" he swirled over to her and knelt before her.
"Yo, Sanji!" she smiled at him happily.
"What honor is this that you come to my humble kitchen?" Sanji bowed his head. Ryuu snorted at the flirtatious cook, subtly gripping Luffy's hand tighter in his own.
"We came to try food for the wedding!" Luffy announced.
The Kitchen was silent, then everyone cheered, everyone, but Sanji, who stood up and looked at Luffy in confusion. Since when did she care about anything that had to do with the wedding?
"The queen's finally coming around!" the kitchen was filled with chatting as the chefs started preparing plates of food.
"She may marry Ryuu after all!" another said.
"Wonderland will have a queen!" someone else exclaimed. Sanji 'tched'.
"Oi. Luffy-chan, come on I'll show you the food!" Sanji said, purposefully tearing her away from Ryuu and weaving through the kitchen. Ryuu's eye twitched as he followed them, constantly being stopped and asked to try certain dishes. eventually, he lost Luffy altogether.
Luffy cheered when Sanji presented her with a table full of food.
"Chocolate!" Luffy cheered as she dug in.
"Luffy-chan, why are you so concerned with the food at the wedding?" Sanji sat down next to her, looking around. "There's not going to BE a wedding, we're escaping, remember?" He smiled at his forgetful captain.
"Yeah I know. But, might as well try some good food, right?" Luffy said, but to Sanji, it sounded more like Luffy was asking herself that question too. Just what was going on in that head of hers? She stopped mid eating. something Sanji had never seen before.
"Something wrong?" Sanji asked, with slight concern.
"Yeah… Where's Ryuu?" Luffy looked around for him. Sanji blinked at her, she wanted… Ryuu?
That's when Sanji decided to make a plan of his own.
"I think he left. He had work to do." Sanji lied, breaking inside for having to tell his captain something that wasn't true. Luffy's face fell.
It was like she was on the ship all over again. Ryuu was too busy… she sighed, then perked up. Sanji. Sanji was there, he wasn't busy. Sanji was her friend! Her cook! Her Nakama! She smiled, going back to her eating with a bright smile.
Sanji smiled, at least she didn't look down for that long. But deep down he felt bad. It made Luffy sad when people couldn't make any time for her. It made sense, especially when Luffy would blow off her own plans to help anyone who needed it. It must hurt a bit, not getting the same treatment.
"More cake?" Sanji smiled. Luffy nodded eagerly and Sanji swirled off with hearts in his eyes.
Zoro had seen them. Ryuu and Luffy, running down the hall together like they were friends of some sort. He stood outside the kitchen, guarding Luffy like he was supposed to. There was a commotion inside, some yelling and cheering, some sounds of frustration from Ryuu, which was always good because it meant he was no where near Luffy. Zoro 'tched', that meant Luffy was with that stupid cook… but he was the lesser of the two evils.
It wasn't too long after they had entered that Luffy exouted the kitchen by herself.
"Ryuu! Where'd you go!?" She called, then she looked over at Zoro. "Haa! Zoro! Where've you been?" She asked.
"I've been looking for YOU. where have you been?" He asked, following after his captain, who had started walking.
"I was with Ryuu. I can't seem to find him though…" She sighed. Zoro gave her a questioning look. Why did she care where that evil king was?
"Who cares?" Zoro blurted out. Luffy looked up at him.
"I care." She said plainly. Zoro gave her a weird look.
"You act like you like him or something." Zoro stopped walking. Luffy stopped as well, turning to her friend.
"So what if I do?" She puffed out her cheeks, a slight blush on them.
Zoro gave her a stern stare.
"You can't stay here. He's forcing you to marry him. Remember?" Zoro said. Luffy jokingly returned the stern stare.
"He's nice to me." She argued.
"So what?" Zoro said, annoyed.
"So I'm nice to him. Because he's nice." Luffy shot back, getting a little angry, for real.
"Nice is different than good, Luffy." Zoro stated. Luffy crossed her arms.
"Why are you acting so weird?" She asked.
"You're the one acting weird." Zoro crossed his arms too.
"I'm not! Maybe you would know i wasn't acting weird if you weren't training all the time." She looked away from him. "I always act like this." She muttered.
Zoro's eye twitched. So that was it? She wanted attention?
"You can't expect everyone to drop whatever they're doing for you, you know." Zoro said. Luffy glared at him a little.
"Ryuu does." She stated.
"Because he's trying to make you stay here!" Zoro shot.
"Or maybe he's just nice!" She shot back.
"You're acting like a child! People can't just stop what they're doing because you need something!" He argued. Luffy looked down, then glared at him.
"I do it for you! And for everyone!" She yelled. "We used to be best friends. Now you can't even hang out with me!" She shouted after Zoro didn't respond.
"Luffy. We're still friends." Zoro said, calmer than before. "Which is why you have to listen when I say, we're trying to get you out of here." He said, Luffy was silent. "Let's go find Ace." He said.
Luffy shook her head. She didn't want to talk to Zoro right now. She needed time to cool off from the argument. Why would he say those things? She wasn't acting like a child...
"Just leave me alone, Zoro." She muttered, pushing past him and walking away.
"Luffy-" Zoro turned around to follow her but instead he saw Kiero blocking his way.
It was earlier that Kerio had gone to visit Kitaro in the infirmary.
"The Queen is worried about you. So wake up soon." Kerio spoke to his unconscious superior, and friend. He didn't know why he insisted on coming here, the doctor said it would be months before he work up. It had only been a couple of days.
A groan filled the room as Keior was leaving for the day. The young boy quickly turned around.
"Kitaro?" He asked, sitting back down in the chair. The guard moved slightly, looking in pain. "How are you waking up…. NURSE!" Kerio called as his friend began to groan some more, fighting for consciousness. The nurse ran in and checked Kitaro's heart rate.
"He's… waking up… but so soon…" She muttered, giving him a shot of something that would kill the pain.
Kitaro was awake, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Uh… Kitaro? It's…. it's me, Keiro…" He muttered. Kitaro's hand twitched.
"Y-you…. Luffy.." He rasped.
"The Queen is ok." Keiro assured him, Kitaro shook his head.
"A-ace. plan." He muttered, his heart rate increasing.
"Don't talk, sir." The nurse called in for the Doctor when she noticed Kitaro's heart rate increasing.
"Plan? What? Kitaro. Calm down please." Keiro had put a comforting hand on his friends shoulder.
"Escape… don't let them take the queen-" Kitaro rasped again before his body went limp. Keiro shook him.
"Kitaro!?" He called.
"He's just resting… he'll be ok. It's a miracle he's awake right now." The Doctor said, Keiro shot up and nodded at him in surprise, he didn't even hear the Doctor come in.
And so the young guard left the infirmary, he got the jist of what Kitaro said. Ace and those other guys were planning something. He rushed through the halls. He needed to find the queen.
"Just leave me alone, Zoro." said a soft voice, then Luffy went walking by him.
"Luffy-sama?" He reached out to her, but she continued walking. probably looking for someone… Ryuu maybe.
Keiro now stood in front of Zoro.
"I know what you're up to. Kitaro told me. He woke up!" The younger boy glared.
"Listen, Kid. I don't know what you-"
"You know exactly what I mean! I won't let you hurt Luffy-sama!" Keiro interrupted.
"...If you don't want her to get hurt… you have to help us." Zoro stated, taking a shot in the dark. Keiro stared at him in shock.
"W-What?"