Author's Note:
OK, one apology to make. Sorry to all of you who hate the name Zolo, but that's how I first came across him and how I think of him, so it's how I write him.
And by the way, I think it's pretty obvious I don't own One Piece. Just thought I'd mention it…
Chapter 1 - Memories
Sanji stood on the deck, gazing into the starry night as his forgotten cigarette hung between his fingers. Though he was staring straight ahead, the cook's eyes were focused not upon the sea, but on distant memories. It's been so long… he thought.
His thoughts were interrupted as he became aware of another presence on deck. Turning slightly, he saw Zolo, the ship's first mate, leaning on the rail beside him.
"Nice night, huh?" Zolo remarked, his earrings glinting in the moonlight as he tilted his head to look at Sanji.
Sanji suppressed a surge of irritation and replied curtly, "Well, it was until you showed up. Leave me alone, sword boy."
He glanced down at his cigarette and cursed as he realised it had gone out. With a grimace of disgust, he flung it overboard and sauntered back towards his quarters, hands in his pockets. Zolo stared after him, puzzled. While it was true that he and Sanji often squabbled, it usually took a little more provocation than one innocent remark. Putting it down to the peculiarities of chefs, he shrugged it aside and went back to contemplating the water.
"Now look, you idiots," Nami warned, her hands on her hips. It was the next morning, and the ship had just docked at a new island. "Every time we stop somewhere, you lot cause trouble and we end up having to leave before I've had a decent look around. I am in desperate need of some new clothes, and if you make us leave before I've found some I like, then I'll hand you all over to the Navy myself!"
Luffy, Usopp and Chopper, the recipients of this tirade, pouted. They knew that the navigator was perfectly capable of carrying out this threat, and would be happy to, just to receive the bounty on Luffy's head.
Nami turned and strode away. Once she had disappeared into the women's quarters, Usopp thrust out his chest. "Like we should listen to her!" he scoffed. "I am the great Captain Usopp, and I can handle any kind of trouble!"
"I notice you waited to say that until after Nami had left," Zolo commented. "Some 'great captain'."
"Usopp!" Luffy yelled. "I'm the captain, remember? Stop telling everyone that you are!"
The imminent scuffle was broken up by Sanji's foot suddenly appearing between the two combatants. "Knock it off, you two," he snapped. "I'm sick to death of you lot fighting all the time." He slouched his way off the ship, followed by the startled glances of the rest of the crew.
"Was that Sanji, the fighting chef, actually saying he was sick of fighting?" asked Usopp in awe. "He usually starts half of them!"
"Sanji's sick?" Luffy asked worriedly. "Chopper! Sanji needs some medicine!"
"Not that kind of sick!" Chopper groaned.
"Still, he has been acting strange lately," Nami said, coming back up to stand beside Zolo. "He didn't compliment me at all yesterday."
"Maybe he's just got a lot on his mind," Robin drawled from her favourite deckchair. "He'll be better once he's had a look around the food markets; you know that always cheers him up." Though it is strange, she added in the privacy of her own mind. Now that I think about it, he didn't compliment me yesterday either.
"Well, we'd better get after him," Nami sighed. "Luffy, you stick with me today; the others shouldn't be able to get in trouble without you. Coming, Zolo?"
"I'll stay here and get in a workout," he replied over Luffy's indignant squawk. "Just pick up some more rum; we're running low."
"I need to get some more supplies in town too," said Chopper, rummaging through his backpack. "You can never be too careful!"
"Especially with this crew!" Nami laughed. "OK. Take Usopp to carry anything you need. We'll meet back here when it starts getting dark."
Sanji wandered along the crowded street, kicking idly at pebbles. Damn it, he thought. It's been ten years and it still feels like it was only yesterday… He gave an angry shake of his head. Why can't I put her out of my mind?
Further down the street, Luffy was bobbing up and down excitedly next to Nami. "Where are we going, Nami?" he asked. "Are we going to a restaurant?"
"We're looking for Sanji, remember?" she snapped, impatient with her forgetful captain. This was the third time she'd told him! "He's the one who knows what supplies we need."
Besides, I'm kind of worried about him, she thought. He's not himself at the moment.
Luffy huffed, bored. Then an idea struck him, and he brightened. "So, if we find Sanji quickly, can I go find something fun to do?"
Not waiting for an answer, he stopped in the middle of the street and stretched his neck until he could see over the rest of the crowd, ignoring the gasps and stares of passers-by. He caught a glimpse of a blond head and a trail of smoke, and pointed triumphantly. "I see him, Nami!" he shouted. Nami just put her face in her hand and groaned.
Ignoring the commotion behind him, Sanji strolled into the food markets, and gradually, the sight of the various fruits and vegetables and outlandish fish and animals turned his mind away from his memories. He was beginning to look around with interest when he heard a woman scream nearby.
Sanji's head jerked up, and he looked for the source of the disturbance. A space was clearing in the market as the crowd backed away from a woman struggling to escape from a man who was struggling just as hard to hold onto her.
"Just give it up, lady!" the man cried in exasperation. The woman said nothing but continued to try to escape. The man shouted in frustration and struck her, knocking her to the ground.
"Now, is that the right way to treat a lady?" Sanji asked, stepping into the clearing.
The man sauntered over to him, and grinned. "What's your problem?" he sneered, staring down at him.
"You," Sanji replied, and without even taking the cigarette from his mouth, kicked the man in the stomach so hard that he flew backwards and crashed into a fruit stall. The crowd let out a gasp, and backed away from Sanji, hurriedly moving on.
Sanji turned back to the woman to find her on her feet. "Are you all right, miss?" he asked kindly.
"I… I think so," she stammered. "Who are you?"
"Hey, Sanji!" came Luffy's voice. "What happened?"
Luffy came hurrying into view, followed by an irate Nami. "Sanji!" she shouted. "Have you already started causing trouble? We'd better not have to leave because of this!"
Sanji was about to retort when the woman he had saved gasped. "Did they just call you Sanji?" she asked.
Surprised, he turned back to her. "Yeah, I'm Sanji," he answered. "Why?"
"Oh, Sanji, it is you!" she cried, and flew into his arms. "I thought it was, but I didn't dare hope!"
Sanji stared at the woman in his arms, as did Nami and Luffy. Then his eyes widened in shock. The long blonde hair, the blue eyes… could it be?
"Ichigo? Is that you?"
