By Your Side

Chapter 5

It was a lot to take in. Sanji was to be married, but what's more, to one of Big Mom's daughters. If the wedding were to happen, that would mean the Straw Hats would be serving under Big Mom herself. There's no way Luffy would sit down and accept that.

"Okay, if we can't figure it out, then we'll just have to go and ask Sanji!" Luffy exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air.

We all looked at Luffy as Chopper let out a yelp of surprise, falling off Franky's head. "Forget it, bad idea Luffy!" Zoro shouted.

"You're crazy! We're just gonna walk right up to Big Mom?" Usopp questioned in disbelief.

"Yeah, we gotta go." Luffy replied, not seeing the problem with it.

"I'm sorry, you might've forgotten this, but she does not like you!" Usopp spelled it out, reminding him of what transpired on Fishman Island.

"No offense, but we can't beat her with just our crew." Franky spoke up as Chopper climbed back onto his head." Especially with no strategy."

"She's one of the Four Emperor's. Please, don't be reckless." Robin warned Luffy. "We've never faced anyone this strong."

"Right, we'll be sneaky." Luffy replied, completely ignoring everyone's warning. It's like it goes in one ear and out the other.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Usopp rhetorically asked, baring his teeth.

"Now that I think of it... I might know a way." Chopper whispered out, thinking hard.

"There's a way indeed." Brook added, "We may not know which direction Big Mom's subordinates headed after taking Sanji away, but they did leave someone behind who's certain to be very knowledgeable. Ergo, if that person is awake right now, he can tell us something helpful."

———

We finally reached the Whale Forest and were greeted by the Minks living there. While Robin, Chopper, Brook, and Usopp went to see Cat Viper, the rest of us went to check on Pekoms.

Pekoms was fine and recovering well, due to his Devil Fruit protecting him from the bullets Bege shot him with. If it weren't for that, his wounds would've been worse or fatal.

We asked Pekoms who was making Sanji go through the marriage, as he revealed that it was his father. Not only that, but Pekoms revealed that Sanji's family were the fabled Germa 66 and that his father was the head of it all. Meaning his family is a group of assassins.

I couldn't believe it- actually, I didn't want to believe it. There's no way Sanji is connected with Germa 66, he's a kind hearted man... if you get past his perviness.

Sanji, from what the others told me, was just a simple cook in the East Blue and had a dream like everyone else. He never turned down a customer, no matter who they were and what they've done. Knowing how Sanji is, I refuse to believe that he was like his family.

Knowing all this, I have a sneaking suspicion that Luffy isn't going to just sit around and do nothing. He's probably deciding to go and bring him back as we speak. And if that is the case, I want to go as well.

"He's not getting out of this marriage." Pekoms stated as Luffy asked why. "Black Leg had the right idea giving himself up, no one can turn down an invitation to one of Momma's Tea Party's, no matter what the reason might be."

"Nobody puts Momma to shame, not without paying the price. A couple of days after they don't show up at the party, Momma's would-be guest gets a surprise present." Pekoms continued as he got back in his bed.

"And how is that bad?" Luffy asked as he went to stand beside the bed.

"I assure you, it's the last thing anyone would want." He paused as he put his shades back over his eyes, "They get a box with a loved one's decapitated head in it."

"You're not serious... are you?!" I gasped out. What kind of sick joke is that?

He shook his head, "It might be one of your heads if Momma saw fit to hunt your crew mates down, or maybe it'd be the heads of one Black Legs old pals from the restaurant in the East Blue. Or, she could kill someone in the Kamabaka Kingdom who trained him..."

"Hold on- how do you guys even know all this stuff about Sanji?" Luffy asked.

"This is what true power can accomplish, you get it?!" Pekoms stated, "Momma even knows things you yourselves aren't aware of."

I heard Nami mumble about something but didn't quite catch it as Pekoms continued. "There's no hope, cause when you know someone as strong as Momma makes a threat like that, she's gonna follow through with it. That's why everyone goes down to her... that's why no one can fight against the Four Emperor's, it's the way of absolute power that brings even the strong to their knees."

The power of the Four Emperors. We are already in Kaido's radar for destroying the factories in Punk Hazard and Dressrosa, but now Big Mom?

"Sanji knew the stakes, he didn't go by choice." Nami stated, knowing Sanji didn't do it of his own accord, but to protect all of us.

"One more thing. Maybe this will put you at ease, for what it's worth, once this plays out you won't be forced to work under Momma. This marriage is strictly political, if Momma wants someone a part of her crew, she wants them to be part of her bloodline as well. In other words, this marriage is a ritual to form a bond between the Vinsmoke Family and the Charlotte Family, that's all." Pekoms informed us, "So from this point on, it has nothing to do with you guys."

Pekoms said that they would be forming a bond, so doesn't that mean that Germa 66 will be part of the Big Mom Pirates? If that's the case... "How is that good news for us? Sanji will still be marrying Big Mom's daughter, and you said it will join the bloodlines..." I mumbled out, trying to wrap my head around it all.

No one said a word, as Pekoms let out a sigh. "You really want me to spell it out for you? From the moment that this marriage goes off, Black Leg Sanji will no longer be a member of the Straw Hat Crew!"

———
Published: 07/29/2022
Updated: 02/17/2024