Another One (One Piece Fanfiction)

43. The Cook Left

The Mink Tribe held a feast with the Straw Hats. The musicians also reunited with the Straw Hats, and found out he was the 'corpse' Wanda told just now.

"Can you guys come here? I have something to tell you. Come closer." Brook gestured for us to come closer to him.

"I want to remind you that don't try to mention the words 'samurai' or 'ninja' around the minks," Brook warned us, although we don't know why, but decided to keep it in mind.

"Now what should we do with Sanji?" Nami asked.

"Isn't he left the letter with us? And we still don't have any idea of what was going on." Franky said. Nami then explained the whole story to us.

After hearing the explanation, all of us fall silent for a moment.

"Sanji is getting married to Big Mom's daughter?!" We are too shocked and don't even know which words to describe the situation already.

A mink popped inside the room and announced that Inuarashi, one of the kings in Zou was awake from the coma. All the minks cheered and all of us decided to visit Inuarashi as he wanted to meet his benefactors.

Wanda told us about the incident that happened a few weeks ago. The Beast Pirate led by Kaido's right-hand man, Jack demands the minks give up Raizo, the ninja but the minks refuse as they don't have any person named Raizo on the island. Jack destroyed the whole city despite their refusal.

We arrived at Inuarashi's sanatorium, we received a warm welcome from the minks.

While we were still chatting with Inuarashi, he suddenly fell asleep in bed due to night falling.

Wanda explained that the two rulers, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were once inseparable friends, but were now antagonistic toward each other. The tension between them grew to a point where they split their duties time.

Now we accompanied Wanda and Carrot into the Whale Forest to visit Nekomamushi.

Zoro asked what happened to Sanji and Ceaser during the ride to Nekomamushi's place. Brook revealed that Sanji was possibly unable to ever return to them.

"The Big Mom Pirate arrived at Zou two days ago. Their representatives, Pekoms and Bege entered the island. Pekoms thought we were the ones who destroyed his birthplace and felt angry with us. But later find out we are the ones helping the minks."

Brook continued, "Pekoms said that he could leave us the Straw Hats alone in exchange for Ceaser as his thanks. Bege reminded Pekoms not to put his emotion into the mission but he ignored him. So Bege is not satisfied with this and he shot Pekoms in the back. Bege took Sanji and Ceaser with him. Sanji then left a letter before they left."

After listening to the full stories, I had a thought and pointed out, "Maybe they threatened Sanji, made him no other option but to follow the Big Mom Pirates. That's the reason why his wanted poster stated 'Only Alive'."

"Yosh! I will go ask Sanji about his myself." Luffy announced.

"Big Mom is a powerful Yonko and we could not invade her territory without any strategy," I said.

The Straw Hats arrived at the Guardians' residential district and were greeted by the minks again. After Chopper treated his wound, we chatted with him. We also pay a visit to Pekoms. He then revealed that Sanji is the third son of the Vinsmoke Family, they are the leaders of a military organization called Germa 66.

Luffy ordered Pekoms to take him to the tea party. He wanted to go alone as he said it would increase his chances of infiltrating the party but I refused.

"No Luffy. You have to bring some of us with you too. Who knows you will do something dumb again." I said.

After that, Luffy went outside the residential and met with Tra-guy and his crewmates. The minks threw a party again.

Aruna PoV

Me, Robin, Franky, and Brook sat guard at the main gate to prevent Kinemon and Kanjuro from entering Zou.

The next morning

"Shit! We fall asleep! Wake up now! The samurai had entered Zou already!" I wake up the rest and carry them fly through straight to the city to meet with the other Straw Hats.

When we arrived at the city, we saw Inuarashi and Nekomamushi were about to fight with each other. Kinemon emerged to break up the fight between them.

The samurai came in front of all the minks introduced themselves to the minks and revealed that they were searching for Raizo. We thought we were going to start a fight. To our shock, the minks all kneeled and said, "Raizo is safe!"

Inuarashi and Nekomamushi revealed that they were friends with the Kozuki Family of Wano Country.

"Why are you guys doing this? You almost die!" Usopp said with tears in his eyes.

"We would let Jack kill us before turning Raizo-soon over." They answered back.

"Such loyalty." I thought to myself.

Kinemon turned around and showed the tattoo on his back, which Raizo also had. When Inuarashi and Nekomamushi talk to him, Momo cries out for them to stop, "Father would be saddened to see you like this. Both of you are best friends once, why did both of you become like this!" Momo said tearfully.

"Father? But isn't your father..." we stare at Kinemon.

"I apologize. I'm not Momonosuke-sama's father." Kinemon revealed.

"Sama?"

"We act as father and son to avoid drawing attention to Momonosuke-sama. Indeed he was the son of the Daimyo of Kuri in Wano Country, Kozuki Oden!" Inuarashi and Nekomamushi bow before Momo decides to truce for him.

Later, Inuarashi and Nekomamushi led us, Tra-guy and samurai to the whale-shaped tree. Both rulers revealed a hidden door in the back of the tree leading inside a cave. We fantasize about Raizo of how cool he could be as a ninja.

Reality is cruel.

We met Raizo who was chained to a red Poneglyph.

"Ehhhh!! That's not what I imagine!" I said with disappointment.

"Raizo, can you do shadow clone jutsu?"
"Can you use shuriken?"
"Did you sit under the waterfall?"
"Would you say nin-nin?"

"Shut up! The ninja you imagine only exists in your imagination!" Raizo refused to show us the ninja jutsu, and all of us were disappointed. This causes him to use some of the ninja jutsu to make them happy again.

Robin then started to translate the Red Poneglyph and found out something different.