Chapter 33 - What if...
After Chapter 10 of the third part – Applenine – Zoro leaves the ship
-Sanji-
He almost ran past the small alley, but at the last moment he saw the scrap of a green cloak, which disappeared in the back entrance of some fancy hotel, and Sanji stopped immediately. He didn't need a second glance to know that this inn was not one of the usual places the Marimo would otherwise frequent. They probably wouldn't even let him in through the front entrance.
So why did the Marimo go through the back entrance into some first-class noble shed, and without his swords no less? The answer was obvious: a secret meeting, without weapons, to avoid an escalation.
Sanji had known it! He had known that Zoro had been hiding something and that was probably exactly what it had been. Furtively he followed in, hid behind a load of firewood that was probably waiting to be picked up by the employees in the entrance, could hear the heavy footsteps as they trudged down a dark corridor. He peeked around the corner and saw the Marimo heading straight for the last room in the hallway.
What should he do? Should he follow him?
Depending on what was about to happen, it would be dangerous if the people Zoro was about to meet thought he hadn't come alone, so Sanji had to remain undetected, loitering around in the hallway was out of the question. He could sneak into an adjoining room and wait, looking through the spyhole until Zoro would come back. Perhaps he could even eavesdrop on the conversation.
No, that was unlikely. For such meetings, establishments that value privacy were usually chosen; a gun could possibly be fired in the rooms without anyone hearing it. But what if it was really dangerous and Zoro was on his own without his swords? Somehow, Sanji had to... Oh, he already regretted his idea.
These were quite fashionable rooms of a hotel that wanted to show how very chic it was. No kitchen of a more modern hotel still worked – mainly – with wood stoves and if Sanji wasn't terribly mistaken, there was a way into the room without really getting in, but if he was unlucky, he would burn his fingers quite a bit.
Sighing, he hurried back to the alley, looked around briefly and then jumped up. Two steps of Sky Walk were enough, he was already on the roof and the multitude of chimneys confirmed his suspicion.
In his mind's eye he saw the corridor through which the Marimo had passed, counted the rooms, counted the chimneys.
He was lucky, if one could call it that. The beast was huge, even Franky would fit in without any problems, probably because it served as a smoke outlet for several floors. Grumbling softly, Sanji took off the grate, doubted again whether he was really in his right mind, and then jumped down.
As he had expected, he passed a few openings, but Zoro had been on the ground floor, which meant at the very end. Sanji slowed his fall, held on with his hands and feet, leaned his back against the wall, and slowly slid down, ignoring the idea of all the soot. Then he was downstairs. Just above the hole through which the hot air and smoke of a fire would escape, just big enough for a slender person. But in the middle of a beautiful summer day, no one was in need of a fire, so Sanji could listen without hindrance.
If he was in the right room at all and was not making an absolute idiot out of himself...
"I'm here and I'm on time. Any other complaints?"
Zoro!
He hadn't been mistaken, and as annoyed as the other sounded, Sanji knew his first concern had been confirmed. This was dangerous.
A soft laugh answered, barely muffled by the stones, as if Sanji was just sitting around the corner, and not in almost complete darkness in a fireplace.
" Oh, no reason to be like that. To be honest, I am extremely pleased that you have agreed to this meeting. I did not expect us to meet again this soon."
Fuck!
He recognized the voice, recognized it immediately, after what had happened then, after the arrogance. Zoro was in the room with a freaking Shichibukai of the seas, but not just any Shichibukai, no, fucking Hawk Eyes, of all people.
"How did your job go?" Zoro sounded brusque, almost dismissive, but his voice couldn't drown out the soft click. Obviously, someone had locked the door, had locked Zoro in.
"As expected, boring and absolutely beneath my dignity. But I do not want to waste my time with such thoughts now that you are finally here. Rice wine?" Hawk Eyes sounded arrogant, to the last, and Sanji could almost imagine his arrogant grin as he calmly exploited his position of power over Zoro.
"It's not even noon yet," Zoro contradicted accordingly coldly, although he would never refuse alcohol.
"So, no rice wine?"
"Tze."
"Is that a Yes?"
This was followed by no – audible – reaction, just a few steps and the sounds of glass and furniture.
What the hell was going on here? Why did Zoro meet with the Shichibukai Hawk Eyes in some high-end hotel on this island? It was obviously an agreed meeting, but why? What was going on...?
"Something is on your mind?"
Sanji really didn't like to repeat himself, but what the hell was going on?! Had he just understood that correctly? Hawk Eyes himself inquired about Zoro's well-being and almost sounded as if he was worried? No, this was probably just a preliminary skirmish before it would get serious.
"Why would you think that?" Zoro replied before he sighed heavily. Sanji could understand that reaction. No matter what differences he and Zoro had at the moment, he knew full well that Marimo would never betray them. The only question was what Hawk Eyes demanded of him in return.
"Exactly because of that, I have rarely heard you sigh this exhaustedly."
Again, this statement irritated him. Hawk Eyes didn't sound like a blackmailer who used his power against his victim – well, he sounded damn arrogant, but Sanji didn't doubt that he always sounded like that – but almost... empathetic? Something about this whole situation didn't fit together.
"Means nothing. Let's just play chess."
With every word spoken, this whole situation became more absurd. Chess? Since when did Zoro play chess? The few times he had to play Mah-Jongg with Robin, he'd been crushingly... That was not the point right now! Until a few seconds ago, Sanji had been absolutely sure what kind of meeting this was. A Shichibukai loyal to the World Government and Zoro who was blackmailed by Hawk Eyes or something else. But somehow the words didn't fit, the tone of their voices didn't fit, the damn chess game didn't fit. They somehow didn't sound like suspicious enemies and that was exactly what made Sanji even more suspicious.
"Oh? So it has nothing to do with your crew? And while we are at it, how long do you intent to stay? I would be heartbroken if you kept them waiting because of me."
Yeah, sure. Inwardly, Sanji snorted. This guy seemed to act friendly, but he was probably just out for information. What kind of masquerade was it that the Marimo had to play along?
"Yeah, sure," Zoro then laughed drily, sounding just as sarcastic as Sanji had felt it, completely ignoring the Shichibukai's first question, as if he deliberately didn't want to give him any information. "We'll leave tonight, so we've got all day... Hey."
Immediately, Sanji's muscles tensed. What had just happened? He had chosen the fucking wrong hiding place, he may be able to hear them, but he saw nothing but fucking blackness.
"We both thought our next meeting would not be until several months from now, right? I am not saying that our premature meeting makes me unhappy, but I know you hoped for more; I had hoped for more." Hawk Eyes didn't sound like a blackmailer or even an enemy, he sounded... gentle. "Today I cannot offer you the fight that you desire, that I desire. Without Jiroushin's intervention, I would certainly kill you and I will not risk that. But this is my sign that I recognize you as a serious opponent; from now on I take off the kid gloves."
For a moment there was silence and Sanji tried to understand what these words meant.
"Well, then get started. Show me how it's done." The Marimo sounded almost good-humored – and Zoro was never really in a good mood, unless there was a fight or alcohol. What if... this meeting was not forced? What if Zoro... was here... voluntarily? But what did that mean then?
"My pleasure," Hawk Eyes laughed joyfully.
Did that mean that Sanji... was just...? No, that couldn't be, not Zoro, not the moss head, not after Water Seven, after Thriller Bark, after... But what if it was true? Zoro had clearly shown his attitude towards the crew after Water Seven and where had it taken him? Who knew what he had had to go through the last two years. Who knew what had been whispered in his ear for the last two years while he had recovered in hellish pain. It was certainly difficult, but maybe one could even turn Roronoa Zoro and if anyone could, maybe it was the one person Zoro had been pursuing his whole life.
No no no! Sanji didn't want to believe that. The last few days had been difficult, and his brain was looking for some familiar solution, as they had already experienced with Nami and Robin in the crew, but Zoro would never... He would never... betray them..., right?
"And you really do not want to tell me what makes you sigh like this?" asked Hawk Eyes and he sounded so weird again... so seriously interested.
"No, I don't want to," Zoro grumbled almost a little annoyed, way too much... relaxed, comfortable, as he would probably not show himself to an enemy in such a situation. "I don't want to talk about anything at all, not about my crew, not about Eizen, and certainly not about my other body; I just want to play chess."
Huh?
Hawk Eyes sighed.
"You are well aware that this repression is not helpful? And that I can guess from your list what is on your mind?"
"Then think your part and shut up. I don't want you to make a thing out of any of it now."
The Shichibukai sighed again, and Sanji became more and more sure that this was not the interaction between two strangers or enemies, no, definitely not.
"Are you having trouble with your training? In your other form? We could work out the problems together during this little match. Or is it because you can not or do not want show your other form to them? I have no objections if you want to use the time here to..."
He interrupted himself as Zoro groaned loudly. But Sanji was more than confused, there it was again. Other body, other from. What the hell were the two talking about? Zoro had no devil power, couldn't change his form like Chopper.
"Again, let's just play chess, okay? I don't want to use the time here for anything, especially not Lady Loreen, and I don't have to transform now," Zoro growled. "So finally get started and make the first move."
Shit!
For a brief moment Sanji had lost his footing but caught himself just in time. What was going on here? What the hell was going on? Why did Zoro suddenly throw in the lovely Lady Loreen? Completely out of the context...
"Fine," the Shichibukai admitted defeat. "But first we should take care of a little thing," Hawk Eyes said and something in his voice had changed, and the hairs on the back of Sanji's neck stood up.
"Aha, and what?" The Marimo replied only mildly enthusiastically, while footsteps echoed through the room, and then suddenly the fireplace shook as if an earthquake was happening.
Sanji almost lost his footing as the stones groaned around him and ash and soot fell on him.
"I will have this chimney destroyed faster than you can even think of escape, so come out before I crush you to dust."
"What?" Zoro had obviously jumped up. "There's someone in the chimney?"
"Do you think I am talking to the ashes? You were not paying attention and being followed."
"What? No, I…"
"Come out now, we do not have forever. Oh my goodness, what am I doing to myself here. I count to three. One... two..."
Yes, Sanji should act fast, this bastard didn't count slowly.
"Okay, okay," he said loudly, pushed off and slid through the narrow hole opposite, landed on the fireplace, ash and soot rose up, made him cough. The sudden light of day blinded him, but he looked up blinking.
"Cook?" Zoro stood at a chessboard, a few feet away, staring at Sanji in surprise. In front of him, with an ice-cold face, only an arm's length away from Sanji, stood Dracule Hawk Eyes Mihawk.
This scene was just abstruse, at the chessboard stood a glass of deep red wine and a glass of sake, as if it were a cozy meeting of two... friends.
Sanji's heart was beating fast, but in fact he couldn't even bring himself to look at the obvious danger in the room, he had to stare at Zoro, who was staring back, alarmed, one step already towards the fireplace, but then he took exactly that step back and crossed his arms. Rejection written all over his face.
"What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Roronoa, really? Is that not obvious? He eavesdropped on us." Everything in Sanji wanted to shrink under this condescending gaze. "Not the worst hiding place, I have to admit, you can listen in well and the solid stone prevents you from being noticed easily, but as soon as your heart beats too loudly, you have betrayed yourself, Chef."
"I don't give a fuck," the Marimo grumbled and now stepped next to Hawk Eyes as if they were standing on one side. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"But you should not be indifferent. It is frightening that you did not notice that you were being followed, nor that somebody was eavesdropping on us..."
"Could you shut up for a moment? I don't care about your know-it-all comments right now!"
"So you want to ignore my advice, even though I..."
"Fuck your advice for the..."
"Zoro." They stared at him, and Sanji didn't know if he was hot or freezing cold. An incredible number of thoughts were racing through his head right now and somehow, he had a guilty conscience, as if he had done something he shouldn't have done. But even more than that, he was insecure, insecure and suspicious about the way these two men talked to each other and... what they were talking about, and that one of them was his crewmember. "Why... why do you meet with one of the Shichibukai to play chess? And what... What did you mean by... other body?"
He noticed the piercing eyes of the Shichibukai, who tilted his head slightly, but remained silent, but he himself only looked at Zoro, who seemed as shocked by this question as he was by Sanji's general presence. Something like realization glided over his face, his unharmed eye widened for a moment, almost as if he were afraid, but then this moment was over, and his features became rock hard as they had been a few days ago in the lookout; this had been a mistake.
Hawk Eyes let out a curious sound and with raised eyebrows he examined Marimo from the side, as if this was some funny situation.
"Are you going to do the talking this time?" he asked too innocently. "Or should I take over again?"
Again?
What did he mean by that?
The Marimo met Hawk Eyes's gaze for a moment, then he stared down at Sanji.
"I don't know why it concerns you," he growled, obviously angry, while Hawk Eyes only sighed softly and rolled his eyes. "Are you following and eavesdropping on me? That's shitty even by your standards, Cook."
"I'm worried, and obviously rightly so," Sanji interjected. "You've been acting really weird all this time and now you're secretly going places – without your swords – and meeting up with a fucking Shichibukai? To play chess and get drunk?"
"Tze, the enjoyment of a good wine can hardly be compared to a drinking bout," the Shichibukai interjected, as if that were really the biggest problem right now. Then he made a dismissive gesture and turned away, stepped back, and dropped onto his chair. "Roronoa, sort this matter out with your crewmember, otherwise we will all waste our time here unnecessarily."
Sanji would have liked to throw a lot of things at the Shichibukai's head, but he just looked at Zoro.
"Yes, exactly. Explain to me what's going on here. Why are you secretly meeting a Shichibukai?"
The Marimo still looked at him so scathingly.
"I was with him," he finally growled, pointing with his thumb at the Shichibukai behind him. "For the last two years, Mihawk has trained me and prepared me for the New World. Which I have never concealed. You just had to ask."
Oh, that actually sounded pretty logical. After all, Hawk Eyes had helped them back then to get the swords, and Zoro had become damn strong in the last two years, and if he would let himself be forced to rest and be taught by one person, it might be by the one man who's title he was striving for.
"Then why didn't you say you'd meet him today? And why did you leave without swords? I thought there was some secret meeting of enemies here."
"He's a Shichibukai, I'm a wanted pirate. Not exactly something you shout from the rooftops."
"And why didn't you tell us anything?"
"I didn't know I needed permission if I wanted to meet someone," Zoro replied coolly. "Or that I'd be spied on if I don't get it beforehand."
Sanji swallowed.
"I thought you were in danger."
"And I thought you weren't quite the idiot you've been acting like the last few days. Seems like we're both wrong, and since we got that cleared out now, get out of here and don't get on my nerves any further."
A few days ago, Sanji might have reacted differently, but now their last fight was still in his bones and the presence of a damn Shichibukai, who was watching them almost bored, didn't make it any better.
"I'm supposed to leave you alone with him?" he said, knowing that it was a weak objection.
Snorting, Zoro shook his head, the shadow of a sarcastic smile on his lips.
"His presence bothers me less than yours."
Sanji felt defeated. His wounds were still too fresh, Zoro's tone too cold, his words too harsh. It seemed as if his well-intentioned action had broken the last spark of what had been good between them.
He turned to the door.
It shouldn't have gone that way, it shouldn't have gone that way. Not after these two years, not after Zoro was finally back...
I was with him. For the last two years.
Are you going to do the talking this time, or should I take over again?
I don't want to use the time here for anything, especially not Lady Loreen.
Don't throw away your life lightly.
Live, Sanji.
Zoro is alive.
The answer is simple. I didn't get away, I died.
He has been alive all this time, and he will come back.
I answered you, but you didn't want to listen.
Is it because you can't or don't want to show your other form to them?
My other body.
In your other form.
He stared at the door in front of him, but didn't see it, saw pictures from two years ago in his mind's eye, remembered that moment, back then on this island, when Lady Loreen had appeared out of nowhere, had come to his and Luffy's aid. The soldier who had wanted to kill Luffy had been struck down and for a moment, for a moment, Sanji had been sure, that he had been feeling… Zoro's presence.
Slowly he turned around, staring at the Marimo.
"Is this what you were trying to tell me? Up there, in the lookout?" he asked, not knowing what to think. It was impossible, but after all he had heard. After everything he had experienced himself during the past two years. "That can't be, can it? You have spoken of another body, your other body. Zoro, you... you're not Lady Loreen, are you?"
