Stories - A Literary Compilation

Vinsmoke Sanji || Key to Freedom [1]

Image Source (Original): https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/799318633837622069/

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It didn't take long for the Straw Hats to wind themselves into trouble, thanks to their captain.

Luffy could have just walked away, not concerning himself with the old lady being harassed by two rough men. But, he had to send them to Dreamland, alerting the Marines who were patrolling the area.

After a series of events, they found themselves inside a cave.

And it's been hours since they were inside. With a little light from the lamp Robin brought with her, they were managing. Barely.

"Luffy, you didn't have to kick those thieves, you know," Usopp whined, shaking the captain by the collar. "Now, look what you got ourselves into."

"Let's go back," Luffy was confident. "We can take them."

"I suggest you don't do that, Luffy. According to what I heard, Vice Admirals are somewhere near the island," Robin warned while sitting comfortably on a boulder, one leg over the other. "Luckily, I think the Marines didn't exactly see any of us."

"Although why are they here in the first place?" Sanji pondered as he puffed one stick.

After a few more conversations, the crew present decided to venture deeper into the cave, to gain more distance from the men-in-white possibly on their tails. They needed to leave the island as early as possible. With Chopper and the others on board Sunny, Luffy, Robin, Sanji, and Usopp had to look for another exit from the dark.

As the crew went deeper and deeper, the light they had got dimmer and dimmer. When Robin's lamp was on its last spark, Usopp had to make ends meet. After some modifications, they proceeded. Until they found themselves in the entrance of a big area within the cave.

Furniture were everywhere - chairs, tables, even boards. Training equipment also littered the floor. Aside from the dumbbells, everything else were neatly arranged.

"It's as if someone is taking care of these things here," commented Robin while wiping a nearby table with a finger to check for dust.

The four pirates looked around the place. In Sanji's case, he found some notes neatly stacked on another table, pictures of plants stapled on some of them. He checked further. They were recipes for some dishes he thought of as interesting

All four were eyeing the room when soft echoes resonated from the darkness. Sanji and Luffy shot up, alert. Robin stood on her spot, her ears focusing on the intensifying sound. Usopp wrapped his hands around his weapon while shaking on his feet. From a distance, a flicker of light caught the attention of the pirates. All prepared for combat, fearing that the Marines have gained on them. When Sanji noticed a lone shadow within the approaching light, he loosened his stance, confused.

A few seconds passed and, from the opposite side of the room, a young male approached the pirates. Clad in torn clothing and holding a single torch, the male was also covered in dirt and mud, his real [Hair Colour] hair completely brown.

"This is unusual," said the male with a faint hint of surprise over his monotonous voice, "People are here. May I ask what your purpose is?"

"We got lost in this cave and we would like to get out," Sanji said politely, still treading with caution against the stranger.

The shorter male nodded and, without skipping a beat, turned around, offering his service to guide the pirates out of the cave. At first, all four were shocked by the kindness, but the male they encountered simply dispersed their thought after a few words.