Italics indicate thinking
Bold is for attacks
Steve's POV
"It didn't work." Lil walked out of the ruins depressed, wiping off her face, it was clear she had cried on her way back out "He wouldn't listen."
"Oh Lil." Robin hugged her.
"We're sorry Miss." Riven frowned "But we tried to tell you."
"It's fine." She put on a fake smile "I did my best, I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Come on." I rubbed her head "Let's head back to the others."
I let Lil ride on my shoulders as we went back towards town where the others were waiting. We headed back and met up with the others who were going to meet up the leader of Zou's night time.
"So back to that letter." I pointed out helping Robin and Lil climb up onto the gators we were riding.
"So, it said there was a girl." Luffy said "Is Sanji getting married?"
"Perhaps not I don't know." Nami shrugged.
"He kinda just had a dead look on his face." Wyper explained "He said he'd be back but I don't know if he's bringing a girl back with him."
"Does that mean our crew is getting another member?" Luffy wondered.
"If his bride is a daughter of Big Mom than that would mean we are expected to be her underlings after the marriage." Brook explained.
"No way!" Luffy and I yelled.
"Right, and I'm sure Sanji feels the same way." Brook told him "That is why he was so against the idea. That is why I think he seeks to escape this marriage or us."
"Are you saying Sanji is quitting?!" Luffy yelled "That's even worse."
"Calm down." I sighed.
"The fact he wrote the letter means he knew he'd have to go." Nami said.
"Those relatives of his are the key to all this." Usopp noted.
"The Vinsmokes." Robin hummed "I feel as though I heard that name before.
"Tsk." Wyper grumbled "I knew I should have just dragged his ass out with me."
"It's clear that wasn't an option at the time." Monet pushed her glasses up "There is no reason to speak in hypotheticals, it gains us nothing."
"But what if we never get to see him again." Chopper whimpered.
"Then that's that." Zoro shrugged "Granted the way it stands he's gone without so much as a thank you. Just think about it, we're in a bit of a rush here, Caesar told us that the Smiles were going from Doflamingo to Kaido and since we destroyed the source of those now Kaido will be gunning for us, it's not some far off threat we can afford to sleep on it, it's only a matter of time till this stuff catches up with us."
"The whole reason we teamed up with Law was for this fight." Rose added "For some reason Kaido is targeting many people, we're going to have to fight him. Now Sanji's gone and gotten involved with Big Mom, Blackbeard still has it out for Luffy, fortunately Mom and Dad are probably on our side but we've nearly got every of the Four Emperor on our back!"
"We won't get anywhere by complaining to." I sighed.
"Let's just go get Sanji!" Luffy yelled.
"Stop making rash choices!" I snapped "We have to think this through, we can't fight Big Mom and Kaido at the same time!"
"Then we'll sneak in." he said back.
"You and sneak in the same sentence?" I scoffed "That's a laugh! Besides how would you even find where Big Mom is?"
"In their haste to leave Big Mom's crew left someone behind." Brook explained tuning his guitar "If he's awake maybe you can ask for his help."
We rode the gators to the other side of the island where the night Minks lived.
"Where's Nekomamushi?" Luffy yelled,
"Don't be so rude!" I snapped.
"I'm worried about him so I'm going on ahead." Chopped said.
"It's the doctor." A female deer like Mink smiled "I'll guide you."
"HA!" Chopper smile and locked up.
"He's gone stiff!" Usopp yelled.
"She broke Chopper!" Lil panicked.
"I'm fine." The reindeer blushed.
"Hmm." Lil looked at him "You're hot, must be all that fur."
"Sure, we'll go with that." I mumbled to Robin.
"Fufufu." She giggled.
"The Master is in the bath." A large cat man Luffy had been talking to explained leading the way.
We headed into the bath where Chopper yelled at a massive cat for breaking about every rule he had told him to follow. The Cat was a bright yellow in color, pretty heavyset and seemed to be upbeat in personality. He was covered in bandages and stiches, likely from the fight with Jack, he seemed to be short a right hand to.
"Look you two can bond." I smirked at my sister.
"Knock it off." She growled.
"This is all pretty weird." I said looking around as Chopper planned to give a shot to the big cat and Luffy was talking with the smaller one we met on Fishman Island.
"So who arranged the marriage?" I asked Pekoms.
"That would be Mama." He said "And the father of the Vinsmokes."
"Sanji's Dad?" Nami asked "What kind of person is he?"
"He's infamous in the underworld I'm surprised you haven't heard of him Pekoms said "After all the Vinsmoke Family is a family of Assassins."
"That's it!" Rose yelled "I remember learning about them when I was training with the ninjas, they talked about a groups of Assassins and warriors constantly taking all the jobs, apparently they're ruthlessly efficient and never fail a task. What were they called…Germa 66?"
"I don't really care who they are is Sanji coming back or not?" Luffy asked "There's no way I'm becoming some underling! If anything, you'll be my underlings."
"I seem to recall you pushing away potential underlings in Dressrosa!" I snapped.
"Look there's no way your friend will refuse that invitation to the Tea Party." Pekoms said "Cause if he does, he'll be getting a present, and inside will be the head of someone important to him. Could be one of you, could be one of those chefs, it could even be someone none of you know he knows."
"How do you know about all that?" I glared, my eyes burning red.
"This is what they call Power in the New World." Pekoms explained "Knowing in advance is a great ally."
"So that's why Sanji went." Nami frowned.
"Look this is just a political marriage, it's not to unite the Strawhats and Mama, it's to tie her bloodline to the Germa. I'll say it simply so you don't misunderstand, the second that marriage is complete, Black Leg will no longer be able to be a member of your crew."
"You can't decide that Sanji's in my crew!" Luffy snapped.
"You have to understand he was the son of the Vinsmokes first." Pekoms tried to explain "He won't be able to refuse when he's put up against Big Mom and the Vinsmokes."
"Dammit!" Luffy snapped "what are you gonna do about it."
"Well that little punk Bege tried to kill me." The cat sat up "I'm not just gonna let that slide."
"Then take me with you!" Luffy begged.
"Luffy." I groaned with Nami.
"I'll go alone." He said "If we all go it'll be too much but just me and this guy will be able to sneak in and ruin the ceremony."
"Haa." I groaned walking away "You know what do whatever you want I guess, you sure as hell ain't gonna listen anyway."
We headed outside and it seemed our group had met up with Law's and Law was not happy about the current state of affairs.
"It's only a matter of time till Kaido arrives, I had planned on hiding us here for a time but it would seem he's already discovered this place." Law said "They'll be coming back, if this place is attacked again."
"It won't be good." I sighed.
"I'm sure we'll figure something out." I said looking at the sun setting "Look I've got my own issue to deal with involving the people still down on my boat."
"The Samurais." He asked.
"Hmm." I nodded "I've got Robin, Brook and Franky on it for now but I can't hold them down there forever, and if they find out I've got them on the Sunny."
"Things will only get worse." Law sighed.
"I suppose we should have known this was how troublesomely tough the New World was gonna be." I rubbed my nose "Nothing's ever easy is it? Luffy's got his mind set on rescuing Sanji, and I need to deal with keeping Kaido back. Just when we started to get back in one unit we're already pulling apart again."
AN
Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Feel free to message me any questions or concerns.
Pick Up Point- Chapter 815
Till Next Time!
