Mixed Up (ZoSan)

Tuft

Away from the crowd of artists and collectors, set towards the back of the gallery, a set of thick double doors stood hidden behind a blank display. At Crocodile's request , both Usopp and Zoro were lead through them. Robin followed quietly behind, corralling them into the secretly harbored hall as they stepped through. As the solid doors were shut behind them, all sounds of the gallery were lost instantly and a strong, foreboding silence encompassed them.

Robin smiled softly, knowingly, as she strode past Usopp, who had begun to shiver uncontrollably. Her footsteps that would have echoed in the heeled boots she wore were lost to the soundproofed walls and soft carpet that surrounded them.

The corridor was low-lit and appeared much longer than it actually was, but still gave off an eerily stiff air that perhaps stemmed from the fact that it was hidden. It wasn't all that foreboding, but it was enough to root Usopp in place.

Zoro had to kindly take him by the arm to get him to start walking after Robin passed, as the artist was far too frightened to take any initiative himself. Zoro mumbled that it'd be alright, however Crocodile decided to punish them, but even he himself wasn't sure as they finally stepped into Crocodile's office.

It wasn't incredibly imposing, but it wasn't wonderfully inviting, either.

It was as low-lit as the hallway was, casting shadows across the faces of those gathered in the room in a distinctly film-noir style. As the building, and, henceforth, the office, were underground, there were no windows. The walls themselves were largely blank, excepting for the large, classical paintings that adorned them.

If it weren't for the fact that it was Crocodile who owned them, Zoro might have assumed they were replicas, but there was no real way of telling when it came to what Crocodile was capable of acquiring.

Though impressive, the paintings themselves weren't what maintained the attention of one's eyes, for the chair that loomed behind the desk was, perhaps, (besides Crocodile himself), the most formidable thing about the room.

It was resemblant of a throne of old royalty, and when Crocodile set himself upon it, he commanded the air of a king and stared Zoro and Usopp down. Robin came around to stand by his side and watched them thoughtfully.

Besides Crocodile's throne, there were no other chairs in the room, forcing the two of them to stand before his mercy, and while Usopp shook helplessly, Zoro stood defiantly before them, matching Crocodile's stare with a steely glare of his own.

An air of menace accumulated itself in the room, threatening the artist and his bodyguard until Crocodile turned his gaze away to light a cigar.

"So," he began, puffing on his cigar and leaning back into the comforts of his chair. "It's been brought to my attention that someone believes themselves to be superior to my rules regarding these gatherings."

When he spoke, his voice commanded such authority that it caused Usopp to tremble even more fiercely.

"N-no, that's not what we-"

"You have no proof," Zoro butt in, speaking quickly before Usopp's stammerings could convict them both.

The smoke from Crocodile's cigar had begun to circle upwards into the air until the cigar was abruptly jerked from one side of his mouth to the other, disrupting the trail. Crocodile's grin was broad and unsettling when it creeped across his face, though Zoro remained undaunted.

"Oh?" He said, and before he'd spoken, Zoro had believed his statement to be true, and that Crocodile had no real definitive proof that Sanji had been there, but the absolute sureness in Crocodile's voice made him uncertain despite the fact he'd only uttered one word. When he spoke, Robin smiled as well and passed to him a small walkie-talkie when he beckoned for it.