Chapter Text
“Everyone! Wake up, we’ve arrived!” Nami yelled excitedly, she rang the bell as the Strawhats began to wake one by one. Luffy rolled over and accidently fell from his hammock landing on Usopp.
“Ow!!” The sniper exclaimed. Luffy didn’t bother to lift his feet off Usopp’s face. “Ehhh, what’s happenin’?” He asked while sluggishly rubbing his eyes. He was suddenly launched away from a fist of the other man who was yelling at him.
Luffy stumbled to the window and the realization hit, all the sleepiness was drained away once he saw it. Sparkles started to form in his eyes. “OOOH WE’RE HERE!” The captain ran through the doorway, Usopp blinked and realized it too, he got up and followed him outside.
The commotion stirred Sanji awake, he looked outside to see the sun had risen fully. “Oh shit- I overslept.” He scratched his head and yawned, walking out the door he was greeted with an incredible view, Robin-chwan, and the island.
“Orchardia, known for its good harvests.” Robin informed, she leaned against the edge of the ship’s bulwark. Usopp and Luffy were right beside her. Sanji walked up to them and whole-heartedly greeted the beauty a good morning.
She smiled, “This could be a nice opportunity, Cook-san. There are many delicious fruits in store this season.”
Both Sanji and Luffy turned their heads instantly, Sanji went all heart-eyes. “HAI! ROBIN-CHWAAN~” Luffy on the other hand, had his mouth drooling.
“Delicious fruits..” He patted his stomach, already imagining the taste of the dishes Sanji could put up with those fruits. Watermelons.. Oranges.. Cherries!
“SANJIII, BREAKFAST!” Luffy yelled. Sanji irritably groaned, but he was used to it. “Yeah, yeah. Give me a sec.”
While Sanji was preparing the pancakes, Luffy tip-toed to the fridge to eat some of the chocolates, but he couldn’t find any. He turned to Sanji, who didn’t say a word, but had a smug smirk on his face. “Heyy.. where did you put the sweets?!” Luffy pouted.
Nami docked the Sunny near the village, the crew insantly split up and explore the market after breakfast. Sanji went to buy fresh ingredients and meat—to which Luffy followed him. “Oi baka! Stop eating those- hey!” He grabbed Luffy’s shirt before the vendor turned her back. “You know we have to pay first right? Idiot.”
The captain swallowed and licked off the remaining sauce off his lips. “They just look so yummy, I’ve never seen anything like em before.”
Luffy wasn’t wrong though, Sanji hasn’t seen this appealing food in a while. He should probably get their recipes.
Robin then spotted Sanji and the half-beaten Luffy from a distance and walked up to them. “Cook-san, have you seen Nami-san anywhere? I have been planning to check out the clothing stores with her.”
“ROBIN-CHWAN!!~ Sorry! As much as I’d love to help you, no I haven’t seen her yet.” Sanji then realized Luffy was out of his hold and on to a stall stashing fresh fruits in his shorts. “Oi, Luffy!” He ran to his position, Robin sighed and continued to look for Nami.
She drifted past the other rows of the market, eyes scanning the crowd for a flash of orange hair—any sign of Nami. Instead, she slowed to a stop, her gaze catching on a different color entirely. Green. Zoro stood a few stalls away, he was scratching his head and looking around.
“Bushido-san, are you sure you know your way back?” Robin smiled. The swordsman gave her a glare. “Tch, ‘course I do.” She raised her brow, “Right, would you like to come with me?” Zoro scratched his head and wavered. “Whatever, I’ll just make sure you don’t get lost or anything.”
They walked along the road, Robin scanned the windows of the stores at the side. Zoro was yawning, bored. Suddenly, an old woman shuffled forward, only to bump right into Zoro’s side.
“Ah, young man, sorry- I didn’t see you there!” she adjusted her glasses and looked up. “It’s hard to see what’s in front of you when you’re an old lady.”
Zoro glanced down at her. “You should watch where you’re goin’, granny.”
Before the woman could respond— A hand shot in quick, snatching the purse right from her grip. The old lady gasped, “Hey! My purse!” The thief was already weaving through the crowd ducking between stalls and knocking over baskets in his path. Zoro clicked his tongue. His hand instinctively moved toward his swords. “Tch. Want me to—”
“No need,” Robin said calmly.
“Cien Fleur..” Arms bloomed from the thief’s body, intercepting his path before he could even react. The thief’s face was in pure horror.
“Clutch.”
A yelp cut through the noise of the market as the thief was abruptly restrained mid-step; locked in place by the sudden hold. The stolen purse slipped right out of his grasp. Another arm bloomed from the floor and caught it before it could hit the ground.
A moment later, it was gently placed back into the old woman’s hands. “There you are,” The woman assured. The old lady blinked and clutched her purse tightly. “Oh-oh my… Thank you, dear. I don’t know how to repay you.”
Robin tilted her head slightly, a warm smile lingered. “It was hardly difficult.” Zoro jerked his chin toward him. “What about that guy?” He watched as the man ran for it quickly, in a pathetic manner. Robin’s gaze flicked back briefly. “I’m sure the townspeople will handle it,” she said.
The old woman nodded quickly, “Yes, yes— there are guards around here somewhere… Thank you again.”
“Oh! Wait, wait…” Her wrinkled hands fumbled inside her bag, it digged past small trinkets and folded cloth until she pulled something out. A small gleaming object rested in her palm.
It was a gold locket— intricately carved, its surface etched with delicate patterns that caught the sunlight just right. Even at a glance, it didn’t look like something you’d casually carry around.
Zoro’s eyes flicked to it. “That doesn’t look cheap.” The old woman chuckled softly. She stepped closer to Robin and gently took her hand, placing the gold locket into her palm. “Please, take it. It’s the least I can do.”
Robin blinked, momentarily surprised before offering a polite smile. “That’s very kind of you, but I couldn’t possibly accept something so valuable.” She tried to return it but the old woman closed Robin’s fingers over it, her insistence was firm despite her frail hands.
“I insist, let an old lady repay your kindness. Don’t you worry, I have a ton other things in here that could’ve been lost if it weren’t for you.” Zoro watched the exchange quietly with arms crossed. “You’re not gonna win against her, you know.”
A small breath of amusement escaped Robin. “…It seems so.” She finally inclined her head. “Then- thank you. I’ll take good care of it.”
The old woman beamed clearly pleased. “I’m glad.” For a moment, her woman’s gaze lingered on the piece in Robin’s hand— something unreadable passing through her expression before she gave a small bow and turned to leave, slowly disappearing back into the crowd.
Zoro glanced down at the object. “Weird thing to just give away.” Robin studied it, turning it slightly between her fingers as it caught the light. “..Indeed,” she murmured. “Very generous.”
Zoro stretched his neck slightly, then glanced at Robin. “So.. still lookin’ for the navigator?” Robin hummed. Her eyes drifted back to the busy market. “Yes, though it seems we keep finding other things instead.”
Somewhere in the distance, “SANJIII—MORE FOOD!!”
“…Perhaps we should avoid that direction for now.” The lady chuckled.
The day went on, the golden haze of afternoon slowly melted into dusk as the market quieted down. The crew made their way back to the Thousand Sunny with all their arms full and their voices overlapping with stories from the day.
By the time the sun dipped low, the ship had settled into its usual bickering at the dinner table. Outside, the clouds shifted into a dark grey. Nami had said something about there being a strong thunderstorm soon. Luffy was sprawled across the room, already halfway through another plate of food. “This is soooo good!” he mumbled through a full mouth.
“Of course it is,” Sanji shot back from the kitchen, though there was a hint of pride in his voice. “I just got the freshest ingredients, didn’t I?”
“Sanji, don’t let him eat everything,” Nami warned, she counted the remaining supplies with narrowed eyes.
“I’m trying, Nami-swaan~” Sanji called, before immediately turning back to Luffy. “Tch. Leave some for the others, you glutton.” The sky started to rain heavily through the windows. “Aw shoot, I was planning to head back to that treehouse I found.” Usopp pouted. “Oi Nami, when will this rain settle down..?”
”I think it’s only until tonight, Usopp.” She informed. The sniper smiled and continued his business with Franky, they were seated at the edge and went through the odd trinkets they’d picked up, and occasionally argued over which one was cooler.
The blonde caught and scolded them, they didn’t even take a bite of the food yet. “Idiots, food first, play later!” There were now a stack of bumps on their heads. Brook and Chopper laughed.
“Okay, okay.” Usopp took his spoon and swallowed the first handful he took. His face instantly lit up. “Waa! Sanji this tastes great!” Franky nodded in agreement yelling something ‘suuuuper’. Sanji smiled, “Who wants seconds?” He asked, to which most of them raised their hand.
Robin finished her plate contented and got up to excuse herself. “Arigato, cook-san. The food really is great.”
“Ehh, full already Robin?” Franky asked. “I’ll be back for the desserts, Franky-kun.” She assured. Her hand slipped into her pocket, her fingers brushed against the surface of the locket. She took it out, holding it up to the fading light. The intricate carvings seemed even more defined now. The shine instantly caught Nami’s eyes. “Woah- did you buy that?”
“It was given to me,”
“Waaaa! You could sell that for a fortune you know!” Nami got out her seat and stood beside Robin. “It’s a beautiful object.” she said simply. “You’ve been staring at the thing ever since that hag handed it to you.” Zoro interrupted. “…You’re quite perceptive, Bushido-san.”
Zoro huffed. “Don’t start.” He turned to Sanji who was at the kitchen. “Oi, ero-cook. More booze!”
A vein popped in Sanji’s temple, “No, that’s enough wine for today shitty swordsman.”
“Eh? I only took one bottle. You should learn to count, dart-brows.”
“We’re running low on the stash. Not much people sell this stuff in Orchardia apperently. Guess you’ll have to wait on your precious booze,” Sanji finished, wiping his hands on a cloth. Zoro clicked his tongue. “Tch. What kinda island doesn’t sell alcohol?”
“The kind that actually has standards,” Sanji shot back without missing a beat. “Try surviving one night without it, marimo.”
Zoro’s eye twitched. “Say that again, curly.” His hands gripped the hilt of his swords, the cook lit his cigarette once more before walking in closer. “At least I don’t need to be drunk just to tolerate everyone around me.”Zoro pushed off the wall, taking a step closer.“Oh yeah? Pretty sure you’re the most annoying one here.”
“Better than being a directionless idiot who gets lost on a straight path.”
“Keep talkin’. I’ll knock that cigarette outta your mouth.” Sanji exhaled smoke to the side, completely unfazed. “Try it, mosshead. I dare you.” Their foreheads pressed against each other as they continued to glare, getting ready to throw hands. “Do it!!” Luffy cheered, raising up his hands with 2 bones of meat.
“Don’t encourage them, idiot.” Nami snapped, smacking him down.
“Shut up, Luffy!” Sanji barked, though his attention never left Zoro. Zoro smirked, hand resting near his swords. “What? Can’t handle a little pressure?”
Sanji stepped forward, “I handle pressure every day—usually in the form of an overgrown weed.”
“Why you-!” The atmosphere around them turned into a smokey bubble as the two exchanged kicks and punches. Nami rolled her eyes and continued to examine the locket with the archaeologist. Then she came to a conclusion. She was still distracted by the loud bickering of the swordsman and cook.
“Gentlemen.” Her voice cut through the tension. Both of them paused. Sanji exhaled, running a hand through his hair. “Gomen, Robin-chwan~!” Nami saw the look of unease on Robin’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“…I’m not entirely sure yet,” she admitted. “But I have a feeling this isn’t an antique.” Zoro frowned. “You mean that old lady knocked us off?”
“Not quite. But she knew exactly what she was giving us.” Robin finished softly, it got the attention of the other strawhats, Luffy was still focused on eating though. “There’s something unusual about it,” she admitted. “The craftsmanship.. It doesn’t quite match anything I’ve seen from this island.”
Something in Nami’s head clicked. “Hey, I know that symbol.” She pointed at the image of the sun with 12 beams. “I’ve read about it once, owned by the Redhorn bounty hunters.” Robin recognized it as well, she knew it was familiar. “It seems you’re right, Navigator-san.”
Chopper tilted his head, “Who are they?”
“An infamous group known for their unique tactics, I’ve heard their captain possesses a devil fruit that affects their mind, I’m not sure how exactly. But it’s always used before taking targets as prisoner.” The statement sent shivers down Usopp’s spine, his face wrinkled. “Weird…”
“Ah! It might be a tracking device..-“ She took the locket out of Robin’s hand to see for herself. “We should probably check what’s—“
ZAP!
Lighting striked right through the other end of the ship, making it shake for a moment. And in the moment, Nami had lost her balance and the locket slipped out her hands. The gold piece hit the ground hard before Robin could catch it.
And it shattered to pieces.
The air felt electric after the gold piece shattered. Before anyone could react, a sudden, strange pressure pressed down on the crew. One by one, seven glowing spirit-like orbs shot out from the remnants of the shattered gold, floating through the air. They slammed into the chests of the Straw Hats, making each of them wince or flinch involuntarily.
Zoro and Robin watched in confusion, still perfectly normal. An orb didn’t pass through them for some reason. Luffy staggered, blinking wildly, while Usopp clutched at his chest as if the orb had left a burn. Chopper squeaked in surprise, his tiny paws had hovered in front of him.
Sanji, however, felt it particularly sharply. His body convulsed slightly as the orb pierced his chest. He stumbled backward right in front of Zoro. Before either could react, Sanji’s momentum carried him straight onto the swordsman, toppling them both to the floor with a heavy thud.
Luffy’s eyes widened. “Oi! Sanji!” Franky grunted, “Everyone okay?”
Sanji groaned as he struggled to sit up, one hand clutching his chest where the orb had entered. Robin’s calm eyes scanned the scene, she was already analyzing each person in the room. “The locket contained something. We need to figure out what exactly they do before anything else happens.”
The crew exchanged uneasy glances. Luffy patted his chest. “…Huh?” Usopp looked down at himself, turning side to side. “I- I don’t feel anything..do I look different?!” Chopper hurried over, tiny hooves tapping fast against the wood. “Wait! Don’t move! I need to check.”
“I’m fine!” Luffy grinned, stretching his arms like nothing happened. “Maybe it was just some weird light!”
“…No,” Robin said calmly. Nami slowly straightened, brushing off her shoulder. “Yeah.. I felt that. It wasn’t just light.” Her brows furrowed. Franky flexed his arms, “SUPER weird, but I don’t feel any damage.”
Brook let out a small laugh. “Yohohoho I felt it as well, though I have no chest to pass through!”
“Not helping!” Usopp barked, already spiraling. “…Tch. This is why I don’t trust random junk.” Zoro scoffed. Sanji was still on top of him, his hair got in the way of his eyes. “Hey, get off me already shit-cook.”
“We’re all fine right?” Nami asked. Robin’s eyes darkened slightly, “That’s what concerns me.”
Across the room, Zoro bickered again. “Oi, dart-brows. You deaf?” He tried to push Sanji out but the guy was damn heavy, and he didn’t really look okay. Finally, Sanji stirred and slowly rose up, he then paused. Staring blankly at Zoro for a hot second as Zoro stared back confused. Sanji blinked again and gasped softly.
Without another word, he pushed himself up quick and stepped back from Zoro. “Yes, master!~”
…
Silence hit the deck like a dropped weight. Did they just hear that correctly.. Zoro’s lips parted open, his brows furrowed and he made a shocked face. “Uh, what?”
“Yes, master!” he repeated.
Everyone froze. “…Eh?” Luffy tilted his head. Usopp’s face drained of color. “W-What did he just say..”
Chopper blinked rapidly. “Sanji? Are you okay?!” Sanji turned his head toward them, eagerly. But his eyes looked empty. “Of course,” he said lightly. “Is there something you need?” Nami frowned. “Okay, that’s weird.”
“SUPER weird,” Franky added. Brook leaned forward slightly. “Yohoho! It appears our cook now likes Zoro!” Zoro quickly rose to his feet and backed away a few steps. “The hell?”
Sanji’s gaze shifted back to him instantly. “What’s wrong, master?” Zoro’s eye twitched harder. His face cringed and he looked utterly creeped out “Stop doing that.” Robin watched quietly from the side, “…I see,” she murmured. “The orbs have altered cook-san’s behavior.”
Zoro looked at her with a cringed expression. Luffy grinned completely unfazed. “Whoa! So it’s like a personality switch or something?”
“No,” Robin corrected softly. Her eyes didn’t leave Sanji. “I feel as if it’s a bit more complex than that.”
“It seems each orb triggers something different,” she said.
“Cook-san?” The archeologist called. “Yes, master?”
“Could you come sit down to the dinner table for me?”
“Of course!” He instantly moved out the kitchen and sat down the nearest chair, eagerly waiting for his next orders. “Shit.” Nami cursed. “Well- he always listens to the ladies anyways. Luffy, could you try?”
“Hmm, Sanji, could you show me where you hide the chocolates stash?” The captain asked with a wide smile on his face “Sure, master! It’s inside the 7th cabinet at the counter.”Luffy’s eyes sparkled with his tongue out as he started to rush to the counter, Nami pulled his collar immediately. “No.”
He struggled against Nami’s grip, still reaching toward the kitchen. “But he told me where it is!” Nami pulled him back. “I said no,” Nami pulled him back. ”This can’t be happening.” Zoro exclaimed, which made Sanji look at him. “Kh- Don’t stare at me like that!”
“…This is bad,” Chopper muttered. Another strike of thunder hit the sea, startling the reindeer.. intensely. “AAAHCK! WHAT WAS THAT?!”
“..that was thunder, doctor-san. Yohohoho!” Chopper slid under the dinner table for shelter. “Eek! It’s gonna kill us.. kill us all! Sanji help me!”
“With what, master?” Sanji peeked down the desk. Franky yawned. “I’m going to bed.” Arms bloomed to the exit door and shut it closed. “Not so fast, Franky-san.”
Franky clicked his tongue, “Whatever.” He just laid down on the floor and.. slept there.“Is he serious right now?” Zoro glared.
“Yohohohoho!”
“Oi!” Luffy suddenly stretched his arm again, grabbing another plate straight from the counter. “I’m still hungry!” Nami yelled, “You just ate!”
“Not enough!” Luffy shot back, already stuffing his face again, not even chewing properly. “I want more!” He finished the remains of the other plates and ran to the kitchen. “GODDAMNIT LUFFY, NOW’S NOT THE TIME!” Usopp yelled loudly, making Chopper even more frightened. “LOOK AT ME WHEN I’M TALKING TO Y-“
“Usopp-san, please calm down.” Robin warned. “Tch, get your hands off me woman!!” He shrugged her off, walking away. Robin sighed, things got out of hand quickly.
“Yohohohoho!”
She looked at the shattered pieces of the locket. She went to pick it up until someone quickly grabbed it before her. “No! It’s mine, get away!” Nami yelled, she quickly picked up the shards and placed it in her purse. “All mine!”
And that was the last of them.. the effects spreaded out pretty fast. The orbs that had passed through them— it was similar to the time Perona had used her devil fruit. Though, this was far more.. extreme.
Robin walked to Zoro, dodging flying plates and food that came from the others’ chaos. “It appears we are the only ones unaffected.”
“Tch. I’m gonna kill that old hag.”
Luffy kept eating. Usopp kept yelling. Chopper kept spiraling. Franky kept sleeping. Brook kept laughing. Nami kept stashing away bits of anything shiny into her purse. And Sanji—
Zoro exhaled sharply. “This is messed up.”
The next few hours were hell. Pure, nonstop hell.
Robin was up in the library trying to find anything related to this issue. Zoro ended up staying on the main deck with one hand constantly on his swords, the other ready to grab whoever was about to do something stupid—which was everyone. “Luffy!! Put that down!”
Too late. A loud crash echoed as another stack of plates shattered. “I’m still hungry!” Luffy laughed, already reaching for something else. “You’ve eaten EVERYTHING!” Usopp yelled back, “WE’RE GONNA STARVE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!”
“Stop yelling!” The swordsman turned just in time to grab Chopper by the back of his hat as the reindeer tried to bolt. “KYAHH- LET ME GO!! I NEED TO HIDE, THE SKY IS ANGRY!”
“It’s just thunder!” Zoro barked. Another boom echoed. “AAAHCK!!”
“…I swear to—”
“Yohohohohohoho!”
“SHUT UP, SKELETON!” Usopp snapped. Meanwhile— Nami sat near the corner, hunched over her bag, quietly stuffing in anything that even slightly glinted under the light. “…Mine,” she muttered under her breath. “All mine…” Zoro looked down to see his Shusui missing. “Where the hell is my sword?”
He looked at nami and his face darkened. “…Oi. Give that back.”
“No.”
“Give it.”
“I said no.”
Zoro stepped forward, quickly snatching it from her. “Damn witch.” He threw his beris from his pocket to distract Nami for the mean time—and immediately had to stop Luffy from launching himself off the railing. The captain accidentally kicked Zoro as he tumbled to the near corner Sanji was standing at, where Robin had ordered him to be. Everything was a real fucking nightmare. “…Master?” he asked softly.
Zoro didn’t even look at him. This is just bad. He needed the cook normal as soon as possible— he can’t bare ordering that idiot like a puppy. The same man who would joke and insult and fight his ass around.
“Stay there.”
“Yes, master.”
That didn’t really stop the others. “Sanji!” Usopp suddenly pointed at him. “Guard me! Don’t let anything get close—!” Sanji immediately moved, standing stiffly in front of Usopp. “Yes, master.” Chopper cried from under the table. NO WAIT—DON’T LEAVE!”Sanji turned to the reindeer’s direction.
“Stay with me!!” He hesitated for half a second— Then split his attention, clearly trying to follow both orders at once. “Sanji, get me food!” Luffy yelled from the kitchen, he moved again.
“Cook, don’t move!” Zoro snapped immediately. Sanji froze. “..I-“ His body locked mid-step, he didn’t know which command to follow “…M-master?” Zoro clicked his tongue, this was an annoying pain for him as well seeing the blonde lose his dignity. “Tch.”
“Yohohohoho—this is quite the predicament,” Brook laughed from the side.“THIS ISN’T FUNNY!” Usopp shouted. Zoro dragged a hand down his face. “Don’t-.. don’t listen to anyone else.”
Sanji stilled. “Yes, master.” The swordsman exhaled slowly. “Stand close.” He was so going to kill him after this. Robin stepped back onto the main deck just in time to see Zoro physically drag Luffy away from the kitchen doorway—again. “I said stay put, idiot!” Zoro barked, tightening his grip as Luffy stretched uselessly toward the pantry. “But I’m still hungryyy—!!”
“You’re gonna eat the damn ship at this rate!” Another crash echoed behind them. Zoro didn’t even turn this time. “…I’m not cleaning that.”
“You never do!” Usopp yelled from across the room, he was clutching a chair like it was a shield. “WHY IS EVERYTHING BREAKING?!”
“BECAUSE YOU WON’T SHUT UP!” Zoro shot back. “THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!” Usopp gnarled, pointing wildly at no one and everyone at the same time. “Everything’s gone insane and no one’s doing anything right! Sanji! Get me another chair!” Sanji got into position instantly, already eyeing the nearest seat. “Yes m-“
“Don’t.” Zoro commanded, which made Usopp even more irritated. Each order he would spit out makes him lose his goddamn sanity. Another thunderclap boomed overhead. “AAAHCK-!!” Chopper screamed.
Usopp’s eyes darted around again, landing on Sanji. Something in his expression twisted. “…Fine,” he muttered bitterly. “You wanna listen so bad, right?” Zoro’s head turned immediately. “Hey, don’t—” Too late.
“Well why don’t you just go ahead and jump off the damn ship!” Sanji didn’t hesitate. “Yes, master.”
Zoro instantly worded out ‘NO’ but his scream was overlapped during the worst timing, lightning struck and Chopper screamed at the same time, Sanji wasn’t able to hear Zoro’s command. He turned and paced to the nearest edge. “—OI!”
Zoro moved instantly, shoving past a chair as it toppled over behind him. His hand shot out grabbing Sanji by the arm just as his foot hit the railing. “You idiot!” Zoro snarled, yanking him back hard “The hell’s wrong with you?!”
His glare snapped straight to Usopp. He wasn’t even annoyed anymore, the expression he gave off was just dangerous. “You got a death wish?” he said lowly. Usopp froze, “Tch, I didn’t think he would actually-!”
“Shut up.” Zoro cut him off. “Yohohoho! How frightening, he actually would’ve done it!” Brook chuckled, Zoro just gave him the same glare that made him quiet for a second.
Robin paused near the doorway, taking in the full scene. The entire kitchen was messed with broken plates, tiles, chairs, and food scattered around. Noise came from each corner. “…You’ve been busy, Bushido-san.”
Zoro let out a sharp exhale, not even bothering to hide the irritation. “You think?” A plate flew past his head, and he didn’t even flinch. “Find anything?” Robin stepped further in, carefully sidestepping a rolling bottle on the floor. “No,” she admitted quietly. “Nothing concrete.”
Chopper jumped “That’s it- we’re cursed! I knew it! THIS IS HOW WE DIE!”
“We’re not dying..” Zoro scowled. “You don’t know that!!”
“I do, because I’m the one keeping you idiots alive right now!” He was close to losing it. Robin watched them for a moment longer before speaking again, “…The effects are worsening. They’re becoming more extreme,” she explained. “What began as simple behavioral shifts are now escalating into compulsions.”
Yeah, Zoro could tell. Her eyes moved across the crew as she spoke. “…So..” he asked. “What’s the plan?”
Robin folded her arms lightly, thinking. “…For now, it’s best to turn the situation under control for the night. Tomorrow, we can head back to the town. We don’t know enough yet to reverse the effects safely. Acting blindly could make things worse.”
Zoro nodded. Luffy immediately ran out “I FOUND MORE FOOD!”
“Get back here!!” Zoro lunged, grabbing him by the back of his vest and slamming him back down onto the floor. “…I’m gonna tie him up.” Chopper pointed wildly. “Tie him up?! What if he turns on us?! WHAT IF HE EATS US—?!”
“He’s not gonna eat you.”
Chopper started forming tears, “YOU DON’T KNOW THAT!”
That was enough for Zoro to make a move, he sighed lazily and looked at the chef who has been standing patiently beside him. “Dart-brows,” The blonde straightened instantly. “Yes, master.”
“Get rope.”
“Right away.”
Robin straightened slightly and eyed Sanji moving efficiently. “Cook-san will be useful, as long as his commands remain… controlled.”
“Yeah, that’s the problem.” Robin glanced toward the small reindeer. “…We should keep Doctor-san somewhere enclosed. A quieter space may help reduce his panic.”
“I’ll toss him in storage,” Zoro said bluntly. The woman’s eyes flickered. “Speaking of which, Doctor-san,” She crouched down to the table, speaking with a gentle tone. “Would you be so kind to tell me where you keep your sedatives?”
“Wh-Wha! You’re gonna drug us all and kill us! No, I’m not telling you anything!” Robin sighed, “Zoro-san, stay here again. I’ll go check the medical bay.”
Sanji returned, rope in hand. “I’m back, master.”
Zoro stared at him for a second.
“…Yeah. Great.”
Just gotta survive until morning.