As Charlotte Pudding skipped gaily down the hall, passing servants couldn't help but comment to one another.

"She looks so blissful, our Pudding-chan!"

"No reason she shouldn't. Tomorrow's her wedding day, after all!"

"I can't wait to see the bride in all her finery! A woman shines brightest in a wedding gown, you know!"

"And no one shines quite like Pudding-chan!"

The girl in question blushed and giggled merrily at these comments, which only made her admirers exclaim anew on her burgeoning virtues. With all outward displays of innocent delight, Pudding swept along, buoyed up by their earnest well-wishes and brimming with the ecstasy of a virgin bride-to-be.

Moments after her departure, when the servants had gone on their way and the corridor was empty, a lone figure emerged from hiding. Wearing a ceremonial white party dress with a red half-cape held by golden clasps, the Germa princess Vinsmoke Reiju continued to tail her future sister-in-law.

That display of star-struck worship back there was nothing new to her. No matter whom she spoke to since arriving at Whole Cake Island, everyone here had nothing but loving words to say about their precious Pudding-chan. How kind she was. How thoughtful. How generous. Truthful. Obedient. Talented. Attractive. Well-spoken. Sweet-smelling! PERFECT! You couldn't have made a more sublime human being if you read the ingredients out of a cookbook. Sugar, spice, and everything nice.

Perfect? Kind? Here, in the heart of an Emperor's territory? Whole Cake Island, domain of the infamously cruel and gluttonous Big Mom herself?

More like 'sugar and spice will cost you your life.'

Reiju stole down the halls of the colossal candy fortress. At times she found herself wondering if the bricks and pillars which formed this building were no more than gingerbread and candy tricked up to look less inviting so no one would take a bite. The sweet smell of syrup and pastries lurked in every breath she took. There were hundreds of rooms throughout the complex, and the tour their expansive host had conducted couldn't even cover a tenth of them. Still, it had been helpful in giving her a basic idea of the structure's layout. That allowed a certain degree of reassurance when conducting discreet business. Right now Father and her younger siblings were gleefully enjoying the largesse of the Queen of Souls. All except Sanji, of course. The others would drink their fill tonight and awake the next morning no worse for wear. Vinsmoke Judge's confident eagerness to see this wedding take place had made him careless.

But his daughter had one more reason than them to be concerned about the wedding tomorrow. Her baby brother was the unwilling groom. And though she couldn't save him from wedded bliss, Reiju was determined at the very least to verify the true temperament of his charming spouse. As Sanji's big sister, it was one small kindness she had to offer. Her wedding gift, as it were.

There was that. Plus whenever a member of the Charlotte Family looked at her, Reiju couldn't shake the suspicion they were all laughing on the inside. Sanji might be in real danger. That alone was enough to motivate her on this expedition.

So the sultry warrior had followed Pudding, intending to see if there was another side to her. She had experience with clandestine protection gigs, as a mercenary-for-hire. This was little different. But more than once she had to wonder if her target was somewhat more aware of her presence than her carefree demeanor might have led on.

Case in point. Upon exiting the hallway, Reiju found herself in a cavernous room lit up like the sun despite the storm raging outside these very walls. Trees and bushes grew everywhere, trimmed into fantastic shapes. Most were sentient, possessing faces and limbs thanks to the power of Charlotte Linlin, matriarch of the Charlotte family and Queen of Souls. As a result, Reiju was forced to exercise even greater caution not to allow any of those cheerfully anthropomorphic creatures from spotting her. In Whole Cake Chateau, there were literally eyes and ears everywhere.

Doing so caused her to lose sight of Pudding for a while. When she did catch up, it was to find the saintly girl passing beneath the bower entrance of what looked like a garden maze. The kind royalty used to amuse and frustrate their guests. It wasn't too large, which meant she needn't fear losing Pudding inside it. But the very fact the girl had gone in there roused her suspicious. What other reason could there be, other than she suspected someone was tailing her and was trying to lose them? Or perhaps Pudding had another activity planned, out of sight where no one could see. An assignation with a secret lover, perhaps? Only one way to find out.

The Vinsmoke assassin passed unseen through the chamber and entered the hedge maze. Only a few steps ahead the path split in two. Right or left? Though muffled, the sound of Pudding's footsteps reached her ears clearly. Reiju moved in pursuit without making a sound.

Roses grew on the cultivated walls of this arboreal labyrinth. Their fragrance could almost be called sweet, and the riot of various colors immediately brought candy to mind. It was almost suffocating. Honey trap; a more apt description of this island did not exist. Lured in by sweet scents. Let your guard down. By then it was already too late. You had entered the lion's den. There was no getting out.

A few twists and turns later, and Reiju was starting to feel uncomfortably disoriented. She could retrace her steps with ease to leave the maze. But for some reason it seemed to go on longer than she had originally envisioned. How deep in are we?

She's leading me somewhere. I'm sure of it. An attack might lie at the heart of the maze, or around the next corner.

The faint murmur of voices came from up ahead. Reiju crept to the corner and held still, back to the wall while attempting to tease out their words. A quick glance down the lane showed only a straight passage around fifteen feet long. But unlike all the other roads here, this one ended at a curtain of flowering vines which cut off any view of what lay ahead.

Have I reached the end? Cautiously the concerned noblewoman crept down the roofless passage. Her movements made no sound. Her breathing was tightly controlled, and every well-trained sense at her disposal was alert for whatever surprises might lie in store.

"Lovely miss…"

A syrupy sweet voice sang, and Reiju froze. One long-nailed hand emerged from up ahead to part the curtain invitingly.

"…won't you join me?"

I'm caught. The trap was sprung. Nothing to do but go ahead and count the lion's teeth. With that Reiju Vinsmoke abandoned any attempt at subterfuge and strode down the aisle, brushing through the floral barrier with calm assurance.

She had indeed reached the center of the maze where was finally revealed a square room bordered by flourishing vegetation. There was no other entrance that she could spy, but four large statues were positioned at each corner. One appeared to be a soda glass in the shape of a sweetish fish, across from which rose a bear made of biscuits. Another resembled a mochi eel or worm, and the last proved to be a rabbit crafted out of chocolate.

These four looming guardians were not the only items of interest. At the center of this otherwise empty spot was a small table of curved metal with a pair of matching chairs. Tea for two had been set out by the looks of it. Far more cause for concern, however, was the figure standing to her right.

The 'lion' proved to have quite a few teeth. Lots, in fact, and he ran his tongue over them in a way that filled her with revulsion.

She passed beneath the arch and turned to face him. He allowed the garland strands to drop, sealing them in together. Thus Reiju found herself face-to-face with Charlotte Perospero, Minister of Candy and first of all Big Mom's children.

She took the chance to study him up close. The Candy Man was nowhere near his mother's gigantic dimensions, nor even those of his closest siblings. Yet he still towered over a regular-sized human like her. Perospero was skinnier than any person who reputedly survived on a diet of candy had any right to be. He wore curly-toed shoes which only added to his bizarre appearance. A long yellow coat sporting candy wrapper buttons encased his spare frame from throat to ankle, like he was a peppermint stick in a wrapper. Pale-skinned hands with pointed purple fingernails wrapped around the haft of a striped candy staff with a curled lollipop head. As usual, his thin lips curved in a smile, but the grotesquely long tongue sticking past them served to rob this gesture of any possible warmth. Much like his mother, Perospero's mouth took up most of his face. Those narrow golden eyes held the same implicit threat as their parent's. A balloon-like hat with polka-dot flaps covered his head. The candy sorcerer gave his staff of office a lick, never taking his eyes off Reiju as he did.

Perospero swept an arm out past him. "Please take a seat, Lady Vinsmoke. I gather it's time we eldest tots of our respective families had a little chat."

"Thank you, Lord Perospero," she smiled sweetly back at him and sauntered over to the table. He followed, going so far as to pull her chair out in gentlemanly fashion. Reiju crossed her bare legs as she sat down. Above her the pirate chuckled, perhaps in acknowledgement at this show of feminine temptation. It still got his attention. Reiju was not above using any weapons she might have at her disposal, and the body she owed to science and a lifetime of insane physical training was one of them. Whether or not he found her appealing in any way was not evident as the Candy Man took his seat opposite. They watched one another, smiles firmly in place and hands where both could see them. Let the games begin.

At this point Reiju got a good look at the table's contents. Rather than a formal tête-à-tête, the display before her proved passing odd. The tabletop was bedecked in concentric rings of black and white checkerboard squares. Arranged on individual spaces were exactly 16 identical teacups. On a hotplate at the center there sat a fat little teapot, its spout steaming away. A sugar bowl and honey pot with wooden ladle also were present.

"How did you enjoy our garden maze, my lady?"

"A charming construct." The Vinsmoke royal permitted him the first salvo. "I gather this secluded tea party of yours has something to do with our siblings' imminent wedding?"

"Not at all," her counterpart in the Charlotte family demurred with easy grace. "This is simply my regular late-evening tea. I never miss a chance to catch up on some reading with a cup before bed."

"How charming." The words held only polite circumspection. Butter wouldn't have melted in her mouth. At the same time, Reiju's pulse was racing at the knowledge of her predicament. Isolated in a not-easily accessible location with a lethal killer. Of course, whether he recognized it or not, the exact same assessment was true for Perospero. She would not hesitate to end his life if it appeared his intentions truly were nefarious.

"I've heard rumors…"

Reaching out, the deceptively frail candy maker lifted up the pot of tea. Perospero did not look at her when he spoke. Instead he began carefully pouring out a measured amount of the brew into each cup so that they were about half full. "…about your family. Your brothers, in particular. It's said they have no emotions. No feelings one way or another, good or bad." The harmless noise of bubbling tea punctuated his words. "Is it true?"

"My brothers are warriors," Reiju pointed out even as she slipped into the alert focus that marked a potential hit. "Emotions serve no purpose on the battlefield. And," she added matter-of-factly, "your own family is not known for its… sentimentalism."

"No, indeed." There shouldn't have been any way for him to speak clearly with that gross pink slug sticking out of his mouth, yet he did so all the same. "But still, though we are a bunch of nasty dirty pirates, we do take a great deal of joy out of life. That's rather the whole point of the profession. Family loves one another. As Mama taught us."

The tea had been poured and Perospero settled down in his seat. Rather than taking a drink from the cup in front of him, he reached into the front of his jacket, coming out with what looked like an eyedrop dispenser filled with a clear liquid. One curly eyebrow rose slightly on her brow. On noticing this, the Charlotte elder wasted no time in explaining. "Trippy tree-frog venom," he stated, holding up the glass applicator with its rubber cap. "Very rare. The species only exists on a little island in South Blue. But they're still considered to be the top of the local food chain."

"With good reason." The mistress of poison regarded that item respectfully. And, which might surprise those who didn't know her, hungrily. "No remedy exists for it. As little as a milliliter added to a town's water system could wipe out the entire population. It's a wonder of nature, the deadliest poison known to man." Reiju looked up at the grinning clown. "Two drops, please."

"Pero-rin!" he laughed and bent to add the requested amount to the fine china before him. Reiju actually licked her lips at the prospect.

She had expected him to hand her the cup. Instead Perspero returned the vial to his coat pocket. Then he reached down, grasped the edge of the table, and spun it.

The round checkerboard tabletop whirled around on a hidden internal mechanism. However some ingenious designer had fashioned it so that each concentric ring spun in the opposite direction of the one immediately surrounding it. The resulting swirl of black and white going round and round was quite disconcerting. Reiju watched the cups orbiting one another without sign of surprise. She made no move to stop them. Did he have in mind the game she thought…?

At last that whirling hypnotic display slowed to a halt. Every cup in its saucer looked identical. Six of them rested on the outermost ring closest to the diners, one of which contained enough poison to kill a full-grown Sea King.

Slowly Perospero leaned an elbow on the table and rested his chin on the back of one hand. His smile never faltered. There was not a trace of fear in his voice as he said…

"Which shall I drink?"

All was silent in the garden. The man and woman were alone. She could leave at any time, and without anyone being aware of her presence. If he were found dead there would be no evidence of her involvement. With Big Mom's desire to get her hands on the Germa 66's technology being so strong, even if there was an accusation, it probably still wouldn't derail the wedding.

Reiju lifted her eyes and pointed. "That one."

He accepted her suggestion. At the same time, the princess selected another cup. Perospero added a dollop of honey to his and stirred it in, saying by way of explanation, "I like mine a little sweet." They each lifted their drinks, saluted one another with them, and drank.

The taste of trippy tree-venom danced on her taste-buds. No doubt; it's the real thing. Reiju settled the empty cup back in its dish with a smile. "A delicious blend. Black tea and ginger?"

"Just so, Your Highness." Perospero copied her move. "You are an individual of no small refinement, as it happens."

The tube of poison came out of its hiding place again.

"As for your family…"

This time a drop was added to four saucers on different rings around the table. Once more Perospero spun the deadly roulette wheel. As it whirred, he continued talking. "I heard tell that your brother Niji beat a female chef in your service so badly the other day she needed a blood transfusion just to stay alive."

"Yes, he did."

Reiju kept her cold blue eyes locked on his ageless face. She had guessed what this treatment was about now. But she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit his willingness to place his life in her hands didn't leave her chilled. There were any number of explanations for why he should behave so cavalierly towards the prospect of death. Perhaps Perospero had managed to develop an immunity to the poison. It wasn't impossible. Or maybe Big Mom had somehow gotten her hands on an anti-venom that could indeed halt the trippy tree-frog's fatal stroke. Her fat fingers were dipped in cookie jars all over the planet, after all. The antidote could be in the honey he added to his tea just now. One of his Devil Fruit siblings might be waiting nearby to rescue him if worse came to worst. Or, most disturbing of all, his hag of a mother simply ordered him to do this and Perospero feared Big Mom more than death itself.

But the real reason that hardened fighter found herself so worried was because she suspected he didn't have any safety measures at all. Perospero simply didn't care what she did to him.

What are these people?

Right then, Reiju Vinsmoke knew the Germa 66 was in terrible danger.

"Well, that raises an important issue," the candy magician wrapped both hands around his staff and leaned forward. There was a mocking tone to his voice which raised the hairs on the back of her neck. "This marriage will proceed, because Mama wishes it so. That's a given by this point. But afterwards… well, let's just say the rest of the family holds some… concerns, as it were, related to our dear Pudding's future happiness."

Reiju didn't respond. Her smile was gone as though it had never been.

"Should one of your brutish little brothers raise a hand against that loving, helpless soul, would her black-sheep husband lift a shoe to stop them?"

"Sanji," the pink-haired princess asserted with cool assurance, "would sooner die than let a random woman on the street come to harm. And if she also happened to be his wife, well…"

The wheels had completed their revolutions by this point. Without hesitation Reiju indicated his choice and moved to retrieve hers. They both drank. Again she registered the smack of life-threatening poison, but all savor had gone out of it by now. Something far more perilous lurked in the seat across from her.

Perospero remained unharmed thanks to her judgment, and out came the eyedropper. This time six cups received that lethal spice. Did he remember which ones already had it? By her reckoning, two times he administered a double dose, but that could merely be to fake her out. There was not so much as a sheen of sweat on the Candy Man's brow. The same could not be said for Reiju, who felt a drop slide down her own temple.

The table spun.

"Of course I'm pleased to hear it." He waved a hand in idle fashion as though this were all a very droll undertaking they were sharing together. "And my siblings will be delighted too. But, as the first of Mama's children, it is my responsibility, as well as my sweetest pleasure, to ensure my poor little brothers and sisters come to no harm if I can help it. That is an older brother's prerogative."

Less than half the cups of tea available were safe to drink by this point.

"Can I trust you, as the eldest of the Vinsmoke siblings, to see to it that your father and brothers behave respectfully towards my cherished little sister once she is in your care?"

Sixteen white moons played follow-the-leader in front of them.

"Sanji and I will both make certain Pudding never has cause to regret joining us," Reiju stated. "And we will protect her with our lives."

He regarded her critically. "Even if our two families aren't truly friends, but just allies of convenience?"

"Yes." She picked up a teacup and handed it to Perospero. They both drank. It irked Reiju that she felt an unnecessary shiver of suspense when he heaved a sigh and closed his eyes. Like he was toying with her. There was no doubt in her mind that her selection was correct. But something about this experience had proven more disturbing than she ever suspected possible. She knew even as the bitter liquid settled in her stomach what would happen next.

The pirate replaced cup in saucer with a clink. "I must confess, my dear, I find myself quite convinced by your words. Pudding shall indeed be safe with Germa. You've helped reassure this old heart immensely."

At that his ever-present smile actually grew wider, tongue dangling like a rotten eggplant. "But just to be sure…"

A second later, all but one cup on the table held poison in it. Neither spoke as the dishes began to dance. The elder brother and sister of their respective clans followed this course until at last it drew to a halt.

"Protect me one more time, my poison candy girl?"

Slowly blue eyes rose to fasten on the colorful ghoul clutching his staff. That narrow face resembled a switchblade with the way his nose jutted out like a dagger. There was clearly no trace of friendship to be found in it. All this creature wanted was to serve her a warning.

Reiju reached out and picked up the honey jar. She added a heaping helping to one cup in particular. Smirking, Perospero reached for it only to pause when the princess placed a finger on his wrist. He looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

The Germa princess then added honey to another cup before sitting back to cross her arms. "I'm craving something sweet myself," she said calmly. When he remained with arm outstretched she added, "Don't be afraid. I can always suck it out if you guess wrong."

His eyes widened. A soft bark of distinctive laughter emerged from his throat. Exercising great care, Perospero curled a spindly finger around the handle of a cup and settled back with it. Reiju took the other. "To the eldest," she toasted him.

"The eldest." Both drank.

Their arms came down. They looked at one another.

And Perospero hiccupped.

"Oh, dear, do excuse me." He took a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his brow. "That was somewhat more tea than I'm wont to drink at this hour."

"I hope it doesn't cause you to have trouble sleeping. There's a wedding tomorrow." Reiju then stood up. "That being said, I believe I will retire for the night. Thank you for the tea, Lord Perospero."

He rose to his full height. "It was my pleasure, Princess Reiju. Can I offer to escort you out of the maze?"

"I remember the way, thank you."

She turned to leave, and a hand settled on her shoulder. Reiju looked up as Perospero bent down to loom directly overhead.

"You know," he snickered, "There are other members of the Charlotte family worth consideration if you ever find yourself in search of a husband. Just something to keep in mind."

The poison taster stared back without expression. "I'll remember."

"Pero-rin!" He released his hold, crossed an arm over his stomach and bowed low from the waist, still holding his staff like a spear. Reiju gave a curtsy in return and departed.

Perospero crossed his arms as he watched her leave, the smile never fading. An amused, "Pero!" escaped his throat.

As if on cue, the fish statue behind him slid aside to reveal a hidden staircase beneath it. From within a huge form even taller than the first-born son climbed up to join him. "Are you feeling alright, Peros-nii-sama?"

"Yes, thank you, Smoothie-chan," he addressed his younger sister. "I felt quite relaxed knowing you were on hand."

The Sweet Commander now stood well over his eye level, but she continued to regard her older brother with a respectful if worried look. "Even if I did squeeze the poison out of you, that was still quite a risk to take."

"But it served its purpose." Perospero swept over to the staircase and began descending. "With her confidence shaken, she'll be less inclined to go snooping around. Remind Pudding to keep an eye open, though. That one isn't quite as dim-witted as her siblings."

Smoothie followed him into the tunnel. "Are you certain she's up for it tomorrow?"

"Mama says so, and that's enough for me." He stopped and turned around to address the general of their forces. "Why? Did Pudding say anything that would indicate she's feeling anxious?"

"Not in so many words."

"Hmm." Perospero gave his staff a contemplative lick. At last he turned about to continue on his way. "We'll just have to keep our eyes open as well. Our dear little sister's wedding must go off without a hitch, after all."

"No hitch, just hitched," Smoothie added.

"Pero-rin pero-rin!" he exclaimed in delight. "I never thought of that!"

Elsewhere, Charlotte Pudding left off speaking to some of the guards and headed back to her room. By now Peros-nii-sama and Smoothie would have taken care of that Vinsmoke girl, one way or another. Not that they would do anything fatal. She depended on her older siblings to exercise restraint. But if necessary, she might still offer her services to make certain the little sneak wouldn't remember anything that happened tonight.

Some indescribable sensation made her pause. There was no sound or sight to indicate it, but once more she felt quite certain that she was being followed. Maybe it's my third eye waking up? Won't Mama be thrilled.

Before that, though, I think I'll take care of this matter myself. If you want something done right, and all that. She then made a show of yawning and once more trotted off to bed.

Moments later, Reiju Vinsmoke ghosted down the hall in pursuit. It took more than candy and tea to distract her from an assignment. When Sanji's happiness was at stake, his big sister knew no one else better to get the job done. She took care of him in her own way. There might still be time to change the current situation if need be. And if it meant never seeing him again… well, at least she knew there were people out there that cared about Sanji nearly as much as she did, if not more.

Perospero was right about one thing. Big brothers and sisters took care of their siblings. No matter what.

FIN.