Chapter Text
Sanji groaned as he sprinted through the halls of the Skull Dome, Brook by his side as they follow his dearest Robin; checking behind every door and room as they search for their long-lost swordsman.
They had all met on the Sabaody Archipelago as promised, yet Zoro had never shown. They waited a little over a week for him, believing he may have gotten lost or was simply held up; he wasn’t one to forsake a promise they’d made like that. Eventually, they were forced to set sail for Fishman Island, the marine activity growing increasingly dangerous now that there was word of the Strawhats’ comeback. Two years of waiting only to miss one of the very first members of the crew...it stung.
Luffy hadn’t wanted to leave without their missing crewmate (none of them had), but one conversation with the old man that none of them had been privy to had convinced Luffy to move on, even if he grumbled and whined about it the whole time.
Rayleigh had assured them he’d be keeping an eye out for any news of their wayward swordsman, and would be in contact if he found anything.
It was a small comfort.
They’d stretched out their stay in the Ryugu Kingdom as well, hoping that maybe Zoro would catch up to them there, but...nothing. No sign of him; not from Rayleigh, not in the News Coo, nothing. Some of them were starting to get anxious over his absence, after all, they’d gone two years without any word from one another, but Luffy was quick to quell any fears. The amount of faith he had in Zoro was damn near infectious, and it placated the lingering doubts.
(They’d asked King Neptune to be on the lookout for anyone with green hair and three swords, and he assured them he would be.)
Confidence started to wane when they reached Punk Hazard without any sign of Zoro, dipping even lower upon arriving at Dressrosa. Zou was a solemn affair, having to break up the crew for the sake of the plan, and some of them had started giving up hope entirely upon reaching Wano.
It was while Luffy was retrieving Sanji from the clutches of Big Mom that Robin—disguised as a geisha—had heard a rumor from within Orochi’s inner circle.
An alleged piece of information that about two years ago a stranger with hair the color of grass and three blades at his hip had landed on Wano, only to be immediately swept away by Kaido’s men to Onigashima. Nothing had been seen or heard of the stranger since, and the incident was all but forgotten.
This had caused a flurry of excitement to erupt with the Strawhats that were currently on Wano; of course it made sense for Zoro to be sent to a land of samurai, all of them had been sent to places that helped them grow in strength. Wano was the perfect place for Zoro, he’d probably just ended up stuck here due to the harsh restrictions bordering the country.
(Robin did her best not to think of the implications of the Beast Pirates having snatched Zoro up. It was only heresay, after all.)
When Luffy and the others landed and they’d shared this information, their captain was ecstatic. Finally, finally they’d gotten a lead on Zoro. Luffy had wanted to storm Onigashima immediately to retrieve him, but it was only by some tactful persuasion from Law and begging from the rest of the crew was he convinced to wait. They had a plan, and they needed to stick to it (not that Luffy was any good at that). They would get to Zoro eventually.
And besides, it was only a rumor; who’s to say that the swordsman wasn’t just wandering around Wano on his own? Rushing in like that without proper cause would put everything they’ve worked towards in jeopardy.
(Luffy was just barely persuaded by this line of reasoning. Barely.)
And then, on the day of the raid, sailing side-by-side towards Onigashima—
“Oi, Strawhat-ya,” Torao calls from his strange contraption of a ship.
Luffy perked up from the Sunny, peering into the dim haze of the night towards the other captain. “Ne? What’s up, Torao?”
“I was able to find some information on your lost swordsman. Drake let it slip that Zoro-ya is being held at the Skull Dome. I can’t say exactly where, though.”
Luffy blinks at Torao before grinning and laughing, turning to the rest of his crew. “Yosh! We’re gonna go get Zoro back, everybody!!”
An uproarious cheer followed his words, every Strawhat in agreement. They had a swordsman to retrieve.
About an hour or so later after going their separate ways, they still hadn’t found him, not even a clue as to where he might be. Sanji’s really starting to think they should leave the stupid moss here if he’s just going to be this much trouble, but with how depressed their captain has been since the marimo’s absence...they needed to find him.
“There!” Robin shouts as they close in on one of the doors, sprouting an array of arms to dispatch of the Beast Pirates guarding it. Sanji frowns as he kicks a few aside and wow, there’s a lot of grunts here. What the hell could they be guarding that’s so important?
After clearing out the scum, Sanji opens the door for them, allowing Robin to step inside.
When the cook enters after Brook and Robin, his eyebrows shoot up at the interior.
The room is illuminated by dim lighting and warm colors—walls made out of delicate paper with intricate, handmade designs and pale shades. The whole area is large and spacious, accompanied by matching high ceilings and beams crisscrossing above. There’s the faint smell of lavender in the air, redolent with the homely scent of old-fashioned herbs and flowers, and the distant sound of a shamisen playing. It’s...soothing, almost immediately upon entering inside.
“Search the room, I’m certain he must be here. Nowhere else was so heavily guarded,” Robin says.
“Of course, my sweet Robin-chwan~!”
She chuckles at his familiar theatrics.
Splitting up to look around, they find a number of different things.
First, this room was well-lived in. It was very obviously cared for, possessing a homey and warm air around it, almost encouraging you to fall asleep. It looked very cozy—no harsh colors nor violent designs or savage sculptures. Towards the center and sides of the room are a number of padded play houses and structures, all done in pastel tones. The floor was hardwood, polished to the point of reflection, but most of it was covered in a large green carpet that resembled a bed of moss.
Robin heads to an area hidden behind a partition, uttering a soft ‘oh’ once she reaches it, unveiling a small, tucked away garden.
It looked avidly tended to; the flowers were in full bloom, the soil free of any weeds. There was a beautiful display of plants and foliage, from snake plants to peace lilies, all tall and lush and healthy. Along the edges of the garden were a number of small, potted succulents, thriving in their ceramic containers. The smell in this area was particularly wonderful, reminding her of the women’s room on the Thousand Sunny.
“Oi, guys! Look at this,” she hears their chef call. Turning around, she notices Sanji is standing near the back of the room. There are toys there, scattered all over the floor, some placed on shelves and hanging out in drawers, others shoved haphazardly behind a large chest. The area was much more colorful than the rest of the room, but muted tones remained the overall theme.
A large closet was wedged in the corner, much bigger than for just a couple of kids. It was tall and broad, marred with random splotches of colors and clumsy scribbling. There were a few items of clothing neatly folded inside a basket nearby, small in size and very bright. She’s confident to say that they might be the brightest thing in this room in exception to the toys.
She sprouts a hand to open the closet, door swinging open. It’s composed of shelves, not hangers, filled with mountains of various clothes.
“What the hell is all this?” Sanji frowns, picking up a...teething toy? It seemed to be made of a far too sturdy material for any kind of baby, though.
“It appears to be a playroom.” Robin suggests. But for whom? Why would the Beast Pirates be keeping children here? Nothing on Onigashima really screamed “kid-friendly”.
Sanji snorted as he leaned down, grabbing something else off the ground. “Heh, look. A marimo pillow.”
He’s right. Stacked up in a corner are a considerable number of pillows—round, green, and very fluffy; just like moss. While cute, it was also extremely disconcerting.
What had started as a mild feeling of unease was quickly growing into restless dread the more they explored the room. The potential presence of children would certainly complicate things.
“Sanji-san, Robin-san.” Brook’s voice interrupts her thoughts as she turns towards him.
She leaves the children’s area, Sanji trailing after her dutifully.
“Perhaps Zoro-san is behind that door?”
Sanji follows where the bony finger is pointing. There’s a colossal door there on the wall, one that Kaido could walk through easily. How they hadn’t noticed it before was baffling to him.
He huffs, stomping over to it, preparing to strike it down before a massive arm beat him to it, sliding the door open with grace. Sanji twirled around immediately, swooning, gloved hands clasped close to his chest. “Ah, my lovely Robin-chwan!! As amazing as always! Absolutely astounding, and how gorgeous you looked while doing it!”
She chuckled, gesturing forward. “Shall we, Sanji-kun?”
He sobers up and nods, stepping aside to allow her to pass in front of him.
The door opened up into a short hallway, with another towering door at the end of it, which Robin took care of with ease. The room beyond it was...extraordinary. It was plush beyond words, and vast—though a bit smaller in comparison to the previous one. At the center of it all was an astronomically large bed, with spiraling bedposts on each side to pin up wads of opaque curtains, hiding the interior from view. Billowing crimson fabric spills over the edges of the mattress, trimming the sides in a waterfall of red silk. The scent of cedar wood and herbs drifted through the air, and the previously distant sound of low music was much closer in here.
Towards the corner is a small array of flowers in vases, as well as a bookshelf stacked with books ranging from sword maintenance to children’s stories. Laid on top of a mahogany table is a tray for incense, as well as a shogi board and a tabletop water fountain. Pushed up against one of the walls is a huge closet, doors closed, and next to it is an artisan-style chest. A wide, plush rug bordered the bed, and a few sets of stairs were shoved against it in order to reach the actual mattress.
There’s the soft sound of snoring filling the room, seemingly originating from the bed.
Sanji pushes forward with Brook close behind, inching closer to the stairs. Climbing to the top, he reaches up and draws back the curtain.
“Oi, mosshead, you in he–”
He’s cut off as he slips on something wet on the last step and falls with a dull thud to the ground, yelling in surprise.
“Sanji-san!” Brook exclaims. “What happened?”
“I don’t fucking know! The steps are–”
Robin shushes him, and he immediately shuts up, pupils taking the shape of hearts as he coos in her direction.
Brook helps the blonde up as Robin scales the steps, mindful of the spot Sanji slipped on. There was something shiny and wet coating the top, so she took care to avoid it. Beyond the curtains is a massive expanse of bedding, with satin sheets, and countless fur pelts and throw pillows scattered about. It was enormous.
Listening to the sounds of snoring, she realizes there’s a figure further up the bed, with sheets draping most of their body, and a very familiar mop of green hair sticking out on top. Her eyes widen, a rushing feeling of joy overwhelming her.
“Zoro-kun.”
There’s a soft grunt of acknowledgment from Sanji as he climbs the steps, with Brook yohohoing nearby.
Finally, finally they’d located their missing crewmate. It had been far too long.
Sanji takes the opportunity to clamber onto the bed, his weight making a slight dip as he moves to rouse Zoro and get them out of there. At the disturbance, however, the swordsman stirs, yawning as he pushes himself up onto his elbows and the sheets fall away.
Robin watches as Sanji’s face flushes and he nearly loses his footing again as Zoro’s legs part, the bedding no longer covering anything.
“O-OI! Cover up, idiot, why are you just lying in here naked?!” he shrieks, shielding his eyes. Robin covers her mouth slightly, blushing at the brazen display from their crewmate, averting her gaze out of respect.
Zoro doesn’t reply, nor make any move to cover himself. He just stared at the blonde blankly, patiently, head tilting to the side. Like he was waiting for something.
Robin frowns.
“Zoro-kun?”
Zoro is quiet, squinting at them, the haze seeming to clear from his steely eyes some as he realizes who’s actually in front of him. His knees knock together softly, and a look of almost...disappointment comes over his face.
Why on earth would he be disappointed to see them after two years?
“Put something on, shitty moss!! You’re flashing my lovely Robin!” Sanji hisses, groping blindly for one of the many downy blankets and tossing it over him. Zoro lets out a noise of surprise at this.
“Fucking pervert...” the blonde seethes under his breath. “I’m sorry if he offended you at all, Robin-chwan!”
“Not at all. Let’s just focus on getting him out of here safely, yes?”
“Of course!!” Sanji swoons, batting his eyes at her before reluctantly wobbling over to retrieve Zoro. All the while, he stares back at them, looking...confused. He hadn’t said a word since they’d gotten here, and didn’t even seem to recognize them.
Something was wrong.
Upon getting closer, Sanji scowled, nudging him with the tip of his shoe. Luckily, the blanket he had tossed over him was obscuring everything again, and he could actually bear to look at the marimo now. “Oi, mosshead. Quit lazing around.”
It takes Zoro a moment before he glances up at him, brows pinched, and the cook inhales sharply. Oh, his pupils were large and completely blown out, not to mention the flush to his face. Ruddiness had spread across his cheeks and shoulders like a creeping stain.
“Shit.”
“What is it?” Robin asked from the foot of the bed, concern lacing her tone.
“They drugged him with something I think, his pupils are shot to hell. That would explain the slow reaction time,” Sanji sighed, kneeling down. Zoro’s eyes seem to struggle with focusing on him before giving up altogether, gaze drifting elsewhere. “Brook, can you see if there’s anything around here for the marimo to wear? I’d rather not have to see his moss bush again.”
“Of course, Sanji-san.”
Sanji snaps his fingers in Zoro’s face, trying to regain his wandering attention, and the swordsman startled. “Hey. Do you recognize me?”
Zoro stared. Frowned. Opened his mouth and then closed it, hesitating. “...cook?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Fuck, what did they do to you?” Sanji cursed, reaching out with the intention to hoist him up when Zoro flinched back, eyes wide. “I’m not going to hurt you, idiot, why...”
Had the Beast Pirates been hurting him? Was that why Zoro was in this sorry state? Shit, he never liked the mosshead but if they thought they could get away with hurting one of his crew...
“Up you go,” the blonde grunted as he helped him up, nearly stumbling a few times as he led him off the bed, trying his best to keep him covered for Robin’s sake. He practically has to drag Zoro across the mattress, steps clumsy and unsteady as he struggles along.
“’m not supposed t’ leave, though,” Zoro mumbled, words slurring. “Got told...s’not safe righ’ now...”
“If you can’t fight, Zoro-kun, then trust us to protect you,” Robin smiled at him, sweet as a flower as she helped Sanji get him down the stairs. Zoro offered a few more half-muttered protests, pouting as he hobbled down the steps.
“Brook, you find anything?”
“Why yes I have! I’ve located some clothing for our dear swordsman as well as his precious swords.”
“Wonderful,” Robin said as they sat Zoro down on the bottom step. “You’d like your swords back, wouldn’t you, Zoro-kun?”
The amount of time it took for Zoro to process and then nod in reply to her question was...worrisome, to say the least. There was no way he’d be able to fight in this state. Staring down at him, Robin frowns, taking note of the somewhat prominent curve of his stomach, and the full, plump nature of his chest. It wasn’t like Zoro to let himself go in such a way. His muscles had certainly got soft, too, giving way to supple flesh, and his hair has grown out by an inch or so.
His eyes look tired.
She’s roused from her observations as she hears Sanji emit a choking noise. “THERE IS NO WAY YOU ARE PUTTING HIM IN THAT!”
Robin’s eyebrows shoot up as she spots the article of clothing in the skeleton’s arms.
“My apologies, it was all I could find–”
“Like hell it was!! I’ll find something to cover his ass myself if you won’t!” Sanji huffed, storming past their musician towards the now open closet. Robin chuckled as he scoured through the clothes, looking to Brook.
“Was that truly it?”
“Yes,” Brook nodded. “There’s an unfortunate lack of diversity in there, and this was all I could find that seemed suitable. My eyes couldn’t even spot a pair of pants! Not that I have eyes to see with, yohohoho!”
The piece of clothing that Sanji had taken such offense to in Brook’s hands was a dark green yukata, cut short just below the knees, embroidered with golden clouds that formed an intricate pattern. The sleeves were long and there was only a simple sash to tie the whole thing together at the waist.
“Well, it certainly is pretty.”
“Isn’t it?” Brook sighed, his sockets staring fondly at the yukata. “I’d quite like to see the panties of the beauty that this belonged to.”
Sanji chose that moment to flounce back over to them, face matching the complexion of a boiled shrimp and a trickle of blood leaking from his nose.
“Any luck?” Robin asked, amused.
“No,” he grumbled. “I think we may be intruding on a lovely lady’s room though, given all the...types of clothing in there...”
Brook chortled over to the side as Sanji cleared his throat, wiping the red from his upper lip. “Anyways, Brook’s right. It’s either this or we tie a blanket around his waist.”
“Ah, but Zoro-san has already started putting the clothes on–”
“WHAT?!” Sanji yelled, clearly not expecting that out of the two options. Indeed, while they’d been talking, Zoro had taken the offered fabric and slipped it on.
Looking at him now, he looked...good.
He looked good.
Robin frowned, a sense of unease worming its way through her.
His face was a bit flushed and his eyes completely unfocused but aside from that, he seemed to have a glow around him. His skin was clean and unblemished, golden and warm in tone, his nails were perfectly manicured, his hair vibrant and well-maintained...he even smelled nice, now that Robin thought about it. Like cherry blossoms.
It was odd that a supposed prisoner would look so healthy, but who was she to say what Zoro had been going through all this time? Forms of torture weren’t limited to simply physical, after all.
“I have your swords here, Zoro-san,” Brook said, holding them out to him with care.
At this, Zoro seemed to perk up a bit, taking the blades and tying them to his waist. He looked almost proud at being able to put them on afterwards.
“Can you walk?” Robin pressed gently, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“Uh,” he replied, frowning before trying to stand up—
—and promptly collapsing. He would have smacked face-first into the floor if Robin’s extra hands hadn’t broken his fall.
“Guess that’s a no,” Sanji grunted.
“Would you mind assisting him, cook-san?” their archeologist asked, to which Sanji did a complete 180.
“Of course, Robin-chawn~!! Anything for you! Get over here, mosshead.”
Sanji slung Zoro’s left arm over his shoulder and hoisted him up, supporting his weight as he groaned. “Did you forget how to walk or something? Shitty swordsman.”
Zoro didn’t answer, instead averting his gaze, almost...embarrassed, it seemed.
“Let’s get going, we can find somewhere safe for you while the battle goes on if need be,” Robin offered as they left the room, Zoro and Sanji trailing a bit behind. “Our captain is going to be quite enthused to see you again, Zoro-kun.”
This caught his attention immediately, his entire demeanor shifting as his eyes widened. He seemed present for the very first time since they’d reunited.
“Luff? Lu’s...here? Lu’s here?” he breathed, voice quivering with emotion.
“Course he is,” Sanji sighed. “What, did you think he wouldn’t come for you?”
Zoro doesn’t respond to that as they enter the first room once more—only for Robin and Brook to halt in front of them.
“What’s wrong?” the blonde asks, trying to peer around them. His eyes widened as he spotted the reason for their stopping.
The room was no longer empty as they left it.
Instead, a pair of young girls (they couldn’t be older than two, really) stood in their way. The taller one had a skin tone that was not too light but not too dark, like she’d been out in the sun for a few days straight. Her hair was a flaxen yellow, cut down just above her shoulders, two jade-green horns peeking out from the sides of her bangs. The ends of her hair faded into a pale green, and her eyes stared up at them in suspicion, a washed-out indigo in color.
She stood firm, surprisingly tall despite looking so young, the second girl peeking out from behind her. Sanji could just barely glimpse her from where he was, but he spotted a flash of white hair and dark skin, accompanied by curious silver eyes and...wings? A pair of large, dark wings on her back, far too big for her tiny frame.
“Hello there,” Robin started, her tone softening considerably. “We’re just passing through. Who might you two be? Do you need help?”
The blonde girl glared at them, one hand balled up into a fist and the other pushing the smaller girl behind her.
“No. Who’re you?” she scowls at them, turning the question back around.
From his side, Zoro jolts and starts to squirm in Sanji’s hold.
“Oi, marimo-!”
“My name is Robin,” the archeologist explained slowly, smiling politely at the duo. “Do you live here?”
The child shifted from foot-to-foot, her eyes never leaving Robin. “Ya. Me ’n th’ others. Don’ think you’re s’posed t’be here, tho.”
“My friends and I came here looking for someone very special to us, someone who went missing a little while ago. Where are your parents? Were you taken from them?”
Before they can get a response, Zoro breaks free from Sanji’s grasp and stumbles forward, cutting through the pair in front of them and falling forwards. Almost immediately the girls perk up and rush him.
“Roro!”
They swarm him, and closer up, Sanji sees the smaller girl’s hair is actually a very pale mint green, not white. Regardless, they both press against him, tiny hands clinging to his yukata.
“Ah, Zoro-san, do you know them?” Brook asks, tilting his head in confusion.
“Y-yeah,” he replies, voice strained as his arms encircle the children. “They’re...they live here. S’fine. They’re good.”
Well, that didn’t make much sense.
“Cynthia,” Zoro exhaled, running a shaky hand through the blonde girl’s hair before turning to the other. “Kuina. Not meant t’be...outta your room. S’not safe.”
“Too loud,” Cynthia pouted, “’n Kuina got w’rried bout you.”
“Sorry. Sorry, I didn’...sorry,” mumbled Zoro, looking suddenly very exhausted as his shoulders slumped. “S’rry I made you...worried.”
“Zoro,” Robin interrupted gently, “We need to get going.”
The swordsman’s head swiveled around, a slight panic on his face. “I can’t leave them.”
Sanji frowned. “Well, obviously not. We’ll take them with us, yeah?”
“No, no, you don’t get it, m’not...I’m not supposed to leave, I...I can’t fight, m’not strong ‘nough, can barely walk, ‘m meant t’stay here where it’s safe, I–” Zoro was panting now, voice tense, and the three Strawhats shared a worried look. Whatever altered state the drugs had put him in was clearly affecting his rationality; they may end up having to drag him out of here.
“Zoro,” Robin said, slowly, carefully. “I understand that we’ve been separated for far too long. I’m so sorry we didn’t come to get you sooner... whatever’s been done to you isn’t allowing you to think clearly. We need to leave. You’re coming with us.”
Nodding to Sanji, the cook took this as his cue.
Robin crossed her arms in front of her chest, limbs sprouting from the ground near the two children and scooping them up as Sanji grabbed Zoro and heaved him over his shoulder.
This prompted Cynthia to begin screaming.
“NO, NO, NO!!! GET OFF, STOP IT!! KUINA! RORO!!!”
Kuina, meanwhile, had started flapping her wings in a panic, forcing Robin to restrain them in the event she tried to fly off—and causing the young girl to shriek in pain.
Zoro roared at this, and Sanji found himself getting bit and clawed and his chest kicked abruptly. “Shit-! Calm down, marimo! Robin isn’t hurting them!”
The swordsman shouted back something unintelligible, thrashing around feebly and fuck, normally he’d be able to break out of this, what the hell had happened in the two years he’d been gone?
“We should hurry,” Brook urged, gathering up the now bound kids in his arms. Robin nodded in agreement, powers still being used to contain the children, and they rushed out.
They ran into a number of Beast Pirates along the way, all defeated swiftly by them as they raced through the halls of the Skull Dome. Zoro’s struggles had dampened considerably after a short while, and he’d taken to softly begging under his breath to put them back.
It freaked Sanji out.
Roronoa Zoro never begged. Never whimpered, never cried, never bowed to anyone yet here he was...a shell of his former self.
Sanji really hoped it was just the drugs that were making him this way. He prayed it wasn’t something else, something unfixable.
They turned a corner, and it was then that Sanji froze, screeching to a stop.
“Sanji?”
“Sanji-san?”
He stood there silently, listening intently. He swore he’d heard...
There!
“THERE’S A LADY IN TROUBLE!” the cook shouted, huffing, changing courses as he veered off.
“Wh– Sanji-san, wait!”
Robin and Brook chased after him as he barreled through a shoji wall, letting out a yell almost immediately once he was out of view. Following him inside, they saw their cook on the ground, bound in white rope, Zoro similarly tied up.
“Well, I suppose that trap wasn’t needed after all,” a cool, silky voice chuckled from deeper inside the room, the dim lighting making it hard to see. Immediately, Robin was on the defensive, crossing her arms in preparation. Brook similarly set the two kids down and rested a skeletal hand on his cane. “After all, Nico Robin, it was you I was truly after.”
“Ahh...I’m sorry, Robin-chwan...I let myself get captured...” Sanji moaned pitifully from the floor.
“It’s alright, Sanji-kun,” she sighed, a fond smile on her face. As her eyes adjusted, Robin could make out a truly hellish scene.
A number of geishas and attendants were scattered about the room, each and every one of them looking...wrong in some way, sadistic expressions painting their faces. Webs, not ropes, had been weaved throughout the area in glinting silk, and she glimpsed a few unfortunate souls who had been caught by them. In the middle of it all, reclining and smoking a kiseru pipe, was a large woman.
She was stunning. Beautiful as the dawn and as dominant as the sun.
Ocean blue eyes, neatly pinned back blonde hair, an inviting smile...not to mention she was exquisitely dressed. She hummed softly, inhaling on her pipe before blowing out a cloud of smoke, her lips parting to speak like a pair of roses. “It’s wonderful to make your acquaintance. My name is Black Maria of the Tobiroppo. I’d meant for your crewmate to be the one to lure you here, but you came all on your own. Now I have no need...to...”
She trailed off, her eyes going wide as her gaze zeroed in on something off to the side. Robin frowned, glancing over. What was she–
In an instant there was a loud explosion and a column of dust welled up in front of them, causing the Strawhats to cough, and something shot through the murk. Robin just barely managed to dodge it, but even then, it didn’t seem to be aiming for her.
When it finally cleared, to Brook and Robin’s horror, Sanji, Zoro, and the two kids were gone, spirited away to the other side of the room. There, Black Maria knelt, huffing, the visible hairs on her seeming to stand on end, two extra pairs of eyes having opened above and below the first set. Her teeth were bared in a show of fangs, focus entirely on the things she held cupped in her hands; their two missing crewmates and the children. In her lapse of focus, Robin had also released her grip on the kids, freeing them from their binds.
“You dare,” she snarled, fangs glistening in her mouth, fury directed at the two remaining Strawhats, “try and take what is mine? You have no right. You forfeited any right you had years ago to this prize.”
Robin’s brows furrowed in uncertainty. What was she talking about?
“Mama!” the two kids were suddenly calling out, reaching up for the giantess. “Mama!”
Ah. They were her children. No wonder she had gotten so angry.
“Yes, dears, mommy’s here,” Black Maria cooed back, lifting her hands closer to her face. “Let me just get rid of this silly little man...”
Transferring all four of them to one hand, she used her nails to slice through the web coating Sanji and Zoro before tossing the still-bound Sanji aside to her attendants and peeling the remaining webbing from their swordsman.
Robin frowned. Of course getting Zoro back would be no easy feat. The Beast Pirates weren’t going to let their prisoner go so readily. Her confusion mounted, however, twisting into something unpleasant in her gut as the webs were gingerly plucked from Zoro.
“Hello, darling. I’m so sorry that those nasty old crewmates of yours broke into your room. I told Kaido-sama we should have put more security there for the festival, but no, he was certain you’d be safe as is,” Maria sighed, using one finger to gently pet Zoro’s head, her voice soft and honeyed as she stared down at him. “And kidnapping the children? How awful of them.”
The buzzing in Robin’s ears drowned out whatever Zoro may have said next.
Oh.
Oh, seas.
The whole truth, naked, cold, and fatal as an assassin’s blade laid out before her. The children were Black Maria’s and Zoro’s—or at least one of them was. The smaller one...would probably be from King the Wildfire, given the wings. In the two years Zoro was gone, they’d– they’d raped him, raped and impregnated him, forcing him to bear their children. And Zoro was so drugged out of his mind right now he couldn’t even fight back about it, much less understand what was happening.
And judging by the shape his body was in...he was currently pregnant as well.
Anger curled hot and unstoppable in her gut, a blazing inferno that wanted to burn her from the inside out. Her fists clenched, nails digging crescents into her palms as she seethed.
How dare they. How dare the Beast Pirates, how dare this woman defile their crewmate in such a way, keep him in perpetual torment for two years—who knows what else they might have done to him, what they could have put him through?
All that time, the rest of them were busy training to get stronger, yet Zoro was trapped here, unable to escape. Had he ever gotten Luffy’s message? Did he even know about Marineford? Just how much had Zoro been locked away from?
“You,” Robin exhaled shakily, every word colored with a barely contained fury, “are going to pay dearly for what you’ve done to our swordsman.”
“Your swordsman?” Black Maria echoes, clicking her tongue in disgust. “He sat unattended here for almost three years. And now you suddenly come to get him back? No, you waved your claim to him long ago. He’s actually happy here with us. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
Her finger trailed down, delicately tracing the curve of Zoro’s jaw as his head tilted to the side. Robin could just barely see him from where she stood, but he looked...remarkably out of it.
He said something that she couldn’t make out, and Maria chuckled quietly. “You’ll have to be louder, honey. Speak up.”
“Ah,” Zoro croaked, curled on top of his legs within the palm of Maria’s hand. “Feels...good here.”
“Yes?” the giantess crooned, her finger trailing lower, lower...
Zoro outright whined when the digit slipped under his robe, and Robin snapped.
“Mil Fleu-!”
“Robin-san, wait!” Brook ran to her, bony arm outstretched, stopping her before she could form her attack. “I understand your anger, but you mustn’t strike while she has Zoro and those children with her! They may get hurt!”
The archeologist startled, expression tense, before reluctantly sighing yet not lowering her stance. “You’re right, my apologies. I’ll simply have to wait before tearing her apart for our swordsman’s sake.”
“Oh? Are you jealous?”
Robin’s attention snapped back to their enemy as she spoke. “What?”
“Are you jealous I got to him first? That I knocked him up and showed him what he really ought to be doing?” Black Maria smiled, shifting Zoro to her other hand and setting the two kids down with the other, where they ran off to the waiting group of attendants who were doing their best to wrangle in Sanji. “Cover your ears, girls. Mommy has some things she must say to the mean lady. Oh, and call King, would you?” This part was directed towards her servants. “He’ll be able to take care of our dearest Zo-chan while I discipline these nuisances.”
“Okay, mama!” Cynthia says from within the protective hoard of servants, helping Kuina to place her hands over her ears before doing it herself. If it weren’t for the dire situation, Robin would’ve cooed over how cute the action was.
“It’s funny how you won’t attack me while I’m holding him, you know,” Maria laughed, cruel, mocking, lying back as she kept Zoro held aloft close to her face. “You Strawhats were gone for so long, and after reappearing you didn’t even bother looking for your missing crewmate, did you? You all just went on your silly little adventures like nothing had changed...I wonder how that might have made Zoro-chan feel, hm? Being left behind like that.”
With the children now ushered away, Black Maria had returned to rubbing her finger below Zoro’s garments, making him squirm and whine. It took everything Robin had not to attack her right then and there.
“I’m sure I can wring some fun out of this other one you’ve brought to me, too,” Maria says, using her free hand to roll Sanji over to her. The cook swallowed audibly from where he lay. “You like me, don’t you?”
“Th-the hell I do! You’re the enemy. I don’t like you one bit,” Sanji protested loudly, but it was clear to see he was struggling to even say that.
“Oh?” the giantess cooed, leaning down, smiling sweetly at the blonde. “But you look so cute, writhing around there. Stay here forever, won’t you?”
“N-no...I won’t!”
Even from far away, the slight thrill in Sanji’s voice was unmistakable. In the presence of such a beautiful woman...all he could do was squirm.
“Don’t you want to join your friend?” Maria hummed, leaning down. “He’s had such a wonderful time these past few years, being constantly fucked like the whore he is. You’d like that too, wouldn’t you? Naughty little boy.”
“No, I...ahn...don’t talk about him that way!” Sanji yelped, causing Black Maria to chuckle.
“It’s true, though. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” she directed this to the swordsman held captive in her hand, lifting him closer to her as she pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head. “So pliant and obedient for us.”
Robin clenched her fists. Their cook was going to be completely useless in a fight against a woman, so unfortunately they couldn’t rely on him.
“Sanji,” Robin said sharply, immediately catching his attention. “Break free from her webs! I need you to get Zoro out of here, you won’t be able to fight against her.”
“O-of course, Robin-chwan! Anything for you!”
The burst of heat that erupted in that moment had Black Maria and the rest reeling back, crying out in surprise, and Sanji took the opportunity to skywalk up to Zoro and grab him in a bridal carry.
“Damn marimo, can’t believe I have to be the one to rescue you. Although I guess I’ll get to rub it in your face once you’re recovered, huh?” Sanji said, touching back down and starting to run off before stopping and looking back. “Will you be alright without-?”
“Yes, Sanji-san, just focus on getting Zoro-san to safety!” Brook called, drawing his blade and turning to face their opponents.
Sanji nodded, turned back around, and ran directly into the looming form of King the Wildfire.
“Shit-!” Sanji yelled as he was swiped at, getting knocked back and losing his grip on Zoro as they both tumbled to the ground. Before the blonde could recover fully, Zoro was scooped up out of reach and placed onto King’s shoulder. He seemed to wobble there for a moment before grasping onto the spikes there, clinging to them in an effort not to fall off.
“Da!”
Heads pivoted towards the cry as Kuina stumbled forwards, arms outstretched towards King. “Da!”
“You let the children out?” King snapped at Maria, and she scowled at him.
“It’s not my fault the guards placed in front of the rooms were useless. I told you there needed to be more defenses there but no one listened,” Black Maria sighed.
King took the opportunity to sidestep a flaming kick from Sanji and knock him back with a swipe of his wing. “Pathetic. If you’re going to do something right then it’s best done yourself.”
He made his way over to Maria and her attendants, kneeling down and outstretching his hand for the two kids to climb into, depositing them next to Zoro on his shoulder. “I’ll make sure they’re safe properly this time. This damn raid shouldn’t take too long to wrap up, anyways.”
“Hm, so you say,” Maria hummed, tapping the ashes out of her kiseru. “Try to be gentle with our dearest swordsman, would you? He’s expecting, after all.”
King only rolled his eyes and grunted in response, moving to exit out one of the many shoji doors.
“Mil Fleurs! Gigantesco Mano!”
A pair of giant hands sprung up from the ground before he could leave, grabbing onto his legs and rooting him in place.
“You,” Robin seethed, “are not taking him anywhere. I don’t care what you’ve done with him for the last two years, Roronoa Zoro is and will always be a member of our crew. The fact remains that he swore his life and his dream to our captain; not to you or your cause.”
“How irritating,” King said, glaring down at the limbs in an almost bored manner before grabbing them and pulling.
Hard.
Robin cried out, the pain carrying over to her actual arms and forcing her to dissipate them before any real damage could be done; and none too soon, as King tore the remnants apart without a care, walking out the door.
“Sanji!” the archeologist called.
“On it, my sweet Robin!” Sanji replied, already sprinting after King as he left the room.
“You really think you have a chance of defeating us? Of defeating Lord Kaido?” Black Maria asked, something starting to shift and swell under her lower robes.
Robin smiled as Brook laughed from her side, the temperature in the room rapidly plummeting.
“Of course we do,” Robin asserted, crossing her arms in front of her. “Our captain is going to be King of the Pirates, after all.”
King deposited Zoro gently back down onto the massive bed in his room, sighing. “Now, why would you try to escape like that?”
The swordsman whined in reply, squirming against the crimson sheets. “Didn’t mean to, they...they took me. Wasn’t sure what was goin’ on...”
“Really?” King narrowed his eyes, sliding the yukata up his body so that his lower half was bare. Gingerly, he took away the three swords at his side, setting them down on the bed not far from their owner. “You didn’t think at all of the danger you might be putting the kids in?”
“I tried t’stop them, I swear I did, they wouldn’t-!”
“Shush,” King silenced him, moving around the room to pluck something from one of the shelves on the wall. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but in the wake of the raid...you may need a little something extra to keep you compliant.”
“’m sorry,” Zoro breathed, quivering as King sat down, his weight making the mattress groan beneath him. “I shouldn’t have tried leavin’. I jus’...they said Luff was here, and I thou...”
“Strawhat didn’t come here for you,” King cut through his remark with the swiftness of a blade, grabbing him firmly by the chin. Zoro parted his lips on instinct. “He arrived here with those samurai intent on defeating Kaido. To avenge Oden. He and the rest showed no sign of coming here to retrieve an old crewmate. After two years, why would he? You’re not much use to him like this.”
Bringing a vial to Zoro’s mouth, Zoro gulped it down, the raw concoction burning his throat as he drank.
“Good boy.”
Zoro exhaled, reclining back into the familiar caress of the bed, eyes fluttering as he soaked in the praise.
“Just look at you,” King drawled, leather creaking with every movement, his gloved hands delicately tracing down the swordsman’s body. “This is where you’re meant to be. So pliant and obedient for us. You’ve truly shaped into such a perfect bitch over two years, haven’t you?”
“Ahn, mngh, y-yes,” Zoro choked out, “’s all I’m good for...”
King hummed as he poked his finger between Zoro’s legs, parting them, chuckling when he saw how soaked the young pirate already was. A generous amount of slick coated the leather of his glove as he prodded at him. “So wet for me. Unfortunately, I can’t fuck you as you are right now, but I have another idea...”
Leaning down, King undid the zipper closing the bottom part of his mask shut, undoing it and lifting it away from his face, keeping the top part of it on. He laid down on his stomach, wings nearly blocking out the light entirely for Zoro as he shifted closer to his mound.
“You wouldn’t try to leave us again, would you? You know where you belong.”
“H-here, I belong here, getting f-fucked and bred by you...hah,” Zoro gasped out, squirming, trying to wiggle closer to King’s awaiting mouth. Fuck, he was so horny, and he was already having trouble thinking...it had been ages since he’d gotten a full dose like that, he’d almost forgotten how it felt. It put him in such a pleasant state of mind almost immediately, loosening him up, making everything feel so...heavenly.
“Come on, Roronoa. You can do better than that. Beg me for it,” King bared his teeth in a grin, breath hot against Zoro’s loins.
“Please, please please please, I-I need it, I need you, don’t n-need anything else, I’ll stay here and be good, fuck...!” whined Zoro, bucking his hips upwards with fervor as King watched on with a smile. “I’m just a hole to be used, I’m yours, all yours, please give me your cock, I need it, please, Al, please–”
“You know full well you can’t take my dick while you’re pregnant, fledgling,” King crooned, almost chuckling at the way Zoro deflated at his response. “I can give you my mouth, though.”
Zoro perked up at that before shuddering as King gave a long, slow lick up his nether regions.
“Shit, please...!”
The Lunarian went to work, his tongue glazing every inch of Zoro’s thighs and cunt. He was meticulous with his process, paying extra attention to Zoro’s clit as the swordsman gyrated into his mouth. The sounds coming out of him were downright scandalous.
Zoro’s hands scrambled for purchase on the bed, tangling up in the silky sheets, nearly tearing them from how hard he grabbed. He snatched furiously at breath like a tiger snatching at meat, taking long, greedy gulps of air as he panted. He felt like he was floating, already entering deep into that wonderful, spacey feeling brought on from these activities.
It was bliss.
He never wanted to leave; why did he even think he could to begin with? He was in no state to act as a swordsman, all he really needed to do was stay here and sire kids for the Beast Pirates for the rest of forever...
He had no idea how long he laid there, drunk on his own endorphins, legs spread eagerly for King’s tongue as it explored his lower half with vigor. Zoro melted like hot wax under his mouth, gasping into the open air, his body burning as though seared by flaming coals. He lost all sense of time in that room (he usually did), falling in and out of a hazy, dreamlike state, moaning unabashedly, hands twisting knots into the bedding.
Zoro outright squealed, legs trembling as he felt the tip of King’s tongue poke at his entrance, teasing it, sending waves of pleasure through his body. “Agnh, m-more, Alber, please...”
“You sound so good, moaning my name like a whore,” King growled low against Zoro’s cunt, vibrations thrumming through him that had him writhing. Desperately, he tried to fuck himself on King’s tongue, wanting, needing something inside of him.
“Impatient little thing...”
The lewd sounds produced by his body when King slid a finger inside his ass—already wet from the juices leaking out of his cunt—should’ve felt embarrassing, but all Zoro could focus on was that feeling of tightness entering him, leaving him feeling so full and good. It was no cock, sure, but it felt incredible nonetheless, stretching him perfectly.
“If you weren’t already pregnant I’d knock you up right now, you know that? Leave you nice and full of my seed for your former crew to see. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Getting to show them all what a pretty little slut you are for us.”
“N-nooo~oooh,” Zoro gasped and whined, practically humping himself against King’s skillful tongue.
“Liar. You’d love it, making such a beautiful display like that in front of them...letting everyone know exactly who you belong to. Just a hole to be fucked and bred and filled. Getting your guts rearranged by a fat cock is all you’re good for, isn’t it? That and giving us children,” King breathed, finger curling up to stroke at Zoro’s prostrate.
Zoro wailed, trying his best to chase the finger moving in and out of his ass, practically sobbing at the teasing. “Please, please, please, Alber...agghn...!”
“Are you close, Zoro? Are you going to cum for me? It hasn’t even been that long yet.” King crooned, sucking harshly at his clit as he shoved his finger deeper, causing Zoro to arch off the bed with a hoarse cry. He could feel himself on the verge of climax, that familiar numbing, tingling sensation spreading up his legs as Haki crackled around him.
“I’m– I’m gonna cum, I’m gonna...!”
King plunges his tongue as much as he can into Zoro’s sopping cunt, pushing his finger against Zoro’s prostrate as he shook and came all over King’s mask, unleashing an involuntary burst of Conqueror’s Haki as he did so. The force of it right in his face had King gritting his teeth from the pressure of it, but years spent with Kaido had trained his will against such a thing. When it finally dispersed, he pulled his finger out with an obscene squelch, glove absolutely drenched in come and slick. Zoro panted, body trembling from the aftershocks of orgasm, face flushed as he stared up at the Lunarian. “Hah...haah...”
“Pretty little pirate,” King hummed, sitting up and bringing his hand to his mouth to lick at the liquid smeared all over it. “You taste as delicious as ever...I’d like to be the first back inside you after you give birth, you know. How does that sound?”
“Hngh...p-please, yes, ahh...’s all I want...” gasped Zoro, breathless, entire body wrought with tremors. “Wanna...stay here forever, please, Alber...”
“Of course you can. You’re ours, after all.”
“I’m so happy I ran into you, Nami-swaaaan~!”
“Oi.”
“Yeah, you too, Usopp.”
“Never mind that. You said you found Zoro?” Nami pressed as they sped down the corridor, using her Clima-tact to blast away a hoard of oncoming Beast Pirates. Sanji clicked his tongue, a bit annoyed at the mention of the mosshead before sighing. “We did.”
“And??” Usopp asked, skidding to a half as he let off an attack. “How is he? You said he got grabbed by that, uh, King guy, right?”
“He’s...it’s hard to explain,” Sanji floundered, gesturing around with his hand, “He’s, uh. Not really himself, I guess? They drugged him with something so he’s in no shape to fight, and he was having trouble walking. He was also...well...” Sanji bit his lip, debating on telling the two of them what they’d found out from Black Maria.
“Is he hurt?” Usopp frowned.
“Physically, I don’t think so? He’s...definitely been through some shit, though. Agh, I don’t know if it’s better to tell you now or let you see for yourself!!”
“Sanji-kun,” Nami said, slowing to a stop. “We can take it, whatever it is. Just tell us, alright?”
“Well...the thing is, he–”
The blonde was cut off by an explosion of Conqueror’s Haki not far off, causing Nami to yelp and multiple Beast Pirates surrounding them to foam at the mouths and fall.
“Shit!! Who was that?!” Usopp yowled, knees wobbling as he glanced around.
“That...that felt like–”
“Zoro,” Nami breathed out, finishing Sanji’s thought.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Hey– wait, Sanji! Weren’t you going to tell us what-?”
“There’s no time, let’s just go!!”
As they ran, getting closer to the source of the blast, Sanji noticed the surroundings growing almost...familiar? Before his eyes widened as he realized where they were and he screeched to a stop.
He took the marimo back here?
“Sanji?”
“This was where we found the shitty swordsman to begin with. Why the hell would King take him back here?” Sanji scowled, chewing on the cigarette in his mouth.
“This is definitely where that Haki came from, though,” Nami said, “Which means Zoro’s inside. Come on, let’s go.”
“Of course, Nami-swan~! I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth!” Sanji swooned, noodling around as he led her inside.
“O-Oi! Wait for me, you guys!!” Usopp squawked, scurrying after the duo.
He stopped almost immediately upon entering the room. “Hey, is this...?”
“Yeah, it’s a kids playroom. Keep up, would you?” Sanji sighed as he walked forward at a brisk pace. “If King’s somewhere in here with the moss, there’s no way we could miss him. The guy’s huge.”
“Hold on, there are kids here? Sanji!” Usopp asked, speeding up to keep pace with the chef.
“Why would there be children here?” Nami muttered, her Clima-tact clutched close to her body.
“See, that’s...” Sanji trailed off as they reached another huge door at the end of the hall, frowning. “Hold up, someone’s in here.”
Usopp swallowed, loading up Kabuto with a projectile. Nami tightened her grip on her own weapon.
“So do we sneak in, or-?”
“That’d probably be best,” Nami nodded.
“Anything for you, Nami-swan!” Sanji wriggled in place for a moment before sliding open the door with a lot of effort. Inside, the lights had been dimmed to the point where it was difficult to see anything, but they could faintly make out the shape of a large figure in the middle of the room.
“–ride your fingers? Please?”
“You look exhausted. You should rest, Roronoa.”
“But I...”
“How about I grab you something from the toy chest to use? You won’t have to work as much for it.”
“Ah, alright...”
“Good boy.”
“What’s happening?” Usopp whispered, leaning over to his crewmates.
“Shhh! I can’t hear them,” Nami hissed back. Sanji, meanwhile, had got deathly still, listening to the conversation at hand.
The shadowy shape strode to one of the walls, leaning down and opening up a large chest. Now that their eyes were adjusting, the trio could better make him out.
He really was huge, with giant black wings at his back, clad in leather, and a long sword strapped to his side. He rummaged around the chest before pulling something out and walking back to the bed at the center of the room.
“Here you are,” King hummed, and someone—was that Zoro?—said something in response they couldn’t quite hear.
King then climbed onto the bed, scooping something up from it and depositing it onto his chest as he laid down.
“You can take a nap, Roronoa. I’ll keep watch,” rumbled the giant, hand reaching down to...pet the person on his chest? Again, they could barely hear the reply.
“Yes, I don’t mind watching you. I quite enjoy seeing you play with yourself, even if you don’t end up finishing.”
What?
Nami and Usopp both froze upon hearing this. What the hell was he talking about? Was he talking to Zoro as he said that?
“Sanji-kun...?”
“Goddamnit, I’m not just gonna let this happen,” the cook swore, racing into the room before quickly turning it into a skywalk.
“Shit, he’s-!”
“Diable Jambe: Concassé!” he yelled, spinning in the air and coming down hard with a flaming kick to King’s head. There was a pained shout that rang throughout the room as it made contact, and another quieter, more surprised cry.
“Well, I guess we’re doing this,” Usopp gulped, him and Nami running into the room after Sanji.
“You little shit,” King snarled as he tumbled off the bed, just barely managing to catch Zoro as well as his swords before he fell to the ground. “Watch where you’re attacking!”
“Mosshead can take it,” Sanji spat back, still hovering in the air with his skywalk. “Besides, I’m not aiming for him, I’m aiming for you, you overgrown chicken.”
King drew Zoro closer to his chest at that remark. His expression couldn’t be seen from behind the mask, but it didn’t take a genius to tell he was glaring venomously at Sanji. “You really think you can defeat me? You couldn’t land a scratch on me last time.”
“Good thing I don’t need to beat you, then. I’m just here to retrieve a wayward marimo.”
This was all the warning they got before Sanji shot forward again, leg lit up, only to meet hard steel as King drew his sword. Sparks flew as the cook gritted his teeth, putting more pressure behind the attack, until he found himself having to veer out of the way as King used the weight to spin and slash at him. He just only managed to dodge, the bed and canopy behind him getting shredded in the process in the wake of the attack.
King went to move forward—
—only to find his legs tangled up in a number of weeds.
“Hm?”
“T-tremble before the might of the Great U-Usopp!” the sniper boasted from the floor, standing tall despite the tremor in his voice. “I-I’ve got an army of 8,000 men on my side, s-so you’d better give back Zoro right n-now! Got it?!”
King stared down at him, unimpressed, eyes boring into him. “This is the Strawhat crew that took down Joker? Really? I hadn’t heard much about you, yet I still find myself disappointed.”
“I’ll have you know, I was r-responsible for–”
“Shut up.”
With a flare of fire, the vines constricting King’s legs were reduced to ash; just in time for Sanji to launch a devastating kick to his stomach.
“Diable Jambe: Flanchet Strike!”
The flames on King’s back flared in response, but the force of the blow still sent him crashing back through a wall into the next room over. Sanji touched back down to the ground, running over to Nami.
“Nami-swan! Are you alright?”
“Oi! I’m the one that helped attack him, idiot!” Usopp protested, marching up to them.
“I’m fine, Sanji-kun. I just can’t use any of my lightning attacks while he’s holding Zoro or I might hit him.”
“Normally I wouldn’t mind a little roast marimo, but with the state he’s in right now...no, it definitely wouldn’t be safe for him...” Sanji said, muttering the last part.
“Maybe you could, I don’t know, elaborate on that a bit, Sanji?” Usopp urged, using the back of his hand to tap against the other’s suit.
“No time, sorry. King’ll be up any moment now, come on,” Sanji waved the sniper off, hopping towards the newly-formed hole in wall. “Nami my love, just focus on keeping yourself safe! No need to worry about the shitty mosshead.”
Nami laughed at that, Usopp grumbling beside her as they followed him into the next room over, only to stop in their tracks.
The next room was a nursery.
It was a bit smaller than the previous area, and the vibe was immensely different. There were colorful tapestries painted onto the walls as well as adorably-shaped light fixtures hanging from the high ceiling. The ground was carpet, soft and plush, and scattered about were a few toys from what could be seen. The lights were low and multicolored, with soft music playing from some unseen source. A number of large stuffed animals (dragon plushies?) were pushed against the walls, in addition to a few changing stations and cabinets.
But what mostly caught their attention were the rows of beds and cribs in the room.
Each one looked like it had tremendous care put into crafting it, with names carved onto the frames of the beds, and fancy, cursive signs hanging off the cribs. Every crib even had an old-fashioned baby mobile hanging over it.
Not to mention the fact that the beds and cribs were all full.
“Oh my seas,” Nami breathed out, eyes widening. “They’ve been keeping children here?”
Why? Where did they come from? Almost immediately her mind went to O-Tama and Toko, worrying about what might happen if either girl found themselves in a place like this.
“Da?” “Da!” “Birb! “Ro!”
The soft clamoring that started to rise from the children occupying the beds had Nami shaking with rage. Just how many of them had been stolen from their homes and families?
She looked over to Sanji for help...and found his visible eye wide open, his expression one of absolute horror.
The confusion Nami felt was immediate; because while she understood the sentiment, Sanji wasn’t looking at the children.
His gaze was focused on...
King.
King, who was crouched low in the room, wings spread out as if to cover as much distance as possible; he looked like he was shielding something or someone, but the only thing in his hands right now was his sword and Zoro.
She hadn’t seen him in almost two and a half years.
Sanji had been correct when he said something was wrong with him. Zoro looked dazed, completely out of it, not doing anything to fight back against his captor despite the swords he held close against him. He was leaned back against King’s palm, panting softly, not really looking at anything. He was also wearing a loose-fitting yukata, one that barely covered him. If the conversation they’d overheard had been any indication, then–
She shook her head, teeth clenched. She didn’t want to think about that right now.
At the moment, King stood between them and their long-lost crewmate, his gaze fierce and...protective?
Something about him had changed from the last room. There was an alertness, a sense of danger that emanated from him that hadn’t before, and he looked ready to attack at a moment’s notice.
However, it wasn’t as if either side could make a move with the kids in the room.
She didn’t have time to ponder much longer when some of the children (far too many) started getting up from their beds and moving towards King.
“No!” Nami yelled, immediately fearing for their safety before a gloved hand gently grasped her arm.
“N-Nami-swan, he won’t...they’re not in danger. Not right now, at least,” Sanji croaked out from behind her, causing her to whip around to face him.
“Are you insane?! They’ve been keeping kids here against their will, they’re not-!”
“Ah, Nami, maybe get a better look at the kids before you start saying that?” Usopp suggested from beside her, his eyes fixed forwards. Frowning, she turned around, doing as he told.
There were about...twelve? Fifteen kids? All swarming around the room; at least the ones that could walk. Almost every one of them had huddled under the shade of King’s wings, clinging to his legs and peering out cautiously at them. A pair of small girls with blonde hair—twins?—had moved closer to the cribs, coordinated, almost seeming to guard them.
And some of the children holed up against King looked—
Oh.
The first ones that clued her in were the kids with black wings and fire at their backs. A girl with white hair and dark skin, reaching almost to Nami’s chest, stood at the front rather than crowded at the back with the rest, a shinai sword in her hands, wings twitching against her back. Nami spotted about three more under the shelter of King, pressing into the shadows.
A number of the children possessed faint scales and horns of different colors, one even a bright green that stood out from the rest. The majority of them stood towards the edge of the wings, growling, eyes pinned forward and looking ready to pounce. They were no small children, either, young yet abnormally large.
The last few had hair ranging from white to teal, huddled closer to the Beast Pirate save for one who had gotten down on all fours and started...barking at them?
“I didn’t know,” she heard Sanji rasp from behind her. “I mean, there’s no way they’re all his, right? They couldn’t possibly be.”
His voice swelled with disbelief, and she almost snapped at him right there to demand he tell her what was going on.
“Of course they are,” King sneered, finally speaking up, startling Nami. “You didn’t think we’d let such a pretty thing collect dust while he was here, did you? No. We had fun and made use of him.”
“...Sanji?” Usopp ventured, glancing over to the blonde. “What’s he talking about?”
Silence stretched for a moment as Sanji opened his mouth and then closed it, searching for the words, never taking his mortified gaze off the scene before him.
“The kids, they’re all...at least, I think they are, but...ah...they’re all Zoro’s. Zoro’s and...the Beast Pirates’.”