Look at the Sky, Day and Night
By: Nikuwadoko
Disclaimer: One Piece belongs to Oda-san.
A/n: This is my first fan-fiction to be posted on the net. Constructive criticism is especially welcome, and any comments. Thanks for reading!
"Meishi! Meishiii! I want MEISHI!"
Everyone knows whose mouth these words came from.
"Hold on Luffy, I need to finish cooking the shrimp."
Sanji concentrated on finishing his nakama's dinner meal, while Luffy pranced around the kitchen, waiting for his meishi.
"Sanji-kunit smells really delicious over there…" Nami murmured without looking up from her map. The 5 remaining nakama were all patiently waiting at the dinner table.
Usopp held his fork, "Neeit's been a great day, hasn't it? I finally finished making the cyber-sling version VII! Now, to end the day with a delicious meal…"
Robin smiled at the sharpshooter, "Really? Good for you long-nose-san!"
Usopp laughed to himself, "Hehee!" He was especially proud about this project. He started explaining the whole invention process to Tony Tony Chopper, who was obviously interested.
Zoro gazed at the cook, jeez, hurry up, blondie. I am really hungry…
"Yatta!" Sanji almost jumped into the air, for obvious reasons. "Here you go, Nami-SAN! And for you, my dear ROBIN-CHWAN!"
Sweatdrop. The crew was already used to this "favoring".
Zoro couldn't take it anymore, "Oi, where's our food."
"Shush marimo-brain, your share is right here." Sanji poured out the food onto different plates, with speed and dexterity of the hands.
The blond cook held out his hands in satisfaction, "Enjoy! Nami-SAN and Robin-CHWAN!"
Robin sipped her coffee, "Thank you very much, cook-san."
"Arigatou, Sanji-kun." Nami began chewing the fried shrimp.
Sanji grabbed his own meal and slumped down at the dinner table. He began eating.
A few minutes passed by…Robin looked up from her plate, "Ah, cook-san, are you not hungry?"
Everyone at the table looked at Sanji.
"Mmm?" Sanji seemed surprised, but then he realized that this was Robin-chwan worrying about him. "Oh! I am fine, Robin-chwan, thanks for caring!"
Usopp sneered, "I'm surprised hearts didn't pop from his eyes this time."
Robin kept asking, "Are you sure, cook-san? I mean, I never really seen you eat much."
Nami paused chewing, "Nee…Robin is right…Why, Sanji-kun?"
Sanji seemed more confused then ever, with two beautiful ladies questioning his humble self, "Huh? I don't know what you're talking about," He smiled and kept eating, showing them that he's fine.
Robin said, "Compared to the others, you eat almost nothing. And you only get a tiny portion from the cooking pot everyday."
Sanji looked down and brushed his hair away with one hand, "Well…I rather enjoy watching you guys eat…plus I'm not so much 'pig-like' as those two other freaks." He picked at his shrimp.
Luffy frowned with his mouth full, "Say, who are you calling pigs?" He went back to chewing non-stop." Obviously the green-headed swordsman wasn't interested at all in this typeof conversation.
Sanji turned back into love-struck mode, with hearts and all, "Awww! Nami-san and Robin-chwan! Thank you soooo much for caring about meeee! I am fine!"
Nami smiled, "Okay, that's good then." She went back to eating.
Robin took a sip of her coffee and stood up, "I'm finished eating." She picked up her plate and headed towards the sink.
As she walked, a skinny hand grabbed her wrist.
"You don't need to do that, Robin-chwan."
"Oh, I forgot…here's my plate…thanks for the delicious meal, cook-san" Robin headed out of the lounge.
Sanji put Robin's plate under his, and then asked if anyone else was done eating. For some reason, he didn't seem so happy.
"YOSHAA! What a good meal! Thanks again, SANJI" Luffy smiled childishly at the cook, who was washing the dishes. He stretched his arms to hand Sanji his plate(s).
Sanji said without moving, "No problem, Luffy."
Sooner and later, most people left the lounge to get rest or do something else in their cabins. Luffy remained inside the lounge, since he was too full to even move.
"BURP Ah…this is a good feeling…" Luffy patted his bloated stomach with satisfaction.
Sanji smiled. "Did everyone leave already?"
"YepYawn"
Sanji turned off the water hose. "Jaa, time to get some rest." He untied his apron and hung it on a nearby hat stand.
He blinked at Luffy, "Oi, Luffy, I'm leaving." The cook took out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. He then put his two hands into his pockets. "I'm going outside for a while."
"Okkkayyy" came a lazy reply.
OPOPOPOPSanji sat on the porch in front of the lounge, looking up at the star-bright night. Though it was cold, his cigarette brought him adequate warmth. I was probably rude to Robin-chwan today…
OPOPOPOP
In the middle of the night, Roronoa Zoro awoke,startled by his growling stomach. Darnit…if I keep on eating like this I'll be sure to become fat.
He whispered to himself, "Well, I better go get food to satisfy this annoying growling sound. I 'll just burn off the fat in the morning."
Luffy talked in his sleep, "Meishimeishi"
Zoro jumped off his bunk and grabbed his swords.
OPOPOPOPZoro saw a puff of smoke near the lounge door.
What is that.. He crept closer, getting ready to attack at any time.
Thern, suddenly, a long leg smacked right onto Zoro's face.
"OW!" Zoro yelped, almost tripping. He reached for Wadou.
"Oh, it's the marimo-brain. Why are you up so late."
"Sanji! Shouldn't I be the one to ask that!"
"Well, I've just been thinking about things, here, that's all. Who knows what you're up to, creepy marimo-fungus."
Zoro glared, "Just came for some water." He opened the lounge door and went in. The swordsman took a glance at the kitchen. Oh, shit, I don't know where anything is. And I probably can't eat anything, not in front of the cook at this time of the night.
Sanji put his hands into his pockets and rose an eyebrow, "What do you want to do?"
Zoro glared to himself, Oh crap I thought he was going to continue getting high off that cigarette…"Uh, do you know where the cups are.."
Sanji smiled to himself, "You wouldn't know where that is.." The cook trotted into the room and opened the top cabinet in the kitchen. With his cigar still in his mouth, Sanji took a hand out of his shirt pocket and got the glassware. He turned to the refrigerator.
He took out a small jug of fresh water and slowly poured the contents into the glass.
He held out the glass, "You want to come and get it, marimo?"
Zoro humphed and walked over to get his water. He took the glass and took a big gulp. The water tasted good. It reminded him that he planned on not having any the next day, because it was his monthly "training day".
Sanji kicked a hairball on the floor, must be Chopper's, "Well, since we're both up this late, why don't we keep each other entertained for a while?"
Zoro flinched.
"Oh c'mon life isn't all about sleeping and training!"
"Dumbass cook…it's not like I cook all day."
"Exactly. That is what I have been thinking the entire night."
"What?"
"let's go outside to talk. It's too stuffy in here." The cook brushed away a strand of blond hair from his face.
OPOPOPOPZoro glared at the carefree cook, I can't believe I'm doing this.
Sanji kept his gaze fixed on the sky most of time, never looking at the swordsman. Well, he had no reason to.
"Isn't it a lovely night…"
Zoro looked at the sky, "Well, I guess."
Sanji puffed smoke, "The Going Merry has gone through a lot of transitions and adventures…"
"And so have we."
"That's right…and I have been wondering lately, just what is our goal?"
"Our goals are all different."
Sanji brightened, "That's why it amazes me so much. Our crew is so diverse, and so disorganized, but yet…we have reached so far…"
Zoro thought, This must be the first time he's talking about something besides cooking and women.
Sanji continued, "Little Garden, Whiskey Peak, Drum Island, Alabasta, and Sky Island…those were sure amazing places.."
Zoro remembered Saga, the time when he killed his friend for a good cause. "It's not a surprising thing..I reminisce on our adventures all the time, and even dream about them too."
"Even though our crew is like a big family…I still yet to cease feeling alone."
Zoro rose an eyebrow, "You're not alone. We're not alone."
"I know, I know…but even with Robin-chan and Nami-swan and you guys…my soul feels cold, somehow. But at the same time, it's a good feeling. I don't know how to describe it."
Zoro replied, "I know what you mean. It just feels so different from the time when I was actually alone, being a bounty-hunter."
Sanji hopped on the railing and looked at the dark sky. "I like it this way. I feel happy." He spat out his cigar and smiled to the world in front of him.
Zoro grinned, "Heh." His strain of thought drifted to his training plans for the next day.
Sanji turned around, "Ah Zoro?"
The swordsman was asleep, with his hands over his three swords. Sanji smiled to himself, holding on to the railing, Princess Nefertari Vivi, rebel leader Kohza, Doctor Hiluluke, the Giants, Don Krieg, Gin…I will never forget these people…whether they were good or bad. And this crew, is probably the best thing that has happened to my life."
Zoro had a dream about Kuina. They were dueling. Zoro won.
Far away in Alabasta, a princess looked at the dark sky through her bedroom window.
"Mugiwara pirates…I will never forget you…" Princess Vivi put her hands under her chin, admiring the shining stars. "We will, meet again!"