This is the 22nd chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece

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Sanji's Past: The Illusory All Blue!

Somewhere at sea, Baratie

After Pearl's defeat since he was on a rampage while setting the fin on fire which they were lucky that the two have stopped him from continuing to spread the flames around the sea restaurant, Gin have knocked Zeff while pointing his gun at the head chef which it earn Sanji and Luffy's attention when they him held the head chef captive.

"Gin!?" Luffy shouts with his eyes widened and horror.

"I don't care how much of a badass he use to be." Gin said when his eyes were covered from his headband. "Now, he's just a cook. I wouldn't have to break a sweat to kill this old fart. I'll spare him, but you have to leave. Please, don't make this any harder, Sanji. Just leave. Don't force me to kill both of you."

This atmosphere has grown intense when Gin pleaded Sanji to leave which it put him in a dilemma. The chefs were in shock when they saw one of Krieg's crewman begs the sous chef to leave so their lives will be spared, but he'll shoot their boss if they don't while the Krieg pirates looked at Gin with confusion, yet surprised that their crewman have shown mercy which they didn't know that Sanji have given him food out of kindness.

"Run away?" Sanji said, placing his cigarette on his mouth. "Not a chance!?"

That got Gin shocked of his answer.

"You look even dumber at gunpoint, old man. What kind of example do you think you're setting for all the other cooks?" Sanji questions.

"Ha! I don't need a lecture from a brat like you." Zeff scoffed with a retort.

"Would You Stop Calling Me Names!? Quit Treating Me Like A Kid!?" Sanji yelled.

The chefs were shock when they saw the two argue again which it was not the best time since they were in the middle of the battlefield. They knew that Sanji would never abandon Zeff, but they don't get along very well because they've been into a constant fights and Zeff have always beat Sanji in the end.

"Gin! Point that gun at me!?" Sanji demands, leaving Zeff wondered while Gin shocked.

"Hey!? But, what if you die!?" Luffy exclaims.

"Shut up!?" Sanji retorts.

"Sanji, why you?" Gin questions.

"Someone's eager to die. Lucky for you, I'd be happy to oblige." The voice of Pearl said, earned their attention when they saw him stood up, not angry anymore but his nose was still bleeding. "Allow me, it will be my pleasure to beat you into a bloody lifeless pulp."

Gin then grunts as Pearl charge after Sanji, raised his hand-held iron shield.

"Absolutely Natural Pearl Surprise" Pearl then punched Sanji in the face, sent him flying as he then landed on the wooden rail with a hard impact, coughing a bit of his blood.

"Sanji!? Why didn't you dodge that!?" Luffy shouts with a question, worried.

"Because if I did that, that rat over there would pull the trigger on Zeff." Sanji told him with a grunt, leaving Gin scowled at the sous chef.

"Why are you doing this? Just leave the restaurant peacefully and no one gets hurt. Please!?" Gin begs which it was already too late for that since the restaurant has turned into a battlefield.

"This restaurant is that old man's life!?" Sanji weakly shouts, leaving Gin and the chefs shocked. "I've already taken everything else that man holds dear."

He then remembered the time when the two were stranded on a single island without any food or water long ago.

"His power...His dreams..." Sanji grunts as he then stood up. "So while I'm around, I'M NOT GONNA LET ANYTHING ELSE GET TAKEN FROM HIM!?"

Zeff couldn't help but growl at him when Patty warned the sous chef, but it was too late, Pearl was going attack from behind.

"Pearl Cymbals" Pearl slams both of his iron shields together on both sides of Sanji's head, leaving him collapse down to his knees while coughing a bit of his blood and collapse down to the wooden floor.

He then began to remember about telling the chefs about the All Blue long ago as he then began to feel nostalgia.

Somewhere at Sea, 9 years ago

9 year ago, Sanji is working in the kitchen aboard the ship, discussing the legendary All Blue with the other chefs, but neither of them believe him.

"Stop being a doofus, that's just a fairy tale for seafaring cooks."

"Don't get me wrong, we've all had a little fantasies about it, but you gotta remember that it's just a dream."

"A dream!? Well, I'm gonna find the All Blue, then you'll see who's dreaming." Sanji proclaims.

"That's quite the quest. Good Luck."

"Alright there, little man. Tell me, do you even what kind of place the All Blue is?"

"Yeah, I do. I'm not an idiot." Sanji answered. "The All Blue is the place where fish from all four seas live. There's fish from East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, and South Blue. The cooks who have taken to the sea, it's an irresistible paradise. I'll find it!"

"Oh yeah, that place is a gold-mine. It's got fish and plants from all over the world. Any chef would jump at the chance to cook there."

"True, the cooks I know would risk life and live to find it."

"Yeah well, it were real."

Sanji was then in a dismay as one of the chefs spoke.

"You think a miracle sea like the All Blue could actually exist?"

"Think about it, kid, it's impossible. I bet it's probably a lie told my son daydreaming cook."

"Okay enough with the old sail stories, get out there and collect some places, Sanji."

Sanji couldn't help but groaned since they didn't believe the All Blue which they thought it was a fairy tale as he then head out of the kitchen to collect the plates from the customers.

Few hours later, Sanji was scraping the portions out of the plates, placing them on a stack of dirty dishes while the chefs were eating the leftovers which they were given a scorn looks on their faces since the customers haven't even touch the food.

"Oh man, what a waste. They left behind plates and plates full of delicious grub."

"This ones barely been touched, it's pretty good stuff too. Thought they love it for sure."

"If you ask me, the customers these days are spoiled."

"It's way gross to eat the leftovers of strangers." Sanji told them seriously. "You should let me throw that stuff away."

"That kind talk proves you've gotta whole lot to learn so listen up, shorty. If you choose life on the high seas, you've gotta be resourceful. The ocean is a strange an unpredictable place where wasting food could be a fatal mistake. So why don't you have some, huh?"

"No way." Sanji refuse, turned away as the chef laugh.

Until, they heard a scream when the people panicked while running, leaving the chefs face pale when they heard that the pirates are here. Sanji went out of the kitchen along with the chefs when they saw the pirate ship that belongs to none other than 'Red Foot' Zeff and the Cook pirates which they have returned from the Grand Line.

With that, the sailors lined up assembly while the pirates were on the opposite side of the ship.

'Red Foot' Zeff has a a spiky blond hair and a blond moustache. He wore a purple and red horizontal pinstripe shirt, light green sash around his waist, a captain's coat draped around his shoulders, black pants, and boots.

'Red Foot' Zeff then chuckle a bit with a smirk on his face as the caption of this ship spoke which he was scared of the pirate.

"I take it you're the infamous pirate captain 'Red Foot' Zeff. So, what do you want?"

"Steal!?" 'Red Foot' Zeff shouts with an order.

With that, the Cook pirates begin pillaging the entire ship, stealing gold and jewelry from those people on the ship which Sanji was shock with horror when he watch the pirates taking everything.

'Those bastards!? I refuse to die at the hands of those animals!?' Sanji mentally shouts as he then grab hold of the kitchen knives, about to fight against those pirates.

"Ho, ho, look at this."

'Red Foot' Zeff then turn over his shoulder, seeing Sanji fighting against his crew which they mocked him.

"Hey killer, if you're not careful, you might just put someone's eye out with that."

"He got me. Look, I'm bleeding."

"Shut up! You mongrels better stay away from me?!" Sanji shouts with determination, leaving the chefs shocked with their faces paled. They tried to warn him, but he won't listen as 'Red Foot' Zeff spoke.

"A bit young to have a death wish, but that's no reason not to grab it." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him.

"Alright you jerks, if I'm dying here then I'm taking someone with me!?" Sanji shouts, but he felt like someone was behind him as he turned around.

'Red Foot' Zeff then swiftly kicked him in the gut, sent him flying as he then crashed towards the cabin.

"Sanji!?"

"Wow, good one."

"Yeah, that was brutal."

However, Sanji didn't give up as he then crawled his way towards the pirate captain.

"I'm not gonna die. Not here!?" Sanji said, biting his leg. "I've got to live, so that I can find the All Blue!?"

'Red Foot' Zeff was a bit unfazed, but knew that he had determination to see the All Blue. However, the Cook pirates then burst with laughter, amused and mocked at Sanji's dream which it was pretty ambition and told them that the All Blue doesn't exist. 'Red Foot' Zeff then sent him flying as he then crashed towards the wall.

"No...I'm not gonna draw my last breath...Until I see the All Blue..." Sanji groaned weakly.

Until, one of his crew called his captain as he spoke.

"Captain! I recommend we withdraw immediately! This storm is way bigger than expected!"

"Alright men, play time is over! Let's load up the treasure and get out a here!" 'Red Foot' Zeff ordered his crew as they began leaving the ship.

Soon, the large tidal wave comes in as it knocks Sanji out of the ship, sending him down towards the raging ocean. The chefs called his name with horror as 'Red Foot' Zeff then rush in to rescue Sanji as he then leap up towards the wooden mast, kicking it when the mast break into two as he grab hold of the broken mast while heading down towards the ocean.

"Damn brat!" 'Red Foot' Zeff muttered as he then head down towards the ocean.

The Cook pirates tried to call their captain, but they've got no respond since they don't understand why would he risk his life to save the kid. However, the tidal wave was growing even larger as it swept the two ships along with the entire crew in the ship.

'Red Foot' Zeff swam towards Sanji, but what stopped him was that he heard the ship swept, leaving him shocked and widened his eyes when he realize that he left his crew behind which they didn't made it out in time as the two ships began crashing each other since the raging storm was brewing in the ocean. When the storm pass, 'Red Foot' Zeff was about to rescue Sanji, but he was caught in the middle of the storm when he foot was caught in the wreckage of the ship as he tried pulling his leg out, no avail.

'Red Foot' Zeff then look at Sanji for a few seconds, seeing that he's on a brink of death as he then grab hold of the anchor, wrapping his leg around while stabbing the other. Soon when the ships separated each other, he finally came loose but the price was made by losing his leg as he then swam his way to rescue Sanji.

Unknown Island

The next day, Sanji woke somewhere on the island which last thing he remember, he was swept up and down at the raging ocean since the storm came last night.

"The brat finally wakes up, you're lucky to be alive, you know." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him without looking at him.

"You!?" Sanji shouts, but winced in pain when he tries to move.

"Moving isn't a good idea, you're still pretty banged up from the beating you took." 'Red Foot' Zeff said.

"What about the ships?" Sanji questioned seriously.

"Who knows? It was a terrible storm, our ships were most likely destoryed." 'Red Foot' Zeff answered, leaving Sanji scowling at him. "It seems we're the only survivors, washed ashore on a desolate rock without so much as a coconut tree to give us food. Sure there are fish at the sea, but the rock have been curved by the wave in such a manner. Then we wouldn't be able to climb back up if you ever went down. Sad, isn't it?"

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, OLD MAN!? I HOPE YOU DIE!?" Sanji yelled.

"You can whine all you want, it won't help. If nobody comes, we'll just dry up and become two more skeletons in the sea." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him, leaving Sanji's face paled with horror when he was starting to imagine himself dead on the island. "That bag there, it's your share of it."

Sanji then turn his head to see the bag as he spoke.

"It some of the food that washed up, should be five days worth. It's not much, but it's better than nothing." 'Red Foot' Zeff said. "If you ration it out, it'll last longer. So use your head when you eat. Good thing we're both cooks."

Sanji then saw that bag was much bigger than his own.

"Hey wait!? Is that bag your share of the food? You got way more than me!? You fat old pig!?" Sanji stated accusingly, pointing at the bag. However, he knew that it's not a good idea to pick a fight with a pirate since he learned the hard way.

"Of course I get more food, I'm a grown man so I need more to survive than a runt like you." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him, turned slightly with a scowl on his face. "You should be grateful that I'm sharing any of it with you. Don't expect any pity from me, you brat."

"Bastard!?" Sanji growled with a snarl.

Few hours later, Sanji was on the side of the island, watching on the horizon as he remember what 'Red Foot' Zeff told him.

'Get to the other side of this rock and watch for ships. Let me know as soon as you see one. Til' then, don't bother talking to me or moving from your post, that'll just waste energy and we can't afford that. Good luck.'

"Screw you, gramps! I'm not saying anything if I see a ship." Sanji said to himself with a glare since those words have echoed on his mind as he then began to take the food out of the bag, ration out while separating the food. "I'll be fine, I have five whole days worth of food. We'll definitely see a ship or two before I run out. I'm sure of it. Just to be extra safe, I'll divided up for twenty days, that's more than enough time to get rescued. I guess all I gotta do now is sit and wait. Easy, I'll make it through this thing. No problem!"

With that, he then begin watching beyond the horizon of the sea until nightfall. He then use a slab of rock to mark a day on the ground.

"Didn't see a ship today." Sanji said sadly. "That's alright, it'll only be few more days."

Sanji then watch the horizon at sea as he then finally began to place his head down to his knees.

"I don't want to die." Sanji said as he then went to sleep.

Day-by-day, Sanji was still watching over the horizon while eating some food and marking on the ground since he and 'Red Foot' Zeff have survived on this island for only twenty five days.

"This is it, one moldy piece of bread." Sanji weakly said as he then eat that moldy bread while watching over the horizon of the sea. His clothes were a bit tattered and he was on a brink of starvation. He then remembered the time when the chefs told him that he has to be resourceful since he chose the life at sea. Even without brining any food or wasting any food is a big mistake. When he remembered those words, he began to shed tears which he regrets his past actions. He then wipe his tears away, but his slipped as the moldy bread then falls into the ocean.

He then began to survive without any food or water for days and there is still no ship on sight at sea. Day-by-Day Sanji kept watching the horizon at sea during the sunny day and rainy day which he's only been surviving for only forty-seven days.

He was now all skin and bones, his hair is a mess, and his clothes were completely tattered up. He was barely alive since he kept watching the horizon at sea.

'I wonder...Is the geezer dead yet?' Sanji mentally questions as he then weakly crawled his way towards the other side. Next he saw, 'Red Foot' Zeff is still alive and he saw the big bag. 'He's alive!? And he still got food...A lot of food!?'

"So much...There's so much left..." Sanji weakly said with a smile as he then drew out the kitchen knife, drooling for food. "I've got to get that food...It's not fair that he has so much more than me...Besides, this is all his fault..."

Sanji then silently head towards the bag without getting caught since 'Red Foot' Zeff was still watching the horizon at sea on his side. When he was close to the bag, 'Red Foot' Zeff then spoke.

"What are you doing here, you brat?" 'Red Foot' Zeff questions, leaving Sanji stopped in his tracks. But, he was also barely alive, his hair and his moustache is a mess, and his attire were tattered. "Are you here because you saw a ship?"

Sanji was then silent for a few seconds while panting as he then raise his kitchen knife as he spoke.

"I came here to steal your food, old man. If you want to kill me for it, go ahead. Soon enough, I'll starve so it makes no difference to me." Sanji told him with determination as he then head towards the bag, cutting it open. But for what he saw, it was a bag full of gold and jewelry, leaving him shocked as he dropped the kitchen knife, collapsing down to his knees.

"Didn't I tell you not to come over here, unless you saw a ship?" 'Red Foot' Zeff questions.

"Why?" Sanji weakly asks, grabbing the treasure. "You said...food..."

"Strange, isn't it? We've had all this money and yet, we're gonna starve." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him.

"It's only treasure...it's worthless..." Sanji said, panting as he rushed after him while shaking the pirate. "Hey! What's going on here, old man? Where's your food? You had to have eaten something, now where is it? I'm talking to you!? Answer me!?"

Until, Sanji gasp with severe shock and horror when he saw 'Red Foot' Zeff's leg was gone as he collapse down.

"What happen to you leg?" Sanji questions, but remembered that 'Red Foot' Zeff had sacrificed his leg to save him. "It wasn't a dream. In order to save me, you..."

'Red Foot' Zeff was just silent since Sanji now knew why he would save him and why he give him the food to survive as he then began to shed in tears.

"The food...That you give me all the food you had?" Sanji questions.

"I did." 'Red Foot' Zeff admits.

"And you had to have known that without that leg, you'll never be a pirate again?" Sanji inquires, trembling his lip.

"That's right." 'Red Foot' Zeff answered.

"You old fool!? Why'd you help me?" Sanji questions with a shout, bawled his eyes out. "It doesn't make sense to sacrifice so much for me!? So why? Tell me!?"

"Because...For my entire life, I've had the same dream as you." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him.

"The All Blue." Sanji said, realized why he saved him as he stood up. "But, your men that it doesn't exist."

"Of course it does." 'Red Foot' Zeff disagrees. "Never mind them, when the time comes, head to the Grand Line. That's where the All Blue is sure to be. My days as a pirate are done, but you have your whole life to fight it."

With that, 'Red Foot' Zeff then collapses down to the ground.

"Don't die now, get up!? Come on, old man!? Don't you dare give up!?" Sanji pleads as 'Red Foot' Zeff opens his eyes.

"I wonder." 'Red Foot' Zeff said, Leaving Sanji stopped. "How many men have lost their lives cuz' of the ocean, knowing that it was soon to be their grave? This isn't the first time I've been hungry enough to look death in the eyes and my thoughts are the same each time. It is always my deepest wish, that there'll be a restaurant in the middle of the sea."

"A restaurant?" Sanji repeats with confusion.

"Yeah, I was thinking if I make out of this mess alive, I'd like to build a restaurant as my final purpose in life." 'Red Foot' Zeff told him.

"Great, then I'll even help you do it. So don't die, okay?" Sanji said with a smile.

"A weak little brat like you couldn't be much good for anything." 'Red Foot' Zeff scoffed.

"Then I'll become strong. So, don't die!" Sanji begs.

Until, Sanji have finally spotted the ship at the open sea. He then began to call for help and for a few minutes later, both Sanji and 'Red Foot' Zeff have been rescued.

Present Day, somewhere at sea, Baratie

When his story have ended, Sanji then spoke.

"That old coot...He gave up his leg so that I could live." Sanji said, leaving the chef shocked as he then stood up. "There's no way to repay the old geezer for his kindness unless I risk my life for him!?"

Both Luffy and Gin now began to understand why would Sanji wanted to protect the sea restaurant. He would risk his life to protect the Baratie because the sea restaurant is Zeff's final purpose and his treasure. And why Zeff save the sous chef because they have something in common, it's to find the All Blue.

"Why? Why are you standing Sanji? Stay down." Gin pleads with shock.

"Afraid I can't do that, it's a little too much like giving up." Sanji refuse with a smirk.

The chefs were surprised that Sanji doesn't give up which he does have determination.

"Idiot!? They'll kill you!?" Patty exclaims seriously.

Luffy then began to grew enraged.

"You little brat." Zeff said.

"Ha! That is so refined of you, but this restaurant will be closing soon." Pearl mocks. "And it'll open again for business, as a pirate ship."

Luffy then finally had enough as he then stretches his leg high into the air, leaving Pearl look at the rubber captain and Sanji tried to warn him, but it was too late.

"Gum-Gum: Battle Axe" Luffy then brings his leg down as he finally deliver a high-gravity stomp, destroying the fin.

That's it for the 22nd chapter. Anyway, best not to confuse you as to why there were two. Because the reason is that Zeff was the pirate back at his day and he earned that Alias known as 'Red Foot' only because of his deadly foot techniques.