Sanji Kitetsu Chapter 15
Sanji strains his hilt trying to get a better view of the unconscious navigator from his spot, beside his fellow swords, against the mapping desk. The beauty has finally fallen into a more peaceful state of sleep from the earlier laboured breaths and pained expressions. Her skin is still flush and sweaty from the fever.
Hey moss head, change her towel.
"Just did." The swordsman grunts as he pumps a pair of dumbbells in his seat facing the bed. It hasn't been long since he convinced the rest of the crew that he'd keep watch of Nami while they have dinner.
That was three minutes ago. She needs a new one.
Zoro gives the patient a long solemn glance before setting down his dumbbells and takes the towel for another quick wash in the basin.
The door creaks open as the man replaces the cool towel on Nami's forehead. The cook enters, holding a dinner plate full of steaming fried rice in one hand. Without a word, she makes her way to the side of the bed, her heels clicking softly on the wooden floor along the way. She sets down the plate on the desk and takes a seat on the edge of the navigator's bed. The swordsman looks from the plate to the cook in confusion.
"It's for you. Nami doesn't look like she can eat tonight." Carmen says as she reaches for the navigator's hand and gives it a light squeeze.
"Thought you weren't gonna feed me anymore." Zoro raises an eyebrow at the cook. The redhead sends him a glare and gives her high slit dress a tug as she crosses her legs.
"I accept your appology." Carmen whips out a folding fan and fans herself. "Besides, it looks like your imaginary meddling friend isn't going to cook for you after all."
The swordsman snorts in agreement, causing Sanji to send him an invisible eyeroll. He pulls his chair to the desk and begins wolfing down the content of the plate. The cook watches him in amusement.
"Like it?" Carmen taps the side of her chin with her folded fan.
"'S good." Zoro says between mouthfuls.
"Seafood fried rice. It was the first recipe I ever learned. The boy who showed me how to make it was terrible at it himself at the time, but he said this was the one dish he would keep on perfecting for as long as he searched for All Blue."
"You-" The swordsman swallows in a hurry to make way for his question. "You believe in that myth?"
"I don't know..."
"But you've been practicing this dish." Zoro takes the last bite to clear the plate.
"I've been looking for the boy for the last ten years, maybe just to show him how much I've improved as a cook." She lets out a low sigh. "I think I found him today. I saw someone who looked exactly like a ten-years-older version of him on Little Garden. But it seems he's long forgotten about me and the search of All Blue."
It suddenly dawns on Sanji what the redhead meant by that strange question about All Blue back in the forest. She must have mistaken Sanji for the boy she was searching all these years. This is a situation that requires immediate rectification.
Hey moss head, tell her it must be the wrong guy.
Huh?
The one she saw on that island was me in my human form. Of course I didn't know what she was talking about. She shouldn't have to give up because of me.
The swordsman fails to suppress a look of irritated shock in Sanji's direction before replying.
It doesn't matter. Just stay out of this one, Curly.
What do you mean? How can it not matter? The guy might still be looking for her too.
We humans are different from swords. The man returns his gaze to Carmen. Each of us must find our own purpose in life. If we build our life around someone else's purpose, then sooner or later we'd reach a point when that purpose is removed from us. She has to decide for herself what to do when that happens. It doesn't matter if it's now or later.
A few more seconds pass before Zoro speaks out loud.
"What will you do now?"
"You're worried I'd quit being a cook and leave the crew?" The cook gives an exaggerated laugh. "No, I won't. I decided that I'll search the Grand Line for this place, All Blue. If it's real, I'll find out where it is. If it turns out to be just a myth, then I'll find out who wrote the story and why. And if I ever meet the boy again, I'll tell him what I find even if I have to remind him from the start what All Blue is about."
The man's lips pull into a wicked grin.
See, she's a romantic too after all.
Sanji matches his master's grin unintentionally.
"So..." Carmen shifts her legs, looking slightly awkward. "I suppose I'd have to make some adjustments to my fighting style. You said something about cooks protecting their hands in battle? Any idea how?"
What do you think, meddling idiot?
I say we start with building arm strength and leg power, stingy master. That way you can save some blood and do the first part of her training yourself.
No objection there. The swordsman picks up his dumbbells from the floor and holds them out to the cook.
"Let's start with these."