Travelling with the pirate Doma to get to Zou under a native's instruction was a bit challenging. 

The captain trusted his friend who was the one proposing the living compass but was still wary of said compass because of his weird instruction and him being an animal. 

There were also this talking alligator and this blond chef that may cooked them surprisingly sating meals was also super rude just because there wasn't any female crewmember. Well, Doma would have let him know that if he went as far as he was was certainly not because of female's presence.

Ace, being the nice-guy and mediator, calmed everyone down by telling his adventures at Totto land, the nation that accepted every species so everyone could live peacefully under a tyrant's rule. 

As soon as he landed on Black island, one of the subdiary island of Whole Cake island, he learned quite the politics of the nation by serving freely himself in eating all the structures on his way. He befriended a lot of people with his politeness and seduced quite the homies by his easigoing nature. Thanks to that, he learned that Sanji crashed the Striker, got into the main land and was working as chef, got promoted at Big Mom and her children's private chef and wasn't allowed to be seen in public.

From there, he had to find a solution out once the month's up and allied himself to a mink so they could immediately head to Zou after getting out of the place. He met the wolf mink Okami at Cacao island and managed to convince him to accompany to his homeland in exchange of assuring his way out. Then, because they needed a way of transport, they tried to persuade a homie from the seducing woods at Whole Cake island to serve as mean of locomotion to hide Sanji's presence only to settle with Gator the alligator because Okami seemed to know him. And thankfully, because the homie owuld have report his presence to the queen immediatly. After his used his superhuman speed to avoid being caught, it would have been a waste.

But because Doma would be 'attacking' an emperor's territory, they chose to plan a fake death for Sanji too. And Ace only got the idea after watching Charlotte Brulee's power for a week while hiding in the seducing woods. The woman had her own little cottage there, probably to ambush any intrusion if there were, Ace used the alligator's body to interact with her and convinced her to check up on Sanji regularily and even transform herself into Sanji so to have a little of his cooking ability. And because Ace could be quite the speaker, he got to make her transform a caterpillar into Sanji so the double could be used to deceive the Big Mom pirates in the fake death to explain the disapearance of the chef.

Now, out of reach of the emperor's clutch and sailing with a mink's directive, they finally reached Zou to get the second road poneglyph.

"That's a huge elephant."

"Because it was in constant movement that it took us so long to reach."

"It seemed that some people did find their way there."

The yellow submarine seemed to be attached to the hind leg for some time now, and quite tight as it was swept unfazedly by the waves. Ignoring it as there didn't look like to be anyone onboard, they had to decide how to climb to the top. Okami had its own way being a native and Sanji could easily jump, but Ace's leap wouldn't made it pass 5 meters and then he had to climb by himself while carrying Gator. Sanji took pity on them and suggested to carry them on his back but Ace had to hold on Gator then. Doma and his crew chose to part with them here as they weren't that curious to leave their ship behind and thanked Sanji's last meal made from a recipe of Attack Cuisine before sailing away.

"Oh, right, Oars Jr. told me to reassure you that your ship was in good hands."

"Nice to hear!"

"Thanks a lot, Doma! See you!"

The climb didn't take long with Sanji being really fast even with added weights and the three arrived before Okami in mid-afternoon. As they settled on the gigantic elephant's rear, both Sanji and Ace's attention zeroed on the little monkey that hid himself in the watchtower. They let the being go when it didn't do anything than observing them and waited for Okami who finished climbing with Gator's help.

Only then did the monkey showed up.

"Ete! Could it be...Okami, is that you?!"

The little monkey jumped from his height point to landed in his mink friend's arms.

"Bariete! I'm glad to see you're healthy! Garchu!"

"Garuchu! It's been so long! Pedro said that you stayed with Pekoms and we won't be seeing you for a long time!"

"To be honest, I wasn't sure I could ever come back, but thanks to those nice gentlemen, it was a dream come true!"

The two minks looked at them with much gratitude.

"Is that so! Then, that means they're friends! Let me ring the Welcoming Bell!"

"You do that, I'll just lead them to the others at Kurau city."

They passed through the entrance gate with the inscription of Mokomo Dukedom and had to walk through a forest before arriving to the city. The ground was uneven and difficult to walk on, Okami explained that Zunesha was already a thousand years old and its skin could only be rough and rippled. Ace was then fascinated by the original form of the trees growing on the way, while Sanji was clinging to him to prevent in case insects would barge in front of them. However, it was something else that came up.

"Watch out, eruption rain!" Gator called out.

A huge amount of water suddenly poured down to soak them up. Okami and Gator were ready, reminded by old memories, and climbed to the closest tree but Sanji and Ace chose to stick to their place, not scared of a little rain. Except, it was not your usual body of water that flowed away and the pressure the rain fell was making even Sanji staggered and he almost lost composure and Ace lost his stance due to be smacked in the face by a huge fish and then weakened by the contact of sea water.

"What the hell was that?" Sanji yelled out after catching Ace before he got swept out.

"Well, you know how Zunesha's an elephant. So you also know it had a trunk that could suck water, he does it and spray on its back twice a day. The water carried sea animals and it provides us foods."

"Could have warn us beforehand."

"My bad, I just got remembered of the fact, it's been awhile I was last here."

"Wait, wasn't Gator the one who named it? You've been here before? I mean, your soul was there?"

"I explain it once we'll arrive in the city. I'd like to meet a person and tell him first."

Okami made a melancholic smile with his wolf features before keeping on their path, now wet, with Ace barely making it through.

The inhabitants of Kurau city were already waiting for them, all standing to leveled place and not one bit bothered by the water flowing through the drains and aqueducs. As Okami was leading the way, he was the first one the Minks saw and they all welcomed him warmly. He got a handful of garchu whatever it was supposed to mean and even congratulations for finally making it despite the rumor of his low chance of returning. Then, because they looked to be such merry tribe, a feast was decided when the ruler heard that it was thanks to the two visitors.

"I'm Duke Inuarashi, I thank you sincerely for bringing back my people. You are welcome as long as you like to stay, young men."

Both of them had to look up to meet eyes with the 5 meters canine mink and waved off the thanks as they needed a native to be lead there. Then, Sanji proposed to be part of the cooking staff to prepare the feast, never one to let his cooking skills go unnoticed.

Unfortunately, once sit down to table, it made him realize that the mink had some societal convention that he did not necessarily approve. Safe if the minkship was initiated by the females.

"Such a nice way to greet people! Minkship is the best!" He gushed while responding a garchu of a female cat.

"Then you should let us garchu you too, Sanji!"

"No way, only the ladies!"

"Just let him be! Let's keep partying! Let's drink and eat till full! You guys are so fun and had nice drinks!" Ace guffawed raising his tankard.

"Ace you're much nicer! Garchu!"

They kept celebrating the return of one of theirs, trying to garchuing Sanji who kept surrounding him of female minks and actually garchuing Ace who was unbothered till he suddenly fell asleep in the middle of chewing, shocking everyone.

"Nah, don't worry, he tends to do that, just get the foods out of his way and he will come back in no time.""

"So, it's not because he worned out his energy?" Okami had to ask for having witnessed the thing for awhile without daring to ask.

"It's just narcolepsy, he had no control over it but we're lucky he didn't fall during tremondous actions. The alligator's not eating?"

"Just picky about the foods, I fear eating my own."

Only then the minks noticed that the reptilian that came with them could talk and wondered what kind of creature was it because it definitely didn't look like their own.

"It's going to be hard to believe but I am in fact one of yours. I was once a polar bear mink before my demise and Big Mom making me an homie by putting my soul in an alligator, that's how this body could talk and letting me rekindle with you all."

Everyone was too stunned to say anything, waiting for the name drop.

"It's me, Zepo!"

Everyone gasped and someone dropped from a tree branch, putting Sanji at ease now that the stealth presence was finally in the open and he could relaxed without having to use constantly observation haki or worried about being ambushed.

"Zepo? You're really Zepo?" The jaguar mink asked with trembling voice.

"Pedro! I'm glad to see you're alive after what happened!"

"Yeah, I managed to come back by impressing Big Mom and keeping some of my lifespan. So she put your soul in this body."

"I worked hard and climbed among her officers and almost lost myself to her cause when Okami finally came to me and remind me of our purpose so I used the fact the two lesser minks leaving Totto land to tag along."

"So we own them big time."

"Oh, it's alright. As we said, we needed a native to lead us to you, Gator-I mean, Zepo was a bonus that helped me get out unnoticed too."

"And so that was why Okami insisted to have this homie in particular. Good thing the alligator was also big enough to hide human body inside him."

Sanji smirked hearing the minks around Ace startle by him waking up as abrutly he fell asleep. They exchanged a look and Ace nodded since they all seemed done eating.

"Well, now, we're on the subject of Big Mom and Totto land, would it be alright if we got a peek of you guys' poneglyph?"

Now, the mood turned 180 degree and no one was in the mind of celebration anymore. And neither Okami nor Gator, well Zepo, seemed to be on their side too.

"You boys may have bring us our people, it's not reason to give you whatever you ask from us. Who to say we have what you're looking for?" Duke Inuarashi spoke up using a diplomatic approach.

"Oh, we had an approved source that assured us that you guys keep a road poneglyph from prying eyes. And you bet it, we've been in Big Mom's territory to get hers."

"And you got out unscathered?" Pedro questionned them with suspicion, his only eye squinting dangerously.

"Hell, do we look like in bad condition?"

"How did you even do that? Big Mom's power must have took a toll on you, then."

"Not at all. I posed as one of her chefs and slides pass her tribute with the incarnations, so she didn't lay a hand on either of our soul. Anyway, what's the big deal? We just need a peek of the road poneglyph, it's not like we could steal it. You guys knew how massive the stele is."

"Unfortunately, we can't just hand one of our treasure that we've protected for centuries to anyone, even saviors of our kind."

Well, they expected it wouldn't be that easy. Sanji didn't have to look at Ace for the next thing he was going to say, they already prepared for it.

"How about a trade? I have here with me the rubbings of Big Mom's poneglyphes. I give it to you and you let me copy yours."

"How do we know it's the real one?"

"Do you lot know how to read it? Too bad, we neither, so basically we don't have any certitude other than trust. We didn't try to deceive any of you, did we?"

"Let us have a look of your rubbings and we'll talk."

"What if I show it to you and you still refuse your end of the deal?"

"Give it up, Sanji, we're in their ground. They could literally kick us out with the excuse of our bad manner."

And since they didn't comment of Ace's unique behavior and Sanji's rudeness toward one part of Minks, they couold consider themselves lucky to be still here. Sanji grumbled just for good mesure and pulled out the two rubbings he kept with him. The Duke and the jaguar who seemed to be some big shot looked thoroughly at the inscriptions.

"That certainly looked like ancient inscriptions."

"Why are there two of them?"

"Big Mom had two poneglyphes. One red and one blue. Didn't really pay attention which is which when I copied it, I was in hurry. And as I said, I can't read it."

The minks took some moment to debate before folding the rubbings and giving it back to Sanji.

"We had to discuss it with the other ruler of Mokomo dukedom. Fortunately, he will take his turn in a moment, and you will have your answer. Wanda, Pedro, I let the rest to you."

"Yes, Duke Inuarashi."

And the duke and most of the inahbitant all left to go to their quarter. Okami embraced again some of his dear friends but stayed behind with only three minks. Pedro, the so called dog mink Wanda and a bunny minkt. She said her name was Carrot and was playing with Zepo, because too entranced to see someone she once knew being a bear to come back being an alligator.

"Wait, what just happened? Why did everyone went home?"

"They will be resting."

"It's only 6pm, Wanda-chan?"

"The dukedom had two rulers. The day is ruled by Duke Inuarashi you just met, nighttime is with Master Nakomamushi. because of a conflict, the two of them couldn't stand each other and decided to separate their ruling times."

"Like cat and dog, huh?" Ace snickered.

Pedro the jaguar berely raised at the taunt. "You could say that. Zepo, I think you'd like to see who will be coming with Master Nekomamushi."

Already on his hind legs, the alligator appeared taller when he straightened at that and he stretched to look for who his friend was referencing at the first apparition of night inhabitants.

Sanji only reacted when his eyes landed on humans in a fashionless overall and his eyes turned enamored upon seeing the only lady of the bunch.

"You have humans with you?"

"One of them was a native of Zou, he lead his friends there and are taking shelter while waiting for their last member."

"And what would be the lady's name? My dear flower, allow me fix you something to eat! Would you like it to be light for you who just start your day or something more consistant in case you've been up all day?"

The lady in her white overall and afro looked surprised to see another human and glanced at her friends for a back-up, but all attention turned to their other friend, the second tallest of the bunch in a unique orange boiling suit and it appeared to be the mink of the group, and a polar bear at that.

"Bepo, is that you? How you grew up!"

Who, of course, would know the formely mink polar bear. Even their name looked alike.

"Eh? Do I know you? You can't be a mink, since there is no alligator mink, yet you speak human langage too?"

"Last we see each other, you were still only a cub! When I left you at Zou to look for the poneglyphes with the nox expedition party, I couldn't have known that I would not be back and how I regret that I couldn't bid you farewell properly!"

"Eh? Eh? Poneglyph research? Nox espedition? Could it be...you're...Zepo-nii?!"

With the confirmation from the alligator, the polar bear broke into tears and rushed to embrace his brother, both of them ugly crying yet the scene looking quite endearing.

"Eh??? Bepo's brother is an alligator??!" The bear's friends bellowed with shock.

The lady recovered first when Sanji slided a special cocktail under her nose. Since she didn't answer earlier, he assumed he could at least serve her a drink.

"Long story. Let's just say that he will be and will remain here with us, thanks to strange twist of fate," Wanda answered them but especially to the 5 meters tall cat.

Probably the other ruler, master Nekomamushi, Ace assumed as he saw Pedro exchanging a look with.

"Well, it's good thing for you, Bepo! Now, we just had to wait for captain's return and we will be reunited!" The one with a penguin hat said with a determinated expression despite his eyes being hidden.

"Oh yeah, you became a pirate too, my little brother? I saw your wanted poster, it seemed that the world government think of you as pet."

"Well, Bepo sort of is captain's most close crewmember," the ginger haired with a hat and a pair of shades mumbled.

"So you guys are pirates. And the yellow submarine belonged to you. Your jolly roger on your uniform reminds me of something, but do tell you crew name."

"Why, we are the Heart pirates!"

"Oh, you're Trafalgar Law's crew from North Blue! Man, I hope to meet him so I could thank him for what he done!"

"Hey? Thanks our captain? What did he do for?"

"Save Luffy's life, of course!"

Right, Sanji remembered that Ivankov said that the super rookie interverned at the end to save Luffy's life upon escaping Marineford thanks to Boa Hancock's distraction.

"Huh, you're friend of Strawhat Luffy?"

Sanji's the one to answer before Ace started his litany about how great Luffy was and that, of course, he knew his little brother. "You could say that. Ace here is his fan."

"Ace? Come to talk about it, your face reminded me of someone," Penguin hat said.

So much for Sanji's intervention! He's the one who made them being caught in their cover.

"Eh, I guess you could say I'm a big fan of Luffy's brother too."

With that, Ace get rid of his coat, reveling the huge tattoo he's so proud of, and Sanji's surprised it took him so long to do so. Ace showed it off proudly and was going to say he was so fan that he decided to emulate his entire appearance when master Nekomamushi jumped to see the drawing closer.

"Whitebeard's jolly roger! You're from Whitebeard pirates?!"

"Hell yeah!"

"So was I! Well, for a time. And the dog too, I guess. Why didn't you say so earlier? So you're looking for the road poneglyph and I get that I'm the first to know your relation with Whitebeard?? Ha, take that, wet dog!"

Speaking of cat and dog attitude. The two really didn't look to get along, making his subjects sweatdrop.

"Huh, right! I mean, Marco told me we'll need a Zou native to get there, because he got from a validated source there's one poneglyph, but he didn't tell me that the source would be from the ruler themselves!"

"Oh, we weren't ruler of Mokomo kingdom when we sailed with the Whitebeard pirates, but we befriended them and maintained a strong bond, I'd like to think. How is Marco and the lot doing?"

"Last I hear, they're doing well. Marco's the first division commander and is pop's personal doctor, but it's hard to make the old man hear anything!"

They started talking about the Whitebeard pirates while laughing loudly about the stories, stunning the rest of the inhabitants. The Heart pirates regrouped themselves with Bepo not letting go of his big brother, that will have to eventually tell him the truth, while the rest of the minks asked the three minks from day time who were those two new people while welcoming Okami back among them. Sanji swooned and garchu the female minks that answered back after a nod from Pedro and Wanda, before going to prepare them something.

Soon, a second banquet was announced when master Nekomamushi was enjoying the talk too much and needed aperitif to go with. In the middle of it, Ace and Nekomamushi came to an agreement and decided to let them have a look to the famous poneglyph by accepting the trade. So the night ruler led the two men to the Whale forest passing before some residential district to the Whale tree's tail where a secret entrance was hidden. Only the master, the two of them and Pedro were present, prefering leaving the Heart crew in the dark for now.

Inside the tree, there was a vast room, large enough to held the immense red stele with a drawing as huge on one wall.

"Hm? This drawing reminds me of something..." Ace looked thoughtful while Sanji didn't waste anytime to copy the poneglyph with the brand new paper he got from Doma, much to the minks' surprise to see his preparedness.

"It's the Kozuki emblem. The mink tribe had centuries long history with the clan and even longer story with Wano. That's why the dog and me sailed to the isolated country years ago. Unfortunately, we've been forced to leave after some troubles and leave the country in its misery."

"I see. I saw how the remoted area were suffering from said misery and I intended to change some of that by heading there as soon as we got the poneglyph of Zou. Unfortunately, last time I invaded the country to defy the oppressor, he was absent and I also realized I wasn't strong enough anyway. Pops even refused to let me raid again since he said his former second commander, Oden, didn't manage to defeat him."

At the name, the cat chocked up and took some time to recover.

"Yeah, Kaidou was one hell of a monster, and that's not even talking about Orochi. We lot are waiting for the return of comrads before doing anything as it would be just suicidal to attack now."

"Well, I can understand that and I even have an idea when it would be the time to strike, so you could count on my help when that time comes."

"That's good to know. I'm glad to know that Wano still had a ray of hope."

They turned to Sanji who just jumped down after finishing his job and pulling out the two rubbings for the exchange.

"What about you if you let us the rubbings you got from Big Mom?" Pedro spoke up after staying in retreat.

"I already copied it, of course. In a more easy dimension to hide too."

That said, he fold the new rubbings and put it with the two copies in smaller version he copied on their ally's ship.

They returned to the party to see the Heart crew having enjoyed themselves too much and were now wasted.

And although they wanted to sail immediately, they had an issue as they didn't have a mean of transport. They told Doma they only need a ride to Zou because they couldn't be taking too much of their time as they were infamous pirate that did pirate activity to keep their reputation, and they didn't expect to be that quick to be honest. And they couldn't ask the former Totto land denizens minks to help them as they just reunited with their own, besides it's not like they would survive long by swimming only.

"Don't suppose you have a spare boat for us?"

The only lady, Ikkaku, Sanji learned her name, slurred her answer while trying to sit up.

"Nop, only the Polar Tang. And only those two dumbasses with their idiotic hat knew how to navigate it. Though I'm the mechanic of the monster. I guess I could tinker you a raft or something."

"That would marvellous of you, Ikkaku-chan! That such a beautiful flower could be an amazing engeener too, we're so lucky to have your help!"

"Yeah, I know, I'm too amazing!" She said before promptly falling asleep.

Looked like they will be staying at Zou for a moment.

 

The creation of the raft took three days.

In the meantime, they were offered to stay in a hut in the Rightflank fortress and even new clothes to dress. They said it was tradition for friendly visitors and Sanji accepted gratefully. Albeit he got to shower regularily on the last ship, he had to keep his usual attire everytime because he possessed only that. At Zou, even though he didn't have any products (having left most of his belongings at Totto land to keep the image he was murdered), he got to change making feel fresher and better in his skin. He's even more glad when the Minks said he could keep it and even took another set of outfit if that's what he required. Ace got his own too, though he didn't put it the whole time staying there, only weraing it the last day to hide his tattoo once back on the sea.

To build the boats, Ikkaku used the trees of the entrance's forest and tinkered it so it could somehow be powered by both of their fire ability, with Ace's guidances. Sanji tried to peek on them, but was only rebuffed because his simping attitude was way too annoying. So he spent the time talking to the rest of the Heart pirates, who mostly sailed from North Blue, except for the tallest member Jean Bart, with most of the anecdotes ending about the Strawhats crew.

Sanji refused to admit he was as much of a fanboy as Ace, because at least he talk about all members and not just Luffy. Though, the Heart crew only knew Luffy too.

He also kept cooking for everyone and accepting the minkship with every female minks, enjoying the garchu a lot, and rejecting the male minks with all his heart.

Eventually, those three days came to an end and they were send off by the day ruler and the three kingbirds who worked for both rulers.

"You know, I just know that Luffy will drop there too, so once he's here, please welcome him as warmly you did for us!"

"If he's as much of a fun than you, you bet! We'll make sure to ring the Bell of Welcome and told them about you guys for leaving them the rubbings!"

"Sure, and let's all keep our hopes up for Wano! See you!"

And Ace tugged at Sanji so they leapt to the void instead of sliding on their raft on Zunesha's rear, shocking everyone in the assistance.

 

They didn't know that the next time they would ring wouldn't be the Welcome Bell but the Raiding Bell and it wouldn't be Luffy. Not yet, anyway, though they did end up welcoming warmly the Strawhats because the bunch is just so lovable.