Author's Note: Yes, I know. It was supposed to take longer than this for the next chapter...but something funny happened. I had to wait for two repair people to show up today. One for our water heater...and as a result we are getting a new one, hooray! And the other was the cable guy...and I know it's a cliche, but guess who DIDN'T show! Anyway, I ended up writing while waiting...and waiting...and waiting...

Anyway...this chapter is dedicated to, Verum (Oh, behave!), Lady Geuna (One of the two, and yes...they need to!), Sheri-chan (Sanji: "Thank you, Sheri-chan!", Zoro: "Leave him hanging there, he deserves it!"), Devlinn Reiko-sama (Sanji: "Oi! You like me treated that way?", Zoro: "Better you than me!"), SpyralMoon (I think he's laughing in the corner) and Blizzardrake (Thank you, Blizzardrake-san! I'm glad that you like it!)! Thank you everyone, for the reviews! (Hey, Eileen-san and Zo-zemonkeySan, where are you? LOL! I hope you guys are reading this!)

And now, our story continues...

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Chapter 2: Deceiving Sanji

A loud crash tore through the rest of the ship, as several sets of footsteps could be heard running for the stockade.

"What the hell is going on?" Yelled a man with long flowing black hair, as he looked to see what was going on through the slats of the floor below.

In the dim light, the raven haired man could see the blonde haired cook standing to one side of the stockade, while the rest of inhabitants were either unconscious or clutching various parts of their anatomy at the other end of the room. Peering even more carefully, the man dressed in a long royal blue coat could see the absolute outrage in the blonde's eyes, as he glared across the room at the other men while trying to hold up the back of his undone pants with hands that were still tied behind his back.

"I ordered his bonds cut before being thrown in the brig!" Shouted the black haired man. "Who disobeyed my orders?"

"Captain, we were afraid of him," squeaked the grating voice from somewhere in the darkness.

"Really?" Growled the black haired man, "More afraid of me?"

Yanking open the door, the Captain descended the ladder into the prison below. Casting a quick glare at the men who remained standing, only the blonde remained where he stood while the other men withdrew against the walls of the cell.

Turning back towards the enraged cook, the man in the long blue coat began to speak, his voice low and soft.

"It's going to be all right," repeatedly droned the Captain as he slowly walked towards the angry cook.

Shooting daggers with his exposed right-eye, the blonde raised one of his legs, ready to strike out at the approaching man.

"It's okay," continued the long haired Captain, slowly reaching for the knot that held the piece of cloth that was impeding the cook's ability to speak. "It's going to be okay."

Still prepared to kick if he needed to, Sanji waited for the gag to fall away before letting loose a furious torrent of words.

"Who the fuck are you? I fed you because you said you were starving for fuck's sake! You lousy son-of-a-bitch! Untie me you bastard!"

Face turning a crimson red, the foul mouthed cook continued to spew insults as the Captain gently placed his palm against the blonde's cheek, immediately calming the man. "Shhhhh..."

"What are you?" Whispered Sanji, eyes filled with a mixture of amazement and fear at what had just occurred.

"I'm Captain of this vessel," the man stated as he tossed his flowing mane back. Even in the darkened room, the cook could see the pale delicate features of the man before him, full lips, clear green eyes, appearance that even seemed to exceed the blonde's good looks.

"And that vessel would be?"

"The Siren."

"Strange choice of name..."

Looking a bit hurt, the man answered, "It was specially commissioned for me."

Too preoccupied with the his conversation with the Captain, Sanji failed to notice when the ropes around his wrists fell away.

Spotting the bloodied wrists and ankles, the green eyes of the Captain flared as he turned at the crew member who had been responsible for leaving the cook tied-up and helpless.

"Why wasn't my orders carried out?" Seethed the Captain.

"I'm sorry, Sir. We were afraid..."

"Off my ship."

"But Sir..."

"Get-off-my-ship." Stated the Captain as his voice spoke each word calmly and deliberately.

"Yes, Sir." Whispered the man with the grating voice as he left the room.

Within a matter of minutes, the crew heard the sound of something hitting the water over the side of the ship.

"I'm sorry about what has happened," the Captain sadly stated. "Please, will you follow me?"

Hurriedly buttoning and zipping up his pants, the cook climbed up the ladder after that ship's Captain, not bothering with buckling his belt until he was out of that hellish pit.

"Let me show you your new home," smiled the full lips as he motioned Sanji to follow, "my Prince of Cooks..."

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As the Going Merry made it's way into open water, the crew moved faster to work the sails, seeing that they were now short of one pair of sea worthy hands.

From information that they had garnered on the docks, a large marine ship, carrying the name 'the Siren,' had just left port shortly before the Mugiwara crew had returned to the Merry. Just prior to that, people had seen a dirt covered, long-haired man in tattered clothes, asking for food. While most of the workmen were used to beggars and shooed the vagabond away, they were surprised when the blonde haired pirate offered to feed the man without asking for any form of compensation.

"Stupid, fricking Ero-Kokku!" Had been Zoro's response when he realized what had happened. "After Don Krieg, I thought he would have learned his lesson!"

"Who's Don Krieg?" Asked the furry reindeer, before the sniper began his story of the valiant fight between the courageous Captain Usopp and the notoriously murderous Don Krieg and his henchman Gin. With a few side notes about Zoro's fight with Mihawk thrown in, after he noticed the aggravated looks that the swordsman had been firing his way.

Concentrating on following in the direction that the dockworkers had seen the marines leave, the Straw Hat crew didn't hear the approach of the cannonball until it hit just off the starboard side of the ship.

Scrambling to see where the shot had come from, the Mugiwaras watched as a marine ship three-time the size of the Going Merry steamed towards them.

Grabbing his three swords, Zoro waited for Luffy to punch his arm towards the oncoming marine ship so that he could attack.

"Damn Cook!" Growled the green-haired swordsman as he watched Luffy's arm stretching towards it's goal, "Of all the times not to have you watching my back..."

As Luffy did his best to bounce back the flying cannonballs from the direction whence they came, and all hands took their part in the fight. Every one of them still wished that the cook with the 'Black Leg' was by their side at this moment.

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Authors Note: More to come...soon... Aloha!