Sanji and Sher

by Hack Interrupted

Sanji meets a woman in town and spends an interisting day with her.

Sanji and Sher

"You're late," Zoro greeted as Sanji appeared at the end of the gangplank. He was lugging two enormous bags of provisions with him and looked a little tired.

"Youz just gonna stand there and state the obvious or are ya gonna help a guy out?" Sanji returned setting one of the bags by his feet.

Zoro rolled his eyes and hoped down to the walkway to take one of the bags. Sanji stood with the other bag over his shoulder lighting his slightly bent cigarette. Zoro grabbed the bag by Sanji's feet. "You buy out the whole town or what?" he hefted the bag, it was heavier then he had expected. "This is all just grub? How much did you spend on all this Sanji? Where did you come up with the cash for all of this?" Zoro didn't think Sanji robbed anyone in town, but you never know.

Sanji pulled the cigarette from between his lips and exhaled smoke. "Lets just say I met up with a patron in town." He headed up the plank to the ship with Zoro behind him.

Patron my lily white ass. Zoro lugged the bag to the kitchen and set it on the counter by the sink. "You want some help putting this stuff away?" Zoro was curious to see just what was in the bags.

"You'll just put shit in the wrong place. I gotta system here and I don't need nobody screwin it up." Sanji waved a hand dismissively at Zoro and started rooting through one of the bags.

Zoro stepped back and watched the cook lining up various vegetables on the counter. "So you never gave me a straight answer. How did you get all this stuff?" Zoro rested a fist on his hip as Sanji continued to empty one of the bags. He was running out of room on the counter.

"I toldz ja," Sanji scooped up some of the potatoes and took them to the bin. "I found a patron in town."

"You mugged somebody?"

Sanji dropped the potatoes in and went back for more. "No I didn't mug nobody!"

"Then who gave you the money for all this stuff?" Maybe Sanji got jumped and had to put somebody in check? Maybe after he knocked the guy down a peg or two he helped himself to the guy's wallet.

Sanji carried more potatoes to the bin. "I met… this lady," he dropped the potatoes into the bin and snapped it shut.

Zoro raised a brow. A woman huh? He watched Sanji go shuffling over to put away the onions. "What lady? Why did she give you money?"

Sanji had moved on to putting the onions in their basket. "Her name was Sher and I helped her out a little bit so she hooked me up. You gonna be so curious when yer eatin' this shit or what?" He could tell Zoro was frowning at him from behind. Tryin' ta bore holes in da back of my head with his eyeballs. "Just be glad we got all dis. I didn't have much of a budget when I left the ship dis morning."

"Fine I'm grateful," Zoro scoffed. "So what did you do to help this woman out Sanji? You don't strike me as the fence painting handyman kind of guy." He frowned at Sanji as he finished placing onions.

Sanji cast Zoro a glance over the top of his glasses before moving on to the squash. "She was in a little trouble when I met her so I helped her out. You know me; I can't just leave a beautiful lady in distress."

Zoro grinned. This might just be an interesting story. "What happened Sanji?"

Sanji paused and lit a fresh cigarette. "It all started this morning when I was lookin for da bakery…"

Sanji was only a little lost, this town wasn't that big. It was still early and the town was still fairly quiet. The bakery had to be around here somewhere. His eyes scanned shop after shop with no luck. Where's the frigin bakery! He was already irritated by the tiny budget Nami had scraped out to him. When he had complained she said there was better stuff in the next port of call, but Sanji was the one who did the cooking. They could be out on the ocean for weeks. The feeling of being lost, walking the unfamiliar streets just added to his irritation.

He was lost in his own stormy thoughts reading the signs across the street when someone ran into him, hard. He almost fell over, but put his hands out to steady himself, and to grab the rude bastard that had just plowed into him. "Hey you!" he snarled grabbing hold of the guys arm. "Just whaddya think yer doin slammin' inta me like dat huh?" Sanji pulled at the guys arm and yanked him around to face him. To his chagrin, it wasn't a guy at all. Sanji was roughing up a lady. "Oh shit, excuse me!" he said letting her go.

The woman seemed to ignore Sanji. Her eyes went back over her shoulder. Sanji's eyes followed hers. There were two cloaked figures coming from behind her. Sanji looked around and saw two more coming from up the street. "I see," he said quietly. "So you was runnin away from those jerks is that it?"

The woman looked down the street. That way was clear. "I have to go."

The woman started away from him, but Sanji hooked her arm around his own. He started them walking down the street. "Now just holds on a minute there miss. I can't just leave you walkin' these dangerous streets all by yerself. Looks like you got the goon squad on yer tail."

"Something like that." She started to walk faster, Sanji kept pace.

"I'm Sanji." He figured she was about ready to make a break for it. Run it is then.

"Sher," she nodded at him. "Sanji?"

"Yeah Sher?"

"Run!" the two of them broke into a run. Behind them Sher could hear the footfalls of their pursuers echoing down the empty streets. She darted between two buildings, Sanji kept up. She led them through a maze of back alleys trying to shake off the goon squad.

Sanji didn't know where the hell this woman was taking them. He was completely lost now. The sun hadn't penetrated these byways yet, it was still chilly and smelled of the sea. Seven o' clock in the morning and I'm doin this? Sher stopped short and Sanji halted beside her. Two of the goons had cut them off. Their cloaked figures moved toward them in the shadows. Sanji stepped in front of Sher. "Hey there," Sanji directed at the goons. "I don't suppose I can talk youz guys inta leavin' this nice young lady alone can I?"

"Out of the way buffoon," one of the cloaked men growled as the pair advanced.

Sanji frowned. "Now dat's not very nice."

Sher shrunk back a step. "Sanji, look out!" The men rushed at Sanji, but Sanji didn't move. They were almost to him when he bent slightly and kicked just once. Both of the men were sent flying backward down the alley. Sher blinked. "Holy hell!"

Sanji turned back to Sher. "Those guys might not be getting up for a while. You wanna go or what?"

Sher looked at the two men on the ground. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Yeah, well I am amazing," Sanji chortled.

"You idiot!" Sher said bringing her eyes up to Sanji's smug face. "You just beat up a couple of priests! Are you nuts?"

Sanji's face fell. He eyed the two guys he had knocked into the dirt. Sure enough with their hoods back he could see the priest's collar. Oh crap. He turned to face Sher but before he could speak a whistle pierced the morning air.

"Shit, cops!" Sher tried to locate the source of the whistle.

Sanji reached out and grabbed Sher's arm. "This way," he said pointing them away from the cops. She lagged for a second. "You wanna explain all this to da man or do you wanna get away from these guys? Cuz now's yer chance." He pulled her again and this time Sher fell in beside him.

Sanji had cleared off enough of the counter for Zoro to find a place to lean on. He had been right about the story being interesting. "You beat up a couple of priests?"

Sanji hefted a bag of rice to its proper place beneath the counter. "I didn't know they was priests when I was beatin' 'em up."

"Why would anybody be running from priests anyway?"

Sanji straightened and lit a fresh cigarette. He took a deep drag and exhaled slowly. "That's what I wanted to know so I asked her."

Zoro smiled a little. Sometimes he and Sanji did think alike. "What did she say?"

Sanji ashed his cigarette. "I was getting there." Another long drag from his cigarette and then, "We worked our way outta town see?"

During the first part of the escaping Sanji had lead them through a maze of alley ways. Eventually Sher took over and pointed them out of town. They were headed into a wooded grove when Sanji decided to figure out just what he had gotten himself into so early in the morning. "So Sher, why you runnin away from priests? You steal something?"

Sher cut her eyes up to Sanji. "No borrowing, I'll give it back when I'm done."

Great I been had by a common thief. Sanji sighed as he lit up a cigarette. "Borrowing huh? Just what is it that you're borrowing?"

"A key." Sher was brief. No need for Sanji to know everything. They could go their separate ways soon enough anyway.

Sanji wasn't quite satisfied with her answer. He had stuck his neck out for this key of hers. "Key to what? You bustin' somebody outta jail or are you just gonna rob da place?"

Sher stopped walking and frowned at Sanji. "Not that it's any of your business but I'm trying to get back something that was taken."

Sanji shuffled to a stop and looked at her from the corner of his eye. "Stealin' something back from the church? What would the church have that you could possibly want… unless it's treasure?"

Sher narrowed her eyes at Sanji. "I've never seen you around before Sanji, could it be that you just came in on a ship? A pirate ship maybe?" she rested a fist on her hip.

Made. Sanji chuckled. "Yeah. I'm the cook aboard the Merry Go. I'm Sanji of the Luffy Pirates." He took another deep drag off of his cigarette doing his best to look cool. He had a feeling he wasn't the only pirate standing here.

"Luffy Pirates? You mean that crazy rubber man with the huge bounty on his head!" Sher had seen the wanted posters for Monkey D. Luffy everywhere.

"Are you a pirate or a bounty hunter?" Sanji asked coolly adjusting his tie. The morning was warming up. He wouldn't mind getting to the cool shade of the trees ahead.

Sher wasn't sure what to think now. She had heard of the Luffy Pirates exploits. It explained how Sanji was able to take care of two men with just one kick. The Luffy Pirates were infamous. "I'm not either. I'm just keeping a promise, that's all."

"And what promise might that be?" Sanji wasn't convinced that Sher was not a pirate.

Sher could hear the disbelief in Sanji's voice. She couldn't see his eyes; they were hidden by his dark sunglasses. "Why should a Luffy Pirate care about my promises?"

Sanji shuffled his feet and turned to face her better. "Don't you know the Luffy Pirates are da good guys? Besides, it's my duty as a man to assist beautiful damsels in distress."

Sher lifted a brow at Sanji and he grinned. The Luffy Pirates are the good guys huh? "Flattery will get you nowhere with me pirate."

Sanji shook his head a little. "I'm just tryin' to help."

"Yeah cuz you think I can lead you to some treasure." She should know better then to trust a pirate, especially a pirate whose eyes she couldn't see.

Sanji plucked his cigarette from his mouth and held it between his fingers. "Treasure or no treasure, you got bad guys chasin' you right? I'm just offering to keep the goon squad off yer back while you do whatcha gotta do."

Sher was suspicious, but having Sanji around she could do what she had to do a whole lot quicker. She could be back out on the ocean before sundown. "I'm not looking for treasure; I'm looking for some things that were taken from an island south of here. The church confiscated them, said they were holy relics. I don't know about all that, but they were important to the island. They need to be returned." She watched Sanji smoke, waiting to see if he would bail out if there was no promise of treasure.

Sanji exhaled. "How come?"

Sher folded her arms across her chest. "The island is dieing without the stones of balance." She knew how it sounded, crazy. Had she not seen first hand the drastic deterioration of the island, she wouldn't believe it either. "I know how it sounds, but it's the truth. The people on the island believe the kami of their ancestors reside in the four stones. Those four stones kept the natural balance of the island in check. Since they've been taken…" She wished she could see Sanji's eyes. He was just standing there calmly smoking. "I promised to bring them back okay?"

Sanji had seen some weird freekin shit in his time; he supposed this could be something along those lines. The bottom line was that people were suffering and counting on Sher. "Okay then, I'm gonna help you keep that promise. We'll get yer rock thingies back for ya." He dropped his cigarette in the dirt and crushed it with his heel. "So what do we gotta do first?"

"Magic stones huh?" Zoro asked taking the cup of sake Sanji had poured for him. Sanji was still putting the last of the staples away, but he never let anyone go hungry or thirsty in his kitchen.

"Come on Zoro," Sanji answered stowing the last of the sugar. "You've heard some pretty weird stories yerself aint ya? I dunno if they really was, or if Sher even believed they was, but either way she had promised those islanders she was gonna bring 'em back." With the last of the food put away, Sanji slid a cup over to Zoro and let the swordsman pour him a little sake of his own.

Zoro poured Sanji a drink. "And she was okay accepting your help?" Zoro drank with Sanji and poured them both some more.

"Well she wasn't exactly jumpin' for joy, not at first. Anyways, we had to lay low for a while and give the police some time to settle down so we walked through the woods to da other side of da island."

With the escaping over and some time to kill Sanji and Sher walked leisurely through the forest. "My boat is in a cove this way," Sher said leading them down a sandy path.

Sanji followed letting his eyes take in the sights from behind his sunglasses. Sher was pretty; Sanji couldn't help but enjoy the rear view. Man what have I got myself into this time? Morning was growing old when he first spotted Sher's boat. It was smaller then the Merry Go by a lot. "Youz gotta crew for dat thing?" he nodded at the boat ahead.

"No, she's easy. Two sails is all. Small cabin, sleepers below. Not as grand as your pirate ship I'm sure," she grumbled. It was still hard to believe a pirate would help someone out without expecting something in return. She tried to remember the stories she had heard about the Luffy Pirates. They had taken out a few terrors of the sea. Maybe they really were good guys after all.

They boarded the craft Sanji noted was The Avalon. He followed Sher into the cabin. It was small, a kitchen to one side; table for two to the other and a short ladder leading to the sleeping quarter below. Sanji instinctively wandered towards the kitchen looking over Sher's short supply of cookware. "Howz do you make anything with dis junk?" he murmured under his breath.

"You hungry Sanji? Help yourself." Sher went to the ladder. "I need a minute to change. I have to go get my map." With that she disappeared below deck.

A woman's gotta change her clothes to do anything. Sanji sighed. He doubted there was anything good in this kitchen, but there was a wine rack. It's a little early for cocktails aint it? He turned the bottles one after another looking at the labels. Pretty garden variety stuff, but there was a bottle of half way decent champagne. Not a pirate huh? Just one in the making. What's up wid this map business? Sanji pulled out the bottle of champagne and stared at it. Keys and maps and magic rocks. What's up wid dis screwy broad. A second later he heard movement at the foot of the stairs. Sanji set the bottle on the counter and popped a cigarette into his mouth. He lit it just as Sher came up the ladder in a bathing suit, a tiny little black bikini. Sanji almost lost his smoke when his jaw fell open. He inhaled deeply on his ciggy. "Holy jeez," he exhaled.

Sher frowned a little at Sanji. "What?"

Sanji laughed it off. "What you goin swimming'?"

"Yes, I told you I have to get my map. It's under the boat, stash box on the hull." She stepped away from the ladder and headed back out to the deck. Sanji followed. She went to the side and threw a rope ladder down into the water. Sher stepped over and onto its pokey rope footholds. "Oh crap, I forgot a towel. Sanji would you go grab me one from downstairs?" she kept moving down the ladder as she asked her favor.

Sanji was looking down on Sher enjoying the view. "Uhh… sure. What about you?"

"I'll be back in a minute." Sher pushed away from the ladder and dropped into the water. She surfaced once for a good gulp of air and then sunk into the warm water of the cove.

Sanji stepped away from the rail and went back to the cabin. Aww man, she's gonna be all wet wearin' that thing? Dis must be my lucky day! He hurried down the ladder into what was Sher's room. A bed that looked small, but comfortable; a dresser bolted to the wall. The room was a bit messy, clothes and towels thrown about as if she spent a lot of time in and out of the water. Her bed didn't look like it had been slept in for a while either. Sanji went to the bed and picked up a towel half folded at its foot. He figured he better get topside. He didn't want her to think he was nosing through her stuff. It wasn't as if the room said all that much about who Sher was anyway.

Sanji took the towel and went up. He walked out on to the deck and hung the towel over the rail. He looked over the side waiting for Sher to surface. A moment later she did. She has some sort of pouch slung over her shoulder. She caught her breath and swam over to the ladder. "Howz da water?" Sanji mused watching her swim over.

"It's nice. Ya wanna go for a swim?" Sher reached the ladder and climbed up. She hopped up over the side of the boat and slipped the pouch off her shoulder. Sher turned and grabbed her towel.

Sanji was a little disappointed to see Sher throw the big towel over her shoulders. She bent for her bag and Sanji sighed, pitching his cigarette overboard. "You gotta map? We gotta sail somewhere?" That had never been part of the bargain…

Sher was untying the pouch. "It's not a sea chart; it's a map of the island." Sher looked up at Sanji and grinned. "I thought a pirate like you would know the difference."

Sanji whistled through his teeth. He was quietly relived he wouldn't be ditching Luffy and the others because of a skirt, it was still early. Sanji loosened his tie. "So there's somewhere we gotta go on the island. Where they are keepin' yer stones right?"

Sher finished undoing the knots and reached in the bag. She pulled out something circular bigger then her hand. It was too huge to be a medallion, but it was on a chain. Sher ran her fingers over the writing on the plate. "Crap, that's just what I thought."

Sanji looked down at the thing in Sher's hand. It didn't look like any map he had ever seen gaudy jewelry maybe "What's just as you thought?"

Sher looked up at Sanji and bit her lip. He frowned a little and she caved. "They're in the tunnels under the abbey."

Great, beatin' up more priests. Sanji nodded and headed back into the cabin. "I think I need a drink for dis. How bout you Sher? We'll drink to your plan cuz I sure hope you got one."

Zoro chuckled. Only Sanji could get himself in to such a mess over a woman. "The two of you alone, drinking champagne and plotting some sort of break in huh?"

Sanji lit a fresh cigarette and took a big drag. "It was an afternoon well spent." He picked up his sake, moved his smoke briefly to down what was left in his cup, and resumed smoking.

Zoro refreshed Sanji's cup. "Doing all of that for a woman, she musta been pretty," Zoro teased. He tried to imagine Sanji having drinks with some hottie in a bikini and laughed out loud.

Sanji exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Are you shittin' me? Sher is a real looker. Too bad you guys didn't get to meet her. Then again, maybe I dun want her meetin' a guy like you." Sanji puffed indignantly.

Zoro waved a hand in front of his face to clear the smoke. The sake was warming him from the inside out. "Alright Sanji. Tell me what happened with you and the sweet cheeks." Sanji's big day was becoming more interesting by the moment. "Did you score or what?" Zoro fought off another round of laughter.

"Hardy har har," Sanji exhaled. "What makes youz think I'd kiss and tell?" Sanji grinned a little waiting for Zoro to settle so he could continue. He took another deep pull from his cigarette and went on. "Sher didn't have much in the way of provisions, but I was able to whip up a couple of omelets and we had ourselves a champagne brunch."

Sher didn't have much in the way of stocked groceries. She would be lucky to last a week on the ocean with her meager supplies. Sanji hoped she would do some shopping before she set sail again, but Sher didn't seem worried about it. Sanji made omelets while the champagne chilled and Sher set the table for two with some chipped, old looking stoneware. They sat down to brunch and Sher explained her plan.

"The church has been using this town as a southern base of operations for a long time, at least sixty years." Sher washed down the last of her omelet with some champagne. "They built tunnels and escape routes beneath the town to protect themselves and their treasure from pirates. There are hidden rooms down there. The stones are down there somewhere."

"Tunnels full of treasure eh?" Sanji had finished his omelet. He fished in his pocket for a smoke. Nuttin' like a cigarette after a meal. Sher was eyeing him suspiciously again.

"I already told you I'm not after treasure. I'm not a pirate."

Sanji lit his cigarette and exhaled slowly. "Youz already told me dat. We aint after treasure, I know dat, but if we see some," Sanji shrugged and grinned at Sher.

Take some treasure too huh? The church was full of corrupt and power hungry assholes, but stealing their loot… No, I'm not a pirate, but Sanji… "I suppose if we find some I might look the other way while you pocket a finder's fee." Sher returned Sanji's cocky smile.

Sanji chuckled. Sher just wasn't a pirate yet. "Finders fee huh? Good thing I got deep pockets." Sanji refreshed their drinks. "So how do we get down there?"

Sher swallowed a sip of cold champagne. "Just outside of town there is a mausoleum that can get us underground. It's an old escape route from town. We'll bust in and sneak in the back way."

Sanji shuddered a little. "Are there dead people in dat mausoleum?" He didn't like the idea of disturbing the dead, but he supposed it was no worse then laying out a couple of priests. He leaned back in his chair puffing his cigarette.

Sher shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Maybe, but they'd be mummies by now." She waved a hand at Sanji. He had pushed his sunglasses up on his head when he started cooking; they were still on top of his head. His eyelids were at half mast, the perpetual cool scowl. He thinks he's all that and a bag of treasure. She smiled at the pirate. That's cuz he is.

Sanji thought Sher might be checkin' him out so he did his best to look his coolest. "So after we get past the mummies you know where to go right?"

"I know where the room is, and I have the key." Sher thought she could trust Sanji now that she had looked him in the eye. There was a quiet kindness there.

"A treasure room?" the pirate in him could not be quiet.

"Maybe," Sher rested her elbows on the table balancing her glass in one hand. "We need to get in and get out Sanji. I don't have time for you to loot the place."

Sanji plucked the cigarette from his mouth and exhaled smoke. "Like a Luffy Pirate needs ta worry about some piddly little treasure of some chuchies. I dun think so." Sanji knew most pirates would stoop to just about anything, but he wasn't one of them. He wouldn't have been so rough on those guys this morning if he had known they were a couple of priests. Looting the church was a little too below the belt for his tastes.

Sanji was a pirate, but he was also a decent guy. Sher finished her drink. She was sure the walk to the cemetery would kill her buzz, but such is life. She got up and moved back toward the ladder. "Gimmie a minute to get ready."

A sly smile stretched Sanji's lips. "What you aint gonna wear dat?" he looked her up and down. He hadn't ogled her much over brunch, but it had been nice sitting with Sher like this. She was tough, but not selfish. Not quite a pirate yet.

Sher rolled her eyes. "I make it a point never to burgle in a bathing suit." She went to the ladder and climbed below deck.

Sanji sighed and put out his cigarette. Great, mummies and creepy dark places, here I come. He stood up and collected their plates and carried them to the sink. He smiled to himself wondering if Sher would hold his hand in the dark.

Sher changed into street clothes and sneakers. She threw her hair back into a ponytail and carried a satchel over one shoulder. It was a short hike to the cemetery, but the afternoon had come on warm. It would be good to get to the cool depths of the tunnels below ground. They found the place of entry, but the door was locked. Sher pulled a bobby pin from her hair and picked the lock. Sanji stood back grinning.

They entered the mausoleum and shut the door behind them. Sher got down on all fours and felt around the baseboards. Sanji watched with one brow raised. She found the release and a trap door in the floor slid open. A dark tunnel yawned before them. Sher and Sanji went down into the darkness.

The further they went, the darker it got. Sanji rested his glasses on top of his head in the dieing light. "This tunnel just goes straight to town right?"

The passage was narrow and creepy. Sher walked with one hand out in front of her face to swat away the spider webs. Some of them were pretty big. Yuck! "Yeah, she answered trying not to let her revulsion show.

Sanji squeezed in front of Sher. "Then lemme go first. I wouldn't want you trippin' in the dark." He took over the lead and Sher walked close behind him. The gloom closed in on them and Sanji lit a cigarette. He reached back for Sher as the darkness swallowed them and took her hand.

Zoro stretched. "Did you put a move on her in the dark?" he teased the cook.

Sanji looked at Zoro over his glasses. "A real gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."

"I'll take that as a no." Zoro finished his fourth cup of sake. It was getting dark outside. If Sanji and Sher had been in the tunnels just after noon, what had kept him all day?

Sanji sighed through his teeth. "Like I'd have my mind in the gutter at a time like dat right? We was on a mission, more leisurely pleasures would just have to wait."

"Leisurely pleasures huh?" Zoro let Sanji pour him one more cup of sake. He pulled the cup to him but didn't drink yet.

Sanji snuffed his cigarette. "Dat was for later, first we had to get back her stones."

After about ten minutes of walking through the dark, there was light up ahead. Sher pulled on Sanji's hand. In a hushed voice she said, "We must be coming under the abbey. I don't know if anybody's down here so be quiet."

Like I need to be told dat. Sanji crept forward into the light quietly, listening for the noise of others. It appeared they were alone down here. The tunnel snaked to the left, occasional torches lit the way but most along the wall had burnt out. Sanji didn't see any doors down here, just tunnel. Maybe Sher's map was wrong about this place. Before he could ask she stopped behind him halting him in his tracks. She let go of his hand and Sanji turned around. She was examining a plate in the wall. "What is it?"

Sher reached into the bag and pulled out the key. It was fat and rusted and it fit in the hole perfectly. She cut her eyes up to Sanji. "Hold on to your butt," she said. Sher turned the key and the plate in the wall spin clockwise. There was a rumble and then the wall slid open. She and Sanji were bathed in the glow of treasure. "Whoa," she breathed.

Sanji's eyes widened. They had found one hell of a secret treasure room. There were heaps of gold coins spilling out of loaded chests. Objects of precious gold and jewels. He followed Sher into the room. For a minute he was too dazzled to worry about how much noise they had made opening the door. He picked up a handful of gold coins. "Nice." He pocketed the loot and reached for more.

Sher was hunting through the heaps of treasure looking for the case with the stones. She was only half aware that every time her hand sunk into a pile of gold coins she pocketed a handful. Finally she found the chest with the stones. She heaved it out from under a pile of scrolls and tucked it into her bag. "Got it!" she exclaimed scurrying back to Sanji's side. "Let's get out of here." Sher was worried about who might have heard them opening the door. A second later there were angry shouts from down the hall.

Sanji quit stuffing his pockets and stepped outside the door. Further down the shifting hallway he could see a group of at least six running down the stairs. He waved a hand to Sher and she joined him in the passage. "Sher, go!"

"What about you?" she adjusted the satchel over her shoulder readying to run.

"I'll catch up. Go!" he slapped Sher on the ass and got her moving. She darted back down the tunnel in the direction they had come from. Sanji stepped forward to intercept the guards. These guys didn't look like priests, that was some consolation. It really didn't matter who they were once they charged though. Sanji picked them off two by two as they came down the narrow passage spilling some of the gold coins from his pockets. He didn't bother to pick them up after he knocked out the last of the guards. More might be coming. He turned toward the dark end of the tunnel and broke into a run to catch up to Sher.

Zoro was nursing his cup of sake, relaxing into his buzz. "You beat up some more priests?"

"Do priests carry billy clubs?" Sanji hooked another cigarette from his inner pocket and taped it against the counter. "We got away from the goons and headed back to Sher's boat so she could hide da stones. She tried ta play off all the loot she pocketed as accidental thievery, but I think dat girl's hidein' a pirate inside. Sher didn't wanna just hang out on da boat so we decided to blend in with the crowds in town for a while; listen to the gossip and what not. We was doin some shoppin' for da groceries I brought back, I made sure dat Sher was loadin' up too, when we got spotted."

"Police?" Zoro sipped his sake.

"More churchie goons. So we made a break for it. Sher knew da back ways and turned us back toward the direction of her boat. We was almost outta town when about ten of em all tried to jump us at once."

Sanji and Sher were surrounded. Sher reached in her pocket and pulled out the key. She threw it at one of the goons hoping to stop their advance. "Here, just take it!"

Sanji saw that Sher had been true to her word, just borrowing the key. Having the key returned didn't stop the goon squad though. Sanji set his bags down by his feet and lit up a cigarette. "Hey Sher, what's da name of dat island yer from again?"

Sher didn't think now was quite the time for such casual conversation. Should she set her bag down and fight too she wondered. "I told you, it's Camelot. South of here."

Sanji held his cigarette between his fingers. For the moment he ignored the goons he would thrash a few seconds from now. Sanji turned to Sher. Parting is always such sweet sorrow. "Okay then, maybe I'll see ya there sometime. I'm gonna cut you a path to da cove and yer gonna run, got it?"

Sher blinked up at Sanji. So this is it huh? "What about you Sanji?" Sher had almost become used to having a partner in crime. Maybe there was something about being with the pirate after all. Sanji of the Luffy Pirates. The good guys. Sher smiled at him. She already knew what he was going to say.

"I got these guys," he said with a grin. The goons were closing in. Sanji would take these guys out and get the crew's food back to the Merry Go before the cheese could get warm. "Nice meetin ya Sher."

"Likewise Sanji." Sher took a step closer to Sanji and got up on her toes. She kissed the pirates cheek. "I'll be seein ya right?"

Sanji rubbed his cheek blushing slightly. "Defiantly." The first of the goons charged at them and Sanji turned to meet their challenge. He put himself between Sher and the chuchies while she made her escape. It didn't take long to take care of the goons, about three minutes for the ten of them not too bad.

He hefted the bags of the food he had bought for the Merry Go and headed back to the docks. Coming downhill from town Sanji thought he saw The Avalon heading south. A small ship with two sails moving away in the hues of sunset.

Sanji poured them each one more cup of sake. He leaned back against the counter and took a long drag off of his cigarette. For a long time he was silent, remembering Sher. There was a little pirate in her; Sanji almost hoped she's let it out. Maybe that way he could see her again.

"I've never heard of an island called Camelot south of here. You sure that's what she said?"

"Dat's what I heawd." Sanji sighed and ashed his cigarette. "Maybe I'll ask Nami where it is when she gets back." The others were still carousing in town, they'd likely have to roll Luffy back to the ship.

Zoro straightened and stepped away from the counter. "I guess we could keep an eye out for her ship. Even a small craft can be tough to manage alone sometimes." He turned and headed for the door. Sanji seemed to need some time alone to pine over his new would-be girlfriend. "I'm gonna go check the rigging or something." Zoro yawned and went out to the deck.

Sanji poured himself one more cup of sake. "To you Sher," he toasted. "You'll make a good pirate someday." Sanji downed his drink in one gulp.

End

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