Chapter Eight: The Message

"Zoro, let Sanji sleep!" whined Chopper re-entering the room. "And I need to examine him further." He noticed the cook lying on the floor. "Sanji! What are you doing out of bed!" he demanded.

"I fell. One more thing, Chopper." Muttered Sanji. "Then I'll do whatever you need me to…" (A/N: "I fell"? lol, who would buy that?)

"No!" persisted the doctor. "You aren't well!"

"Want my foot to squash your blue nose?"

"NO! Ok fine!" whimpered the reindeer once again leaving the room. He was getting annoyed of this. He was the doctor, wasn't he? So where did others come off telling him how to do his job? Then again, interrupting Zoro or Sanji even as he was could definitely be threatening.

"So, where'd the poison come from, shitty cook?" asked the swordsman.

The cook stared at the floor. "Supply stop in Alabasta…"

"What?" demanded Zoro. "You wasted your precious Nami-san's treasure on poison?"

The blonde ignored his question. "Now you know why I haven't smoked in days. It'd…be the end…" He pressed a fist to his lips in attempt to stifle a cough, though it had no effect. He spat bitterly which created a small red puddle on the floor.

"I've heard enough of your shit." Growled the swordsman. "If you want to die, fine. I'm not going to stop you next time." He turned to the door and opened it. "Oi Chopper! The shitty cook's all yours!"

The reindeer nodded. "Arigato." He said. "But I have a lot of examining to do if I'm going to save him. No interruptions this time, okay?"

The swordsman grinned. "Hai, Chopper. It's all right; I don't care anymore at this point. Let him die if that's what he desires." He turned and left the room before either Sanji or the doctor could reply.

The area around him was dark. It was impossible to see even his own hand in front of his face. Lucky for him, he did have a source of light. His lighter. Who was to say cigarettes always had negative effects?

As the small flame burned at the top of the lighter, he could see that he was in his room, but it wasn't on the Going Merry. It was his room back on the Baratie. That just didn't make sense! How the heck would he have gotten back there?

"You finally fell asleep, baby eggplant. I was afraid you never would."

The teen tensed at the voice that had spoken. He would know that voice anywhere. It was the one he'd heard everyday of his childhood. "Chef Zeff…?"

"Look at the mess you've become." Sighed the chef. "Poison? Cutting? Suicide attempts? IS THAT HOW YOU REPAY ME FOR SAVING YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE, YOU LITTLE BRAT?"

The chef had a point. Right when he had left the Baratie he had exclaimed that he owed his life to him. He owed everything to him. He owed Zeff more than he could ever repay him, and he was fully aware of it.

"Sh-shut up…" he muttered his words betraying his true feelings.

"Don't give me that fake attitude! I raised you, I know when your faking!" growled Zeff. "Tell me why you're so intent on dying!"

Sanji could feel tears forming in his eyes. (yes, I CAN say eyes here! You can check the manga if you don't believe me!) Truly, he hadn't thought about an instant reason as to why he chose to antagonize himself. It might've been depression, or it might just have been that he knew it wasn't fair to take his own anger out on his nakama.

"Answer me!"

He could feel his body trembling with the sobs he was struggling to suppress; it would be impossible to sustain a steady tone while speaking. "I…i-it's…Y-YOU LIED TO ME!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking.

Zeff scowled. "I lied? I don't remember lying to you, brat!"

"You know…exactly what I'm talking about!"

"Time has a price!" he snapped. "You took too long!" He pointed to his peg leg, or at least what should have been it. It was now the same as his right. "Besides…"

"Y-your leg…!" gasped Sanji. "But…how…?"

"You know exactly how, baby eggplant." The chef said chuckling. "I'm not in the world where I lost it. That's not the point. You've become the biggest sissy I've ever taught in my lifetime!"

The teen's breath caught in his throat. Hadn't his mourning (not that he'd ever admit that he was) been over the shitty man himself? Then why was he still treating Sanji the same way he did when he was a child. It was the same tone he got when he made something wrong and right before he got kicked. So was Zeff going to kick him now? And would it be the same even without the wooden leg?

"OI! LUFFY! GUYS COME QUICK!" came the voice of the doctor.

Luffy, knowing that if Chopper sounded worried that it was serious, scrambled into the room, followed by Nami, Robin, and Usopp.

"What's wrong?"

"Is Sanji-kun alright, Chopper-san?" asked Nami.

"No, Sanji seems to be getting worse!"

Me: Yeah, I'm on April Vacation (for some reason I almost wrote February. XD) all week. However, I won't be home Tuesday and I'll be back early Wednesday. If anyone really cares why...well my Confirmation class (church) is going to spend the night at a ropes course.

Myline: Wow, she actually updated before that...(sarcastic)

Me: Shut up, "Princess".

Myline: OH YOU DID NOT...!

(both get into fist fight)

Shawna