I've been working on this chapter awhile, because I really wanted to get it right. I put in a lot of build up to these moments, and I know it. It would be just plain cruel of me to not give in the very best of my efforts into satisfying you all, and I really hope you guys like it!
Also, I realize that there are some readers of this story that aren't quite so taken with Sanji. While I do try to balance this out, this is, on the whole, a Zoro-centric fic.
While this arc has Sanji, yes, there is still Zoro in it. This is, as stated by Tamari, one of the TOP TEN MOST AWESOMETASTIC ZORO MOMENTS in East Blue (that I didn't want to mess with too much) so I hope you non-Sanji-lovers will still like this arc! And Sanji fans, I hope I have enough Sanji in here for you to not hate me completely! Why can't we all just get along... TT
I don't own One Piece or Aladdin. Oda-sensei, we love thee to death. BUT I WANT THE CREW TO BE REUNITED SOON DAMN IT.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"To be my own master; such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world!"
~Genie
Sanji felt his hand clench by his side as he looked in the sky. A figure on what seemed to be a flying rug slowly descended towards the restaurant, giving an ominous aura. Sanji swallowed.
"Is that...?" Zeff nodded next to him.
"'Hawkeye' Mihawk. The invincible swordsman. The greatest in the world." Said man silently settled near the ground on his black carpet, arms crossed and looked thoroughly bored.
"So that's him..." Sanji didn't quite flinch at the unexpected voice, but he did turn to the green-haired swordsman with a bit more snap than usual. Any insult was cut off by the look on his face.
Hell, it looked like Sanji when that town first appeared over the horizon after so many days of starvation. Only scarier. Sanji tore his gaze away to see the other three come up behind the man, worried.
"Zoro?" Luffy asked. "You okay?" Zoro didn't even glance back, instead slowly shaking his head.
"All this time... Tch." Sanji jumped back when the man suddenly vanished, not even leaving behind a cloud of smoke or any small explosions. One minute he was there, and the next he was gone.
The group didn't even blink, turning towards the scene with the bandits.
"You bastard!"
"Why the hell did you follow us?" The man slowly tilted his head up, like a cat regarding a bug sitting in front of it.
"Just... killing time." A shock seemed to go through the bandits at his blithe tone, and they began shouting
"Bastard!" With that, they began throwing knives at the man, only to frown in confusion as a black blur flashed and their knives buried themselves in the sand just short.
"The hell?" One bandit wondered. "Did we miss?"
"Like simple knife throwing is going to work on a master swordsman." Sanji's eye widened at the voice, only then noticing the swordsman standing behind the attacking bandits with a look of manic glee on his face. "Though that was a very subtle way of doing so. Not many were able to catch it." Hawkeye regarded Zoro lazily.
"The sword that is subtle boasts true strength." Zoro only grinned wider.
"You used that sword to create that storm?" The way he said it, it wasn't even a question. "That is the real ultimate power." At his words, Sanji almost felt like slamming his head against a wall. What kind of idiot acted like such in front of someone that could easily-
"I've been looking for you for a long time. I didn't think..." Zoro trailed off as he regarded the man oddly, who only looked at him coldly.
"What do you want?" Zoro smirked.
"The ultimate power." Sanji glanced to the side to see the man's three companions watching intently. He briefly considered joining the orange-haired girl, but decided to save it for later. He could instead be a comforting shoulder when her friend died.
Mihawk looked at Zoro sternly. "Go back to your lamp, boy. You have all the power of the world, and yet you ask for more? I don't grant wishes, let alone to other genies." Sanji felt his jaw drop. Genie? Zeff only nodded at the look on his face.
"The price for the ultimate power is high, eggplant." He muttered. "It's nothing short than an eternity of servitude, granting wishes till the end of your days." Sanji looked back at the man that was shaking his head.
"No, I want your title. It's still the same after all these years, isn't it?" With this Mihawk raised a brow, then considered him a bit more.
"Ah, so that's it then. I heard there was a young green-haired brat looking all those years ago. Go the easy way out then?" He mocked. Luffy's jaw dropped.
"He does know Zoro!"
"What's so great about that?" Sanji muttered under his breath. He could feel a headache coming, what with genies and bandits and swordsmen...
"Zoro's over a thousand years old." Nami said, still watching the exchange.
Yep, definitely a headache. Bordering migraine.
"Even without freedom, you come to me? And with a curse, no less." Zoro stiffened.
"Curse?" He growled out.
"Self-inflicted then," Mihawk drawled, standing as the carpet rested on the sand. "For whatever reason I cannot fathom, you've shut yourself off from your shifting powers. Fool." Zoro relaxed somewhat, drawing his swords.
"I don't suppose you have any time left to kill." He said. Mihawk eyed him critically.
"With that curse intact, you will be unable to heal yourself."
"I know." A flicker appeared in the man's eyes, but he nodded.
"Then let us begin." With that he reached to his neck and drew a small knife.
A vein throbbed in Zoro's head. "The hell?"
"A hunter does not use a cannon to take out small prey." Mihawk stated calmly. This appeared to be too much for Zoro.
"Watch your words!" He yelled, charging forward. "You'll feel stupid when you're dead! ONI..." Mihawk sighed to himself.
"Fool."
"GIRI!" Sanji nearly bit his tongue off at the sight if the tiny dagger blocking all three katana, the swordsman behind them shaking from the effort.
"With that little dagger..." Nami murmured, awestruck. Usopp trembled.
"Th-The world's greatest swordsman..." Zoro, to say the least, was horrified.
"I CAN NOT BE THIS FAR BEHIND!" Sanji watched as he unleashed what should have been a deadly barrage of strikes, all rendered harmless with nothing more than a small dagger.
"You think because you've lived a few centuries you know the world." Mihawk taunted, not giving an inch. "You're nothing but an ignorant fool, one that found the consequences when asking for power the easy way." Zoro's eyes narrowed and he jumped back, holding his two swords at an odd angle behind his shoulder.
"TORA GARI!" Dashing forward, Zoro struck quicker than the blink of an eye...
Drip...
Drip.
There was a deafening silence at the sight of a green-haired genie, one of the fabled most powerful beings of the universe, being skewered through the chest on a dagger. Mihawk seemed almost perplexed himself, even as he looked onto the eyes of the still-defiant Zoro. Zoro didn't back away from the blade, instead he calmly met the man's eyes.
"You know that you've cursed yourself to vulnerability, yet you don't retreat," Mihawk wondered. "What drives you? You have power, immortality..."
"Freedom" rasped Zoro, blood trickling out of his mouth. "A promise binds me more than any lamp. One to a friend long gone." Zoro closed his eyes peacefully. "There were so many times I wanted to simply smashed that damned lamp. So many times I couldn't take the shame. I was bound not to the countless masters, but to a promise alone." Mihawk tilted his head in acknowledgment.
"Promises unkept are binding on their own. To break them is to lose all honor as a swordsman." Zoro nodded.
"That is why I cannot retreat. After so many wishes, I've decided to grant my own..." Zoro grinned, meeting the yellow eyes staring him down. "I prefer death to defeat!" Mihawk regarded him before nodding, withdrawing the blade.
"State your name, boy." Zoro shifted, holding his swords in front of him.
"Roronoa Zoro." Mihawk slowly drew the blade from his back.
"I'll remember you, Roronoa. In honor of the swordsman's code, I will defeat you with my black blade. May I grant one final wish, from one genie to another." Zoro began twisting the swords in his hands.
"SANTORYUU OUGI..." Mihawk charged forward, blade held out.
"Die!"
"SANZEN SEKAI!"
Nami felt as though she couldn't breathe as the the two stood apart from each other, waiting to see who the victor was. This couldn't be happening; just this morning they were all laughing, all together, all a family...
When Zoro's swords shattered like glass and his front exploded in blood, Nami nearly screamed. Beside her Luffy stood watching, strangely silent. Nami wished he would interfere before Zoro was killed, but he only watched on, biting his lip. Zoro slowly removed his last sword from his mouth and sheathed it, turning and spreading his arms wide.
Mihawk stared. "What...?"
"Scars to the back are a swordsman's shame," Zoro replied, grinning. Mihawk's face morphed into a grin.
"Magnificent." Nami had to look away, unable to do much more than sob quietly as the black blade flew through the air.
"ZOROOO!"
Luffy gave a start as a loud cracking noise was heard, and reached into his pocket to pick out the lamp, now completely snapped in two. He clenched his fist as the bronze faded to a dull sheen, tears in the corners of his eyes.
"Damn you..." Beside him Sanji watched as Zoro fell to the sand in confusion.
"Why...? It would be so much easier to forget your dream and live on!" Zeff didn't look away.
"Swordsmen are bound by an honor that hinges on life and death," He stated. "For one to will himself into an eternity of servitude... It would be like killing who he is." Sanji didn't understand, even as Luffy's hoarse whisper turned into shouting, dropping the lamp pieces to the ground beside Usopp.
"DAMN YOU!" Luffy ran forward, arm stretching towards the expressionless Mihawk. Sanji felt his eyes bug out as Luffy's arm stretched all the way to Mihawk, sailing past him when said man only stepped to the side. Luffy tripped at the over reach and stumbled, rolling into a dune and getting his head stuck.
Usopp nudged Nami and the two raced forward while Mihawk's attention was on Luffy, dragging the too-still Zoro back to the restaurant. Usopp turned his attention to Nami.
"How is he?" He demanded. Nami bit her lip as she looked him over, then her eyes widened.
"He..."
"I am Mihawk Dracule, Roronoa Zoro. And it is too soon for you to die!"
Nami turned to Usopp hurriedly. "He's still alive! Get me some bandages, and fix that lamp!" Zoro let out pained gasps as Nami poured water over his chest, washing away the sand and blood.
"You have much more to learn about the world and discover your purpose in it! You must become stronger, you must become free!"
Nami pressed the provided bandages to Zoro's chest as Usopp turned to Sanji, picking up the lamp pieces. "Bronze! I need bronze!" Sanji hesitated.
"We... we don't have-"
"Then something else! Anything else!" Usopp demanded. He turned to Zoro. "Hang on, Zoro! We'll fix you up!"
"Hone your skills, master your heart! I will always be waiting as your final challenge!" Mihawk continued, Luffy silently watching him. "Dare to challenge me again, Roronoa Zoro! Dare to become free!"
Usopp met Zeff's gaze for a second until Zeff nodded, turning to Sanji. "Get the boy some of the fine silver. It's the best we have." Sanji silently complied, noting the desperate way Nami was pressing against Zoro's chest with the rag. He returned and handed it to Usopp, who thanked him.
"Zoro, we don't have any forge tools! Can you hear me?" Luffy stared incredulously at the man in front of him, who looked back just as calmly.
"So you're his master?" Luffy shook his head.
"I'm his friend." Mihawk smiled slightly.
"Luffy D. Monkey, prince of East Blue. I've heard of you from an old friend." Luffy blinked, eyes wide.
"Who?" Mihawk only smirked, then frowned.
"Don't make your third wish." Luffy blinked at the sudden warning.
"I don't want it though." Mihawk shook his head.
"If you make your third wish, he will die." He stated flatly, leaving Luffy shell shocked.
"Then how do I free him?" Luffy demanded. "You're free, right? How?" Mihawk considered the boy in front of him gravely.
"Why would you want to know?"
"Because we're nakama!" Luffy stated firmly. Mihawk grinned. An interesting team...
Usopp held up Zoro's finger as it produced a steady stream of fire, sealing the melted silver along the two pieces of lamp. Zoro struggled against the pain but kept up the fire. Nami looked up.
"The cut's sealing up! But it's not closing properly..." Instead of completely healing over, the long wound pressed together, only somewhat stopping the blood flow. Usopp shook his head as he finished with the lamp, setting it next to Zoro.
"I guess he wasn't kidding when he said he needed bronze. Let's get him inside-" Usopp was cut off by Zoro swinging his sword up, holding it as he coughed.
"Lu... Luffy... Can you hear me?" Luffy looked up, staring at Zoro as a grin slowly formed on his face.
"I can hear you!" Zoro's arm wavered slightly.
"I... Thank you, Luffy." He managed. "I've been nothing but trouble for you, but..." Usopp looked away as a few tears streamed down Zoro's face. "But is it okay... if I become your nakama?" Luffy grinned as wide as he could.
"We always were, Zoro!" Zoro grinned just as wide, spitting out a glob of blood. Nami bit her lip.
"I'm not sure if it's okay to talk... You need rest!" Zoro ignored her.
"Then from now on," Zoro affirmed, face practically leaking. "I will never lose again! I'll be free someday, and I'll fight until I meet him again! I will fight for eternity!" Zoro's grip on his sword wavered. "Any problems with that, captain?" Luffy's face practically split in two.
"Hehehe, none at all!" Mihawk grinned.
"An interesting team indeed..." He turned back to his carpet, standing on it as it floated off the ground. "Remember what I said, boy. May we meet again."
"Hey! Hawkeye!" There was a collective twitch as Krieg decided he had enough of this, stepping up to the man. "Don't you want the head of Krieg Don? The leader of the five thousand thieves?" Mihawk considered him calmly.
"I considered it, but I'm on my way to visit a friend. I think I'll be on my way." Krieg twitched.
"You aren't going anywhere!" Behind him his men were practically in tears. Why couldn't Krieg just let him leave? He had just defeated a genie, for Allah's sake! Krieg ignored their pleas for sanity and whipped out a large hand cannon, pointing it at Mihawk.
"GO TO HELL!" Krieg roared as the cannon exploded, the large fist-sized projectile zooming towards the swordsman. Mihawk gave a single swipe from his blade.
"Those like you simply never learn."
The desert exploded.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sanji watched Krieg shout something at his men, glancing back to the trio inside the restaurant. To the green-haired idiot on the ground, only hanging on to life by a patched up lamp and an odd group of friends with tear-streaked faces.
It just didn't make sense. Sanji knew dreams. He knew it like he knew starvation. That ever aching hunger for accomplishing a goal, the drive that kept people alive at times...
But to die for it? To throw away everything in life you held dear for it? Sanji couldn't fathom the idea. Zeff seemed to understand, but Sanji simply couldn't. There were other things, less selfish things, to die for. To throw away your life for your own idea?
No, Sanji just couldn't understand. Inside, Nami and Usopp carefully wrapped up Zoro's torso with bandages. Nami shook her head, looking down fiercely at the unconscious Zoro.
"Idiot. Making us all worried. Making Luffy go nuts. Nearly dying. Heh." She sighed as the two finished, rolling Zoro back onto his back. She looked around. "Usopp, where's his lamp?" Usopp blinked.
"I think Luffy has it." Nami shot him a look.
"You left the broken, fragile lamp with the kid that's going to go up against at least a hundred bandits?"
"..."
"..."
"... I'll be right back." Usopp dashed out the door, leaving Nami alone. She sighed, looking down at him again.
"... I don't understand it, really." She murmured. "People dying for their ideas. For their dreams, for their people. What drives you? What makes death worth anything?" She snorted, leaning back. "And here I am, talking to a half-dead man about something that will always haunt me. Bellemere was a lot like you, I suppose. Stubborn, strong, didn't take crap from anyone. But..." Tears misted up Nami's eyes slightly as she looked at Zoro's face. "But for such a strong person to go down like that... What could she have been thinking? What were you thinking?" She shook her head.
"It doesn't matter, I suppose. I need you alive, and that's all that matters. I have wishes too, you know." Nami sat herself in a nearby chair, facing the door should any trouble reach them. "You aren't the only one with a dream."
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"Gomu gomu no... OGAMA!" Luffy stretched out both arms as far as he could, slamming into the bandits that approached the restaurant, the chefs behind him cheering him on.
"Go chore boy!"
"Kick their asses kid!" Luffy only had eyes for Krieg, who smirked at him. Luffy glared.
"I'm gonna kick your ass, you ungrateful bastard!" Krieg only grinned and hefted the cannon on his shoulder.
"Let's get to work then!" They were cut off by loud shouting from the restaurant and turned to see Patty and Carne wheeling out a huge cannon.
"Stop rolling that way! You'll aim it at the Baratie!"
"I know that, dumbass! Go the other way!"
"You couldn't hit the desert with that kind of aim!"
"SHUT UP!" Krieg twitched as the two struggled to aim the barrel of the cannon directly at Krieg, both grinning.
"Say your prayers!"
"Idiot! Don't say that until we get there!" Krieg only watched them, brow twitching.
"Fools." Meanwhile the bandits decided they had enough, charging the chefs.
"Let's get em!"
"After those chefs!" The bandits yelled and rushed towards the restaurant, engaging the chefs in quite possibly the oddest tiny war East Blue had ever seen. Meanwhile Patty and Carne managed to point the barrel at Krieg.
"Fire!"
BOOM!
"..." Patty and Carne stared with blank faces and the still Krieg. "... Why isn't he shot down? That projectile was..." Carne trailed off as Krieg held up his hand. In it was a large shot the size of Krieg's head. Considering all, this was fairly large. "EH?"
Krieg was now pissed, pulling his arm back and throwing the projectile back at the cannon as hard as he could. "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO PLAY WITH YOU!" The cannon exploded as the projectile crashed into it, sending the wreckage in every direction.
Sanji calmly regarded the larger part of the wreckage that flew towards him, sighing. "Idiots..." With that, he jumped up and kicked the large piece of metal away, stunning the enemies. Sanji landed, ignoring the shouts around him as he looked at the cowering Usopp. "Oi." Usopp jumped and turned to him.
"... Yes?"
"Make yourself useful." Usopp fidgeted.
"I... I can't fight very well. And I don't have a weapon..." Usopp trailed off as the two suddenly glanced over to the chefs, all fallen before the gloating bandits.
"Don't compare us with typical bandits! We're Krieg's bandits!" One of them crowed, tossing aside a chef.
"Damn..." One of the chefs coughed. "They're... too strong..."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING?" Patty, looking singed but not too badly off, bellowed as he stormed up to the fighting group. Carne joined him, both looking pissed.
"THAT'S RIGHT! WE'RE CHEFS OF THE BILSTERING DESERT! WE DON'T BACK DOWN AT ALL!" Patty rolled his shoulders and held up the scrap piece of metal from the cannon.
"I haven't been hired in more than ten years because of my attitude, but then Zeff took me in!" He declared.
"This place is our home! It's the only place we can do what we love; both of them! Cooking and fighting!" Carne yelled, holding a similar piece. Together they charged the bandits.
"WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN!" Usopp twitched as he watched the two chefs blaze through the bandits, then noticed one attempt to sneak inside.
"Hey!" The bandit turned and glared intimidatingly.
"Don't interfere! Krieg wants that genie, and I'm giving it to him! Even if I have to kill that orange-haired witch!" Usopp felt almost cold as he realized what Krieg's objective seemed to be now. Not even thinking, Usopp raced forward and tackled the bandit to the ground.
"You won't touch them!" He yelled, giving the man a solid hook to the chin. The bandit attempted to pull his dagger on him but Usopp reached down and scooped up sand, throwing it in his eyes.
The man yelped and dropped the dagger, clutching his eyes in agony. Usopp picked up the dagger and hoped that Johnny and Yosaku's theory had been right, giving the dagger a good toss.
The man dropped like a sack of potatoes, the dagger sunk straight into his stomach. Usopp didn't dwell on this and retrieved the dagger, brandishing it as he stood in front of the doors.
"I'd almost like to see what would happen if they reached Nami." He muttered, not noticing the old man come up behind him.
"And why would that be?" Usopp yelped and jumped at the voice, waving the dagger wildly. He recovered and glared at Zeff.
"Don't do that!" Zeff only folded his arms. "... Please?" Zeff snorted.
"You really care for that genie, don't you?" Usopp tilted his head, confused.
"Of course we do. He's our friend. Sure, Zoro's scary and grumpy and homicidal and irritable and just plain angry..." Usopp could have sworn he'd heard a cough, but shook off the notion and continued "But he's still our friend. A scary friend, but one I really trust, you know?" Zeff didn't speak as he watched Sanji and the chefs pummel the bandits into the sand behind them.
"... It's a family tradition." Usopp blinked at the unexpected statement.
"What?"
"Leaving on their seventeenth birthday. Every prince of East Blue does that. They don't go back for years at times, and some, very few, don't go back at all." Usopp felt his jaw drop.
"Why?" Zeff eyed him.
"Don't think it's a bad thing. Do you know why East Blue is the most prosperous, diplomatic, and generally most sought-after kingdom in this country?" When Usopp shook his head he said "Monkey sultans of East Blue, despite their childish demeanor and completely stupid antics, are actually the wisest people you will ever meet. By skipping out on their arranged marriage, they have a chance to find themselves true happiness in life and the adventure of a lifetime. A true man's romance like that is the key to worldly wisdom, something irreplaceable and damn near impossible to find in a ruler nowadays. The rest of them are all fools in comparison."
"Speak for yourself." SLAM! Zeff was suddenly shoved to the ground by Gin, startling Usopp. Gin immediately grabbed and snapped off his peg leg. When Usopp moved forward Gin leaned down and held a blade under Zeff's throat. He regarded Usopp sadly.
"I really didn't want to do this, really. But..." Gin cleared his throat, looking up sharply. "Sanji!" Sanji had just beaten Pearl with Luffy, the two looking startled as they saw what Gin was doing.
"Gin?" Sanji demanded. "What the hell are you doing?" Luffy made to beat him up but was held back by Sanji. None of the chefs dared to move, though they vigorously protested Gin's actions. Sanji cleared his throat.
"What do you want?" Gin met his gaze.
"For this man's life, you need to leave this restaurant forever." There was a collective silence as the chef's processed Sanji's face.
"... Leave the Baratie?" Sanji asked quietly, his face morphing into a fierce scowl. "Why don't you just go to hell?"
"Sanji! Don't agitate him!"
"You idiot! Are trying to get Zeff killed?" Sanji only met Zeff's eyes.
"What's wrong, shitty geezer? Cat got your tongue?" Zeff scowled.
"You have no right to talk to me like that, damned kid!" Sanji glared.
"Don't talk to me like I'm still a kid, damn it!" The chefs around him were startled. Was Sanji really trying to get rid of him? What Sanji said next then stripped away all previous beliefs and left a group of dumbfounded chefs.
"Gin, point the gun at me instead." Luffy immediately protested.
"The hell? You'll be killed!"
"... That's alright." Jaws all around the restaurant dropped. Gin faltered with the knife, drawing back slightly.
"Sanji... why?" Sanji stiffened slightly when another figure rose up behind him.
"If you want to die so badly..." A giant shield with a pearl inlay slammed into the side of his head. "Don't let me hold back!" Luffy yelled as Sanji flew into the side of the restaurant.
"Sanji!" Pearl only smirked.
"Serves you right." Luffy growled at him, pulling back for a punch.
"You..."
"Don't!" Luffy paused and looked back to Sanji in confusion.
"Why didn't you just avoid the attack?" Sanji snorted, shakily pulling himself up.
"He's holding the geezer hostage, moron. Doesn't that mean anything?" Sanji turned and glared at the man. "Shitty coward. You really think I'll agree?" Gin's hand shook.
"Why? You and everyone else will survive then! It's easy to give this up for your lives!" Sanji felt a sense of deja vu at the words, but only glowered.
"This restaurant... is that old man's treasure!" He declared. "I've already taken everything away from him! His power, his dream... I won't let him lose anything else!" Zeff growled from his position.
"Now... is really not the time, damned kid!"
"Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" Sanji yelled. "I'm not a kid anymore!"
"Sanji! Look out!"
"Pearl... Close!" Pearl then came up behind Sanji and slammed his shields on both sides of Sanji's head. Sanji let out a groan and collapsed to the ground, much to the horror of the chefs and Luffy.
"Sanji!"
"Pearl..." Pearl, however, wasn't finished, and jumped high in the air, bracing for another attack to the fallen Sanji. Luffy was infuriated as he turned to yell at Gin.
"You've really gone low, Gin!"
"Damn it, this is what happens!" Gin yelled back. "This is how we do things! It's all your fault, too! If you'd just given up, you'd all be fine!"
"PRESENT!" Pearl then slammed headfirst into Sanji's back, his round helmet crushing his spine.
"AAAUGH!"
"Sanji!" Sanji lay still on the sand, the image of the gun still in his mind, pointing at Zeff...
"Shitty... geezer..." He spat out.
"All Blue?"
"Yeah, the legendary sea! Ever heard of it?"
"Sanji! What do you mean, you took everything from Zeff?" One of the cooks suddenly asked.
"One day, I'll find All Blue!"
"That sea's just a myth, kid!"
"Yeah, it may seem like a paradise, but you'll waste your life looking for it!"
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"I can't believe these people would just waste all this food!" A tall chef exclaimed, holding a dish and eating the leftovers off of it. "Perfectly good food!"
"Don't eat that, it's garbage!" A ten year old Sanji demanded, looking at them in disgust. "We already have food, and we'll be in port in a couple of days! There's no need to eat garbage!" The chefs only laughed.
"Look kid, there's something you need to learn about sailing on the sea. And that's to not waste food!" One of the chefs said. "Now be a good boy and eat this leftover fish!"
"Ew! Throw that away!"
"PIRATES!" Sanji didn't remember much as the ship flew into a mad panic, people running here and there and shoving all around. In the end Sanji huddled in the kitchen, self-preservation not allowing him to simply walk out.
"Who... Who wants to die by pirates," He muttered to himself.
He did, however, remember the three pirates who came in that night. All three were loud, angry, and just plain hungry. Two of them decided to pick on Sanji, forcing the kid to grab two nearby knives and defend himself. However, Sanji's eyes widened when he saw the third go after the food.
"Leave that alone!" He yelled, running after him. The other two blocked him off as the third decided he'd had enough and dragged the bag out on deck. Sanji turned his attention fiercely to the other two, clumsily brandishing the knives.
"OW!"
"Sonuva-"
"Get back here!" Sanji raced up to deck after the food, only to be stopped by the two pirates. The third was no where to be seen. The one Sanji had nicked growled.
"Kid, it's dangerous to play with knives. See, I'm already hurt!"
"Shut up!" Sanji yelled. The crew members and passengers began yelling at Sanji to back down. The pirate captain, however, had heard him.
"You want to die so soon?" He asked gruffly, stepping forward. "Let me help you then!" Sanji growled with the knives.
"Who wants to die? You'll just kill us anyway, won't you? So I just need to kill you first!" Sanji yelled and charged at the man, only to be thrown back by a single kick. Sanji collapsed in the wall, but crawled forward stubbornly and clinged to the captain's leg.
"I... I won't die here!" He rasped. "I'll live! And I'll find... All Blue..." The man silently watched him before kicking him into the far side of the deck, his crew laughing all the while. Sanji didn't get up, but only watched the man with teary eyes.
"Captain! The storm's here faster than we thought!"
"We need to go, now!" The captain turned away.
"Fine. Take the treasures and let's leave!"
"SANJI!" The chefs yelled as a freak wave swept over the side of the ship, taking Sanji with it. Without a second glance, the pirate captain kicked the mast in half and dove overboard, his crew yelling behind him.
"Captain!"
"Look out!"
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Sanji slowly awoke to the noise of seagulls, nose twitching. With a groan he tilted his head to the side and stiffened.
Sand. Not just in the immediate area, but across the flat lands as far as the eye could see. Rolling hills, flat plains, dusty winds, all coated with yellow sand and dotted with tall, green cactus.
"What...?"
"This seems to be some desert country." Sanji hissed as he sat up with a start, not noticing the other person with him. He looked around wildly before his eye set on the man behind him, sitting and watching the shore. The man sighed. "Most likely days away from port. No food, no water, just... sand." Sanji glared at the back of his head.
"What do you mean, no food or water? What's that big bag with you?"
"Treasures." The man said tersely. He snorted. "Fat load of good that'll do us." Sanji then noticed the boards of wood littering the beach. He carefully picked one up.
"This..."
"Our ships. Both of them." The man sighed and leaned his head back. "No bodies, so they're probably still alive, but..." He then turned to glare at Sanji, who realized who he was talking to.
"You!" The man stood, and Sanji faltered. "What... your leg...?"
Instead of the man's foot, the source of his ultimate power as a pirate captain, there was a tied off pant leg dripping blood onto the sand below. The man reached down and retied the old plank holding it up, grimacing when he gently set some weight on it.
"Just a mishap with the anchor. We need to get moving. We'll die out here soon." With that the man began hobbling towards the desert, taking only a small kitchen knife. Sanji seemed stupified, but yelled
"Hey!" The man paused. "Why should I go with you? I don't even know you!" The man snorted.
"Fine then. My name's Zeff." He said, turning to glare at Sanji. "And you'll come because you'll die otherwise, stupid kid."
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
So roughly the same thing, just with a bit of a twist. Like a swirled desert! Get it? Desert? Dessert? HAHAHA~! :D
… *dies of stupid joke*
Sorry that it's somewhat similar (you guys just missed the fighting, but that's okay for me), but I can only really skip parts that are essential to the plot, and there are little things thrown in between that are simply too short to skip. The whole bit with Usopp... You guys do realize that while he's supposed to fight in Cocoyashi, he doesn't have a weapon, right? And he's never fought before. This be problematic. But I just couldn't put in a street rat at the beginning that happened to like playing with slingshots! Especially when that wasn't the norm. If he had picked a weapon back then, it probably would have been a sword or a dagger.
… I love daggers. They're so shiny and short and can easily be thrust and thrown. So cool. :DDD
Sorry about the shortness (in my perspective) and I hope you guys are nice enough to leave reviews? :D It's fine if you just read it too, but I really do appreciate reviewing...
Speaking of which, thank you ShinigamiWanabe, Neko11, Mayo2198, Tamari, cb O chan, ZOroronoaRO, kallakkala, and Atrum Phasmatis for your wondrous reviews~! C-REE-S-LEE APPRE-C-8 IT.
Linhae, OUT.
… Seriously, Oda-sensei. I want the crew back together. NAO. … Please? :D
PS: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL MY FELLOW AMERICANS. For those not American... Happy... July? :D
FIREWORKSOHYES. 8DDD