Work Text:
When the Sunny pulls into the parking lot squeezed between two rickety old buildings, twilight has fully settled in. The group bounds off the bus, turning to Nami for directions. Luffy peers over her shoulder at the map.
“Where’re we goin’, Nami?”
Nami angles the map so Luffy can see better under the orange glow of the street lamp. “Here. There’s an old abandoned theater.”
Usopp chuckles nervously, glancing around at the darkened street. “Why do we always have to go to scary, abandoned places? Can’t we go somewhere normal for once?”
Zoro rolls his eyes. “Don’t be a chicken.”
Nami turns and motions for them to follow. “What he said. We’re going this way.”
The group trails after her, chatting.
“What do you guys think we’ll find?” Chopper questions.
“Probably a bunch of moth-eaten old costumes.” Sanji scoffs.
Nami makes a turn down a narrow, sloping alleyway. There are a few people scattered about—leaning against walls, smoking, stumbling drunk, but for the most part it’s quiet, empty. The few shops in the area are closed for the night. Cool moisture hangs in the air, chilling them.
A creak from deep within a side street has Usopp hiding behind Zoro, and Sanji stepping closer to Nami. They watch as Luffy moves to investigate the noise before Franky pulls him back.
“Don’t go getting distracted, little bro. We wouldn’t want…”
He trails off as the nearest street light flickers. On. Off. On. Off. Abruptly, all the lights in sight shut off. Usopp gives an eep as the group shuffles closer to each other.
“Maybe we should turn around?” Chopper suggests.
Luffy whines. “Nooo. We’re already here, we don’t need lights!”
As she steps closer to the streetlight, Robin hums. “A blackout does create the perfect hunting grounds for a serial killer.”
Usopp hugs himself, shivering. “Rooobiiinn. Don’t say things like that!”
She laughs as Nami cuts in. “Look, I think the fog’s gonna be bad tonight. It would be smart to head back to the Sunny.”
Sanji plays with his lighter. “Yeah, because we’re known for being smart.”
Luffy strides forward despite their protests. “We’re gonna go! Franky, flashlight?”
Franky laughs and starts pulling flashlights out of his backpack. “Here ya go, little bro.”
They turn on their flashlights as they continue down the hill. Around them, the fog rolls in. In no time at all, they can barely see down the street. In the distance, they can hear shouting and shattering. They scrunch closer together, hands drifting to hold onto each other.
Nami squints at her map, then down what can nearly be made out as a turn. “I think we go this way,” she says, hushed.
Robin goes to respond, but is cut off by a crackle from Franky’s backpack. “K6FRK, this is K6SAB—copy?”
Franky pulls his radio off his backpack. “Copy, this is K6FRK, what’s up?”
“—city is dark. Looting in the entertainment and diamond districts is turning into riots. I suggest cutting your adventure short—it’s gonna be a long night. Over.”
“Copy that. Historic district seems empty. Little bro isn’t gonna turn back. Over.”
“Copy.” There’s a sigh over the radio. “Stay away from the districts I mentioned. Be safe. K6SAB out.”
Luffy laughs as Franky clips the radio to his backpack. “Shishishi. Sabo’s such a worrywart! Let’s go.”
He strides down the cobblestone street even as Nami shakes her head at the map. “Idiot! I’m not sure that’s the right way!”
Luffy either doesn’t care or doesn’t hear her, disappearing into the fog. Sanji darts forward to catch up, the crew right behind him.
They meander down the winding roads until Nami calls them to a stop. “Okay. I think we need to go just one street over, then we’ll be there.” She looks mournfully up at the wrought iron fence they have stopped next to. “And the fastest way to get there would be to cut through this cemetery.”
Usopp blanches as he catches sight of the dark sign announcing this as the Florian Cemetery, flanked by scowling gargoyles. “No way. We are NOT doing that.”
Chopper hugs Robin as Nami rubs her face. “It’s either this or keep wandering in the fog. The theater is right across from the cemetery.”
Luffy ignores Usopp’s protests as he starts jangling the lock. “Hey, who’s gonna open this?”
Nami shoves Usopp towards the lock. “Get picking and I’ll reduce your debt.”
Usopp groans even as he pulls out his lock pick. “Now you make me do crime. Of course. Why not?”
After a minute of effort, the lock comes undone with a click and the gate creaks open, the sound echoing in the haze. For a moment, they stand there in the entrance, then a haunting sound washes over them.
It’s in equal parts beautiful and nerve wracking, a slow violin accompanied by a resounding, tragically sad voice. Nami takes a step back.
Usopp spins on his heel, prepared to run before Zoro grabs his collar. “Nope. We all go together.”
Usopp flounders. “But—g-ghosts!”
Luffy grins. “Really? Cool!”
Sanji puts his arm around Nami as she laments her choices. “Don’t worry, my sweet Nami. I would never allow a ghost to hurt you!”
Luffy leads them further into the cemetery. Usopp and Chopper squeak at every breeze and shifting branch as they get closer and closer to the source of the music. Until, finally, a towering, shifting shadow stands before them.
Luffy bounces on his heels. “Hey! Who’s there?”
The music stops. “Yohoho, I am Brook! What are you young fellows doing out so late?” The voice comes as the figure steps into the beams of their flashlights.
Nami shrieks and hides behind Sanji as Zoro pulls out his knife. The man is tall, thin. In the flashlight-cast shadows, the craters of his eyes and the hollows of his cheeks become even darker, painting a skeletal visage.
The crew scrambles back faster than most of them would be willing to admit. Luffy and Robin alone seem unaffected. Luffy smiles at the man. “We’re going on an adventure. Are you a skeleton?”
Brook hums. “I am not, though it seems I must appear so! Sometimes it feels as if I am as well.”
Luffy tilts his head. “Why are you playin’ music? You didn’t even know we were here to listen!”
“I’m playing for my friends,” he says, with a gesture towards the headstones he had stood in front of.
The crew practically hisses as Luffy passes the man and bends over the nearest headstone. “York Calicut?” He looks down the row. “Are all your friends dead?”
He nods. “Indeed.”
Luffy frowns. “That sucks. Hm. Hey, wanna be my friend?”
Brook pauses, then inclines his head with a smile. “Certainly. I accept.”
Robin laughs lightly as the crew erupts into protests.
“You can’t just befriend random old men in cemeteries!”
“What? No! He could be a creep for all you know!”
“Ahhh! He’s scary! What if he’s haunted!”
Luffy laughs at them. “Nuh-uh. He’s cool. Plus, he needs friends.”
Robin smiles. “Luffy, dear, may I suggest we return to the Sunny and save our planned activities for another time? As to not overwhelm our new friend.”
Luffy puts on his thinking face. “Hmmm. Yeah. Okay. Hey, are you coming back to the Sunny with us?”
Nami smacks his shoulder. “He probably has a home to…” She trails off as she tilts her flashlight higher and catches the threadbare coat, the tie hanging in tatters. She bites her tongue.
The man waves his hand. “I do not, but I wouldn’t want to intrude upon your…Sunny?”
Luffy grabs the man’s arm and starts dragging him the way they had come from. “It’s fine, you’re my friend, so you aren’t intrusioning!”
Chopper lightly corrects Luffy from where he’s pressed against Zoro. “Intruding.”
“Whatever!”
The crew, plus one, retraces their path through the cemetery. The fog clings to their clothes and hair, muffling their footsteps, but the shouts and flickering orange glow over the rooftops betray the sense of calm.
Nami leads the way until they’re startled by the sound of shattering glass. By the time they refocus on each other and Robin starts a headcount, their number has decreased by one.
“NAMI?!” Luffy shouts into the haze.
A muffled scream sounds out, but in the valley of old buildings, it echoes, coming from every direction at once. The crew bursts into worried murmurs, spinning around with their flashlights.
“Remain calm.” Robin commands. “We’ll split up and go in every direction to look for her. Let’s regroup at the Sunny before sunrise.”
They quickly partner up—Franky with Robin, Luffy with Chopper, Zoro with Usopp, and Sanji with Brook—and head into the fog.
Sanji eyes Brook. “C’mon, you weird old man. We’re gonna save her.”
They jog down the uneven streets and Sanji is surprised at how well the old man keeps up. Sanji snaps his head towards a dim light flickering through the haze. “This way!”
“Yohoho! There’s a church that way!”
Sanji goes up the church steps three at a time and slams the door open. Inside, the candelabras lining the walls have been lit and at the front of the room stands Nami, pulling away from the bearded man trying to kiss her.
With a burst of speed, Sanji darts down the aisle and aims a kick right at the man’s head. “Get away from her!” He roars. The creep crumples as the man who had been playing officiant tries to hit Sanji with his heavy book when Sanji turns to pull Nami away.
Brook’s cane sweeps up to block the book, sending it spinning into the pews. “My boy, get that young lady out of here!”
Sanji sweeps Nami into his arms without protest and runs out of the church. He stops at the bottom of the stairs and sets her down. “Are you alright, mellorine?”
Nami wipes her face as she tries to stop crying. “Sanji! He tried to make me marry him!”
Sanji glowers at the church, pulling Nami behind him as the doors burst open. He relaxes when Brook steps out, calmly making his way down the steps. “Those unpleasant fellows shouldn’t trouble you anymore.” He grins. “I have been awaiting a chance to handle that dreadful Absalom—another street man you see, but one without the faintest scrap of class!”
Nami stares at him, then laughs. Luffy really can pick them, can’t he?
Sanji nods. “Thanks…Brook.” He holds his arm out to Nami. “Let’s go. Maybe we’ll run into the others on the way.”
It takes an annoyingly long amount of time to find their way back to the Sunny—Nami’s map had been lost, and she was too frazzled to be of much help with navigation otherwise. Regardless, they are the first to get back. Nami and Brook sit on a bench near the Sunny while Sanji uses the bus radio to tell at least Franky that Nami’s safe.
With the heads up, Robin and Franky arrive next, covered in a truly suspicious amount of cobwebs.
By the grace of Usopp, he and Zoro arrive next. Surprisingly, they aren’t alone. Sanji practically falls over himself in surprise. “Miss Perona? Not that I’m not delighted to see you—but where did you come from?”
She sniffs and turns her nose up at him, so Zoro answers for her. “She got scared of the dark and was crying in her car.”
Perona pouts. “I am not scared of the dark! I’m scared of the looters and all the other horrible people around!”
Zoro scoffs at his sister, checking on Nami from afar while Usopp and Nami reunite tearfully.
When Luffy and Chopper get back, the sky has started to lighten. As soon as the Sunny is in sight, Luffy starts running. “NAMI!!!” He shouts, tackle hugging her. “You okay?”
She smiles as Chopper runs up and bursts into tears, wrapping his arms around her as well. “I’m okay. Sanji and Brook saved me hours ago.”
Luffy laughs and looks at the pair. “Thanks, guys!”
Franky and Robin start herding the group onto the bus. Brook marvels at the soft cushions and colorful interior as Franky starts the bus and Nami takes her place in shotgun. As Brook finds a spot, the sun shines through the Sunny’s windows. The crew watches the way this strange old man relaxes into their space, the light illuminating his features, and they get right back to discussing when they can try for that abandoned theater again.