Notes: Okay here is something to sedate all of us. I have made decisions on what'll happen to my other stories and I'll show what I will do the next time I update them. Don't worry, they'll all be checked up on/saved soon. Anyway, this story is from a very old paper draft of what I wanted to create way earlier. But, I guess it didn't happen until now. I want to see your opinions on this story since I've upgraded it with the new information of both canons and such. Tell me what you think! :D
The Naruto-verse in this story will be a canon-divergence/AU. You have been warned.
Also, be careful... if you have not caught up with the One Piece manga's scan-translation up to chapter 840, I'll warn you right now that this story is not for you. This has MAJOR spoilers for what has been revealed so far with Sanji's family and past..
Warning: This is more of a test-run story. If people like it I'll continue it, if not I will make this a one-shot. If it seems a bit rushed I apologize, because I do not want expand so much for people not to enjoy the story itself.
I do not own One Piece nor Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, please support the official releases of these titles. Enjoy!
Translations (If Necessary):
Yuurei = Ghost
Prologue: A Ghost's Wishes.
Sanji found the ground to become a... greeting, for lack of better words. He knew the spots on it better than anyone in the kingdom, all because he was knocked to the ground basically every hour of the daytime. He wasn't perfect like he should be and this was his punishment. He was being taught that he wasn't good at all, he was a waste of space that failed the expectations that everyone in his life had for him.
Well, almost everyone. He didn't know what his mother thought about him, but by the way his father was speaking about her he thought she didn't care much as well. All he knew was that she enjoyed reading and cooking and that's what Sanji found to enjoy as well. Turns out it wasn't what the rest of his siblings enjoyed, instead they only read to improve their knowledge and they only ate what others cooked for them. They didn't read to enjoy the fantasy they gave or the different life they could create in their heads, they didn't cook their own food because royals don't cook. Ah, but that was a touchy subject for Sanji himself. He'd be beaten by his brothers if he pulled that stunt since his father had no time to punish him himself.
But here Sanji was, shaking in his boots with a wooden sword in his hands. Niji, his older brother, was grinning cockily as he held his own sword like it weighed like a feather while Sanji was scared stiff to wield it against him. It irritated the younger blonde because he couldn't be as confident like his brothers, he was being doubtful of his own skills and that's what Sanji loathe the most. If he couldn't be like his brothers... then what use did his father have for him? He was created to do great things and if he didn't start to show it, the third son of Germa began to fear the results.
"Begin!" His father's voice boomed from the throne situated nearby and Sanji tried to throw his sword up to block. He knew what was coming because Niji always toyed with him unlike when he fought with Yonji, Ichiji and maybe even Reiju. His opponent's bamboo sword jabbed in front of his face and this time Sanji managed to block it before it could nearly smack his visible eye like time and time again.
Niji giggled and the younger blonde cursed when a punch flew to his stomach. Only by a quick second did Sanji manage to dodge the punch, but he had to abandon his sword to do so. In a quick blur the third Prince of Germa Kingdom was down on the ground, his brother abandoning his sword just the same to instead start to beat his face in. Sanji protested loudly, trying to snatch at Niji's hands but his attempts to stop him didn't matter to his older brother.
In a matter of minutes Sanji's match with his older brother was over and the third child was bloody and unable to move from the ground, "Haha!" He could hear Niji and his little brother Yonji laugh and if he listened in closely, he could hear his father sigh in disappointment. An ache formed in his chest and the blonde had to hold in his tears. He could not cry in front of his father. That'd show him he was more weak than they thought. What didn't kill him made him stronger, or at least that's what one of the books he read had said.
"Sanji." He could hear his father's voice faintly, "Get up and go back to training until I call for you again."
Without a reply the third son of the Germa Kingdom pulled himself up, ignoring the increasing peals of laughter from his two brothers as his oldest brother looked to be holding in his own laughter. Out of the corner of his eye he could also see Reiju smiling as she always did and the third prince simply walked out of the main room and started off to the training room without much of a word back to his family.
The training room wasn't much of a room, more like a courtyard in the kingdom that allowed the five children of Germa to freely train in day or night. Sanji greeted the cold breeze of the North Blue with bloody wounds and forming bruises. He ignored the sting that the blown sea water brought the wounds and walked to the railing, staring out at the sea. If he heard someone coming he could easily start throwing punches and act as if he was training but for today... he wanted a break for once.
He felt his eyes start to water as he recalled the ache in his chest, "Why... why am I so different?" Sanji hissed, clenching his fists onto the railing. "I'm failing everyone... why am I like this!?" He raised his fists and smashed them into the metal barrier. He cursed loudly, reeling back and holding them close to his chest.
"Your different because you're you."
Sanji jolted, throwing a quick fist as he placed a weak smile on his face, "Soldier-san!" He closed his eyes as he forced his smile to grow a little wider, "I-I was just training-!" He opened his eyes, his heart clenching at the sight of nothing behind him... who had spoken with him?
"You can't see me kid, I can understand that. Your different from the rest of the Vinsmoke's as I could tell..." Goosebumps rose on the left side of his body and the prince gazed towards where the sudden cold was coming from. The voice sounded so close, but why did it sound so far away?
"Who... who are you?" He weakly murmured, gazing around. "And why can't I see you?" Sanji paused for a moment, "Did... did you eat the invisible devil fruit?"
Laughter sprouted from the right side of him and Sanji whipped his head towards the source of the sound. Who really was there!? "Do not worry yourself, Sanji-kun. You can call me... Yuurei. We have our little world, but sometimes we enjoy to see this world for what it is and what it can be. My powers force me to become a ghost for now, but do not worry... I didn't consume a devil fruit."
Sanji squeezed his fists, ignoring the flaring ache in them from his earlier mess of emotions, "Please allow me to see you or I might think I've gone insane." He wasn't going to act like his brother's now, where they demand and get what they want. He'd rather... work for it this time. This man saw him differently, but in a light he hadn't heard of before.
A... ripple of sorts appeared in front of him and Sanji craned his head to stare at the sudden shift of environment. "This... this is me." The voice had finally lost the sense that it was originating from far off and the Prince gazed at a tall man with a thick red and white lion mask. The man also had sunny yellow colored hair, styled in a sense that Sanji could compare to a leaf while most of his body was hidden by a black cloak. The only other thing he really could catch sight of was the man's shoes, which looked to be sandals but created differently, exposing all his toes without a band separating the big toe from the rest.
"Who are you?" Sanji spouted, wincing at himself for the question to sound so... demanding.
The man chuckled, "Like I said, I'm merely a ghost in your world. I shouldn't exist here but..." The man looked at the cloudy sky, "My father is the one that really made this change. It's beautiful to see how my world is different from yours."
"...ah, I see?" Sanji rubbed the back of his head, wincing at the sharp pain that flew through his body.
"Your hurt." The man stated, as if it was casual enough to see someone hurt.
Sanji nodded, looking down at the ground, "Yeah... I know." Something warm touched his neck and Sanji couldn't help the yelp that broke though his lips, his body beginning to feel... tingly. He gazed over his body, the pulses of pain now becoming a dull ache for a moment before fading as if they were never there to begin with.
"Consider this more of a thank you than anything. A child caring for those who cannot give to themselves deserves a reward instead of simply being shunned and hated upon."
He let out a sigh, running his tongue over the once swollen and slightly bruised mouth, "T...Thank you so much!" Sanji couldn't help the actual smile blossoming on his face. He couldn't believe that a man actually healed him... but for what real reason was there?
The man in the mask shook his head. "You follow upon your mother's legacy, as I've heard. Is that correct?"
Sanji blinked, quietly stalking his way back to the railing and staring out at sea again. He really... never thought much about his mother. Especially since it became a bit of taboo with his father, who would only bring her up when he needed to make an example out of something. The King of Germa never talked about his Queen in small talk nor when Sanji overheard him talking to the other scientists that watched over the five children of Germa daily. "...maybe? I only can be coded to remember so much of my mother. I only know a sliver of her legacy, I think. I want to feed those in need, care for what others need to be cared for. Is... is this about the mouse and his friends I keep on feeding?"
"More than you'll ever know, child. I can't explain to you much, but I can tell you that fate has a path for all of us for a reason. Someday our paths we think we're sent upon may be altered, but it either for the best or the worst." The man pulled himself to lean down near the third prince, adding on, "But that won't matter. I think... I think you deserve a chance here."
"A... a chance?"
"...well now, I did say I can't explain everything. I am a ghost here, nothing more or less. I can sway things in a way, but I cannot control everything like a puppet master. I want to save you from what's to come later on in life... but there is a cost for my offer."
Sanji quirked one of his curly eyebrows, "What is the offer exactly?"
The man in the mask pointed at himself, "I... I give you some of my abilities. That'll fool your family into thinking your just like them, just a late bloomer. Your powers won't be increased though, you'll just have access to my skills and my capabilities. I will teach you about them and everything later on if you do accept. All I need in return is a promise."
The prince frowned, "A... promise?" He held up his hands, "Wait a second. This all just a bit sudden-"
"It's for the right reasons." The ghost responded swiftly, "Maybe later I'll explain what I mean by this, but for right now... I can let you test my power. If you like it, I'll let you make our deal reality."
"...really, this is all just a bit sudden." Sanji couldn't help but say, and telling by how the man in the mask tensed, he quickly added, "I'll try it for how long you want me to try it. If I like it I'll promise whatever I need to do. But you have to swear to me that you'll explain all this vague crap." He shuttered, "Your the opposite of my father. Unlike you, he's strict and to the point. You, on the other hand, are vague and mysterious... I don't know why I'm trusting you right now of all things."
The masked man tried to helpfully supply an answer, "I'll agree to your demands but the way your feeling is actually because an act of kindness to someone makes the mind want to repay it back somehow-"
Sanji waved his hands in the air, "Don't tell me that or else I'll know your playing me for a fool or something! Fine! I'll do that stupid test run, Yuurei!" A hand made it's way to Sanji's face and the prince couldn't help but feel uncomfortable once it stayed for a little longer than a few seconds. "Well... what are you-"
A sudden spark shot though him, like a coil released its tight hold over something before... warmth spread though his body. The warmth ran from the tips of his ears to the ends of his toes. Sanji couldn't help but hum as it soon began to warm up, like a blanket covering him as he slept for the night. As quickly as it let itself be known in his body, the warmth faded away and left Sanji to feel the cold temperatures of the North Blue.
Shivers raked through his body, "Hey! Why am I-?!" He lifted his head, staring at nothing but sky. He frowned for a quick moment, tilting his head and gazing around the courtyard. "Uh... ghost guy?" The blonde frowned, hearing no answer like that of the beginning of their meeting nor the voice of when they were standing side by side at the railing. "Yuurei?"
He sighed, "Figures..." He numbly began to walk to the dummy. "Might as well get back to training again-"
"Master Sanji!" The prince tensed, directing his blue-eyed gaze to the maid dressed in a long sleeved dress with the usual apron. "It is time to eat lunch! Please return inside!"
The prince covered his face, holding back a groan, "Coming m'lady!" He instead threw on a goofy smile, adding a little skip in his step as he strolled back to the doors of the castle.
Lunch was eaten in solace for Sanji, wondering what his father was planning to do. He knew that his father was going to do something, after all he kicked him out of the little tournament he usually made the four princes fight in and whoever would win fight the princess. Times before Sanji would be forced to stick around and watch but today was different, so the chef was set on edge from the whole thing. What happened with Yuurei had made him forget about the whole incident before but that was another story. "Sanji." His father's gruff voice spoke up and the third son immediately locked gazes with him.
"Yes father?" He blurted out as quick as he could, blushing a bit as his brother's started to snicker beside him.
The King stared him down carefully, observing him for some odd reason, "Have your wounds healed already?"
The prince blinked, recalling that Niji basically beat him black and blue just awhile ago. Yuurei's powers had worked wonders and Sanji forgot about the incident in the first place. Would he be in trouble because of it? "Yes father, they've healed already as I trained." He carefully picked his answer, trying to judge his father to see if he bought the story he had woven together without speaking one word about the man he had met.
"Hmm..." His father stood up, strolling out of the room and Sanji avoided the gazes of his brothers and sister to stare down at his plate.
"Geez Sanji," Yonji had started up conversation at their table and the third prince was thankful of it, "Different capabilities or something?"
Ichiji had started to pick at his plate, "Broken bones can be healed in a day, cuts can be healed in a quick hour and bruises fade by at least one hour for the rest of us. You achieved two of three in at least thirty minutes. Congratulations." Sanji let his gaze reach his sister and quickly saw a larger smile on her face that quickly disappeared back into her normal thin one.
Niji even started to clap for him, "At least your finally showing something."
Sanji couldn't help the heat growing in his cheeks, "Thanks guys." The praise felt warm, like the feeling that the Yuurei had given to him before. But this time... he couldn't help the empty feeling clawing at his heart and he couldn't understand why.