AN:
I'm going ahead and putting up a little trigger warning for the last section of this chapter. It follows a relatively dark plot for one of our characters and has some gruesome descriptions and themes. So, just be ready for that. Other than that, it was a fun chapter and I have some cool stuff planned for the next which is being worked on atm.
As always, let me know what you think and I'll see you in the next one!
---
Chapter 42: Town of Rouges
"Where the heck am I?...", Luffy groaned in irritation, head shifting around the empty area. He hadn't seen a single soul since he'd exited the alleyways. The cobbled street was lined on both sides by buildings of all sizes, but not a single one of them looked occupied... He grumpily continued on his path down the seemingly abandoned area of town until his eyes landed on the first building he'd seen that showed any signs of life.
The pirate captain picked up the pace and quickly approached the building with light pouring out of its windows. When he stood in front of its saloon-esque doors, he looked up to the sign hanging above his head and it read: Gold Roger. His eyes turned to stars. That was the name of the Pirate King! With his original goal shifting to the back of his mind to make room for his new excitement, he entered the bar with a grin.
"Hello?!", Luffy shouted through the empty room, the doors to the establishment swinging behind him. When no answer came, he began to worry that there would be no one there, however, as soon as the thought crossed him, a gruff voice from behind the bar grabbed his attention.
"The hell do you want?", Raoul growled, grumpily making his way to shoo the young boy back outside, "We're closed. I'm shuttin' this place down.".
The words made Luffy grumble and he crossed his arms, his pouting gaze meeting the small man approaching him, "What the heck, why, old man?!".
"Cause there ain't no more business to be had in this town.", Raoul growled in irritation, "Ever since that damn Smoker set up shop here, all my regulars disappeared along with anyone else that used to come to this bar.".
Smoker... Smoker... Why did that sound so familiar?... "Who the heck is Smoker?", the boy asked, trying to reason out why he felt like he'd heard the name before... It sounded so much like... Wait... Smoker... Smoke... It only took a moment, but his eyes suddenly widened to the size of large saucers.
Before the man could reply, Luffy piped back up, looking at him incredulously, "You mean, Smokey's here?! In Lougetown?!".
---
Zoro looked up from the ground when the faint bustling of a crowd met his ears.
It was by absolute and complete coincidence that the swordsman had gotten to where he was... He'd taken a series of twists and turns that no ordinary human being would ever even think to... In other words... His feet never failed him... He smirked and continued at the same pace until he eventually passed through a small alleyway that led to a busy street filled with people. It only took him a moment of searching before he found what he was looking for, his eyes landing on a sign above the doorway of one of the buildings. It read: Ipponmatsu's Arms Shop.
The green-haired teen grinned and began to push his way through the crowd, shouldering past various townspeople to make his way to the weapon shop. Without any pause in his step, he opened the door to the establishment and made his way inside, his eyes glancing around appraisingly. The many armaments that met his eye reminded him of Brewer's Blades... Although he had to admit, the selection in Saul's shop seemed of much higher quality.
"Can I help you, son?", a voice asked from behind the counter on the other side of the room.
Zoro turned toward the back of the space and was met with a man bearing one of the strangest haircuts he'd ever seen... The black hair on the sides of his head had been fashioned into wings... He shook his head and approached the register, "I'm looking for some sharpening stones if you've got em'.".
"For what kinda weapon?...", Ipponmatsu asked, unconsciously staring at the young man as he approached... It was strange, but, he had a sort of presence to him, minute, but there nonetheless. It was something he'd grown keen on sensing with all of the different types of people that had come and gone from his shop, but he'd never felt it from someone so young.
"Katana.", the verdet answered, flashing his three sheathed swords at the shop owner.
The man's eyes roamed over the three blades tucked into the boy's black sash and they immediately widened at the sight of two of them. He began to sweat... It couldn't be... That... That was Wado Icimonji... And... His gaze shifted to the blood-red sheath of the katana next to it... It was Sandai Kitetsu... That sword was supposed to be there, with him... He'd been furious when the blacksmith from East Lodestone had gone back their deal.
"... Sooo... Can you help me out, or what?...", Zoro questioned, uncomfortably, when the man made no reply... This guy was really interested in his swords...
Ipponmatsu shook his head and couldn't help the frown that consumed his face, his jealous eyes coming back up to meet the young man's... Maybe he could convince the kid to sell them... He didn't look all that smart... More of a muscle head if you ask him... Still, for some reason, he felt like it would be next to impossible to get those katana away from him... "You'll find some over in those drawers.", he answered with a shake of his head, begrudgingly pointing toward the side wall.
The swordsman grinned at the reply and turned away, moving to where he'd been directed, "I appreci-". The bell above the front door rang, stopping him, and both the heads of the shop's two occupants turned toward the entrance.
"Ipponmatsu!", Tashigi exclaimed brightly, letting the door shut behind her as she stepped into the building, "I'm here to pick up Shigure!".
Zoro's eyes widened and he froze like a prey caught in the eyes of its predator... Why the hell was she there?!... It didn't take him long to remember he'd already been given the answer to his question, a memory from many months in the past playing behind his eyes.
"You're hearing me, right, Straw Hat?", Smoker asked through the butt of his cigar, "You destroyed an entire island... Not a town... An ISLAND.". He frantically waved his hands, referencing the rubble that surrounded them on almost all sides, "Clockwork isn't even habitable anymore, you damn idiot.".
Usopp glanced between the two and then to the five Trump Pirates in handcuffs lying on the ground between them... He groaned to himself... For some reason... He didn't like the odds of leaving there with the money for their bounties... Honestly, at this point, he just hoped they didn't get arrested...
Luffy groaned and fell onto his back, the bruises covering his body making him hiss as he looked up to the sky. "... They took my ship.", he reasoned with a frown, sitting back up to look the man in the eye, "Besides, pretty much everyone made it out okay because of those science guys and their parachutes... So what's the big deal, Smokey?"... He still couldn't believe it... The one time he lets Levi go swimming instead of making him stay and protect Merry... He sighed. It had all worked out in the end and the Merry was now safe, waiting for them on the outskirts of the slowly sinking island.
"They took your ship...", the marine parroted with an exhale of smoke, rubbing his temples in frustration, "An entire island was destroyed because someone took your ship...".
"Are you even listening to me?", Tashigi growled at the tuned-out bounty hunter.
Zoro turned away from the conversation between the two and couldn't help his small jump when he faced the girl in front of him... Every time... He just still couldn't believe it... She looked exactly like her... So much so, that he'd accidentally called her that more than a few times... He shook his head, sighing, "Not really, Copycat."... It was the only way he could stop himself from calling her Kuina...
"That's not my name and you know it, Roronoa.", the swordswoman growled, her finger poking into Zoro's chest. "Because of you three bounty hunters, our transfer to Lougetown has been postponed, AGAIN!", she shouted in irritation. She'd been pulled in way too many different directions in the past couple of months due to their destructive antics and she was tired of it.
"Why's that my problem?", the verdet asked blankly, no small amount of boredom lacing his voice.
Tashigi growled once again, her ire at the insufferable bounty hunter growing, "Because it's always your damn fault!". Frustration made her throw her hands in the air, "Four Times! Roronoa! We've had our transfer postponed four different times in just the last two months! All because of Merry's Terrible Tri-".
"Roronoa?!", Tashigi exclaimed in surprise. She quickly reined in the emotion and it was replaced by suspicion, her eyes narrowing, "What are you doing in Lougetown?".
Zoro was quickly brought out of his thoughts and had to take a second to gather himself, a small smirk eventually rising to his lips. "Good to see you too, Copycat.", he teased.
The swordswoman's face morphed into a scowl and she stalked in the taller boy's direction. "Damn it! You know that's not my name!", she hissed angrily, her steps thumping heavily into the wood.
Zoro waved the woman away and made to step past her approaching form. He didn't really care to deal with her at the moment... He didn't need another lecture about how she'd take his swords if he used them for evil... Or something like that... He never really listened... He shook the thoughts away, his eyes shifting back to the wall he'd been directed to by the shop owner, "Whatever.".
Tashigi stuck her arm out and halted the verdet's steps, her scowl still firmly rooted in place, "I asked you a question, Roronoa... What are you doing in Lougetown?...".
The swordsman pushed her arm away and continued toward his destination without answering. He stopped in front of a cabinet full of drawers and began to open them in search of what he needed in regards to sharpening stones, "If you're asking if the city's in danger, it's not.", he provided from over his shoulder, eyes shifting over the various blocks of stone.
"That still doesn't answer my question.", the woman argued, frowning at Zoro's back... If Roronoa was there, it meant Straw Hat Luffy and Long-Barrel Usopp were somewhere as well... And if they were on the job... There had been rumors of Setsuko the Vile being somewhere on the island, but they had just started recently and there had been no deaths yet. An active search by the Marines hadn't even been ordered... So, how could they even know about it?...
"Merry's Terrible Trio is retired, Copycat.", Zoro sighed, placing another stone onto the few gathered at his side... Hopefully, he didn't let it slip that they'd retired to become pirates... That would probably complicate things...
The words made Tashigi's scowl disappear and she gaped in surprise as her thoughts of the criminal she assumed he was pursuing vanished, "You... Retired?".
"Yep.", the verdet replied, popping the p. He grabbed one more stone from the drawer before closing it and gathering up the ones at his side, happy with his selection. They were of pretty high quality and were sure to last him a good while... Although, he'd probably have to hide them... If he ever caught the damn cook sharpening his kitchen knives using his stones again, he was sure he'd blow a gasket.
"But... Why?", the marine asked incredulously... Don't get her wrong, she was more than happy to hear the news, but she couldn't help but be curious.
Zoro froze in his approach to the register, sweat beginning to drip down the small of his back, "Uh... We...". He scrambled to find something to say when it suddenly hit him, a small smile rising to his lips as his panic faded away as quickly as it had come, "... We decided to chase our dreams instead.". His footsteps resumed in the silence that accompanied his words and he set his sharpening stones on the counter, looking to the man still standing behind it, "How much for these?".
Ipponmatsu counted up the price for the items and took one last longing look at the swords in the boy's sash before shaking his head with a sigh, "Four thousand for the lot.".
The verdet nodded and retrieved the money from his back pocket, counting exactly four thousand berries... He definitely remembered having more than that... He scowled to himself and handed the bills over... Damn witch...
"Want me to bag those up?", the shop owner asked, placing the money in the register and reaching underneath the counter.
Zoro thought for a moment before nodding his head in confirmation, "I'd appreciate it.".
"We weren't done talking, Roronoa.", Tashigi interjected, approaching the counter to stand beside him.
The swordsman sighed in exasperation, thanking the man handing him his purchased stones, "Yes, we were.". He turned away from the counter, bag in hand, and made to exit the establishment but was stopped before he could take his first step.
"Well I wasn't done talking to you!", the woman argued, pulling her hand away from the young man's chest to hand over what she owed for the polishing of her blade. Her expression suddenly turned from angry to joyful and she sent Ipponmatsu a big smile. "Thanks, Ipponmatsu! I really appreciate it!", she exclaimed, her features almost immediately darkening once again. She turned, expecting to find Zoro on her heel and her eyes widened when they were met with empty space.
The bell above the door suddenly rang and Tashigi growled in irritation, grabbing Shigure off the counter before sprinting in the direction of the entrance, "Damn it, Roronoa! Get back here! I'm not done with you!".
---
Sanji sighed as he strolled through the streets, a multitude of bags filled with various foodstuffs and kitchen supplies hanging from his arms. He'd found everything he needed relatively quickly and was now headed back to the Merry to drop it all off.
As the chef's feet carried him back to the docks, his eyes landed on a gathering of open-aired tents filled with a large group of people and several cooking stations... What the heck was going on over there?... He paused in thought for a moment before shrugging and making his way toward the area. He probably had enough time to at least satisfy his curiosity.
Sanji stepped into the crowd and before he got the chance to ask anyone what was going on, his eyes landed on a large sign with a picture of a massive fish on it.
"Come one, come all! Anyone is welcome to join in the competition!", a large man behind one of the cooking stations yelled. He turned and pointed to the item that would be awarded to the winner, "If you win this cooking contest, you'll walk away with a Blue-Skinned Elephant Tuna!". He turned back to the crowd, "Better hurry, though! Cooking starts in five minutes!".
The chef couldn't help the grin that rose to his lips... He'd never cooked with a fish like that before... The thought sent excitement pulsing through him and he immediately went to submit himself for entry. However, just before he made it to the table, three words coming from somewhere in the crowd made him freeze, his head whipping around to find their origin.
"Sir?", the woman sitting behind the registration table asked politely, "I'm taking down the final entries right now. So, if you want to compete, you need to let me know now.".
Sanji barely even heard the woman speak, his eyes still wildly searching the crowd for the person he'd heard speaking... He was sure he heard correctly... Those three beautiful words... He just had to find the man and get the location of his new destination... The location of heaven... His gaze locked on two figures exiting the crowd and, with everyone else staying to watch the upcoming contest, he determined that one of them was who he was looking for.
The teen shouldered his way through the packed bodies as quickly as he could without losing any of the items in his bags and eventually exited the large group of people with his targets just about to turn off into a dark alleyway. "Wait!", he desperately cried, sprinting in their direction, his speed increasing when he saw them stop at his words. Within moments he was standing in front of the two, his heartbeat quickening, "Where is it?...".
The two men looked at each other in confusion before looking back at the blond. "What're you talkin' about, kid?", the man on the left asked impatiently, his hand shifting down to adjust his crotch. "And hurry up. We got places to be.", he added with a lewd smile.
The boy gulped before he answered, the words making his throat dry, "I... I need to know...". He stepped closer to the two men and his hands clapped together at his front, head dropping down into a bow, "Please... Tell me where it is... The promised land...".
The two men looked at the prostrated boy still wondering what it was he was talking about... The one on the right shook his head and went to shoo the strange kid away, but stopped before he could begin to move.
"The red-light district!", Sanji shouted desperately, immediately coming up from his bow and grabbing one of the men by the collar, "You have to tell me where the red-light district is!".
---
"Why do I have to carry everything, Nami?", Usopp groaned, his feet dragging under the weight of all the bags on his arms. If he'd known this was what Nami wanted him for he would have gone shopping by himself...
"Oh, stop complaining, Usopp.", the orange-haired girl replied over her shoulder, eyes scanning for any other stores that interested her, "You wouldn't make Kaya carry her bags, would you?".
The words made the long-nosed teen sigh in defeat... She kinda had a point there...
"Besides, you wouldn't have gotten those goggles if it wasn't for me.", Nami added matter-of-factly, continuing to lead them down the cobbled street.
Usopp sighed once again... Another good point... Although... He'd had to pay that kid A LOT... Still, he thought it was worth it. He had an idea for a modification of the lenses that he was really excited about and wanted to get started on as soon as possible... It made him hope his companion was getting close to being shopped out... He looked up to the girl practically skipping in front of him and couldn't help the agonized moan that left his lips... She didn't even look close to finished...
The orangette suddenly jumped in excitement and ran toward one of the buildings lining the street, waving her crew mate to follow, "Come on, Usopp!", she yelled without turning around, "I saw a really cute top in there!".
The sniper groaned in exasperation but complied nonetheless, his reluctant footsteps beginning to follow the rushing girl... He really should have gone shopping alone... Hopefully, everyone else was having a better time than he was...
---
Sanji sprinted through town as fast as he possibly could, dodging and weaving through the crowded streets. He'd gone back to the Merry to drop all of his bags off and almost immediately set back out in search of the paradise that awaited him, following the directions he'd received to a tee. It seemed like every step that brought him closer to his destination made his heart beat just a touch faster, mind running wild with thoughts of what Lougetown's red-light district would be like.
The chef skid to a halt with a hiss when he realized he missed a turn and immediately went to backtrack, impatience making him grit his teeth. He couldn't afford to make mistakes like that... This was too important... He took his first step down the street he'd previously missed and was surprised to see how dark it was... The men said it would be abandoned, but... He looked back out at the well-lit road behind him busting with life and shrugged, his heart rate somehow rising even higher... Once he made it through there... He would arrive in heaven...
With a gulp and a shaking pair of footsteps, Sanji started down the path in front of him, his eyes cautiously shifting through the darkness. He didn't need anything stopping him from making it to his goal... To... His destiny... He shook the lewd thoughts from his brain and continued on his way, stepping carefully through the ransacked street... The place wasn't just abandoned... It was practically destroyed... Just what the hell had happened there?...
The silence of the area was eery, considering the crowded street as his back, and the blond teen couldn't help but shiver uncomfortably, the air feeling slightly moist on his skin... Something about this place was... Strange... He continued to slowly step through the dark street when something made him suddenly stop.
Sanji narrowed his eyes and cast his gaze around the area as he listened intently for the noise to come again... He thought he'd heard something like a whimper... It was so small he could almost convince himself he hadn't heard it... He strained his ears for a moment longer before eventually coming to the conclusion that he was hearing things, gathering himself to continue down the dark path once again.
It wasn't long before something in the distance caught the chef's attention... Was that... Was that light?... His heart began to beat faster than it ever had before and he froze on the spot, gulping... Was he truly ready for this?... What if heaven was so bright and beautiful that he never wanted to leave?... Could he let his friends sail away from Lougetown without him?... His momentary indecisiveness kept him glued in place and before he could come to a decision, he heard the noise again.
Sanji whipped around and his calculating gaze once again shifted through the abandoned street... It was definitely a whimper... And it sounded like it came from someone young... The thought made him grit his teeth and he shot a look over his shoulder at the light beckoning him... As much as he wanted to run off to the heavens... He turned away and began to retrace his steps down the dark abandoned street... It looked like they would have to wait.
The small whimper hit the teen's ears again and his narrowed eyes moved to where he thought it came from... He was getting closer... His gaze landed on a decrepit building with two small windows that were both partially boarded up and a door that barely still hung on its henges. He steeled his nerves and cautiously approached the building, stopping at one of the windows to peer through the open slot in the boards.
What met Sanji's vision was nothing but black and he scowled, squinting to try see through the darkness... He was pretty sure this was where the sound had come from... Another whimper came from somewhere inside and he immediately knew he had the right place, standing to move to the front door. He cautiously walked up the few steps out front and grasped the door handle with a wince when a loud squeak shot through the air.
Well... Hopefully there was no one dangerous inside... Because there went the element of surprise... "Hello?...", the teen questioned, pulling the door the rest of the way open to step into the darkness, "... Is there anyone in here?...".
"Oh! Would you look at that, little Timmy!", a voice exclaimed from somewhere further inside the building, "Because you couldn't keep your mouth shut, we have a visitor! How fun!".
Sanji's heart rate picked up at the sound of the high-pitched voice, his steps still slow and cautious as he approached, "Who's there?...".
A pause accompanied the question. "Why, what a great question!", the eery voice eventually replied, "Now that you're here, it's just you, me, and little Timmy here!".
The blond's eyes widened... Whoever this was... They had a kid with them... He'd thought it likely before, hoping it was just someone stuck in a well or something, but... Something much more serious was happening... And for some reason... He felt like it was much more sinister too...
"Come! Come join us! I was just wrapping up the appetizer and getting ready for the main feast!", the voice exclaimed, something like insanity tickling at its edges.
Sanji's eyes had adjusted to the darkness enough to see and he inched into the room the voice was coming from, his muscles tensing in preparation for a fight. His eyes shifted across the empty space, small steps continuing to slowly bring him forward, and, when his vision met the origin of the voice, they landed on a scene that looked like it came straight out of a nightmare.
A woman's headless body lay on the ground in front of another woman while ruby-red blood dripped from her large smile. Her face was angular and would be traditionally quite beautiful if not for the massive amounts of scarring that covered her skin. She had long greasy locks of black hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in years and she stared at the teen with a look of excitement. At her side, was a boy of no more than seven or eight, keeping his tearful eyes tightly clenched shut as he whimpered in agony at the loss of who was likely his mother.
"Well, aren't you pretty!", the woman cheered with a laugh, "I'm glad to have someone as handsome as you join me for my meal!". Her eyes shifted to the boy at her side and she grabbed him by the cheeks, licking her lips hungrily, "It's sure to be delicious.".
Bile gathered in the back of the chef's throat but he couldn't pull his eyes away from the scene. "Why the hell are you doing this?", Sanji managed to whisper out... It was just unbelievable... If he was correct about what he thought proceeded his entrance... His eyes shifted to the boy in the insane woman's grasp... Then he'd had to watch his mother... A gurgle shot through his stomach and he had to hold his hand against his mouth so he didn't vomit.
Another laugh left the woman's throat and she dropped the child to the ground before standing up. "Such an interesting question you ask! But, let me ask you one instead.", she exclaimed, stepping over the body on the ground in front of her, "If I told you why... Would it really change anything?". She skipped in the blond boy's direction and began to circle him, her finger dragging along the fabric of his suit jacket, "Whether I do what I do for enjoyment, or out of revenge, or maybe even some other reason... You'll never be able to see it the way I do.".
Sanji couldn't argue her point, but... He also had nothing to say in return... His only option was to stand there as she circled him, his body shivering in disgust at her touch... It was the first time he'd ever had a reaction to a woman like this before... And yet, still, even as his eyes roamed over the boy kneeling behind his mother's body, he wasn't sure he could do it... He didn't know if he could hit a woman... It went against everything he stood for... But... If he didn't fight... What about this child who'd been forced to watch his mother be murdered... If he didn't fight... What did that say about him?...
"I will tell you this though,", the woman stopped circling Sanji and moved to make her way back to where her meal sat waiting for her, "The reason I eat the mother's head in front of the kid...". She stepped back over the dead woman's body and once again grabbed the child by his cheeks, wild laughter beginning to leave her lips as she lifted him into the air to put on display for her visitor, "This is why!".
A blank look had settled in the young boy's eyes while he was held in the air, seemingly no longer caring of the situation he was in. The only thing that indicated any sort of consciousness was the steady stream of tears pouring from his hazy orbs.
Sanji had to resist the urge to vomit once again... The kid was broken... His mind shattered beneath the weight of all he'd been put through... It made him sick... And yet, still, he hesitated, indecisiveness eating at his mind... It was all just happening too fast... His entire being revolved around the fact that all women were wonderful creatures he was blessed to share the world with... Everything he stood for was being challenged... Uprooted... And it made him angry...
For the first time in his life that he could ever remember, Sanji looked upon a woman with nothing but vitriol in his heart, his eyes never leaving the boy being held suspended in the air as they peeled into a glare.
"Ooo!", the woman squealed in ecstasy, tossing the child back behind her. She could eat in a minute... She was enjoying her time with the handsome blond. "What a nice look!", she exclaimed, approaching the glaring boy once again. "What is it, handsome?", she asked with a pout, leaning into his personal space, "I can tell you wanna hit me. I've seen that look before.". She began to circle him once again, her bloody smile widening as he continued to stand still, "So, why don't you?".
The chef grit his teeth, heat beginning to swirl violently inside his body and coalesce in his right leg. He made no response while the woman taunted him because he physically couldn't. He wasn't sure if he could stop himself from lashing out if he opened his mouth... And if he did that... He felt like a part of him would shatter...
"Is it cause I remind you of someone?", the woman asked playfully, looking into his eyes as she passed him. She waved the question away before he could answer, her steps turning into skips, "Is it cause I ate that lady's head?... She was little Timmy's mom ya know.". The words got a small reaction from her visitor but she still hadn't found what she was looking for. "Well, then what the heck is it?!", she cried in exasperation. She thought for a few more seconds before looking up at his face once again... Maybe he was one of those kind of guys... He seemed like the type... The blond kept himself still when she stopped circling him and she leaned into his personal space, a small smirk beginning to rise to her lips.
"I think I've got you figured out, handsome.", the woman said, bopping the teen's nose with the pad of her finger. Her bloody lips widened into a smile and she looked deep into his eyes, "... It's because I'm a woman, isn't it?"... Her features brightened in amusement at the inner turmoil she could now see leaking onto the boy's face... Bingo!... She stepped back and reached into the cloak that covered her form, pulling something from inside, "Well, then, maybe this will help!".
The scarred woman held up the item and let it unfold, more laughter leaving her lips at the look of disgust on the her guest's face. "Say hello to my daddy!", she exclaimed through laughter, excitedly showing off her father's face like it was something much more benign than the skin of another human being, "He's the first and only man I ever killed!". Without waiting for a reply, she squeezed the makeshift mask over her head until it rested comfortably against her own skin, sending her guest a smile through her father's mouth... Maybe this would do it.
Sanji's eyes widened in realization and his mouth opened against his will, "You... You're...".
"Setsuko the Vile! In the flesh!", the woman exclaimed, excitement shooting through her at getting a rise out of the blond, "You'd never believe how easy it is to kill people when everyone thinks you're a man!". She turned to the child still lying on the ground behind her, and decided to see how far she could push her luck, turning to look back into a pair of glaring blue/grey eyes... She wanted to break him... She wanted to see him shattered just like little Timmy...
"Now, if you'll excuse me.", Setsuko peeled off her father's face and smiled wickedly at the blond, "I've got a meal to eat... The only question is...". Her eyes locked to his and she licked her lips at the growl that left his throat, "... Are you gonna let me eat, handsome?...".
---
End Note:
I did say things were dark toward the end... Anyway, some new revelations here and also some existential crises happening. Some might not agree with the direction I'm taking Sanji, but I've had this particular plot thread sitting on the back burner for a while so I'm excited to finally have it see the light of day.
Enough from me. Hope you enjoyed it and I'll see you in the next one!