Storyline
Flashback two days ago, Capone has gunned down Pekoms with a machine gun blast from his palm, shocking Sanji and Brook. For a brief moment, Brook glimpses little men in Capone’s palm, but Capone hides his hand back in his coat pocket as he calls Pekoms useless from the moment he allowed himself to listen to his feelings. Capone declares that he is now taking the lead in these negotiations and orders his men out. A castle gate then opens on Capone’s stomach and several small men come rushing out. However, once they move a few inches away from Capone’s body, the small men grow to normal size. Quickly, Capone outnumbers Sanji and Brook with his men and has them surrounded. He explains that he ate of the castle fruit and is a castle man. Further, they should not underestimate him, as he is of the same generation of pirates as their captain Luffy. Capone’s current bounty is 300 million berry. However, Sanji and Brook don’t want to surrender without a fight and get ready to fight. Capone figured as much and calls for his right hand man Vito. The latter emerges from a bush with Nami and Chopper, who are immediately threatened by several guns. Nami and Chopper apologize, as they only went along surreptitiously for safety, but were caught in the process. They didn’t know there were more enemies on the island. Vito walks over to Capone and whispers something in his ear. Shortly after, he calls out to the treetops that Caesar should show himself as well, if not, his men would fire sea stone bullets into all the trees. Immediately, the gas man jumps out of his hiding place, frightened, whereupon Capone explains that he doesn’t have any sea stone balls, but he does have sea stone rods. With one of them, Caesar is immediately pinned to the ground by one of Capone’s men. Capone wants to discuss everything else in his castle before the Minks become aware of them.
Present: Luffy doesn’t understand what Capone means by castle, whereupon Nami explains that Capone is a living castle through his Devil Fruit, in that he can hold as many people as he wants. Brook explains that they didn’t have much choice, as Capone soon put chains on them and had them taken away.
Flashback, in Capone’s castle: Nami, Caesar, Chopper and Brook are in chains and guarded by Capone’s men. Sanji is sitting at a large table when out of nowhere a crowd appears on the opposite side, morphing into Capone, who apologizes for being late. When Capone offers something to eat or drink, Sanji declines. He wants to know what he wants from him. Capone then explains that he was ordered by Big Mom to deliver Sanji an official invitation to Big Mom’s tea party. Sanji asks why he would go to such a thing, to which Capone replies that it’s because of the highlight of the party, a wedding. Capone opens Big Mom’s official invitation, which states that the third son of the Vinsmoke family, Sanji Vinsmoke, will be marrying Charlotte Linlin’s 35th daughter, Charlotte Pudding. While Nami, Brook, and Chopper are shocked that Sanji is to be married, Sanji has gone completely pale and is so shocked that his cigarette falls out of his mouth after hearing his full name. Capone throws him the invitation and Sanji angrily wonders why he has to see his family name again after all these years. He asks Capone who came up with the idea of the wedding, to which Capone explained that it was Sanji’s family. Brook can hardly believe what he’s hearing, as the name Vinsmoke sends shivers down his spine. Nami doesn’t know anything about Sanji’s family, but remembers how Sanji once casually mentioned while they were on Jaya and found Noland the Liar’s book at Mont Blanc Cricket that he was born in Northblue, while he later grew up in East Blue. However, as soon as Sanji mentioned this, he changed the subject, which Nami found odd even then. Brook explains that this confirms his suspicions, as it would be almost impossible for a normal family to travel between the two blues, as they are separated from the Redline. Caesar continues to point out to the Straw Hats that Charlotte Linlin is Big Mom’s real name, making Sanji marry a daughter of Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors. When this happens, making Sanji part of Big Mom’s family, the Straw Hat Pirates become underlings of Big Mom. However, Sanji closes the invitation and states that he has no plans to go to this party. He throws the invitation in front of Capone and explains that he would never marry someone he doesn’t know. Furthermore, he also doesn’t want the Straw Hat Pirates to become underlings of Big Mom, since Luffy will eventually be the king of the pirates. Capone explains that Sanji must be misunderstanding something, since he didn’t wait for the latter’s response. He just wanted to show him the invitation to enlighten him about the situation. He reminds him that they are all currently in his body and he would have already made his way to Big Mom.
Outside Capone: Capone’s body moves slowly, without emotion as if he were under a trance, away from Pekoms.
Inside Capone: Sanji stands up angrily as suddenly the table in front of him becomes a blade pointed at Sanji’s throat. Capone explains that if Sanji wants a fight, he’ll gladly fight him, but in here, everything would listen to Capone. Cannons suddenly appear from the ground, while the chandeliers also become blades, all aimed at Sanji. Suddenly Nami is heard screaming, which slowly sinks into the ground. Sanji asks Capone to stop, who brings Nami back up out of the ground and makes the guns disappear again. Capone explains that even if he doesn’t take Sanji to Big Mom by force right now, she will come. Vito joins in and explains that there are two things that everyone in the New World knows. The first being that Big Mom hates bitter sweets, the second being that she hates empty seats at her tea party. Supposedly, anyone, even the devil, would come to a tea party hosted by Big Mom if she sent out an invitation to that person, otherwise the person would regret it for the rest of their life. When Vito whispers in Sanji’s ear what will happen if he refuses to come, terror is once again written on the ship’s cook’s face. Sanji asks where they got this information, to which Capone smiles and calls it a stupid question.
| TV Episode Guide | Zou Arc (Anime) |
