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Chapter Text

It was deserted.  

And Nami wants to cry, they failed - they fucking failed and she wants to cry out because, holy shit, they failed. They couldn’t stop the wedding, the Vinsmokes were gunned down. They failed Sanji-  

“Nami. Where?” The tears stop, and oh- the calm chimes of her captain’s (not Luffy, Luffy would never be so quiet, he’ll be Luffy again. That she’s sure of) Conqueror’s haki and the way it wraps around her, to comfort her, the way it dries her tears, right. They still have a chance.  

Dark eyes moved to the reindeer and Chopper felt his insides jump out of his skin. Not necessarily the first time being bestowed that look but nevertheless unnerving, Brook was helping him give first aid to the Vinsmokes, Judge being long gone and hopefully having his two souls guided to depths of hell.  

It seems they also weren’t sold out, for Capone Bege and his wife were still there. The allied crew was sharing their own expressions of disbelief and betrayal, the Straw Hat captain knew what to do.  

Staring at the Altar, he will start with the key of the cage disguised in wonderous sweets and desserts. The place where the ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ were wedded.  

Somewhere... Somewhere, people feel the creeping fear in the air. It was in the way the night seemed colder, sinister, and mocking. Such darkness shrouded upon this holy land of false unity, many had thought Big Mom was finally batshit and thought this day would be their last. The children of the emperor ushered together in a panic because there was no way this was their mother’s doing.  

Someone else must be behind it. And indeed, it was.   

Their prisoners have escaped, and Big Mom was far too delirious in her fantasies to even think about the prisoners. Straw Hat was still out there with his crew, Pudding could care less honestly, this felt wrong.  

The way that Sanji had smiled at her was wrong, the way his eyes built up a wall of joy to cover his sorrow; the way his entire being could only be seen as-  

I accept my fate.  

Jinbei watched the Straw Hats work while keeping an eye on Brulee, the daughter of Big Mom whom had the abilities to go into the mirror world. The woman kept laughing and mocking their so-called demise when Jinbei was honestly starting to feel sorry for the pink emperor.  

To have angered... Angered someone like Luffy- no, to have angered Luffy himself .  

Was like angering the gods .  

They managed to save the triplets (not quadruplets, not anymore) and their elder sister, Reiju, the only one they could trust. With Judge gone, Reiju and the triplets have no one else to listen to.  

“Is that not a good thing?” Luffy asks as he places his leg on the other, having been given a chair (that was surprisingly not damaged from all the destruction) to sit and rest on for a short amount of time. (For he would challenge the pink demon who asked for his cook’s life.)  

“We were programmed to listen to Judge, and with him gone. We aren’t sure who we will follow now.” Nami still despises him, Yonji answers truthfully. His systems see no reason to cover up the truth.  

“Then swear. Give me your loyalty .” The world stops around them all, the remaining Vinsmokes, the remnants of the family; that is. Felt the air clog their pipes and their wires being frozen, their metallic skin heating up at the atmosphere.  

Walk by his side.  

The wind whispered.  

Pave the way for his dream.  

The sea calmly rocks.  

Ichiji, Niji nor Yonji never felt this kind of pressure being settled upon them. They felt the power of Straw Hat’s heavy gaze, his eyes seemingly golden as his immense Supreme King. Judge, despite actually having the title of ‘King’ has never been or acted as one.   

Ichiji could only peg the man as a ‘wannabe’ although, what else could he do? He was made to follow such a pathetic man, made to live up to his expectations of treating others like shit, made to live up to be his mindless puppet alongside with his brothers.  

Reiju was glad, glad to have been offered such a proposal and she wants to accept it so badly. But... “With all due respect, Straw Hat, I simply cannot. I still have to take care of my Kingdom.” Germa 66 might have lost their King, it won’t mean they deserved to be deserted. This time, the kingdom will live honestly under her rule. And maybe, be the Queen Sora envisioned her to be.  

Niji remains quiet. He needs - must know more what it’s like, living, serving, being commanded by this boy. Judge never intrigued him this way, sure, the fucking inhuman abilities since birth was one thing yet this ? Hell yeah, sign him up.  

Yonji knows it. Being with this tornado of life that the failure calls his ‘captain’ can lead him to endless battles that will let him feel true accomplishment, unlike the battles he faced under the command of Judge. 

The brothers nod to each other.  

“Straw Hat Luffy, we are at your disposal.”  

You will not regret it.  

The world shushed.  

Chapter Text

Brulee guides her captain ( her captain who wears golden straw for a crown , her captain who caressed her scar and did not give eyes of pity but of pride) along with her nakama (the navigator who only smiled at her, her expression telling her ‘This will happen often now, isn’t that great?’ for someone to look at her with love and warmth- for someone to look at her with pride and sing praises at the most random times-).  

The mirrors don’t question her, for they were her witnesses. Witnessing the grand ceremonial-like acceptance- the way Luffy had accepted the Vinsmokes, the way he accepted Brulee. An unstable woman with an even more unstable family, scar and all, she was pulled into a world of color and freedom.  

Chopper (their kind doctor and youngest member, asking if she needs any help with her trauma. Worried for her well-being.) had the Vinsmokes (a group of assassins born to kill , given another chance to live as humans under the rule of their new King) in his infirmary, basically on Lockdown until he could properly get them to their sea-faring kingdom’s med bay. They were going there barefoot.  

The mirrors glowed, chiming in with directional guidance as the navigator sparked conversations here and there. Their captain (“Luffy will come back once we deal with Big Mom”, the orange-haired woman says, reassuring her. After he deals with our cook’s worst nightmares, after their kind nakama’s heart is put to ease, Luffy will come back. That was left out.) was silent all the way, whenever Brulee does choose to turn around to check up on him. He gives a soft smile, It’s fine. Don’t mind me, we’ll go home soon.  

When they finally made it. Brulee’s heart rate seemed to get faster, this man was her captain, yes, but that woman he was about to face and maybe even defeat was her younger sister .   

Pudding always, always meant good. It was their own people’s fault for turning her this way, calling her a freak (cutting off her bangs as child by force , mocking her beautiful chestnut eyes.) because of her third eye. Even Big Mom said it was absolutely atrocious, even going so far as to ordering her to grow her bangs out to cover it.  

“C-captain... May I ask you of something...?” Brulee gathers herself and gulps down the lump in her throat (she knew her captain, Straw hat Luffy, would listen to her wishes... But a lifetime of serving no one else but the emperor Big Mom? It can leave its effects...), warm chocolates narrowed intently. The young man’s face solemn yet attentive.  

“Please, don’t- don’t harm Pudding. She means well but...” Her voice trails off, not being able to put her desires into words yet-  

“I know, I won’t hurt her.” Her captain understands.   

( Has she ever mentioned how she’ll follow him even after death? )  

Pudding managed to grab her knife and her pistol, but Straw Hat was so fast- He already set his foot on the sturdy floor of the cottage.  

She doesn’t even know why... But she couldn’t kill him. She failed her only task, and she was so scared...! Will Big Mom come after her lifespan now? She hadn’t done that before but the ringing screams echoing through the castle made it horrifying enough as she did not want to experience it! 

If she doesn’t do it now, when?! (But she can’t - Sanji-san was the first person to be so kind to her and she knows that he saw her true self yet still chooses to treat her kindly! Even when her own family was afraid of her, some genuinely cared but were also under Big Mom’s oppression, even when her own mother saw her as a tool; Sanji-san treated her so well.) She steels her resolve, letting her ‘delinquent’ façade rule her face. Never minding her tears of conflict that showed her truest feelings.  

Straw hat looks at her indifferently and her inner child can’t help the innate curiosity, his eyes, a darker shade of brown yet specks of old gold like his wisdom. The way his owlish eyes narrowed, such a calm expression drawing lines on his facial features.  

She charges forward, the hand that held the knife surging toward the still (it was so eerie, the last time she even saw Straw hat, he was a bundle of energy) young man. Her eyes widened as the black-haired captain took hold of the blade and crushed it, Pudding was confused and distraught that one of her weapons was gone! And why hadn’t he used his haki?!  

Pudding’s heart dropped as she realized her guard was dropped the same way, Straw hat took advantage of those precious seconds of her shock and held her in place as he grabbed her wrist; twisting the other slightly so she would forcefully let go of the pistol.  

This is it, isn’t it-  

“Do not hurt him.” His voice, as calm and as soft as the night breeze, commands.  

Huh?  

Now that is perplexing. Hurt who? And Pudding realizes .  

The blond man in the bed, frowning in his sleep. Reliving the wedding ceremony as a nightmare, he was tortured even in his sleep... “Will you promise me?” What...? Why?  

She really doesn’t get it, doesn’t understand it. Why would Straw hat trust a random girl that was on the enemy side not to hurt his crewmember? Screw that , why would he even trust a three-eyed freak like her to not even breath the same air as Sanji?  

Her lips wobbled, what was happening to her? She didn’t even notice that Straw hat didn’t even need to hold her wrists so tightly; for she was so busy with her internal emotional conflict, she was paralyzed on the spot. Only anchored by the gaze of the man in front of her.  

She can trust him. At least...  

She shakes her head, trying to wipe away the tears but they kept flowing. So, this was the man Sanji-san followed. It felt impossible to be able to lower your guard to someone unfamiliar yet here was the three-eyed daughter of Charlotte Linlin, weeping in front of an enemy that could strike her down if he wanted to.  

Pudding won’t ever harm the man that let her experience kindness. (Everything and everyone always treated her as some monster, an other-worldly ‘Goddess of Salvation’, she just wants to be treated and called human. )  

Uncertain, she meets the eyes of the young captain. To make sure he knew her intentions. And oh-   

What was he saying...?    

For all her life, Pudding can tell people’s intentions through their eyes. It’s a thing in the three-eyed tribe, just so you know. Everyone’s eyes (not Sanji-san though, his eyes were far more beautiful than hers, filled with kindness.) often filled greed, malice, and twisted anger, hate. Pudding put up with all of it. (Most of her family had selfishness and greed, Katakuri’s eyes were sharp with responsibility, Brulee’s were one of care. Flambe, the insufferable brat, was no better; eyes filled deceit .)  

But the man in front of her. His eyes held wisdom, love , and a world of rightness.  

A world where three-eyed Pudding can pull her bangs up and flaunt it around like a dime. A world where three-eyed Pudding would be gazed at with pride and affection. A world where three-eyed Pudding wasn’t expected to hide what differentiates her from others.  

A world where three-eyed Pudding could be free .  

“O-of course... For as long as I breathe...!” Her eyes screw shut as she basically screams (Sanji doesn’t even stir, how peculiar. A young woman was crying her heart out and he was still knocked out.). Forgetting there was a heartbroken man inside the cottage with her.   

Gentle tan hands brushed her bangs out of the way, making it parted at the right side. Showing her third, endless tears pooling down from it as well. Pudding finds herself crying even more as her captain places a kiss (so warm, so soft. She wants to pull away from the sincerity of his actions because someone as tainted as she was couldn’t possibly deserve any of it-) on the unnatural eye on her forehead.  

Nami peaks through the mirror and sighs happily, another girl on the crew! A youngling too, maybe Brulee and Pudding could help her with the boys now. Seeming like Robin only encourages them to do more chaos than help her.  

Chapter Text

Sanji accepts it. He was fucking failure of a son, a prince, and most importantly; a mate of the Straw hat Pirates. He lies in bed, with a solemn expression. Dried tear tracks on his cheeks, unaware of the world outside his consciousness. (Unaware that his captain was there, a few steps away. Unaware that sweet Pudding had been freed from her own shackles.) 

Someone with a presence Sanji was oh so familiar with. A presence he craved, someone that held warmth with each touch and affection in every action. Even behind his violent fist and fights, it was through protection. To protect what was precious to him. Sanji can’t even bear to say that wonderful person’s name because Sanji doesn’t deserve it.  

With his name, the only thing Sanji could ever think of was a world where his dream wouldn’t be mocked. Hell, countless others had even more absurd dreams. Someone standing on a figurehead, admiring the setting sun as his straw hat seemed to act as his halo. He was beautiful.  

Yes, he. Sanji said ‘he’, Sanji called a man something he would only preferably call a woman. Beautiful . 

Because, to Sanji, that’s what that person was; he was beautiful. Not only on the outside, but the inside as well. (He has been wronged by this world, so, so many times. He had almost lost his brothers, he had almost lost his crew, he had been pushed to his limits and even with the pain ; he forces himself to move .) 

Sanji dreams. In an endless void, floating into nowhere in particular. Curling himself into a ball to warm himself from the cold. (Missing his captain’s warm embrace in the process.) 

But at the same time, he deserves this. Sanji had the most naïve thought that he had everything under control, that he was at least capable enough to save his crew by sacrificing himself. He threw himself to the wolves and all that, but it seems the wolves in question were smarter and much more hungrier than he had initially thought. Now, he was married ( caged ) to a nice young lady (who was a bit two faced.) and now he can no longer tell that person his true feelings for them. 

Cliché and sorrowful, he knows. Sanji knows that it was kind of ironic for a womanizer to fall in love with a man of all people, but he has good reason, and he knows most people he personally knows and is friends with can agree with him.  

“Yes, he is a wonderful man.” A soft voice calls out to him, fully agreeing with his hypothesis.  

“Who-” The young man glances upward, the void he was in coming to light as the figure spreads the brightness even further. 

“It’s been a long time, so I don’t necessarily blame you if you can’t recognize me.” Of course, Sanji can recognize the woman that brought him into this cruel world. The Straw hat cook felt like tearing up at the sight of the mysterious woman that had chased away the darkness in his consciousness. 

“M-mom...” Sanji stands on shaky legs and lets himself be wrapped by the arms of his deceased mother; Sora. Who had come to visit him in spirit and is communicating through his dreams. She wipes the tears that were sliding across her son’s face, he was all grown up now. No thanks to her. 

She still regrets that she had left him alone to fend for himself, but as she watched him grow older, she’s seen the friends he’s made. How much he has matured and gotten over his fears and let himself loose from his hesitance. Sanji was doing so fine with his friends, his new family. Words couldn’t describe what she felt as she saw her son interact with so many individuals with large and loud personalities.  

One interaction with a certain someone is what caught her eyes. 

Her son’s interactions with his bubbly and dependable captain. Sora never felt safer as she stared at those boy’s dark brown eyes (they sparkled with his wisdom and sincerity), his way of captaincy is... Quite a rare one, doing anything and everything he could to make his crew smile and laugh.  

And Sora knows the strange glint in Sanji’s eyes whenever he turns to his captain.  

It’s the look of respect and admiration. But also, Love . 

And Sora couldn’t ask for a better son-in-law! 

“Why did you give up so easily? Aren’t you going to be the one who’ll find the All Blue?” Sora asks with a quiet voice; Sanji keeps cradling his mother’s hands. Knowing full well that once he wakes up, he won’t have the chance to feel it again. The blond young man could only stay silent, because he doesn’t want to lie, nor does he want to admit the shameful truth. 

“I can’t- Mom, I can’t...” Sanji couldn’t speak, his throat clogged up as the emotions welled up. 

“Why do you keep saying that you can’t?” Like a certain stubborn rubberman, Sora asked again. Wanting to understand her son’s situation and, even with her transparent form, maybe help. 

“I... I lied to him... No , the tea party had begun early... I got married to a girl I have no attachment to, and my captain might as well have been caught by Big Mom... I don’t know if he’s alive or-” Sanji bit his tongue, he was rambling in front of his mother. He can’t just dump his feelings on to her, he just saw her again after like, what? Twelve years?  

(Sanji didn’t lie to that person, he was tricked too. Big Mom knew what kind of person Bege was and was one step ahead of him. It wasn’t like the former mafia boss sold them out too.) 

Sora wipes the next wave of her son’s tears, remaining solemn and acting as her child’s anchor. He was so helplessly in love, it was concerning. “You love your captain, don’t you, Sanji?” Sora smiles gently, holding her son’s face with her small hands. (He wasn’t so small anymore, unlike last time she saw him. He was a grown man, and she was so proud to get a glimpse of the man he had become. Her blood and sacrifice have been well spent.) 

The blond man gave a smile of his own, his heart being awarded a sense of peace as he recalls that person’s wide grin. Happily munching on his meat and praising him and his skills. Sanji would do anything to have that life again, but it seems his royal lineage came back to bite him in the ass. He was such a fool to think he could get away so easily once that person understood his predicament. 

Sanji had only let that person throw himself to the wolves as Sanji remained practically unscathed. 

“I do... I love him so much, Mom... Wh-what do I do?” 

“You keep loving him.” Sora stated her son a little bit startled by her answer. But that’s what Sora whole-heartedly wants, for Sanji to keep being happy as he loves the captain that he had pledged his life too, and Sora has no quarrels since his captain has done nothing, but time and time again prove his capabilities of keeping her son safe and reassuring his happiness will forever be the top of his list. 

Sanji feels himself at ease at his mother’s words, ignoring the initial shock. The woman starts dissipating into nothingness while she held her son’s hands, but not without leaving Sanji in the tranquil white world of his consciousness. 

Peace. 

Peace is what lies ahead of him. 

Chapter Text

A tall, ridiculously tall, man stood in front of the much taller and larger door behind him. Keeping guard and in his hand was a weapon that was steadily set on the ground. The man was one of the Three Sweet Commanders, that is a truth; but he is also an older brother to many.  

Big Mom ordered him to stay outside and keep watch, some of his siblings retaliated; saying that Katakuri deserved some rest from all the fighting with Germa. However, as the role model son, he politely shuts the offer down and takes up his job from his mother. To keep an eye out.  

Straw Hat Luffy was still here, after all, running amuck. Not to mention that both Pudding and Brulee were reported missing by one of the soldiers.  

Brulee, his younger sister had been taken by Straw hat. That was the only plausible explanation. He had quickly silenced the soldier, do not tell mama. Is what he told him. And Pudding, she still hasn’t erased the guests’ memories yet, could Straw hat have planned this time? Taking their most valuable asset daughter.  

No, there was-  

The future called to him. It showed him quite the shocking events.  

Brulee walked out of one of the mirrors down the hall. Guiding Cat Burglar and Straw hat out of it, was she being used? Was she threatened to do such acts of treason?  

“Move.”  

“Move.” No. Katakuri won’t move, he won’t let Straw hat ruin his captain’s good time. Or else he might- no, maybe even Brulee as well.  

“Nii-san, let him through.” The way Brulee had asked that of him as well threw his cool composure off guard. The elder Charlotte sibling looked into the eyes of his sister; wanting to see fear in it, to give him the affirmation that she was forced to say it.  

But no. There was no fear, it was the opposite. Yet, Katakuri couldn’t pinpoint what it was. The emotions in her eyes were such a foreign concept to him, what was it? What was she feeling? Why was she letting Straw hat do what he wants? Why was Straw hat and his navigator even here in the first place?  

(Katakuri was the model older sibling. His siblings looked up to him as the perfect son, powerful, strong-willed, honorable, you name it. However, Katakuri does all of this for them. He does not want Big Mom turning to the younger children when he became insufficient, he will never be insufficient. Katakuri will be perfect. Katakuri will be perfect for his younger siblings.)  

“Move. I have no qualms with you.” Nami scoots away from her captain a bit, when he’s silent. He's mad, furiously silent too, but when he starts to speak formally; Oh, please get away. A ten feet radius of distance please.  

“Brulee...?”  

“He’s going to free us, Nii-san.” And with that, Starw Hat Luffy walks right pass him and effortlessly pushed the two doors open. He felt like time stopped, his surroundings disappearing as his haki focused on Straw hat’s potent presence.  

He had failed his duties, but Brulee doesn’t even look at him in disappointment.  

He’ll free us. He’ll free us.  

Even if Katakuri is a bit skeptical. He lets Straw Hat unleash his unbridled rage.  

Chapter Text

If you were to tell Katakuri that the man who stormed into his mother’s territory was now fighting the elderly woman after realizing just how terrible of a mother and captain that she was (it was bad enough that Mama had taken the cook of his crew, she could only worsen their situation after the wedding), he would not believe you. It didn’t matter if he saw that far into the future, Katakuri simply believed that no one could stand a chance against her.  

That belief was proved to be flawed when an angry captain was striding to the throne room, completely ignoring the tall man guarding it. Deeming him harmless because he was one of his crew member’s older siblings; now, that isn’t how crew’s work in a traditional sense… Right?   

(Katakuri had no clue what or how other crews usually operate, but since he’s been at sea long enough; he would know it was similar to how Mama did it. Always follow the captain’s orders. The captain’s word is absolute. You cannot portray any sign of disobedience or your lifespan would be shaved away.)  

Straw Hat Luffy, at first glance, you won’t ever be able to take him seriously. A devil fruit that turns your body to rubber— how pathetic and useless of an ability to receive. His bounty was still in the millions, meaning his oath in taking down the emperors to reach the One Piece is talk only. Not to mention his haki, it was certain that he also had the haki of the supreme kings; but it was much weaker than Big Mom’s.  

However; the moment you cross a line that he has drawn down. You can say sayonara to the ambitions you swore to achieve. He’ll drag you down to the mud, even if it meant getting bloodied and bruised himself; like a predator striking down their prey. Once you’ve angered that man, there is no turning back. To be fair, Straw Hat Luffy has multiple lines drawn on the sand. Just goes to show how patient he is.  

Katakuri thinks that it's safe to say that Mama crossed all of it. Even she can’t escape this heavenly punishment.  

(He didn’t want this anymore. He wanted someone to truly rely on. Someone he knows would accept him, to accept what hid behind his scarf. Katakuri wanted a family.)  

Brulee and Pudding had already defected, joining the Straw Hat pirates; recruited by the captain himself. Judging by how puffy their eyes were (Pudding wasn’t covering her third eye), Straw hat Luffy welcomed them warmly. Giving them a chance to truly see what a family was, easily handing them that familial love with such ease due to how much he probably gave it to his crew on a daily basis.  

 First, they all felt a clash of Conqueror’s from within the throne room. The younger sister of the trio couldn’t hold herself up against the strong waves of haki, it even made Katakuri falter. “Nii-san, we have to- get out of here…” Brulee struggled to get to her feet.  

“W-we can’t be a burden to Luffy-san…!” The pig-tailed girl was being aided by her older sister, the three of them knew it was mostly their mother’s haki that was trying to pull them down; wanting their wills to succumb to hers again.  

‘But I’m not your puppet anymore…!’ Pudding shook away that creeping fear in her heart, the warm haki of their captain pushing back the cold pressure from Big Mom’s haki. Nami had found another mirror to escape through, she wondered how she wasn’t affected like the rest of them.   

Katakuri didn’t even know that Zeus had genuinely stayed with the cat burglar, “How are we meant to help the captain?” Brulee was against leaving him here just like that. There was no way that the Big Mom pirates would fight by the unspoken Pirate rule, they play dirty all the time. She knows it damn well, after all.  

“We help by preparing for an escape route, getting Sanji to the Sunny is the first thing we need to do. Brook got a rubbing from the poneglyph Big Mom had, Chopper and Carrot are still trying to find Jinbei.” The Minister of Flour only narrowed his eyes, the crew was spread thin for this operation. It amazes him, however, how much this small crew can do.  

“Is Brook-san okay?” Pudding can recall that Big mom still placed guards around the place where she kept her road poneglyph after all. The skeleton musician can handle it, but the girl thinks it would be proper to ask for the wellbeing of a fellow crew member.  

“Well, yes! He may not be part of the monster trio, but Brook’s been at sea longer than any of us. He’s capable of taking care of himself, and carrying out an order for the captain? He’ll see it through.” Nami reassured her, still on the run.  

“Katakuri-nii-san… Why are you-?”  

“I- don’t know.” His expression was strained, morals conflicted. He can choose to join his sisters, but he would be leaving the rest of his siblings unprotected. Did he even have the right to just walk into the Straw hat crew and ask to be a member? No, he doesn’t. Nor would his sisters want someone like him.  

Not when he barely did anything to protect their hearts.  

 
The Straw hat captain coughed up blood, spitting it out forcefully. The metallic taste in his mouth was still there, his haki was inferior to Big Mom’s. That was an obvious fact, but has a stronger opponent ever stopped Luffy from getting back up again and again just to see them grovel to the ground? No. 

No words can describe that white hot rage he was feeling. The anger he’s experiencing for Sanji, for Brulee, for Pudding— trying to leave his body, somehow, to make the emperor bleed. To hurt that woman and take away the title she prides herself in.  

(He’s heard her kids make comments about his eyes though, saying it kept flickering to a golden color as he used his haki. They were too busy trying to escape, too busy evacuating the younglings to truly confirm it though.)  

Barely dodging another deathly blow from that old hag and her lively weapons, Luffy needs to end this fight; fast. His eyes shook as his will fought against his body, consciousness slipping from him. No— not now, not when Sanji would still be trapped here if suddenly fell asleep. Not when he knows if he loses, that he’ll never see his crew again.  

An idea pops into his mind. A weird one, but one that had to work; to turn the tides of this battle. (His gears needed time again, his haki and stretching attacks his only options right now) The Straw hat captain felt another surge of energy again, dark brown transitioning to golden once more as he glared up to the elder woman.  

He hates Big Mom.  

He hates how she steals her own family’s freedom. He hates how she took Sanji away. He hates how she labels her children her tools.  

He hates her. He hates her so much, yet he had to give it to her. For being such a strong enemy, but it's going to be thanks to her, that he realizes that there was more to haki than he knew it.  

“Why are you still standing, you damned rookie…” Straw Hat was beginning to get on her nerves now, he had been a fun challenge, but this annoying monkey wanted a fight to the death apparently.   

“I-” Luffy sucked in a breath, his heart hammering against his ribs, glaring up to the emperor. “I am taking…my cook back!” Seeing her veins becoming visible made the grin on Luffy’s face even wider. Is she mad because he was still standing, or is she mad because she knows she will never truly get a family member to genuinely love her the way he does his crew?  

“I’m taking…him home…”  

‘Even if it’s the last thing I do.’ He didn’t need to say it out loud, because Big Mom knew that it would be the final act after she was either defeated or victorious.  

Chapter Text

The moment she had laid eyes upon Straw Hat Luffy, the moment she saw his smile.  

Sora..!  

Mother—  

Reiju knew why Sanji had returned to them. Not out of fear, or reluctance to a duty to family and the kingdom… No, it was to protect this smile. Her little brother might not realize it himself, but the first person he probably thought of after being invited back into the family and to his own wedding was the safety of Straw Hat Luffy.  

The pink-haired woman’s sight was crystal clear when it came to things involving her mother, she was the kindest person in her life. She loved that woman ‘til the day she had to leave them all when they were still so young, Reiju knew her mother could’ve taught the rest of the quadruplets how to feel. They may not have human emotions naturally, but there was still a chance for them to be nurtured.  

But she couldn’t. For she had no time, nor was she strong enough…  

Her poor little brother had been thrown into the dungeon for being born as a kind human. Something she would’ve killed to become.   

(Try imagining walking up to a mirror, just to see your mother’s face on you; but being void of the emotion and warmth she had. Reiju hated it.)  

She needed to give Sanji a chance to be free, and that she did. She kept him hidden from Germa’s eyes, reading in the news of his crew’s achievements; reading of the captain he had sworn his loyalty to. Reiju was fine with being a weapon, as long as Sanji lived his best life out there for all of them.  

Now, she messed up again. She got him caught. Got him trapped.  

And the precious smile that Sanji tried to desperately protect was gone from Straw hat’s face. The only thing there was a cold gaze and a frown, not necessarily aimed at her or any of her siblings (although she did see him glare at Judge’s dead body), but she can’t help it; feeling responsible for the unsettling rage the Straw hat captain was feeling.  

There was another thing too…  

His kindness and patience, along with eyes holding the wisdom he rarely showed.   

Sora…  

Her heart ached again, she doesn’t know how long Sanji’s been on Straw hat’s crew; but she was so glad. She was so glad that he got to experience this familial love, this sort of love that didn’t come with any condition. Something she, herself, has never experienced; it was something Reiju also craved.  

Now, Straw hat Luffy’s vivre card was in her hands. She was with the Straw hat doctor and the rabbit mink that was with him, in search of the First son of the Sea.  

It was burning.  

“Luffy!” The reindeer’s eyes widened at the embers that burned away at the white surface of the paper. Reiju felt herself freeze over as well, no.  

This can not happen.  

Straw Hat Luffy can’t leave Sanji— Straw Hat Luffy shouldn’t be torn away from her little brother just like their mom had.  

Straw Hat Luffy can’t just die …!