Important note: This is a non-canon chapter! End important note! On with the story:

I now realize that I was such a blatant optimist when it came to others problems, I figured that everyone's problems could be solved by just talking to them. Which, I guess, stemmed from all the problems I had when back when I was still on Shanks's ship by Shanks talking me into/out of doing something.

I quickly found out, that where Sanji was good at not getting my point. Zeff was an expert at ignoring people.

I walked into the kitchen, "Chef Zeff?" I asked stopping just behind him.

"Yes Leanah?" He asked, slowly stirring a pot of soup.

I gulped, "Well, I think you really pushed Sanji too far... Maybe you should go talk to him?"

He grunted and moved to a different section of the kitchen, I followed, "Chef, all he wants is a little recognition, all you'd have to do is tell him well done after a good job." Zeff just went about his business like I wasn't even there anymore.

"Will you just listen for a second?" I asked Zeff as he was taste testing some of the food to be served that day. He just kept his focus on the food and payed me no mind. "Ugh, Why are you so stubborn! I swear you and Sanji are cut from the same lopsided cloth."

Still nothing. I huffed, "You two are just too dang thick" I grabbed some plates and washed them to get out some frustration, and for some reason... I just wanted to get as many clean as possible, I had a bad feeling that some of them were going to be broken before the day was out.

Zeff eventually started to head for his room, I stopped him and said, "I tired, and I give up," I sighed, rubbing my forehead. "I know I said I was going to leave..." There was something... nagging at me. "I think I'm going to stay."

He grunted. I felt bad considering he had actually prepared things for my departure. Zeff turned, "If you're going to stay. Then get back to work! I don't pay you to tell me how to treat rotten brats."

I puffed my cheeks. He was such an ass, yet I could tell he and Sanji were close.

Since the other waiters had jumped ship it was up to Sanji and I to wait on the entire restaurant. Things weren't necessarily busy, pirates were a major pain in the ass though, as if they hadn't been before, it seemed they'd been coming more and more often now.

That day brought a cannon ball through the roof, right into Zeff's room. The offending person was dragged into the restaurant and brought to Zeff. The other person supposedly apart of the fiasco was a marine, and therefore given the up most respect.

I, unfortunately for him, was not his waiter, though I must say it would have been much better for him if I had. Sanji was his waiter, and he was already running on a short fuse, even after our talk.

First it was the wine, which Sanji and I had so generously donated to that couple, Amy and Rory.

"You should've at least humored him..." I said as Sanji returned to the kitchen.

"Don't care." Came his gruff reply, "That guy's full of himself, all I did was take him down a peg."

I sighed, this wasn't going to end anywhere good, I could just tell.

I was right. Sanji and I were making rounds around the dinning room, making sure everyone was satisfied.

"Waiter! Hey! Get over here!" It was that marine.

I looked at Sanji, "Let me take care of this." I was almost begging.

Sanji bit into his cigarette, "No, I got this." He walked over to the lieutenant.

I continued my rounds in the suddenly quiet hall, near as I could tell, Sanji flirted with the lieutenant's girl and then the lieutenant did the stupidest things possible. He tried to out-wit Sanji.

"What's this bug doing in my soup?"

"Well, sir. I really can't say. But it looks like he's floating, then again it kind of looks like he's drowning." That got chuckles from everyone in the restaurant, I gripped the edge of my apron. This wasn't going to end well at all.

The lieutenant had had enough, "Don't you mess with me, Waiter!" He smashed the table, ruining it and the food on it.

I ran over, "Sanji." I whispered urgently as he bent down, "Sanji, please! Don't do anything rash!"

He wasn't listening, "You could have eaten it if you had just taken the bug out..." He addressed the lieutenant, "It would have been wonderful. It took three full days of hard cooking to prepare that soup for you, and you wasted it."

"Sanji!" I whispered again, just as the lieutenant stamped on Sanji's hand. Strike two in Sanji's mind.

"Can't you see that you're biting off more than you can chew?" The marine twisted his foot, digging his heel into the back of Sanji's hand. "I'm the customer here! Don't you understand that it's me paying you?!"

The lieutenant's female companion ran to his side, "Fullbody, stop!" I wondered if she was getting the same feeling I was.

I bent down slightly, "Sanji, please, calm down."

Fullbody pushed the woman off of him, sending her flying to the ground. "Shut up!" And that would be strike three.

I looked up at the marine, then at his companion who had tears in her eyes, and stepped back. A good friend pulls you back from anything, a great friend knows when to let you rip into someone.

"Can your money... truly satisfy your hunger?" Sanji asked.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm asking..." Sanji looked up at the marine, "Can it satisfy your hunger?" In a flash Sanji had removed his hand from under the lieutenant's shoe and kicked the man near the point of needing hospitalization. He held the lieutenant by his chin.

The doors opened at that moment and chefs ran down from the kitchen to check what the all the noise was about.

"Don't ever waste food around me again." Sanji said dangerously, "At sea, if you ever provoke your cook, you're signing your own death warrant, remember that."

Pasty walked out a short time after that, I turned, letting him and Sanji duke it out, there were customers waiting to be seated.

I walked over to the door, a smile on my face, "Excuse me." I said, gaining the attention of the three people standing there, "Pardon my colleagues, as you can see, we've been having some trouble lately, an-" There was a crash, I turned, Zeff and the kid who blew a hole in the roof were on the floor. "Chef Zeff!"

Even that did not deter Sanji from his intent to kill the marine lieutenant. He kept trying until Zeff addressed him directly, and even issued a kick to him. Then Fullbody was issued the same treatment.

I sighed, turning to the three again, "Actually... You might just want to come back later... or.. A different day, a different day would be much better."

They all nodded, and took my advice, just in time to miss a pirate break out of the marine ship.

This guy was a type two and a type three, though considering, he was really just a type three.

I cringed every time Pasty kicked the man, anyone could see he wasn't strong enough to fight back, but still everyone cheered Pasty on. I couldn't take it anymore, my brain felt like it was going to explode, I didn't like this feeling, I didn't want to feel this feeling.

I left practically running to the rooms. I sat on my bed, pressing my hands to my head. What's wrong with me?! Why does my head hurt? I groaned, something about being here at this time made my head hurt, a pain welled in my chest. But... it wasn't like, a really pain, but an emotional one.

I lay down, and slept.

I woke up the next day, got chewed out by some of the other chefs about how incompetent the new chore boy was, and how it was irresponsible it was of me to just run off. I sighed, prying my sword from the door and going outside. Practicing had always cleared my head before.

I took a large breath of the morning air, fresh and refreshing. I slowly drew my blades and went through several slow, deliberate motions, then speeding up, leading into training my techniques.

I was completely engrossed in my morning practices, usually left uninterrupted, I almost didn't notice the person now watching.

"Please, don't just stand there. It's off-putting." I said, twirling my kogatana in my hand and sheathing it. "I don't normally have people watching, so an audience is new."

The person watching stepped forward, "You didn't have to stop." I cast a glance at the green haired man.

"Eh, I was nearing the end anyway." I sheathed Amaterasu. "I'm Leanah."

The man crossed his arms, "Zoro."

I eyed the three swords hanging at his side "Three-swords style. There's been lots of talk about you." I held out my hand, "Pleasure to meet a fellow swordsperson."

He glanced down at my hand, then shook it.

".." I let go, "Soo... There's about an hour until the restaurant opens... Any chance I might.. I don't know, possibly challenge you to a duel?"

He smiled, "You're on."

We fought straight up to the opening of the Baratie.

Just before the end, I cut downward, my attack almost catching him off guard, my blade barely an inch over his chest.

And it was like a bomb went off in my brain. I saw Zoro, beaten and crying, a deep cut across his chest, a cut that would become a scar he would carry for the rest of his life, a reminder of the promises he had made.

I stumbled back, dropping my swords. I let out a shaky breath. "Do you.." I began, "Do you have a scar going across your chest?" I asked, staring at him.

He gave me an odd look, "No. Why would I?"

I shook my head, "No reason, I just..." I stared at the sea behind us, "Never mind, it doesn't matter." I quickly sheathed my swords, "My shift starts soon, I need to get going." Then before letting him reply, I used the employee's entrance and locked it behind me.

Nothing made sense anymore. It felt so familiar. Seeing Zoro with a scar across his chest, but according to him, he didn't have one, and we had never met before now.

"Heck..." It was like knowing Sanji's name all over again.

The shift started, and oh the surprise when I found myself staring a a black haired teen wearing a straw hat. I blinked, he had a scar under his eye, and was smiling with a large, almost infectious smile. It was like he'd jumped out of the stories Shanks had told about that young Luffy that he had known 8 years ago.

He waved his hand in front of my face, "Hello?"

I snapped out of it, "Sorry, you just... remind me of someone, that's all." I held my hand out, "I'm Leanah."

"I'm Luffy." He's gotta be the Luffy Shanks was always talking about.

"Pleasure to meet you, Luffy." I turned slightly, "Now, today you'll be working with me since you apparently caused quite a ruckus yesterday, what with breaking a lot of good plates and well as causing a scene in the hall.

He seemed to grumble, but followed me dutifully, only spacing out a minimal amount of times, and not breaking anything.

I seemed to be the only on in the entire kitchen who could keep Luffy in somewhat of a line, so I just got saddled with making sure he didn't do anything to crazy.

This kid was a little ball of energy. When he wasn't blabbering about how unfair it was that he had to work for a whole month he was talking about how as soon as he was out of here he was going to go to the Grand Line and become king of the pirates.

I was now completely sure, this was Shanks's Luffy. There was no other possible explanation.

I rolled my shoulders back, having just finished the last of the orders for now. "Leeeeaaaannnnaaaahhhh..." Luffy whined, "Are we done yet?"

"For now." I replied. "If you want to go visit your friends, I don't see why not." The young boy bounced out of the kitchen. I sighed, he was a lot like Shanks, only not an alcoholic and younger.

The kitchen was full of chefs enjoying the small relief.

Sanji presented me with lunch, "Leanah, my darling."

I took the plate, smiling. "Thank you, Sanji." I ate, "Hey.. about the chore boy, Luffy?"

"Yeah, what about 'im?"

"He's a little... Odd. Isn't he?"

Sanji nodded, lighting a cigarette, "Odd is an understatement. He asked if I would join his crew yesterday."

I laughed, "And you said no."

"Of course I did."

"Seriously, though." I said between bites, "That Luffy is an odd kid. He's got as much energy as most of my old crew. He's a lot like my old captain."

"That red haired guy you arrived with?"

I nodded, "Yeah. Him." I scarfed down the rest of the food, "I should probably get back out there, just in case anyone wants a refill or more food."

Sanji nodded, taking my plate, "I'll be out shortly after you. You're gonna need help, my-"

"I can do it on my own, Sanji." I turned, "'Sides, if I do need help I'll have Luffy."

He took a drag from his cigarette, "That idiot is going to end up messing up half the orders and eating the other half."

I smiled, "That's why I said if. I'm used to this now." I turned on my heel and traipsed out into the hall, notepad in hand.

Luffy followed be around like a puppy, whining about how bored he was. Occasionally I would tell him to go clean the walls or something where he wouldn't be near anything vital, but he always got bored and came back.

Peace was returned to the Baratie, pirates seemed to keep their distance. Which was good for us. Unfortunately peace always ends with a bang.

About a week had passed since Luffy and his crew arrived, Zoro and I sparred in the mornings, then he would disappear back to their ship when my shift started, we were fairly evenly matched, but he was still better than I was. Eventually I got myself acquainted with the rest of Luffy's crew, Nami, their navigator and money hoarder, Johnny and Yosaku, not actually members of the crew but apparently old acquaintances with Zoro. And Usopp, who looked just like his dad only his hair was darker and he had a longer nose.

Zoro and I had just finished sparing, I lost. He corrected my technique in a few areas, and I pointed out how open a few of his moves were. My shift started, I got Luffy into the kitchen- but away from the food.

I sighed, "Luffy, could you focus for a second." The captain gave me his attention, "OK, I want you to listen carefully, today is going to be the same as yesterday, you follow?" He nodded, "Meaning: no eating the food, no breaking the plates, no harassing guests, and no taking the guest's food."

"I know this." He whined, "You tell me this everyday!"

I pinched his ear and twisted it, "And I'll keep telling you until you stop doing those things!"

He made a face, "OK. OK. I get it..."

I had to bite my tongue to keep from mentioning either Shanks or Yasopp. And there I was, one foggy morning, thinking about them and I just, "Hmm..."

"Leanah, are you alright?"

I looked at Sanji, "Yeah..."

This battle was insane! First Ghin returned with the rest of his crew, then out of the goodness of Sanji's heart he gave the captain some food. And then he tried to take the Baratie.

He had given us a choice, stay and die, or leave and live. What he didn't realize is that everyone on the Baratie would fight to the death to protect it.

With amazingly strengthened resolve we all waited for Don Krieg to inevitably being the battle.

But, before that, we all got a little insight into what had happened to the fifty ship fleet.

My grip tightened on Ami. One man who could destroy fifty ships... Shanks fit the bill in my mind, but he wouldn't have done something like that. No, my mind was drifting to a different picture. A different man entirely. Shanks rarely spoke about times before Luffy, but when he did, you could always count on hearing a story about one man he used to spar with... A shiver shot down my spine.

"Hawk-eye Mihawk!" Zoro said.

I glance up at Zoro, he had mentioned his ambition to me one morning after we trained together. My mind drifted, and I saw the scar again, I could I be... seeing the future? I shook my head. Nah. That's crazy.

After a short fight about have the right to call someone and idiot, and Zeff joking around (Ghin did not find the jokes very funny), everyone gathered out on the deck of the Baratie. Ready to fight.

I shivered again, a large prickly feeling settling on the back of my neck. I turned slowly, staring out passed the large ship.

"Is something wrong, Leanah?" One of the chefs asked.

I focused my eyes. "Someone's out there..."

"Yeah, Don Krieg and his men."

I shook my head. "No... Someone different... Someone... stronger." I didn't like the feeling I was getting. "I can't explain it but... I just... know that someone's coming."

I bit my lip, I never liked a foreboding feeling.

Tension saturated the air, Luffy and his crew had disappeared to the side of the ship, apparently something had happened to Johnny, Yosaku, Nami, and their ship.

Then, Don Krieg's ship split in two.

The pure shock broke the tension, the split was so clean, it almost looked like a sword had done it. But... A sword being able to cut a ship that size? No... I stared back out at the sea. "Impossible!" I gulped seeing what appeared to be a boat sailing closer.

"Over there!" A man from Krieg's fleet shouted, "It's that man!"

"He came back!"

"Hawk-eye... Mihawk..." I said under my breath, "So Shanks wasn't exaggerating..."

The chefs expressed varying degrees of disbelief.

"It looks like all he's got is a sword. You can cut a ship with a sword, it's impossible!"

I laughed nervously, "In order to earn the title of Greatest in the World you have to be able to do a few impossible things... Like cut a ship in half with a sword."

I swam out to the boat, pulling myself into it, "Usopp.. Do you have a medical kit?"

"Just some medicine." He frantically handed a basket containing medicine and gauze to me. "But... What are you going to do?"

I stared at the basket as he helped Johnny and Yosaku hoist Zoro onto the ship. "I was training to be a nurse before..." Before what? "I became a pirate." That's right... I was... wasn't I? I was... going to Xavier's pre-med program... I opened the medicine and tended to Zoro's wounds. He would live. The cut wasn't deep, but it would most definitely scar.

I patched him up the best I could, ignoring what was going on around me.

"Please say something!" Johnny and Yosaku pleaded, "Anything."

"He's going to need a lot of rest.." I muttered.

Usopp checked Zoro's pulse, "He's alive!" He shouted, informing everyone. "He's just unconscious!"

The bounty hunters were crying, "If you're alive then say something, Zoro!"

"Hush." I said, "He just suffered a major wound!"

Still, he grabbed his sword from Johnny and unsheathed it, holding it in the air.

"Lu-" He coughed, "Luffy. Can you hear me?"

"Yeah."

He coughed again, "Gah... I'm So.. Sorry for disappointing you. I know you need nothing less than the greatest swordsman in the world. I've let you down... Please forgive me." Another cough and blood came up.

Yosaku hovered over him, "OK! OK, you can stop saying things now!"

"I solemnly swear..." Zoro pressed his other hand over his eyes, he was beginning to cry, "From this moment forward... That I will never lose again, until the day comes, When I defeat him and take his title! I will never, never be defeated! Is that alright, King of the Pirates?!"

Luffy laughed, "Yep!"

I stood up, "Luffy!" I shouted, "I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to stay with Zoro until his wounds heal. Is that Alright?"

The captain nodded, "Yeah, sure, that's fine!"

I addressed everyone, but the message was meant for one person in particular. "Give Red Hair regards from Leanah when you see him."

That confused most everyone except a few Baratie members and the intended recipient of the message. Who turned without a word, got in his boat, and left. I sat down next to Zoro and continued tending his wounds.

"Usopp, could you fill me in on what's going on?" I asked.

"Our ship was taken, We're going to get it back."

I nodded, "Simple enough."

Luffy gave us the OK to leave, and we left.

I frowned, pulling the gauze out of the basket."Could you guys... Help me get Zoro's shirt off?"

"What?!" Johnny and Yosaku surrounded me.

"What are you planning to do to Big-bro Zoro?"

I glared at the two of them, "I want to get some gauze on his wounds so that he'll stop bleeding as quickly, and unless Zoro wants that shirt to heal into his skin, I suggest we take it off." I was apparently terrifying, as they immediately did what I suggested. They all gathered near the back of the boat and left me to do my thing. I sighed, and applied the gauze to the cut on his chest. "Well, you'll live... but... you'll have a scar going across your chest."

He looked at me oddly. I wanted to say that it was some pure, insane coincidence that I had asked about a scar like the one he would have days before he got it. But... I couldn't.

After I had finally bandaged his wound I stood up, he caught my arm. "How did you know..?"

I smiled, a hint of bitterness creeping in my system, "When I find out, I'll tell you."

Author's Note:

A Special chapter for April Fools day. We get a peek at what I call the Plot Point Graveyard. This was all from an early early first draft of the story, which I abandoned because I had no idea how to fit her into Kokoyashi village without making it look suspiciously like she and Zoro or Sanji were going to end up in a relationship. (Not that it did much since to my author eyes I see a strange non-love triangle forming anyway...)

You'll notice there's a gap there in the middle, yeah, that's because I was not good at all at describing conflict back then. You'll also notice that this is the first edition, meaning on other special occasions I will bring a plot point from the graveyard and show you lovely readers What Might Have Been.

Also Happy Birthday Usopp! *claps*

Your Ever Willing Author,
Kari910