Warm Memories and Brotherly Bonds

Chapter 16: Enter Black Leg Sanji

Back in the forest, the Straw Hats were staring around them in idle wonder.

"That really was amazing of you Usopp-san," Brook said sincerely, once everything they had seen finally sunk in. "How you were still willing to fight after everything that happened to you? Luffy-san was right... you have heart."

Usopp beamed proudly. "What did you expect?" he asked, jerking this thumb at his chest. "Of course the brave warrior of the sea, Master Usopp, stood calm in the face of danger!"

"Really, you looked scared out of you mind to me," Franky teased and Usopp's ego seemed to deflate right before their eyes.

"I think it was sweet," Robin smiled happily. "You did all that for Kaya..."

"Yeah bro, you sure there's nothing between you two?" Franky asked, poking fun at him.

"IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT!" Usopp yelled at them.

"I agree," Sanji said, fighting back the surge of jealously inside him at the thought of Usopp managing to get such a beautiful lady.

"What's next?" Chopper asked excitedly as he glanced around, wondering when the next memory would be coming back and what they were to see next.

Nami on the other hand was trying to figure out where they were. "Where are we anyway?" she asked, "How far are we?"

"Looks like we made it even farther into the forest," Zoro answered, glancing around at the trees, "And so far we having found a race of a monster..."

"This is getting frustrating," Sanji said in annoyance. "Why doesn't it just hurry up and come out so that we don't have to go through all this? It's driving me crazy... I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of this."

"I think we all are," Robin added, also starting to grow weary of this constant emotional rollercoaster ride before she looked to Sanji and Zoro and asked, "Can you sense anything?"

Sanji shook his head. "Other than us...? Not really."

"Same here," Zoro agreed, now trying to stretch his senses out across the land. Other than the eight of them there, he couldn't tell if there was anyone else on the island... but...

"But there's something not right," Sanji added almost nervously as he puffed on another cigarette.

"What'd you mean?" Franky asked.

"What he means is that it feels like we're being watched," Zoro said coldly, his one eye narrowed and glancing around at everything. There was something wrong with this island... there was something here that he didn't like. For the first time he could really believe that there was something here that really shouldn't be. He couldn't explain how he knew, but the creature they were hunting still hadn't taken on a form yet... but it wasn't going to be that way for long.

He was sure that the cook could sense it as well... that dark, foreboding feeling growing stronger with every memory they see. Like a whisper in their guts telling them that an enemy was nearby.

Just what was this thing?

But all too soon, the next memory appeared so that the sun was back out and they were standing on Merry's deck once again.

"YEA! IT'S MERRY! I love Merry so much!" Chopper cried out joyfully, jumping up and down as he ran to look at every part of the ship. Almost crying openly—it was like seeing an old friend you never thought you'd see again.

"It's almost like a dream come true," Nami added softly, a sad smile on her face as well, running her hand along the side of the ship, only for it to pass right through it.