Zeff stared with wide eyes at the blond who just entered his restaurant. "What the hell are you doing back here?" He demanded, his loud exclamation causing many of the patrons to look over at him, and then the one who entered.
Sanji laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "What? I can't come and visit you?"
"Last I heard, you were in the New World." Zeff said, somewhat accusingly.
Sanji winced. "How long ago did you hear that?"
"Several months ago."
Sanji just shook his head, lowering his arm and shifting the bag he had on his shoulder. "False rumors. We've been in East Blue for two months now. We left the New World over a year ago."
Zeff noted Sanji's strained tone and gestured toward the kitchen. The patrons watching followed the blond's movements as he weaved through the tables and vanished into the kitchen. As soon as he was out of sight, the chatter started up again.
Zeff slammed the door, leaning up against it as he watched the cooks who knew Sanji abandon their posts and crowd around the pirate. He let it slide, seeing Sanji's face light up as he interacted with his former coworkers.
Pat approached Zeff and crossed her arms, watching the display as well. "He looks depressed."
The old man sighed. "I know. I'll have to talk to him later. I had no idea the Strawhats were in East Blue. I thought there would have been something indicating their arrival. A sighting. Anything. His Captain is the bloody Pirate King."
"Are you disappointed Sanji didn't send a letter or call?" Pat asked.
"I don't know," Zeff replied. "Maybe. But he's probably got his own agenda. Too busy for us little folk anymore." He cracked a smile at the newbies still at their posts, watching with confusion. "Oi Sanji. Will the rest of your crew be joining you? I know your Captain eats a lot and it would be nice to have a heads up."
Sanji visibly flinched at that, and then slowly shook his head. "No. Luffy won't be joining us. And I doubt the rest of the crew will stop by either."
Zeff noted the reaction. "So are you going to be heading out soon? Is this just a quick stop?"
"Maybe," Sanji shrugged.
"Sanji," Zeff said forcefully, walking forward and grabbing his shoulder.
The young man was trembling, and Zeff squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "Luffy won't be coming back," Sanji said quietly. "And the rest of us parted ways."
The new workers, the ones who had joined the restaurant after Sanji had left, began whispering. The words 'Luffy' and 'Strawhat' began flying around. They were silenced with a glare from Zeff.
Pat seemed concerned too. "Sanji?"
Sanji forced a smile, "It's been a long trip, and I'm tired. I trust my room is still there, you old geezer?"
"Like I would touch any of your shit," Zeff barked. "Get out of here and don't come back until you learn some manners."
Sanji laughed, "Well than I would never be back!"
Zaff watched Sanji leave, and then ordered everyone back to work. There was something wrong. Something had happened to Sanji's friends. But he also knew that Sanji wasn't ready to talk about it. Zeff was a patient man. He was willing to wait until his surrogate son came to him.
And that happened almost 3 years later. In that time, Sanji had returned to cooking. He told the others wild stories about his travels. Beautiful angels in Skypia. The indescribable beauty of the Mermaid Princess. He spoke a lot about the two females aboard the ship, Nami and Robin.
None of the new cooks believed him, and Sanji didn't seem to care. That night though, while Zeff was standing on deck, Sanji joined him. "I'm leaving." He said simply.
"Why?" Zeff wasn't trying to stop him. He just wanted to know.
Sanji lit a cigarette. "Because I need to keep the promise I made."
"To who?"
Pulling back his sleeve, Sanji exposed his left forearm. "It was the Moss Head's idea," He said, as Zeff raised a questioning eyebrow. "To leave a physical mark. We all promised to achieve our dreams. Complete the goal we set out to do. We… Used his sword."
"All of you have one?" Zeff said, and Sanji nodded. Zeff watched Sanji for a minute, and then asked, "What happened?"
Sanji took a while in answering. "Luffy died. Gave up his life for ours. And to repay that debt we promised to achieve our dreams. Because he wasn't able to."
Zeff watched Sanji's hand tighten over the scar. "Does that mean he didn't make it to Raftel?"
Sanji nodded slowly. "He was an idiot. He never thought things through. He ate without tasting anything. He had no table manners." He was ranting now, his nails digging into his skin.
"I'm guessing there's a but." Zeff said.
"But he cared for us. Enough to give his life.
Zeff placed a calming hand on Sanji's shoulder. "Tell me."
And he did. He explained the situation with Blackbeard and the relationship between Luffy and Ace. He talked about discovering Ace's death, and then Luffy's message to meet again in two years. His voice started cracking when he told Zeff about stopping at an island in the New World, and Blackbeard's ambush.
"It's been over four years," Sanji said, pulling his cigarette from his lips and flicking it overboard. "Everyone has moved on. Gone their separate ways."
"So what are you going to do?" Zeff asked. "You said you were going to leave."
"I need to find the All Blue." Sanji said simply.
"So when are you leaving?"
"As soon as I can."
Zeff shook his head lightly. "Before you go, you need to clear up the rumors that the rookies have been making up."
That brought a laugh from Sanji, who pulled out another cigarette and lit it.
The next morning Sanji gathered up all of the cooks and ushered them into the kitchen.
"LISTEN UP!" He shouted, brandishing a frying pan in one hand and a large metal spatula in the other. Behind him, the counter was piled high with different types of meat. "I'm going to teach you something you will never forget!"
Many of them looked at each other. The ones who knew Sanji looked excited, but those who didn't exchanged glances. Some of them looked disbelieving, and others looked terrified. Many adapted the latter expression when Sanji turned his gaze on them. One of the older rookies crossed his arms and matched Sanji's gaze. "And what is it you're going to teach us?"
Sanji stared him down for a minute, the tense silence making the other fidget. Then he broke out into a grin. "I'm going to show you how to cook for the Pirate King." At that, the room broke out into whispers again, but they fell silent when Sanji raised a hand. "Do you not believe me?"
The cook who first opposed him spoke again. "I think you're trying to make yourself look better than us by playing off of the rumors. Just because you have the same name as someone in the Pirate King's crew doesn't mean you're part of it. They're in the New World right now."
Sanji slammed the frying pan on the stove, the loud clang echoing through the room and making everyone jump. "I'm here to set those rumors straight. I am Black Leg Sanji of the Strawhat Pirates, and you are going to do what I say!"
No one dared to speak after that.
Over the next few hours Sanji shouted orders, demanding different spices, sauces, utensils, and all the like. He had them prepare a feast.
That night it was served, and Sanji complimented the cooks on their skills. Zeff watched Sanji from the railing, noticing how much the young man had changed since he left the Baratie to go on an adventure. It did him good, Zeff thought with satisfaction. He was lively, interacting with others more than he did before he left. But Zeff could imagine him even happier, being with his Captain and crew. The death and separation had torn away a fraction of his happiness, and it would take a lot to get that back. He hoped this night would lift his spirits before he set off again.
The party lasted long into the night and the next morning many of the cooks had slept in, Zeff included. He awoke to silence and a note from Sanji.
As people began filing into the kitchen, yawning and rubbing at their eyes, Zeff ordered them back to work. There was a lot of cleaning up to do from the night before. The old man let out an annoyed sigh, "That brat should have at least stayed long enough to clean up his mess."
"Sir?" One of the younger cooks asked. "Was he really a pirate?"
"I've raised him since he was a kid," Zeff said. "I watched him set sail with Luffy." He tucked Sanji's note into his apron pocket. "He was definitely a pirate."
Sanji woke himself up a few hours before dawn and packed a bag. He couldn't bring much, as he would be carrying everything himself. And there wasn't much storage on his small boat. As he walked through the kitchen, he grabbed one of the waiter's notebooks and scribbled a short note.
It's out there. I'll find it.
And then he slipped out of the front entrance, untied his boat, and sailed off into the growing dawn.
He found it hard travelling on his own, and often wished that the small boat was as sturdy as the Sunny. He wished he had Nami's ability to read the sky and waves. He wished the Moss Head was there, so he knew which direction not to go. He wished anyone was with him, just to keep him company.
He had been on the water for a week, and there was no sign of any islands. His food supply was dwindling, and he was getting worried.
To his luck, he reached an inhabited island a few days later, just as his food store ran out. He paid to dock his small boat in the harbor, and ventured up the slope into town. It was a quaint place, and he was able to buy the supplies he needed with ease. After bringing them back to the boat, he decided he needed some charts.
The small shopkeeper's assistant looked excited when Sanji walked into the shop. "I've never seen you before. Are you a pirate?"
Sanji examined the boy as the shopkeeper scolded him for asking a rude question. He was chubby, but it looked like he was going to grow out of it soon. Most of his brown hair lay flat against his head, one small cowlick sticking straight up in the middle of his head.
"Why do you want to know?" Sanji asked.
The boy smiled, looking excited as the shopkeeper shook his head and let him speak. "I love hearing people's adventures. My friend was a pirate, but he left last year to go on another adventure. He told the best stories. Are you just starting?"
Sanji shook his head, "I used to be a pirate, but I'm not anymore. I'm just looking for something."
"So you used to be a pirate? That's so cool! Did you know Strawhat Luffy came to this island?" The boy looked excited.
"Did he?" Sanji raised an eyebrow.
The boy nodded enthusiastically. "No one believes us, but he beat the crap outta Kaya's butler. She gave him their ship, too."
"Kaya?" Sanji repeated the name. It sounded familiar. Usopp mentioned that name a few times, mostly when referring to the Going Merry.
"She's the doctor here. And she lives up in that big mansion." The boy pointed out the window. As Sanji looked, the boy gathered up the charts Sanji had requested. "She had a crush on my friend, and is sad that he left. Hey! There she is now."
Sanji noted a young girl walking down the street, probably a couple years younger than himself. "She's quite pretty."
"That's what Usopp always said, too." The boy said, and Sanji smiled to himself. So this was Usopp's island.
"Who?" Sanji asked, mostly to keep the boy happy.
"Have you heard of him?" The boy asked, smirking. "He's famous in the Grand Line. Got a bounty of 250 million right now. And…" The boy leaned closer, whispering. The shopkeeper shook his head with an exasperated sigh. "He was a part of Luffy's crew. But you don't have to believe me."
Sanji shook his head with a smile. "I'm surprised they didn't recognize his nose on Sogeking's wanted poster."
The boy blinked a few times, processing what Sanji had just said. The shopkeeper looked up as well. Then the boy's mouth fell open. "You know Usopp was Sogeking!"
"I'm a Strawhat too," Sanji explained.
The boy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I've been keeping tabs on the crew. You don't look like any of them."
"And that's a good thing," Sanji said, shuddering as he thought of his wanted poster. "I'm sure Usopp told you about my wanted poster… Mishap."
The narrowed eyes softened, "He did. So… You…" He boy fidgeted nervously.
"Setting out on my own?" Sanji said, "Because we're not a full crew anymore?"
The boy nodded solemnly, "I'm sorry."
"Wasn't your fault," Sanji said. "It was ours. We couldn't save him."
"Here are your charts," The onion headed boy said, handing them over.
Sanji smiled, patting the boy's head. "That girl, Kaya. I want you to cheer her up. And tell her that the Going Merry was the best ship we could have asked for. She lived a great life."
The boy nodded and Sanji paid the startled shopkeeper, who had been listening in on their conversation. Onion watched the blond leave the store, offering a smile and a rose to Kaya before he left. She smiled and took the flower, but her happy expression fell when Sanji spoke a few words to her. Onion couldn't make out what he was saying through the glass, but Sanji was gone before he made it outside.
"Kaya?" Onion questioned, and the young woman looked over with a smile brimming with tears. She didn't say anything as she walked past the boy and up the road.
As Sanji reached his boat, he made sure the charts he had just bought were safely stored. They were his lifeline while on the open water. With these charts, he would be able to determine the fastest route to Loguetown, and not get lost on the way. It took some time, as he wasn't as familiar with the art of navigation. He dearly missed Nami. She would never have gotten lost. He missed Robin too. She would have stayed calm no matter the situation.
Loguetown was just as he remembered, when he arrived a week later. Marines were abundant, several of them stationed at the docks. They glanced suspiciously at him as he tied up his boat. Sanji ignored them in favour of heading into town. The next few weeks of his journey would be on the water, there being no islands from here to Reverse Mountain. And because of that, Sanji had to make sure he had everything he needed before setting off. There would be no places to stop, even if he strayed from his path.
He ventured into the market place, greeted by the sight of brightly coloured tents and shouting. His mood brightened considerably. He loved this kind of place, and if given the opportunity, could spend hours venturing from one stall to another, examining all the wares. Usually, he had a time limit. Nami would give them a time frame, usually determined by the log pose, and they all had to be back at the ship in a reasonable time.
Being the cook, he was the one responsible for the food. Sometimes he recruited another person to help him carry the food back to the ship. Chopper was the most willing.
He approached the first stall, disappointed to see only fresh vegetables. There was no ice box on the small boat. He wouldn't be able to bring any fruits, vegetables, or even meat. It would go bad within a few days. He had to find non-perishables. He grimaced slightly. There weren't many good recipes he could think of that involved preservatives.
He decided it didn't matter. No one was going to be with him. He had no one to impress. He ran a hand through his hair. He loved to impress people. While on the Merry, and then the Sunny, it was his goal to impress his crewmates with the displays he could put on. His cooking was art. Even when Luffy never took time to appreciate it, he always made each meal a masterpiece. His reasoning was that he was cooking for a future king. No. He shook his head. That wasn't right. It was because he was cooking for friends.
Moving on from the market somewhat reluctantly, he located a general store off of the main street. Entering, the first thing he noticed was the beautiful woman standing at the counter. Thick brown hair tied back into a messy bun, and deep brown eyes darting up to observe him as he entered.
"Mornin' Sir," She greeted turning back to the main counter.
"Good day, my dear," Sanji said, sauntering up to the counter.
"You don't look local," She commented, not looking even remotely fazed by Sanji's flirtatious tone.
"That is because I am not," Sanji said. "Merely a traveler passing through."
"Better not be a pirate," She said. "Are you?"
"A travelling cook," Sanji bowed. It was the truth, but he didn't deny being a pirate. To his relief, she didn't question him further. Instead, she gestured around.
"Take a look around. If you need any assistance, just ask."
Sanji found most of the supplies he needed for his trip, bring several armfuls from the store to his boat. In its entirety, it took about two hours. The woman at the counter seemed happy, glad that her family's store was getting good business.
As he placed his last purchases on the counter to be paid for, the woman graced him with her name. "You must be going on quite the adventure. My name is Marina. What's yours?"
"I'm Sanji," He replied. "A wandering cook in search of the All Blue."
"The All Blue?" Marina asked, curious. "I've never heard of that."
"It's a cook's dream come true," Sanji told her, handing over the last of his money.
Marina smiled. "So you're following your dream? That sounds nice."
Sanji smiled, but Marina noted a hint of sadness behind his blue eyes. "It's a promise I made to a friend."
Marina handed him his bag and change. "Come visit me sometime. You could cook Grandma Kale and me a meal. And I love hearing stories."
"All you have to do to get those is walk down to the harbour and ask a sailor," Sanji said.
Marina's eyes narrowed, "Most of the people there are pirates. There's no way I'm going to talk to a pirate."
"You have something against them?" That much he could see, but he was curious to see if there was a reason behind it.
"I come from a family of Marines," Marina answered. "I've heard all about their exploits. Even the Warlords." She shuddered. "Grandma Kale says they're an asset to the Navy, but I can't think of a good enough reason to team up with pirates."
Sanji refrained from answering, instead promising to return and took his bags. Marina waved merrily, her earlier mood vanishing for a more pleasant one. Sanji was absolutely ecstatic, having such a beautiful lady come see him off. She didn't even shy away when Sanji placed a delicate kiss on her cheek.
His jolly mood soon disappeared after he left Loguetown. The meals he made were bland, as he had no stove on the boat. The sky clouded over and the temperature dropped considerably. The days were filled with trying to keep the small boat afloat and on course, and the nights found the boat anchored and the cook shivering in front of a small oil lamp with a blanket draped over his shoulders.
He was immensely grateful when the weather cleared up, just in time to cross Reverse Mountain. It was much easier when the weather was calmer rather than the typhoon they had experienced the first time. The waves were much smaller too, allowing Sanji maneuver his boat into the nearly invisible opening and sail to the top of the mountain.
It didn't feel right. He should be with someone. Being on his own he had no one to enjoy the experience with. Maybe he should have asked Marina to come with him. But then she may have found out he was a former pirate.
He remembered the first time he crossed though here. He had been surrounded by people he barely knew, but they had celebrated like lifelong friends. Sanji laughed out loud. If only he had known how much those people would affect his life.
He reached the top, the boat pausing briefly before plunging downward. Sanji grabbed one of the ropes as he felt himself go weightless.
Crocus looked older than Sanji remembered. His grey hair had turned white, and he seemed to have given up his flower.
"Old Man!" Sanji shouted in greeting.
Crocus didn't seem to surprised to see the former pirate. "I've been expecting you."
"Who's come before me?" Sanji asked, jumping onto land and securing his boat to the rocks.
"Many. I've given up keeping track. Haven't seen the archeologist… Robin. And I haven't seen you. Everyone else has come and gone."
"Even the Moss Head?"
Crocus nodded. "Yes. He was one of the first ones to pass by. Even before Brook."
"Where is he?" Sanji asked, looking around. He didn't see any signs of Laboon either. The old man just shrugged. "How were they all doing?" Sanji asked instead.
"As good as pirates without their Captain, I suppose." Crocus answered. Sanji nodded, knowing that Crocus had sailed under the previous Pirate King, and knowing he knew what it was like to lose a friend that close. "What about you?"
"Same as them," Sanji told the old man, who nodded in understanding.
"There have been a lot of rumors floating around," Crocus said. "About you guys. I've seen Garp a few times, and those two apprentices of his. They seemed concerned about your disappearance."
"I've read the papers," Sanji said. "I've heard about them. What I'm concerned about are the sightings. If people are posing as us, the rumors are just going to get worse."
Crocus let out a dry laugh, "I've tried setting those who pass by straight, but no one will believe a senile old man like me."
Sanji shrugged. "At least you're trying. Can I stay the night?"
The next place Sanji arrived was Whiskey Peak, which had changed a lot since he had been there. Instead of bounty hunters, the place was swarming with pirates. He made sure he had all of his valuables on his person before leaving his boat.
Making his way into town, he straightened his posture and kept an eye out for anyone targeting him. He was a famous pirate after all. Even if his wanted poster looked nothing like him.
He entered a bar, seating himself at the counter. The bartender said nothing unusual, taking his order and setting it in front of him a few minutes later.
"You ain't from here," The bartender said casually.
"Passing though," Sanji said, immediately reminded of Marina. She had said something similar when he first saw her.
"This ain't the best place ta stop if you ain't lookin' for trouble."
Sanji cracked a smile. "I can see that. It's changed a lot since I've been here. Is this a normal stop for new pirates?"
"Somethin' like that." The bartender replied. "We get all sorts o' people. Helen once said that a guy claimed ta be Sogeking. Though, I doubt it would be hard to pretend ta be him."
"You've got to look for the nose," Sanji said, laughing into his drink. "It wasn't part of the mask."
"I met a guy 'bout a year back with a long nose. He carried a weird black thin'. In fact, he was the guy that told Helen he was Sogeking."
"His name wouldn't have been Usopp, would it?"
"Dunno names," The bartender shrugged. "Better with faces."
Sanji reached into his front pocket and produced a photo. Covering part of it with his hand he pointed out his friend. "Was it him?"
"Aye. That's the guy. Know 'im?"
"Haven't seen him in years," Sanji admitted, replacing the photo carefully in his pocket. "Did he say anything else?"
"Nothin' ta me. Jus wanted ta know where he could buy a ship. He did that, and took one o' the workers with 'im. Here…" The bartender turned around and reached for a stack of old newspapers, digging though it and producing a wanted poster. "Helen says he musta been a nobody to claim ta be a Strawhat."
"No, he was telling the truth," Sanji said, noting his bounty. It must have gone up since he spoke with the boy back in Syrup Village, because it now read 280 million. "I'm glad to see he's doing well."
The bartender snorted, "Are ya a Strawhat too?"
"Black Leg Sanji at your service," Sanji introduced, before standing and leaving without another word.
It was a good thing Sanji had brought all of his valuables with him, because when he returned to the docks, his boat was gone. To be completely honest with himself, he knew something like this was going to happen. But that didn't stop him from showing off his collection of colourful words.
After speaking to one of the dock workers he discovered it had been stolen by a couple of kids, and they had set off around the island. The worker pointed him in the right direction, also telling him that the two brats were local, and were often seen around the city.
Angrily, Sanji followed the curve of the island and soon came across a beach. And pulled halfway up the beach was his boat. It had been stripped of its wood. Beside it, the food and clothing had been neatly piled, making him think it was going to be used.
"I was gone less than an hour," Sanji growled to himself. And then he shouted "OI!" to get anyone's attention.
His own attention was caught by a slight rustle in the small forest nearby, and he walked over. Peering over a low bush, he came across two boys, both of them covered head to toe in mud. "Hey," He said, softer this time. "Why did you steal my boat?"
One of the boys glanced up, his eyes growing wide with fear when he saw the man hovering above them. He shook the other one's shoulder. "Logan! We gotta run!"
The second one looked up, looking a few years younger than the first boy. Sanji didn't give them a chance to escape. He grabbed the collar of each boy and hauled them out of their hiding place. The younger boy, Logan, let out a shriek of terror, but Sanji paid it no mind. Setting both kids on their feet, he dragged them down to the remains of his boat.
"Why did you steal my boat?" Sanji asked calmly.
The older one struggled in Sanji's grip, but the cook refused to let go. "Lemme go!" He demanded.
"Not until you explain your actions. This is the only one I have, and I can't afford another."
The older boy snorted loudly. "You were plannin' to cross the Grand Line in that? Moron."
Sanji gripped their collars tighter. "I've been through it before," He said. "So you're either going to put it back together, or pay me what it cost."
"We can't put it back together," The younger one whimpered. "An' we got no money."
Sanji sighed irritably, releasing his hold on the boys and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well then you should have done a better job at not getting caught."
"Ya criticizin' us, Mister?" Logan asked.
"Yes. I am. How old are you?"
"That's none of your business!" Tyler shouted, grabbing the younger boy. Sanji assumed they were brothers.
"No, it's not," Sanji said, drawing out a cigarette. "But I'm curious. I'm guessing you have no parents. Am I right?"
"No." Logan said.
That startled Sanji. "You have parents? Then why are you stealing?"
"Just Dad." Tyler said, narrowing his eyes. "An' he was the one who showed us this."
"Can I speak to your father?" Sanji asked.
"No!" Tyler shouted. "You can't. 'Cause we aren't' supposed to be doin' this. An' Dad would get mad."
"But we wanted a special pirate hideout." Logan said quietly.
"Pirate?" Sanji said, crouching down to their level. "You want to be pirates?"
"Dad's a pirate!" Logan said enthusiastically. "An' we will be too." He paused. "You ain't a Marine, are you?"
Sanji shook his head. "I'm a pirate too, kid. Just like you want to be."
"Really?" Tyler said. He started smiling, but as he stared past Sanji, his smile faded away. Sanji raised an eyebrow as Logan caught sight of what Tyler was looking at. Logan looked terrified too. Sanji stood up and turned around, seeing a man with hair the same colour as his. The only difference was that the newcomer's hair was curly and shorter than Sanji's.
"I'm guessing that's your father," Sanji said, as the man stalked forward with his arms crossed.
"Logan! Tyler!" He said sternly. "What have I told you about stealing? If you keep doing it here, you're going to make enemies." He turned to Sanji, bowing low. "I am extremely sorry for what my sons have done to your boat. I will be more than happy to replace it."
Sanji nodded, "That would be welcome."
The man rose from his bow, "Please spend the night at my place, and I will retrieve another one for you tomorrow. My name is Sabo Outlook. And again, I am very sorry."
Sabo's house was in a better district. The streets were cleaner and there weren't as many ruffians roaming the streets. He ushered his two boys to the bathroom to clean off, and led Sanji into the kitchen. Sanji looked around in appreciation. It was a very high quality kitchen.
"Would you mind if I cooked?" Sanji asked.
"Of course not," Sabo said, as Sanji rose from the table and opened the fridge. "Are you a cook?"
Sanji nodded, pulling eggs, chicken, and a variety of vegetables from the fridge and depositing them on the counter. Moving on to the cupboard, he grabbed rice. He spotted a spice rack above the stove. "I've been cooking since I was a kid," Sanji said. "When I left the Baratie, I became a pirate. I cooked for them. We split up three years ago, and I went back to the Baratie. Now, I'm off again."
"A cook, huh. The kids will be excited. They love to eat." He paused. "I think they get that from me. I was a big eater then I was their age."
"How old are they?" Sanji asked.
"Tyler is six, and Logan is five." Sabo answered. "I'm to blame for their… tendency to steal as well. When I was their age my brothers and I would venture into the city and steal from the vendors. We had our pirate savings, and hoped to buy a good boat when we were older."
"I'm guessing your boys heard the stories?" Sanji said, finding the frying pans.
"Yes. And both of them want to follow in my footsteps." Sabo shook his head and pulled off his jacket, laying it on one of the chairs.
Sanji paused in his search for cooking oil to examine the burn scars decorating the other man's arms. "Where did you get those?"
Sabo blinked, and then looked towards his arms. "When I was eleven. I… My brothers and I made a promise. When we turned seventeen, we would set out to sea. I left a few years earlier, and was shot down by a Celestial Dragon. I was rescued, but I couldn't return to my brothers."
"Why not?" Sanji found the cooking oil and turned on the stove.
"Because I was worried they would be mad at me for leaving them and breaking the promise we made. I was hoping when they set off we would meet up again." Sabo said. "And I could explain why I didn't come back. They probably thought I was dead."
Sanji nodded in understanding as he began heating up the frying pan. "Have you met up with them?"
Sabo shook his head. "Both of them are dead. But… They… They were happy right up until the end. One of my brothers died six years ago. I saw it in the papers. Died with a smile on his face. The other one, my younger brother, died to save people he cared about."
"I'm sorry," Sanji said. He turned away from the stove and rolled up his sleeves. "The reason my crew broke up was because my Captain died."
"It seems that death is the one thing we can't avoid." Sabo said. They fell into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the sizzling chicken Sanji had just added to the frying pan.
A few minutes later, the door burst open, and two blond boys came running through. It took a minute for Sanji to recognize them, not being covered in mud. "What's for dinner?" Tyler asked.
"It's a surprise," Sanji said, as Sabo ordered them to sit down.
The next morning Sabo took Sanji to the docks and introduced him to a man named Brenan. He was the Captain of a ship that was setting out soon, and lacked a cook.
"Instead of trying to cross the Grand Line by yourself, you can travel with them until you find what you're looking for."
Brenan shook Sanji's hand firmly. "We be needing a cook," He said. "Glad to have you aboard."
Sanji returned the greeting, "Thank you for letting me travel with you. But be warned, I'm part of another crew. My loyalties still lie with them and the promise I made my Captain."
"I understand," Brenan said. "Ya don't haveta call me Captain. Just Brenan's fine. Or Mike. That's my first name."
Sabo pulled Sanji away just before they left, pressing something into his hand. It felt like a piece of paper. "Thank you for taking care of my brother," He said quietly. "Friends meant the world to him."
Sanji opened his mouth to ask what the hell he was talking about, but Sabo turned away and began walking quickly. He vanished around a corner, and Sanji never saw him again. Feeling a large hand on his shoulder, he looked over to see Brenan.
"Ya ready to go?"
"I suppose."
Brenan followed Sanji's gaze into the crowd. "Outlook is a strange man. Used to be part of the Revolutionary Army, but he resigned after the War of the Best. What did he give you?"
"I don't know." Sanji opened his hand and looked down at his palm. Resting on it was a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, Sanji realized it was a photograph of three young boys. Sanji swallowed hard as he realized the boy in the middle looked just like his Captain. The straw hat rested firmly on his head, and the small scar beneath his left eye stood out as he grinned widely at the camera. Beside him was Ace. He boy's freckles a dead giveaway. And the third boy… Looked just like Tyler and Logan. It was Sabo. "I didn't know Luffy had two brothers," Sanji whispered to himself.
"What was that?" Brenan asked.
Sanji tucked the photo into his pocket with his other one. "Nothing. I'm ready to go."
Sanji travelled with Brenan and his crew for three years, exchanging room and board for his cooking. The crew never became too popular. Brenan got a 20 million bounty, but no one else did. Sanji was grateful for that. Less commotion when docking at new islands. He could walk around the markets freely.
The nights were his favourite though. After dinner had been cleaned up, they would sit around the tables in the galley and just talk. He loved doing this with his own crew. The smell of Robin's coffee would fill the air. Usopp and Chopper were always talking, Usopp telling wild stories and Chopper glowing with excitement. Nami would write in the log book, looking up occasionally to put in a comment or two. Luffy would laugh, hold several conversations, and occasionally demand meat. Zoro would never say much, but he would always listen. Franky would say whatever was on his mind, and Brook would play his violin, and bug Franky about getting a piano for the ship.
"So Sanji," The cook was brought out of his musings by George, one of the newest members. "What's your backstory." A hush fell over those who heard the question. It was almost taboo to ask Sanji any personal questions. George looked around, colour draining from his face. "Did I do something wrong?"
Sanji waved his hand. "No. It's fine. I worked at the Baratie in East Blue until I joined a crew."
A hush fell over the rest of the room as they realized Sanji was speaking. "Which crew?" Brenan asked quietly.
Sanji toyed with the cigarette dangling from his lips. "A small one. There were just nine of us. Well, I suppose we were unofficially ten, but we split up before he could catch up with us."
"Just ten?" Isaac said. "That doesn't sound like much."
"Maybe not," Sanji said. "But we were strong. Made it to the New World."
"So it was the New World that brought you down?" Louis surmised.
Sanji shook his head. "It was Blackbeard."
"Blackbeard?" Brenan repeated, sounding slightly skeptical. "As in one of the Emperors?"
"That's him." Sanji confirmed. "He and us had a bit of a grudge. Chopper was the first one to have a reason to hate him, because he attacked his island. But then he did something to our Captain that made all of us hate him. Even those of us who had never met Ace." Sanji shook his head. "Blackbeard was scared of what my Captain would do to him, so he attacked us. Ambushed us. Used us crewmembers to keep my Captain from attacking with his full strength."
"We haven't heard from Blackbeard in years," Dexter said. "Some people are saying he's dead."
"He is dead," Sanji said. "He and my Captain were killed that day. Both of them were Devil Fruit users, so my Captain shoved Blackbeard off of the cliff and into the water. But that bastard took Luffy down with him."
Sanji crushed his cigarette in the ash tray in front of him and lit another. "And so we lost our Captain. We continued on, but it really wasn't the same. It was him that kept all of us together and focused on the things we wanted to do."
"How long were you together?" George asked.
"Not very long," Sanji said with a laugh. "Which is almost impossible to believe. We were together about seven months. And then apart for two years. After we joined up again, we sailed for another ten months. And then he died. So…A year and five months as a complete crew. Even less for Franky and Brook, because they didn't join up until near the end of the first seven months."
"So you spent less than two years with them, and trust them more than us, who you've spent over three years with." Harrison said.
Sanji leaned back in his chair and nodded. "That's right."
"But why?" Brenan asked. "We trust you."
"You may trust me, but you know next to nothing about me. Only that my name is Sanji, and that Sabo recommended me to you. That's why you trust me. Because someone you admire said I was a good fit for your crew."
"Sanji…" Brenan said, as Sanji stood up and crushed his cigarette. But Sanji just shook his head and walked back to the kitchen.
It was after another four years that Sanji asked to leave the crew. "I still have to keep that promise I made to my Captain," He told Brenan.
"I understand," Brenan said. "But I still want to know who you travelled with before. The entire crew does."
"I know," Sanji said. "And… I can't really tell you. You wouldn't believe me."
"We know you can fight like a madman," Brenan said. "And you claim that you're still only half as strong as your Captain. We're curious. We just want to know."
"I've said his name before."
"Then tell us again."
Sanji sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sabo's younger brother. He was my Captain."
"Outlook has a brother?"
"He had two." Sanji said. "Not biological, but by adoption."
"Had." Brenan had picked up the key word.
"Portgas D. Ace. That's the reason he left the Revolutionary Army. His brother had just been killed."
"So you were a Whitebeard? I haven't seen a tattoo."
Sanji shook his head. "The younger brother. Monkey D. Luffy. He was my Captain."
Brenan's pen fell from his hand and clattered onto the desk, smearing ink over the pages in front of him. "What?" His voice was barely a whisper.
"The Pirate King." Sanji said loudly, knowing there were others outside of Brenan's cabin, trying to listen. "My Captain was the Pirate King."
Brenan stared at Sanji, and then laughed. "Don't be stupid. Strawhat isn't dead."
Sanji just stared at him, before reaching into his pocket and producing an old photograph. Slamming it down in front of Brenan with more force than necessary, he glared. "The reason you don't know he's dead is because we completed his journey for him. We made Luffy the Pirate King, even though he wasn't alive to see it happen. We kept it a secret from most of the world. We wanted him to live on through history. No matter what, we made sure he was Gol D. Roger's successor. He gave up his dream of being Pirate King to let us continue to live and achieve ours. You see this?" He gestured harshly to the picture. "That's us. His crew. On Raftel. Without him." Sanji took a deep breath, finishing his rant. "Now, thank you for letting me travel with you. If you don't mind, I will be disembarking on the next island."
Brenan could only nod as Sanji walked from the room, throwing open the door and walking through the crowd of startled eavesdroppers.
George turned to Brenan, "Is that true?"
"I think it has to be," Brenan said. "It would be too hard to fake that much emotion."
Sanji left the ship and got a job at a local diner. He needed to save up enough money for a passage through the Calm Belt and into East Blue. He didn't want to spend the seven years it took them to get this far in the Grand Line. Their ship hadn't been the fastest, and not many members of the crew were experienced.
The kitchen overlooked the main docks, and Sanji could see all the ships that came and went. The one that caught his eye was a bright silver and gold ship, with a mermaid figure head. It immediately reminded him of Princess Shirahoshi and Camie. He wondered how they were doing. They hadn't reacted very well to the news of Luffy's death.
His job was a good one. He flirted with the beautiful girls who came and went. He could watch the harbour for any familiar ships or faces. He thought he saw Usopp once, but when he ran outside to see, the man was gone. He had then been yelled at by his boss.
It took him two and a half years to gather the money, but when he had enough, he made sure to buy a ticket on the Marine ship to get back to East Blue. Loguetown wasn't far geographically from where he was, but having to backtrack through the Grand Line would take him years. There was no trouble boarding, as he had no recognizable wanted poster. He briefly wondered what Zoro was doing. He was the Pirate King's first mate. And from what Rayleigh had said, it was a difficult life.
The voyage took a month, but it was worth it. Sanji made friends with some of the teenagers and their parents. At forty, he missed his younger years. He wasn't as flexible anymore. He helped in the kitchens, to the delight of the Marine cooks. He also ran into Tajio, who didn't recognize him. The young boy had become a great chef.
They disembarked in Loguetown, Sanji bid the Marine cooks farewell and ventured into town. After being away for years, it felt very familiar. He paused at a bulletin, his eyes widening as he saw Usopp's bounty. Almost 3 billion. His bounty was getting close to Luffy's current bounty.
The market was bustling, new people at the stalls. He ignored this in favour of finding the general store Marina was at. He still remembered his promise to her, and his fingers were itching to cook for a beautiful lady. When he walked into the building, he spotted her right away. She had gotten older, but still looked young. When she looked up, hearing the door chime, her face lit up.
"Sanji!" She shouted, abandoning her post and running over. She threw her arms around his neck. "You're back!"
Sanji returned the hug, "I could never leave a beauty like yourself alone for too long," He said. "And I still have to cook you that meal I promised you and your grandmother."
Her face fell slightly. "Grandma Kale passed away several years ago. But I'm still looking forward to it. Mother is coming home next week, and Father is going to be returning soon too. I can't wait!"
Sanji smiled, "As long as you're happy, my dear, so am I."
Her mother looked just like her, the dark hair and eyes identical. She greeted Sanji cautiously, warming up when he cooked her a meal.
"Where did you learn to cook," She exclaimed. "It's amazing!"
"Le Baratie," Sanji answered. "And I'm glad I can please you with my food."
She looked at her daughter, "I approve."
Marina laughed, getting up to help Sanji with the dishes. Sanji waved her away, claiming that a lady should keep her hands smooth and shouldn't be doing hard work like this. He joined them in the living room later, bearing a teapot and cups. They spent the evening chatting, Marina questioning Sanji about his travels. He didn't reveal much, only that he met an old friend's brother, and travelled with a small crew. He also mentioned that he never found the All Blue, but still wanted to look for it. "A dream I promised I would accomplish."
When he met her father, though, all things went to hell. He arrived two months after Marina's mother. Sanji now realized he should have asked if she had a family name, and save himself the trouble. Because Marina's full name was Akainu Marina.
Sanji tried his best to be awed by meeting an Admiral, the Fleet Admiral, but he had a hard time concealing his disgust. Akainu caught on to his act, but didn't say anything about it. Finally, the night was over, and Sanji went outside for a smoke. Marina joined him, winding her arm through his. "I have something to tell you," She whispered.
"So do I," Sanji said simply, flicking his cigarette into the street and lighting another. "I'm leaving. I know it's sudden, but… I didn't know your father was Fleet Admiral Akainu. Well, I suppose it would be Sakazuki now, right?"
"It was a nice surprise, wasn't it?" She smiled.
Sanji sighed, "Not for me. I'm sorry, my lady, but… He's killed someone I knew. And… If I'm being loyal to my friend, I can't accept that."
"What?" Marina asked, sounding shocked.
"He killed my friend's older brother. And the fact that… I've been keeping secrets, Marina. I was a pirate, with a rather hefty bounty on my head. And I can't be in the same room as him without being mad."
Marina pulled away, a look of pure disgust on her face. "You were a pirate?"
"I was a Strawhat Pirate," Sanji said, flicking away his second cigarette. "And I'm loyal to my friends. I'm sorry, Marina. But I'm going. I'm leaving right now." He looked over at her, a hurt expression on her face. "You wanted to tell me something?"
She took a few steps back and shook her head, "It doesn't matter now. I never want to see you again!" She shouted at him and turned on her heel, running up the porch steps and into the house. Sanji started running, not wanting to face Akainu's wrath. He made it to the port just in time to catch a ship heading into East Blue.
Marina stared out her bedroom window that night, the sheets of her bed still ruffled from her and Sanji's last night together. She placed a hand on her slightly swollen stomach, biting her lip. "If it's a boy, I'm going to name him after my father," She told herself. "If it's a girl, I'm going to name her after my grandmother."
Sanji spent the next few years wandering, taking odd jobs, entering contests, anything he could do to get by. He was fifty when he returned to the Grand Line. He jumped ship as it passed the cliffs where Crocus used to live. Sanji wasn't really surprised to see him gone. He would have been well over one hundred by now.
He broke into the house, spending the night there, and spent the next morning fishing off of the cliff. He reeled in a Sea Turtle, most commonly found in North Blue. Sending it back, the next thing he reeled in was a rainbow trout from East Blue. They were popular in the Baratie.
He paused, as he realized neither sea creature was from the Grand Line. He stood, his fishing pole clattering to the ground. Shading his eyes and squinting he could see small silver shapes on the surface of the water. West Blue Flying Guppies. Tearing off his dress coat and shoes, he dove into the water. Looking around frantically, he spotted all kinds of fish. And all of them were from one of the four seas.
Swimming toward the surface, he took a deep breath and dove again. That one was from the South. And that one was from East. Another one from East, followed by one from North. A large one from West ate them both. He surfaced, looking towards the mountain.
Of course! The mountain pulled water up, and then down into the Grand Line. It was only logical to think that fish and other aquatic creatures would be swept up too. And deposited here. He laughed loudly, his voice echoing over the water. This was the All Blue. A place where the fish from the four seas dwelled, unable to swim up the current to return to their native sea, and unable to stray too far from the cliff because of the abnormal weather patterns.
He laughed again, loud and long, as he lay on his back and let the water flow through his hair. Something nobbled his hand, and Sanji tried to guess what sea it was from. North? South? East? West? He didn't care. He had found it. He had kept his promise to his Captain.
His first stop was the Baratie, where he learned Zeff had passed on. He was sad, and Pat offered him the position of Head Chef. Sanji turned it down, claiming that he had found the All Blue and was planning to set up his restaurant there. Pat scoffed at him, but Sanji brushed it off, leaving the sea restaurant and heading to the Goa Kingdom. He wasn't greeted, but that didn't matter.
He hiked up the mountain, sitting down in front of Luffy's grave. The locket had rusted by constant exposure to the elements, but the inscription inside was still clear. He read it, replaced it, and then reached into his bag to grab one of his best knives. It wasn't much, but it had been with him for years. Buying it in Loguetown, it had been aboard the Going Merry, and then the Thousand Sunny.
Placing it beside a piece of silver rock with a Poneoglyph engraved on it. The last thing he did was pull out the picture Sabo had given him years ago, and placed it in the band of his straw hat. After saying his farewells, he stood up and left. He was met with no resistance again as he left town. He noted a small vessel with a sail departing as he started untying his boat, a young man, his hair dark and tinged with green, leaving on it.
"Good luck!" Sanji called, and the young man responded with a wave.
He lived the remainder of his life at the base of Reverse Mountain. Like he had told Pat, he built a restaurant on the cliff. It became a popular hangout for new pirates heading out on adventure or old ones returning to their sea.
Sanji hung his flag above the door to deter Marines from entering. He left his restaurant to his surrogate son, who was left behind by a pirate crew passing by. The boy's father had promised to return, but he never did.
That didn't matter to Sanji. All he cared about now was making sure he was living his life the way he wanted to.