Unspoken

Part 6: Overheard

"Chopper!" I shouted, as soon as my feet landed on the deck. "Sanji! Where are you?"

The little face popped out from around a corner. I rushed to him.

"Chopper! They've been arrested. Those scoundrels who did this to Sanji!"

I had gone out to complete the grocery shopping that was dramatically interrupted yesterday. There was a crowd gathering along a narrow lane by the pier, people shouting and cursing and raising their arm in anger. I went closer and saw that they had tied up a group of three men and two women, and forcibly dragging them along.

Upon further investigation (or basically being a real busybody and asking many people what was going on and followed the source of the commotion), I found out that they were members of a syndicate that was behind the recent crime spike in the town.

Their victims were chosen based on how they look. They were usually well dressed, with impeccable manners and style, and so they were seen to be well-off. A drug would be added to their food or drink. When the drug took effect, they would have already left the premises to somewhere further away where it could not be traced back to them, where they were then approached, robbed, taunted and left to die. They were caught when their would-be victim had quickly sought help before they could get to him.

This new information tallied with what Chopper had discovered, which he shared with the crew over breakfast. Indeed, Chopper found traces of poison in Sanji's blood. Poison that could make the victim appear completely dead, except that he would still be alive and aware and could feel sensations but just unable to move and having difficulties breathing. It had relaxed his body muscles, including those of the lungs, but fortunately not the heart.

"I wonder why Sanji's heart was beating very fast though. I think he was quietly panicking in that state."

He had this confused and thinking look. Panic and heart beating fast. Yes, that could happen to anyone, except maybe... Brook?

"What about his body heating up? And the nosebleed? Are those supposed to happen too?" I asked him.

"That was the other thing that I'm confused about, Franky. But Sanji is stronger than a normal person, so I think that is probably his body's reaction to fight the poison."

Good thing that the poison could eventually wear off if help was given in time. In large doses, it could cause death, or so Chopper grimly told me. Apparently our cook was targeted - well, obviously, just look at him - but he did not finish his tea. If he did, the outcome would be unthinkable. I shuddered at the thought.

The little doctor abruptly changed his tone and gave me that big wide smile, "Have you had your froyo today?" That broke the tension.

"Froyo?" I asked, puzzled.

"Sanji was giving out his special frozen yogurt."

"Really? Where is he?"

"Last I saw him, he was going up the crow's nest."

The swordsman was probably up there too but it was no big deal. I would just go check on the cook and demand my super froyo.

As I was climbing up, I heard voices that stopped me in my tracks.

"Ahhhh! What the....? Ah! Ow... ow ow!"

"Keep... still...! You freaking moron!"

"You don't have to be so rough, bastard!"

"Are you that weak, bitch?!"

"Fuck you!"

"Try me!"

Eh? What the hell was going on there?

"Ah! Aaaah! Not there! Ow!"

"What? Here?"

"Dammit! Not so hard, you jerk!"

"Or what about here?"

"Urgh.... urgh..."

"Are you okay?"

"Urgh..."

More moans that sounded like... Sanji?

"Ah lower... lower..."

Then mumbles so soft that I could even hear my heart beating.

"Here?"

"Ah shit... you... fucking... ah... shit... shit...! Oh God, please! Urgh..."

Breaths between words, this was getting so freaking hot! Where's that damn froyo?!

"Is this better?"

"Ah...! That's .... much... better... Oooohh... Oooooh..."

"You're too noisy, cook. It's distracting me."

"You try to be at the receiving end!"

I leaned in closer.

"Is this your first time or what?"

"...I'm a virgin..."

The cook? Really? Then a loud laughter burst out at the same time as mine. Oops. But hey, they probably could not hear me down here.

"Seriously?! The entire Baratie and all those people coming in and out and this is your first time?"

"What has that got to do with anything, bastard?"

"I don't believe you."

"Shut up, moss head."

It seemed quiet but I could still hear them talking softly.

"You know... you're actually... not that bad."

Another laugh.

"Thank you!"

"And I bet you get a lot of practice by doing it on yourself!"

Then a loud smack. Ooh, these guys were so naughty.

"Ow! Shit head!"

Silence. Was it over? They were done?

"Hmm... I could get used to this."

"You can if you want. You know where to find me. Just don't tell the others about this."

Oops. Okay. I probably should not be listening to all of this. But there was something fishy going on and my perverted mind went into overdrive.