Chapter VII: Dreamers and Sea Cooks P.2 – Greatest
A/N: Yay, finals week is over and summer is out! Don't worry, ChunkyFunkyMunkey, never even considered Gin as a potential member of the crew since he is kind of phased out after this arc. Can't imagine him choosing to leave Don Krieg after taking that gas bomb and sailing off with the oversized ego of a captain. Although, I may add some future characters to the crew. Any opinions? It would be easier just to recruit a canon character than to make one up in all honesty. But that's in the future! So, tell me your thoughts over the next months, and I'll take them into consideration. I may open a poll after posting this chapter for additional crewmembers. Some suggestions (canon): Kaku, Mr. 2/Bon Kurei/Bentham, Trafalgar Lami (I have some ideas on how she survived).
Oh, and I'll also be spending some time going back on all the chapters in book one and book two, making major and minor editing, so tell me if you spot any mistakes, or if I could have written a part better - I am open to most suggestions.
This will be my longest chapter for the series to date. Almost 10,000 words~ I love this part since it really demonstrates Luffy and Zoro's resolve to their respective dreams. Although, I'm breaking up the chapters more after this – I hope. We'll see.
Disclaimer: I own naught but my original characters and the plot, therefore One Piece belongs only to two people: Master Oda and the pirate king.
Remember, KASL refers to either a third person omniscient or multiple POV's in the section.
"Speech"
'Telepathy'
Thoughts, emphasis, proper names of non-persons, or significant temporal/spatial scene changes
/Flashbacks or summaries/
*sounds or actions*
The Baratie
- Sanji -
Sanji gave a small groan. That bastard can sure hit. He carefully sat back up as the infamous Don Krieg showed his true colors.
"Really nice ship. Mine's all worn out, so in recompense for your lives, I'll take this one off your hands."
"What about your promise Don Krieg…?" cried Gin.
Krieg ignored his crewmate's words. "I have about a hundred subordinates aboard my ship. With a combination of severe injuries and starvation, several have died and others are not too far behind, so prepare food and water to feed all of them. Best make it quick!"
"Who do you think we are? You're asking us to feed men who will come and attack us as soon as they're done! We refuse!" retorted Carne.
"I'm afraid you misunderstand," replied Krieg, a cruel smile appearing. It was replaced with a hard scowl. "I'm ordering you," a hush fell upon the group, "and no one disobeys my order."
Sanji heard enough. He got up and walked to the back.
"Sanji, where do you think you're going?"
"To the kitchen to cook 100 meals." The reaction was simultaneous. *Click* and over a dozen pistols aimed for him. Sanji drew short.
"Who do the hell do you think you are?" "We won't put up with this anymore!" "Enough with your insanity!" Every chef on deck had their weapons aimed for him. Sanji smiled and closed his eyes.
"Very well. Shoot. Go on. They may be pirate scum, but why bother so much on deciding whether or not to feed someone?" Sanji's expression hardened. "A cook should feed anyone who's starving."
*CRACK!* Patty somehow snuck behind the blonde chef and landed a punch to his head. Sanji's vision swam black for a moment. Long enough for two chefs to hold him down. The chefs watched as Patty brought indigestion meatball cannon to bear on the infamous pirate.
*BANG!*
Smoke billowed. A hush fell in the dining room.
"Now what?" questioned Sanji. "He has a bunch of subordinates waiting outside." Before Patty could reply, Kitsune spoke up.
"Heads up." The younger pirate fell into a loose stance. The smoke cleared to reveal Don Krieg in gleaming golden steel armor.
"What a shitty dessert to serve…worst food ever." Don Krieg had not a scratch on him. All the chefs mindlessly charged him, and the bastard's armor opened up to reveal dozens of shotgun barrels.
No!
*Pop! Pop! Pop!* An image of bright red flashed into Sanji's mind until he heard:
"Flame Edge Style: Hell's Mirror!"
A flash of white steel and fire.
- Kitsune -
Idiotically proud chefs hissed the kitsune. He snatched his sword into his hand when he saw the chefs charged the strongest known pirate of the East Blue. In seconds, the Straw Hat pirate appeared between them and death.
"Flame Edge Style: Hell's Mirror!"
The white blade caught alight and disappeared in a stunning display of fast-paced blocks, and every bullet was redirected and set alight right back at Don Krieg with an extra push of power. The man was pushed back, but with his annoyingly gaudy armor, only had a minimum of indentations.
"You-! You shitty little brat!" The man shook his fist. "I'm the strongest. A steel body, these steel arms, these diamond fists…I am the fleet commander of over 5000 men and 50 ships. No one else is more worthy of the title 'Don' than I and…NO ONE DARES TO DEFY ME!" The Straw Hat only narrowed his eyes and gave the bastard a smile full of razor sharp teeth.
"Well, I just did."
"Hmph, bunch of brats…"
Kitsune raised an eyebrow as Owner Zeff strolled through the wrecked dining room with a large sack.
"Here." He dropped the sack before Don Krieg. "About 100 meals' worth of food."
"Owner Zeff!" "How could you…?" "Why…!"
Sanji scrambled from his position on the ground and stood by the errand boy. "Shitty old man…" he muttered.
"Owner Zeff! If we feed those men, they'll just come and take our ship!"
For a brief moment, the old sea salt met the cold silver blue eyes of the Straw Hats' first mate.
"Sure they would…if they still had any fighting spirit to take it. Isn't that correct, defeated warriors of the Grand Line?"
"Y-you! You're 'Red-Leg' Zeff!"
- Zeff -
Brats. The old former captain stared disdainfully at the young'un who dared make a mess of his restaurant. The golden brat continued to speak.
"So, you're alive. You were once an infamous captain and cook of your own crew."
"So?" parried Zeff. "I am obviously no longer a pirate. I am but a simple cook."
"Obviously…I suppose it would be obvious that you no longer serve as a pirate with such an injury.
The name of 'Red Leg' Zeff is to speak of a master of kicking, a man who refused to fight with his hands. Not even bedrock could stand against the explosive power of your kicks. Against steel, imprints of your boots would be gouged. The title in of itself came from the red blood of your enemies saturating your legs after a fight.
They say you died at sea. You might as well. With the cost of one of your infamous legs, you shouldn't be able to fight anymore."
Zeff scoffed at the impudent brat. "Ttch, I may not be able to fight, but these two hands can still cook. But, what are getting out, exactly?"
"'Red-Leg' Zeff, you were a man who braved the heart of the devil's nest, the Grand Line itself! And you returned without injury. You must have kept a logbook of your adventures, which is what I am getting at…HAND IT OVER TO ME!"
"You've been to the Grand Line?" asked the straw-hatted serving boy.
"Yes…and yes I kept a logbook, but that logbook represents the hopes and pride of myself and my men. I will not hand it over to you. It is far too precious to hand to a brat like you."
"I'll just take it then!" shouted the stupid, arrogant brat. "My crew and I may have returned defeated, but I am the might Don Krieg! I had enough power, enough manpower, and enough ambition! But what I lacked was knowledge. That was my flaw! With your ship and your logbook, I should be able to conquer that sea!"
"You're such an idiot." Zeff raised a brow. The other brat with the beret was scowling at the much larger pirate. "If you failed with so many numbers, then you obviously lack the will to survive Paradise, much less the New World."
"Paradise?" croaked Gin. Zeff smirked.
"Kid's right. Even my crew couldn't make much headway into the second half of the Grand Line. Met some interesting folk, though, like these two's family." The other chefs began to shout again in defiance of Don Krieg.
Don Krieg clenched his fists and teeth. "SILENCE!" He towered over the impudent little shit mocking him at every turn. "The difference between our strengths is huge. What makes you think you can fight me?" The brat actually laughed in the face of a hostile pirate. What a shitty eggplant, just like the one that won't stop following me around.
- Kitsune -
"What? Too scared to acknowledge the truth. To be honest, my little brothers have far more potential when they were little kids than you have right now. Are you really sure about the whole 'Greatest' title?"
Don Krieg gnashed his teeth and the next thing Kitsune knew, the idiot grabbed the collar of his coat and held the fox aloft.
"I'll teach you to defy your betters, boy! Once I have Zeff's logbook, I will gather my pirate fleet and sail once more for the Grand Line. I will conquer it, find One Piece, and reshape this entire era of Piracy!"
"Hold it." All faces turned to my dear younger brother. "You're not going to find One Piece, because I am going to become the pirate king!"
All the chefs began to gape at the reckless behavior of the most ridiculous and stubborn pirate of the East Blue.
"Who the hell are you?"
"My youngest brother," answered Kitsune. "Of all of my younger brothers, Luffy had the most potential. In time, he'll even surpass myself, our older brothers, and maybe even Pops." Kitsune let a little of his aura flare. "So, don't underestimate my family." The arm holding him up began to pull back for a throw. As quick as a flash, the fox let himself slide out of his coat the moment the arm released for the throw. A hand darted out and grabbed the coat.
"Here, Kit."
Kitsune smiled and took the coat from his brother. He adjusted the white scarf normally hidden under the collar before putting the coat on. From their table where they still haven't moved:
"Need a hand there, Captain and First Mate?" asked Zoro as he nonchalantly slid Wado partly from its sheath.
"'Cause where raring to fight, too!" blustered Usopp.
"Ttch." Kitsune just tipped his beret forward.
"No thank, maybe later, but we got this."
The large pirate scowled. He scooped up the large bag of food
"I'll be back to take care of you weaklings," he sneered, "All I need beside this food is Zeff's log book and the ship. I feel generous, fortunately for you. I'll return after tending to my subordinates…"his face came alight with cruelty, "and if any of you want to live, then scram before I come and my subordinates return. If any of you weaklings want to fight…I'll send you all to the bottom of the sea if you really insist."
- Sanji -
The blonde chef sighed before lighting a cigarette. "He's not going to take that lightly."
The smaller one snorted. "If he did, then he has even less spine than I thought. Sorry, Cap, for taking over there."
"Shishishishi, no problem. You were always better with words than me. Zoro, Usopp, Nami, any problem with this?"
To answer, the lovely Miss Nami let sail the nearest object – a plate – at the young sea captain. Sanji's eyes widened. The smug bastard actually swallowed it! How could that be humanly possible? He even had the nerve to spit it out clean of its food. Sanji made a noise of disgust at the saliva-covered dish. You know what, never mind. Crazy things have happened before. He turned to the Straw Hats' first mate.
"So, how did you do that?"
"Do what?"
The other chefs joined in. "Yeah, kid. How'd you set your sword there on fire? And you moved so fast. More than a few of us owe you for stopping those bullets from turning us into Swiss cheese."
"A trick I learned from a famed pirate."
"Sanji…" The chef narrowed his eyes. Gin was still kneeling at the entrance. "Forgive me! Please! I didn't know that any of this would happen…I…" *Thunk!* The shitty short one was standing over Gin, fist raised from where it slammed into Gin's head.
"What's done is done. Quit crying about it because tears will not earn you Sanji's forgiveness or respite from your captain."
At the brat's words, all the chefs seemed to rally. "The kid's right," commented Patty. "We can't just sit here and cry about our misfortune." Patty the bastard turned to Owner Zeff. "Owner, I have no idea why you would give such a menace as the Don Krieg Pirates food, but…" More chefs joined in the criticism. Sanji nearly snapped his cigarette in two until…
"SILENCE, YOU BUNCH OF MORONS!" Owner Zeff took a breath. "Do you have any idea what's it like not to have enough to eat? The pain, the slow burn of an empty stomach and the fear of the next meal. In the middle of the ocean, without food or water…?"
/ A ship full of diners…Little Sanji criticizing his fellow chefs…Pirates boarding the pleasure ship…Waves rearing high and sweeping everything in its wake…The horrible rock bare of food…Hunger, pain, barely enough strength to shove that last piece of moldy bread…Captain Zeff and his missing leg, sacrificed, so Sanji would have enough food to last until their rescue… /
The clang of metal stirred Sanji from his memories. Patty and the other shitty cooks had pitchforks and other motley weapons to bear.
"You idiots! You won't be able to defeat Don Krieg! You need to run away!"
"Shut up." Gin started. "I'll tell you something about my code. I'll feed anyone starving who comes, but the one attacking the ship are already fed. Don't complain if I kill some of them." Gin gaped at the blonde chef. Sanji's gaze became granite. "I will not let anyone take this ship. I'll kill them without a second's thought, you included. Got that?"
"Twisted logic, Sanji," commented Patty.
"Makes sense," Sanji jerked slightly at the sudden voice coming from just behind him. The smug bastard swordsman was sitting just behind him on the table. "Your honor, that is. If anyone is so ungrateful as to bite the hand that feeds them then they deserve it when the hand decides to slap them down for their impudence."
The black-and-blonde-haired man took a sip from a mug before continuing. "Nami, go and keep an eye on Merry if you will. Usopp, Zoro, stay here for a bit."
"Uh…Captain, First Mate…not to insult your skills or anything, but how are we going to take on one of the most dangerous crews in the East Blue?!"
"Cool it, Long Nose. Our opponents are injured pirates," countered Zoro. Sanji had to give the stupid Moss-head a nod to his logic; even his shitty fellow chefs can handle a few healthy pirates, dozens of injured and recovering pirates shouldn't be too hard for the seasoned fighting sea cooks.
"Hey, Gin," the still crouched man turned to Sanji, "you said you didn't know anything about the Grand Line, but didn't your crew go there?"
Gin wringed his hands, fear taking hold of him once more.
"Yeah, but I was telling the truth…we don't know anything. The Grand Line…I'm not sure I know the difference between what was real and what just a nightmare... In seven days, we faced weather from hail, to endless draught-like sunlight, to endless sea-churning storms. Then…then we faced that man." The chefs leaned in.
"I still can't believe it…All 50 ships of the Don Krieg Pirate Fleet were devastated by a single man!"
"What!?" "IMPOSSIBLE!" "How can a single man cause that much damage to the flagship out there, much less 49 other ships?!"
"Thought so," cut in a single, soft voice. "I recognized the blade work. Yep, had to be that man. 'Member him, Luffy?"
All eyes turned to the two brothers.
"Who?" *Sweat-drop.* How can he be that oblivious…? How many people does he know that can slice ships apart?
Kitsune apparently wasn't that astonished. He turned to Gin. "I bet it was sudden, without warning or even a chance to defend yourselves."
Gin nodded warily. "Yeah. I don't know how we even survived. I suppose that storm was a godsend and the only reason we and who knows any other of our ships survived. I can't erase those eyes, though, those sharp, piercing eyes!"
The Moss-Head stiffened.
"Ah," spoke Owner Zeff, "had to be him. The hawk-eyed man, without a doubt." Hawk-eyed man?
Kitsune nodded his head.
"Oh, you mean Hawky!" "Luffy, didn't Mihawk tell you to stop calling him that in public?" "Who?" "Why do I even…? Dracule 'Hawk-Eyes Mihawk! The acknowledged greatest swordsman of the world and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! Not Hawky!"
"Shishishishi! Ooooh…Hawky then."
"You know, I give up. Yes, Uncle Hawky."
"Hawk-eyed man?" questioned Sanji.
"Yes, a man whose glare was not only as sharp as a hawk's but also with the strength to easily tear thought a fleet. It most certainly was him.
"The man I have been searching for…" muttered the Moss-Head.
Then the idiots went on about the one piss-drunk customer whose eyes turned red [*eyebrow twitch*]. The Moss-head looked disappointed then.
"So," Sanji said over the laughter of his fellow chefs, "what did you guys do to make the man destroy your fleet?"
"Nothing. We didn't do anything! He just attacked us suddenly."
"You probably just disturbed his nap, or maybe he was bored," remarked Owner Zeff.
"I vote for the latter. I'd probably do the same if I didn't have Luffy here to preoccupy me."
Sanji sweat-dropped. What is wrong with these pirates?
- Kitsune -
The fox grinned. He was about to comment on the stunned face of his future crewmate when he felt it. The two Grand Line-raised pirates stilled. An immense presence preluded the sudden spike of energy.
*Shing! Crash! Screams*
The Baratie shook as waves pounded it. All the chefs and pirates rushed outside. The last remaining galleon of the Don Krieg Pirates was sliced perfectly in half. Pirates were scattered all over like so much debris. Upon seeing the destruction, Gin collapsed.
"Nooo…noo. Did he really follow us all the way out here?!" moaned the man.
Kitsune's eyes widened. 'Zoro, Usopp, Luffy, men overboard!'
The three Straw Hats rushed to the deck, and there was Yosaku and Johnny struggling amidst the tumultuous sea.
"Brother Zoro! Brother Luffy! Brother Kitsune!"
"What happened?!"
"Hurry up and help fish them out." Kitsune directed some coils of rope with his mind and lassoed the two bounty hunters. He had Usopp and Luffy help pull the men onto the deck.
The two men panted on the deck. "Sister…*huff, huff*…Nami. She took the ship…"
"WHAT?!" shouted three of the four Straw Hats. Kitsune sighed. He knew something was up. Nami had a fight/flight feeling since the day they first found the two bounty hunters – specifically after she picked up one of the wanted posters. Kitsune let his crewmates yell for a few moments before slamming the hilt of his kodachi against the deck railings.
"Enough! I notice Nami acting funny for a few days. And the ship is still visible."
"Kit's right. Yosaku, Johnny, you still have your ship?"
"Yeah…?"
"Zoro, Usopp, go and prepare take off after the Going Merry," commanded the captain. Before the two could protest, Luffy simply said, "She's our navigator. Temporary crewmate or not, it's my decision to let her go or not. And she doesn't have my permission to leave!"
Zoro face palmed. "Fine, fine."
"Not, yet, Zoro. We have company."
Sailing silently among the ship's remains sailed a single, small black vessel lined with candles. And in that ship, lounged the familiar dark figure of the most skilled swordsman of all the seas: 'Hawk-Eyes Mihawk.
"Heya, Hawky!" Kitsune felt like knocking his head against deck railings.
"Luffy!" The normally stoic man spared the bumbling youngest KASL brother a rare slip of a smile. He turned to Kitsune.
Kitsune bowed slightly from the waist. "Master." Mihawk acknowledged his bow with a nod.
"Good to see you made it to the East Blue."
Yelling from the sides drew the hawk-eyed man's gaze.
"Y-you! Why did you attack us?!"
Mihawk leveled a stare that sent shivers through Kitsune metaphoric fur. "To kill time."
The Krieg pirate retaliated to such a callous answer with a round of gunfire.
- Zoro -
/ "You know, Zoro-bro, they say that man visited there once - the red-eyed man with the hawk's gaze."
Zoro's own stare lit with anticipation. After hearing all of Kitsune's stories, the swordsman itched to trade blows with such a powerful blades master. He wanted to experience for himself the true divide between their strengths. Even if he would most likely die as a result of such a duel. /
The great black blade was drawn.
"How…?"
"He's redirecting the trajectory of every bullet ever so slightly." Zoro had leapt onto one of the wooden remains of the galleon. "I've never seen such grace except for maybe in Kitsune's blade work."
"A compliment, young man. A sword without grace has no strength. Kitsune was a fine student, even if not a traditional one. He has the talent but not the intrinsic drive of a swordsman. But I would hope he had learned something of my own style under months of my tutelage."
"And you cut this ship in half."
"Yes, indeed."
Zoro grinned and grabbed at the bandanna tied to his arm. He continued to speak as he looped it around his head. "I set sail to finally meet you!"
Mihawk tilted his head. "You know my student long enough to discern elements of my own tutelage. Tell me, what do you aim for?"
Zoro's grin turned feral. "To be the greatest."
The pirates around him stood dumbstruck in recognition. "It's-it's Roronoa Zoro. Roronoa Zoro of the Three Sword Style!" Even the shitty cook looked astonished at his name.
"We're both strong swordsmen. You said you were killing time, so let's have a duel."
The greatest swordsman scoffed. "Kitsune, tell me, what do you think of this man?"
The first mate crooked his head in contemplation.
"Well, Roronoa is a strong swordsman for the East Blue. He has potential and given a little seasoning and some Grand Line instruction, he may indeed fulfill his dream. But now? I could quash him with but a fragment of my true strength. Nevertheless, I have taught him some swords techniques he can adapt into his own style in addition to the bare basics of haki."
"Hmm."
Zoro turned to the irritating first mate. Kitsune shrugged without apology for his honest words.
"In retrospect, my former student must think much of you. He does not hand out compliments much, especially to weaklings such as yourself. Do you still challenge me?"
"Of course," answered Zoro without a second's hesitation. For Kuina.
"Very well. Let's see the difference in our strength." Mihawk did not draw the black blade, though. Instead, he reached over and drew a simple katana.
At Zoro's shocked expression, Dracule Mihawk explained, "For a swordsman of the East Blue, I would not normally even consider a sword, but Kitsune has made me curious. Let us see how well you've trained for this day!"
Zoro gave a toothy grin, eyes shaded by his headband. "Fine by me."
Mihawk smirked. "What drives you, I wonder? Stupidity, vanity, pride…or conviction?"
- Kitsune -
The two men clashed blades. *Clang, clang!* Zoro was totally and utterly overmatched. Blood began to soak his shirt form numerous cuts from just one counter maneuver. The swordsman's eyes came alight.
"Three Swords Style: Two Demons Hunting!"
Kitsune smirked in appreciation. An adaptation to Kitsune's favorite trick. Using speed and a trick of light, Zoro could emulate the same move Kitsune used with his illusions. The audience gasped as two pirate hunters seemed to attack the great pirate. But, Zoro's mimicry lacked the skill honed by years honing blades at nearly indiscernible speeds. The tip of Mihawk's katana pierced Zoro's chest.
"Why do you not step back? Do you want me to pierce your heart?"
"I-I can't. I have this feeling…to back down now would be to end my path even if I were to live."
"That is a part of defeat."
"I will not step back."
"Even if you will die?"
Silence. But then again, true masters of the sword didn't need to speak."
"And your name, young man?"
Kitsune watched as Zoro aligned his blades in a move he has never seen before.
"Roronoa Zoro."
"To pay my respect to a fellow man of the blade, I will finish you with my black blade." Kitsune grabbed hold of Johnny just as Luffy wrestled Yosaku down to the ground.
A single swing.
"Three Sword Style Secret Move: 3000 Worlds!"
*Clang! Crack!* Two of three katana shattered. Kitsune and Luffy stood frozen.
Zoro sheathed Wado and faced his fate with a proud smile.
"Hmm?"
"A wound on one's back is the shame of a swordsman."
Mihawk smiled. "Well spoken." Blood splashed once more.
"ZORO!" shouted the four spectators. Kitsune reached out with his telekinesis and barely caught the swordsman.
He dragged the man towards them slowly, concentrating extra hard to not jostle the gravely injured man.
"Yosaku, Johnny, GO! I can't carry people like this for long. I'm about to drop him!" The two bounty hunters jumped. The strain was too much. Kitsune dropped Zoro into the sea.
Wasting no time, the first mate hopped across the wreckage to where the small ship sat anchored. Yosaku and Johnny managed to drag the semi-conscious man aboard. He placed both hands over the worst of the wounds.
"Kitsune-bro, what are you…?"
A warm dark blue light suffused his hands. Before the men's awed gazes, the many minor wounds sealed. The major ones faded in color as the skin slowly knit itself together. The shapeshifter spared a wan smile.
In order to achieve full healing capability, Kitsune had to make some sacrifices. He could do a half-shift to perform his more mental skills, but he will never again transform into the large blue fox. And that may be for the best. Kitsune remembered how vulnerable he could be in that state. The great blue fox did not move quickly or with great physical strength. At the most, he could sustain the full transformation for three minutes. Then, the form would take its toll. Too risky in the long run. Maybe one day, but not now.
Kitsune pulled away when the light dimmed. His powers had their limits. Just as his golden fox could not achieve true flight through telekinesis, his blue fox's healing light could not cure the gravest wounds, only encourage the body's naturally healing capabilities to their peak performance. The first mate nodded to the two men and Usopp.
- Luffy -
The Straw Hat captain clenched his fists. But, he knew Hawk-Eyes didn't do these things without purpose.
"Do not worry, young Straw Hat." Luffy snapped his head to the warlord. "He will live."
A moment of silence. Hawk-Eyes looks toward the downed pirate. "I am Dracule Mihawk. It's much too soon for you to die. Take this reprieve to learn about yourself, the world, and become strong, Roronoa! I shall await you, no matter how many months or years pass, at the top of the world. Go! Experience the wealth of this world, hone your skills and conviction to a point as sharp as my own blade. When this happens…COME AND SURPASS ME, RORONOA!"
"Captain!" Luffy wrenched his head around to this injured crewmate. Kit finally had finished healing Zoro. A single blade thrust toward the sky. "C-can you hear me?"
"Yeah!"
"Sorry for making you w-worry. If I don't become the greatest swordsman in the world, I will only bring shame to you…so I swear! I swear that I will never fail you again!" Tears poured down the pirate hunter's face.
"I swear to never lose until the time comes for me to face him and win! I will not lose again!"
Kitsune was only blankly staring at his patient. Luffy met the eyes of his older brother. A silent acknowledgement of the responsibility they shared.
"Well, pirate king?!"
Luffy smirked. "Nope, shishishishishi!"
His big brother finished and in the next moment was beside his mentor and friend.
Mihawk leveled his brother an unreadable look.
"What do you dream of, my student." Kit grinned.
"Well, I've been puzzling about that for quite a number of years. Watching Zoro fight, I think I finally come to a decision. Luffy will be the pirate king, Zoro will be the next world's greatest swordsman, and I…I have heard hundreds of people speak of their dreams, but how many of them are heard?
I dream of meeting every kind of adventurer along our journey and recording their stories. I'll collect the greatest stories in the Grand Line and share them with the world. Be they noble or rogue, saint or villain, if they have a worthy story, then I'll write it down. Even if the story lies buried beneath the tides, if the World Government itself buries the secrets beyond the grave, I'll do my damnedest to ferret them away and show them to the world. And let my crew's story, the story of the future pirate king, be the best of them all."
Mihawk's eyes imperceptibly widened. Then he smirked. "A fine set of dreams for a fine crew. I am glad you finally found your fire, my student. You've always did have a secret love for stories. You and your younger brothers have taken very difficult paths in life, but they are fitting. Even one whose dream is greater than surpassing me…" Luffy pulled a face.
"I'm gonna do it, and nothing will stop me from doing it! Blehh!" "Luffy!"
In a moment, Kit was right next to him and slammed the hilt of his sword against the younger's head. Luffy groaned. Damn, Kit's haki…In between the ringing, Luffy could hear Hawky's laughter.
- KASL -
Mihawk tipped his hat and began to stride away. Don Krieg decided to take offense. A second slash tore the seas and the ship wreckage apart. Once the sea settled, 'Hawk-Eyes' Mihawk had vanished.
During the chaos, the crew parted ways temporarily.
"AAAAAHHH!"
"GO!" shouted Luffy over the crashing of waves. "The four of you go ahead and get Nami!"
"Yeah, Luffy and I got this. Just don't do anything stupid, like piss off pirates bigger and a whole lot stronger than you – that means YOU, Usopp!"
"We'll definitely get Nami back, Captain, and Kit!" replied Usopp with the barest trace of a tremor. "So, go and get us our chef and meet back up with us. With six people in our crew, we'll set sail for the Grand Line!"
Most of the Krieg Pirates managed to keep their footing in the wreckage and began to approach the Baratie.
"Damn," muttered Sanji. "Those bastards are finally coming."
"Oi! Old Man!" shouted Luffy. "If Kit and I take care of these pirates, will you let us off our debt?"
"Hmph. Fine. Do as you wish," grumbled Owner Zeff.
The Krieg Pirates stirred with discontent. After the crew was so utterly pummeled, the once fierce pirates were not so eager to follow their leader in taking such a weird ship in addition to returning to the Hell seas of the Grand Line. *Crack!* One of the more vocal dissenters fell into the water, dead. All the pirates fell silent.
"Any more questions?" threatened Don Krieg. "No? Obviously, that Hawk-Eyes fellow was no ordinary man to cut a galleon in half. He probably ate a devil fruit and gained a mysterious power. So, SHUT UP AND LISTEN! The Grand Line is full of devil fruit users. Those fellows there, the straw hat and beret-wearer are but a few examples of the many dangers inhabiting the Grand Line. 'Red-Leg' Zeff spent an entire year in the Grand Line. He must know some tricks to deal with such monsters. With his log, we will know those same methods. He might even know something about One Piece!"
The Don Krieg Pirates rallied. They shouted, "Yeah! Let's go and take that ship!"
On the Baratie, Kitsune snorted at their opponents' antics. "Really? Even Paradise might be too much for such stupidity."
"Shishishishi! Yeah, I don't even think they would last very long. Ready, Kit?"
Kitsune smirked wide, silver blue irises suddenly slitting and teeth turning razor sharp. "Just don't be an idiot and fall in the water. I can't exactly rescue you if you do."
Luffy laughed. He gripped and the railings and…
"GUM-GUM ROCKET!"
Kitsune slapped a hand over his face. "Rubber-brain dolt," muttered the older brother darkly.
Luffy twisted in the air, extending his arms wide.
"PROPELLER!" A good chunk of pirates scattered in all directions as Luffy spun into them. The whirling arms caught onto one of the masts.
"LUFFY!"
The remaining Straw Hat pirate snarled, and exploded in a sudden haze of yellow smoke. A yellow blur raced across the debris. Next to the freaky youth appeared a large, slender, yellow fox. The fox crouched over the enemy captain and made a series of yips.
"What in the world is he?"
The Krieg pirates scrambled back at the display.
"I said, SHUT IT!" The pirates fell still. "Idiots, what did I say before? Those two probably have some sort of devil fruit power." The captain of the Don Krieg Pirates turned to the Straw Hats. "Isn't true that those who eat of the fruits of the devil are forever weak against the sea?"
"Perhaps," spoke the golden fox, "but does it really matter? We both can maneuver rather well after living on the seas for many years. I think it should be you who should be worried here."
"We can't swim, but I can stretch, and Kit can do lots of different things."
*Thump.* One of the seven fluttering tails smacked the straw-hatted pirate.
'Luffy, don't announce what we can do every time we fight. I think our opponents get the idea without you telling them.' Aww, but Kit… 'No buts!'
/ A weird fish-duck-shaped ship attempted to attack Don Krieg Pirates, manned by Patty and Carne. While the two men were distracting the pirates, the Baratie opened up the 'fins,' a set of extra deck flooring perfect for fighting en masse. Unfortunately, for the two sea cooks, Don Krieg found their efforts less than amusing. He sent them flying until Sanji kicked them into the fins. By the time, the three chefs quit arguing, all the remaining chefs fell under the onslaught of pirates. /
- Sanji -
Carne and Patty needed to quit messing around. While those two wasted time arguing with Sanji's method, all their fellow cooks were beaten. Finally, the two charged into the fray. They actually made quick work of a lot of the pirates standing on the fins. Then some weirdo showed up.
He was red-haired and…shiny? The new pirate was decked out in some sort of pearl and iron armor. He cleaned their clocks. The smug bastard then struck a ridiculous pose and declared himself:
"I am 'Iron Wall' Pearl. No man has ever beaten my invincible iron wall. I come out of every battle without a scratch!" The bastard's high voice was giving the blonde a headache…
One of the shitty pirates then tried to steal Patty's knife. Sanji was on him in an instant. The pirate flew back from a vicious kick. Sanji held up the knife.
"A kitchen knife is the soul of the chef. Filthy hands as yours shouldn't even think about touching one." Sanji demolished the lower ranked pirates. Then Pearl stepped up.
The idiot talked and talked about his so-called invincible defense until in between Sanji's kick and his block, errand boy came flying in and slammed the guy's face into his own shield.
…Blood gushed out from the pirate's nose.
-Kitsune -
East Blue pirates were pretty pathetic. While Kitsune did say to minimize their use of haki here, Luffy still shouldn't be so oblivious as to let Don Krieg nail him with an iron flail. Kitsune deftly dodged around the enemy captain, not even really paying any heed to his words. His eyes stayed on what was happening on the fins. His ears twitched forward. Even Don Krieg stopped with a curse on his lips when he took in his newly injured crewmate.
The weird pirate…freaked. Fire suddenly began to fly.
"Is he trying…?"
"…to burn the ship we're trying to steal," finished Don Krieg.
The fox's tails curled over themselves. Kitsune inclined his head as he watched Sanji dart forward heedless of the inferno. Don Krieg reared back the arm holding the flail. Kitsune narrowed his eyes grabbed the spiked ball with his telekinesis. He flung the weapon and Don Krieg into another floating pile of wood shards with a satisfying thunk.
A mast fell over to crack upon Pearl's head. The pirate toppled over.
"Enough." All eyes turned to where Owner Zeff…laid, subdued by Gin with a gun held to his head. "No matter how great he used to be, in the end he's another cook vulnerable as any other to bullets."
Not always. If Zeff made it to the New World, he would certainly not be just any cook. Gin had the audacity to demand their surrender. Sanji refused. Then Pearl got back up.
- Sanji -
Damn, Gin. Sanji couldn't risk the Old Man's life. Flashes of memory bombarded his mind. No. Zeff risked his life, gave his leg for Sanji's sake. The sea cook refused to let some shitty pirates take the shitty old geezer's treasure. Pearl took a swing at him.
'ENOUGH.'
"Racing Foxfire!" A blur of white and gold rushed past and slammed Pearl away. A sudden flash revealed the bereted pirate in its place. "I said, ENOUGH!"
Sanji swallowed a breath. "Stop, Gin has the old geezer at…!" Something silvery flew by Sanji's head and landed in the palm of the shorter man – a pistol. He whirled around to see a dumfounded Gin without his weapon. Suddenly, an arm shot out and forced Gin away from the old geezer or risked a black eye.
"What is going on?" "How did he…?" "So that is the power of devil fruit users?!"
The two pirates stood by each other and grinned.
"Yup~ I ate the Dog-Dog Fruit: model kitsune."
"Yeah! And I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit! I'm a rubber-man!"
The fox met Sanji's startled gaze. "Anyone who takes another's precious treasure with such cowardly tactics just asks for trouble. A good pirate should man up and face their mistakes, not run away or try to avoid them." The last was directed at Gin.
How did you know that? 'Kitsune – a demonic fox if you want to put it that way. Lots of nifty tricks depending on the number of tails, but the telepathy is universal. How'd you think I got all of your attention before? Or am talking to you without speaking, right now?' Sanji blinked in comprehension. So you can read people's mind like this whenever you want? 'No, afraid not. Broadcasting is the easiest compared to personal communications like this. I really need to know someone for a private conversation at a certain range. I'm pushing it already with you. Anyone else besides my crew and family, and the connection fizzles.'
Sanji decided to put aside this craziness for later. Right now, they had a ship to protect and pirates to pulverize. He inclined his head to the two Straw Hats in gratitude.
The silver-blue eyes of the older Straw Hat pirate shone with an inhuman light when they turned back to the surrounding pirates. They then slid to the dark eyes of the younger. Then a wave hit them. Sanji felt his legs almost buckle under the pressure. All the remaining pirates fell over except for Pearl, Gin, and Don Krieg. The other cooks and Zeff were unaffected. What the hell..?
- Kitsune -
The Straw Hats have had enough. The two pirates unleashed the barest trace of their ace: Conqueror's haki. The blast knocked over all of the pirates except for three. Kitsune raised an eyebrow when Luffy let the trace reach the blonde cook, but held his question. His captain knew what he was doing most of the time. Sanji met the unspoken challenge well. His knees trembled, but now as much as Pearl or Don Krieg. Gin surprisingly held up as well as the chef.
The Straw Hat took a look around and sighed.
"I guess your crew wasn't much, huh? Beneath the rumors, the Don Krieg Pirate Fleet was just a bunch of low-leveled pirates outnumbering every other crew in the East Blue. Three competent members among thousands do not make up for the sheer ineptitude of your forces." Don Krieg did not appreciate that. He took leapt onto the fin and took a swing at the devil fruit user. Kitsune just ducked. The air from the passing arm did manage to dislodge the black-and-blonde haired man's bangs. As he straightened, a gasp rang out among the pirates. Don Krieg even blanched a bit.
"That mark…" "No way, it can't be…" "THAT'S THE MARK OF WHITEBEARD!"
Kitsune blinked. "And…?"
"Boy, how can someone like you have the mark of the most infamous pirate crew in the world?! Are you just playing around, or…?" Kitsune pulled his bangs back a little more to bare the whole design. Luffy giggled and turned back with his low cut red vest pulled away slightly to show the fist-sized mark between his shoulder blades.
"Nope," he said with a pop at the end. "Luffy and I are the sons of Whitebeard. Not that it really matters. We parted ways with the crew upon our seventeenth birthdays. We're part of his family, but we are a crew of our own power."
"So that's how you guys manage to fight off my crew. The Grand Line is host to such monsters." Don Krieg stood stiffly. "If I can defeat the two of you, it will signal to the world that, I, Don Krieg, best two pirates of the world's greatest pirate crew."
"Keep dreaming, shishishi."
"Yes, even the weakest of our brothers beats a few dozen of your men, Shahehehe. Stick to the East Blue." Kitsune turned to the surrounding cooks. "Sanji, think you can handle Gin? Mr. Pyromaniac is mine. And captain vs. captain to settle this affair. Everyone else, stand back and watch. We don't want anyone else injured accidently." Time to get somewhat serious.
- KASL -
Pearl set himself ablaze once more. The Krieg pirate knew that mark meant trouble at the very least, so no taking chances. He bared his ironclad fists.
"Fire Pearl's Special Treat!" He shot flaming pearls straight at the Zoan without warning. Kitsune stared impassively at the flaming projectiles. Seconds from collision, the pearls split apart. In the fox's left hand shone the same blade as before: Fuzakeru Kasai. White fire danced along its edge. In the other hand, a black blade equally flared. The steel reflected an impossibly wide grin.
Pearl stepped back. Too late.
"Flame Edge Style: Beast of Hades."
Pearl screamed as the afterimage of a great flaming canine charged. *CCRR-ACK!* The invincible shield shattered. Deep gouges marred the man's body. Pearl collapsed and did not get back up. Kitsune sheathed his sword. The rictus of a smile faded. Kitsune turned to the others.
Sanji and Gin were locked in combat. Neither man yielded in their strength of ideals. One man fought for the sake of the treasure of his mentor. The other fought to uphold the admiration and loyalty of his captain. One was a chef, a cook of the sea while the other was a pirate commander, the 'Demon' of the Krieg pirates.
Sanji had to take care of the tonfa the pirate sported. The power each blow pack could shatter his bones. He dodged and kicked, unleashing a full dinner of attacks. The two were locked in a battle between equally skilled adversaries.
To the side, Sanji vaguely noted Straw Hat somehow deflecting the sharp edged weapons of Don Krieg. Sanji suddenly had the impression of some sort of black armor forming around Straw Hat's arm. The moment's distraction was enough. Gin's tonfa slipped through to land a devastating blow against Sanji's abdomen. He doubled over in pain. A second blow slammed him into the splintering floor. Gin held him down for one last attack. Then he hesitated.
"Gin! Finish him!" yelled Don Krieg, the pirate admiral barely escaping Luffy's next Gum-Gum Pistol. Kitsune flexed his claws but waited.
Gin looked stricken. He raised the tonfa. Sanji reflexively closed his eyes. Nothing. Wetness dripped on him. The blonde cook immediately opened his eyes to see Gin crying over him. The cold, practical demon of the Krieg pirates couldn't kill the man who saved him. He couldn't follow his captain's order.
"Don Krieg…Please, I-I can't kill him! I-I can't do this.
"What?! Care to repeat that?"
"Sanji saved my life. They saved all our lives. I have no intention to betray you, and I do not ever doubt the decisions I've made in your name. I have admired your strength and am grateful to be your second-in-command, but…I cannot kill him. Isn't there even the slightest possibility we can just go and restart somewhere else?"
"Y-you. My most loyal subordinate dared to defy me…!" Don Krieg lifted his shield. Gin paled.
Luffy and Kitsune hung back, wary.
"MH5," whispered the shocked pirate.
"One of the most effective weapons on the seas," announced Don Krieg, "is not delivered by physical hands but by steel barrels. MH5 is a particularly nasty mix of chemicals. A poisonous gas guaranteed to wipe out a small town."
"You can't! Most of our men are unconscious! They won't wake in time!"
"I can always find more men. Those felled by a bunch of cooks and two boys clearly do not have what its takes to serve on my crew."
"Don, these people saved us! They-"
"Throw away your mask, Gin. You are no longer a part of my crew." The words were like a physical blow to the man. He stumbled back and fell to his knees in shock.
Kitsune glared at the gaudy pirate captain. "Do you not even care a bit for your crew? Most will not escape. Gin is responsible for your current well-being. Do you not even feel a bit of empathy for him? You're nothing but a wea-"
"No!" All gazes turned to Gin. "No. Don Krieg is the greatest pirate. Even I could never hope to beat him. I deserve this. I failed to follow his orders."
Sanji snapped his cigarette in half. "Gin…"
Don Krieg plowed on regardless of the glares from all around, including his (conscious) subordinates. "Fine. Die, then."
Luffy did not miss a beat. He launched himself at the rival captain. A barrage of punches and kicks assaulted the man. Don Krieg sneered. Missiles fired upon Luffy.
"You will not be able to stop me!" The shield fired. Luffy closed his eyes and gave the captain a D smile.
"I may not. But he will."
Fire devoured the bomb. The multicolored flames licked at Don Krieg's heels. He staggered away from the hungry fire. Nothing but ash remained of the Don's ace.
"How…?"
"Shahehehe, I don't think you will risk anymore lives," trilled Kitsune. The cold eyes gave lie to the cheerful tone. "I could have taken your life, if I really wanted. But, my captain would not like that. The honor of your defeat and humiliation is his to take." The fox strolled over to Sanji and Gin. The latter looked wide-eyed at the fox.
"Do you really think your captain can defeat the greatest pirate in the East Blue?"
Kitsune spared the man a raised brow. "Really? You really doubt us, even now? We lived in the second half of the Grand Line, and positively thrived as children in the seas of Paradise. We've yet to even demonstrate a tenth of our combined power. Luffy will wipe the floor with Krieg, I promise you."
"I agree." Old man Zeff hobbled over with a crutch. "Watch this battle carefully, Eggplant."
"Not a damn eggplant," muttered Sanji, but he obeyed.
Luffy placed his straw hat onto his head in a deliberate motion. Krieg repressed the instincts telling him to back down, to run with his life. Those cold eyes held no mercy.
"A man who throws away his nakama is not a captain at all," said Straw Hat.
"A subordinate that does not follow orders is no subordinate of mine," countered Krieg. Without further thought (especially to the ones screaming for him to cut his losses), Don Krieg formed his great war spear and charged the grinning boy.
The concussive power tore the fin apart where the spear hit. Kitsune created a wall of fire to divert the damage away from the spectators. As the smoke cleared, a barely damaged Luffy stood. Don Krieg screamed in fury. He charged again. The same result ensued.
- Kitsune -
Kitsune watched carefully, a small smirk on his face. Little brother has improved. I think Marco actually managed to grill a little bit of tactics into his stubborn rubber-addled brain. He's drawing Don Krieg away from the Baratie. Luffy had manage to lure the Don onto one of the larger pieces of the galleon a good distance away. The piece, however, drifted in a more remote part of the wreck.
"No more running, Straw Hat. This is the end."
"You're right." Shadows overtook the younger pirate captain's features. "It's time to end this, shishishishi."
Don Krieg lifted his spear once more for his next blow. His final blow, hopefully. And it was. Luffy twisted his arm back. The fox leaned forward. Red suffused Luffy's body and the younger man suddenly began to emit steam. "Second Gear:"
"Gum-Gum Jet Bazooka!"
The near invisible speed of the attack multiplied the incredible power of the move. The spear and shield broke.
"That is the power needed to sail the Grand Line," commented the old sea salt to his protégé. "To have the will to risk everything, even their very lives. That is conviction."
Blood marred Luffy's hands from the many spikes, but Luffy stood tall and proud. Several of the now conscious pirates attempted to ambush the young captain until Sanji and Kitsune knocked them out again.
Don Krieg could only stare, completely and utterly taken off-guard. Luffy did not spare him any more time.
"Gum-Gum Jet Gatling!"
Don Krieg tried to shield himself with some sort of spiky cape, but to no avail. The cape and armor were crushed under the impact of hundreds of blows. The greatest pirate of the East Blue fell.
Onboard the Baratie, the chefs cheered. Gin was in shock. The remaining Don Krieg Pirates were shocked. Their captain of 17 million berries bounty had lost to a no-name captain of an impossibly small crew. Kitsune smiled – for all of a few minutes.
"Luffy!"
- Sanji -
The crazy bastards did it. They stopped the Krieg pirates. Errand boy and Kitsune demolished the pirates like they were nothing. To think people like them infested the Grand Line.
"Conviction, huh?"
"Luffy!"
The shout startled the man from his thoughts he looked at the great veteran of the Grand Line begin to run back and forth.
"What're you doing just standing there, Eggplant? The chili pepper there isn't exactly dancing around for nothing. Those who obtain power through the devil fruits are forsworn by the sea. They're hammers in the water and can't swim."
… "WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT EARLIER?!"
"WHY WEREN'T YOU LISTENING EARLIER? DON DOOFUS THERE PRETTY MUCH MONOLOGUED IT EARLIER!" shouted an irate and panicked first mate of the Straw Hats. "IT'S NOT LIKE I CAN GO AND RESCUE HIM. I EVEN MENTIONED IT BEFORE HE WENT ALL OUT ON KRIEG!"
Sanji dived.
Two days later
The Baratie
- Luffy -
The young future pirate king sleepily woke up. A haki-infused fist to the skull greeted him.
"Oww! Why'd you do that, Kit?!"
"What did I say about being careful? HAM-MER. We cannot swim. So why didn't you check to see if you had anywhere to land after the rebound from those moves. And that's another thing, what was that out there?"
Kit was scowling. He had a journal open in his lap with a pen abandon in the middle of a line. Luffy smiled.
"Oh, I call it Second Gear. I pump blood really quickly through my body, according to Rayleigh. I discovered it after watching some of these marines run really fast. Cool, huh? Oh, and about the other thing…I forgot."
The younger brother laughed as the elder just slammed his head against the bedpost.
"Where's Gin and everyone?"
"Hmm? Gin? He took Krieg and the rest of the crew on a tiny ship. Hadn't given up quite on Don Krieg, I suppose. A shame. He could be a great captain in his own right, I think, or serve a better one. But, loyalty is loyalty. He left yesterday. You really exhausted yourself - too much blood loss and lack of oxygen. Yet, you somehow managed to keep eating the whole time. I am really glad you don't have the same case of narcolepsy as Ace. You're just…prone to sleeping deeply and quickly. I'm really glad I outgrew it for the most part except for the frequent habit of napping. But seriously, don't scare me like that. I'd rather you didn't die before we even leave our home seas."
"Kitsune's right. You really are an idiot." Standing in the doorway was the familiar blonde chef.
"Sanji!"
"He said, 'Let's meet again on the Grand Line someday.'"
"Ah. He said that to you?"
*Smack.* "No, dumbass. He said that to you."
"Owww. Kit!"
"Only when you become as smart as Sabo."
"Aww, that's impossible! No one is as smart as Sabo, or you, or Mama Pineapple, or…Oh, Sanji! I'm not the errand boy anymore! So…do you wa-"
"No. I'm not becoming a pirate."
"Awwww. Why not?"
"I'll remain a cook here until the old man recognizes my skill as a chef."
"Okay…"
"Luffy, let go of his collar!"
A little later…
- Kitsune -
"So, what's keeping you here, really?" The three had moved to the balcony after Kitsune had pried Luffy off of the stubborn sea cook.
"After that debacle? The cooks here can't be relied on to defend the ship by themselves."
"They didn't do too badly. Freak incidents all around. A once in a blue moon event."
"Yeah, right."
"Shishishishi, right, Kit!"
"You, know, I do intend to explore the Grand Line one day."
"Oh, then you should join us and go now!"
"Not yet. Hey," Kitsune and Luffy looked to the smiling chef, "have you heard of the All Blue?"
"That old fairy tale? The head chef on the Moby Dick told us about it. I don't all together recollect it…"
"What?!" "Luffy…"
Sanji happily spoke about the All Blue, the miracle sea where fish of all four Blues gathered.
/ The next scene proceeded as in canon. The chefs faked hating Sanji's soup. Sanji lost his temper a bit with Owner Zeff. And Zeff punched him. Sanji listened in on them trying to get rid of him by making him hopping mad. /
On Deck
- Sanji -
"They mean well, don't they?" Sanji started at the voice. Just above him hung the upside-down first mate of the Straw Hat crew. "Sometimes, a parent has to give that last push forward."
Sanji said nothing, and Kitsune honored that silence. Then:
"ABABABABDABABABEBABABABADEBABABA!"
Kitsune slipped from his hanging place and stood up next to Sanji. Something hurled straight into them.
"AGGHH!"
"What in in Gold Roger's name?"
"Is that a mermaid?"
"Y-yosaku?! What are you doing in a pandashark?"
One recovery later…
- Kitsune -
"So what happened?"
Yosaku was finally extricated from the pandashark with minimal damage to either party (unless you count later preparations for dinner).
"Well, we did lose sight of Sister Nami, but judging by our headings, we had a good idea of where she was going…"
"And…?"
"It's…not good. The place is incredibly dangerous! I'll tell you guys more, later. We'd better hurry and catch up to everyone else. They will need your strength. Please, we need to hurry."
"Okay. I have absolutely no idea why you sound scared or what's going on in general, but let's go and find the others!"
"Okay. We already took care of the Krieg pirates. I suppose if Sanji won't change his mind-"
"I'm coming, too." The three looked to the blonde lounging by the wall.
"I said, I'm coming, too. Take me with you."
"What?" questioned the surrounding chefs.
"I'm saying I accept your offer. I'll come with you on your journey to become the pirate king. All of us have crazy dreams. May as well come with you and fulfill mine on the way to One Piece. I'll be your cook on the ship."
"…"
"Luffy?"
"YAY! I finally have a cook!"
Kitsune ignored his brother's elated prancing. He watched as the chefs, Sanji, and Zeff interact. Huh, they kind of remind me of how the four of us act most of the time…
Carne and Patty's sudden sneak attack also reminded the fox of the good ol' days of his childhood.
"Take care, brat."
A heartbeat…
"Owner Zeff!" Sanji bowed on his hands and knees. "I'll never forget all that you've done for me. Thank you for taking care of me for so damn long. And, I'll never forget the debt I owe to you and everyone!"
"Shut it! You bastard! See what you've done. Now we're all crying like little babies." "I'll miss you!" "Take care!" "We won't forget you!" "Better earn yourself a bounty like real pirates of the sea!"
"Let's meet again on the sea! I'll come back with new recipes and fish from the All Blue!"
"Okay! Let's set sail!"
"You heard the cap- Luffy! Stay out of the kitchen! Sanji, remind me to go get about a dozen or so heavy locks for the Going Merry's kitchen."
Nami, we're coming.
