Chapter 12
Omnipresence
"How did you manage to get lost on this tiny island, mosshead? Nami-san told me it was barely seventeen square kilometers!"
"How many liters of blood have you lost every time you've crossed a pair of breasts since we left, huh, curly?!"
With both hands resting on either side of the communication device on the desk, the swordsman glared at the Den-Den Mushi that perfectly reproduced each expression of his companion without Zoro being able to kick his ass. Franky had been very clear about this when he had walked away with the other members of the crew a few moments earlier in view of the stormy turn that the conversation between the two lovers had taken: no machine should be damaged or even moved.
It had been more than a month and a half now since the Sunny had started her scientific trip and almost two weeks since contact with All Blue hadn't been established. The crew had passed Vorgo Island and then the next door following their route, but the one after had required several weeks of travel and in the meantime, communication had been more and more precarious until it completely disappeared. It was only towards the end of the morning that the connection could be activated again after the Sunny had stopped to stock up on a miniature land where the swordsman had actually spent more than five hours going around in circles despite the coast visible from each location.
Everyone had rushed towards the cyborg's workshop to call their friend and try to transmit all the accumulated data. That's how Zoro had ended up walking by and how he heard the cook during one of his dripping lyrical flights to the girls. He had then harshly commented to make the blond aware of his ridiculous tone and immediately, Sanji had replied in the same tone as if they weren't separated by two oceans and a mysterious door. The two lovers hadn't spoken to each other since the Sunny's departure and this spark had revived the latent electricity between them in a flash. The fencer had rushed to make the Den-Den Mushi eat its words and the device had glared at him. The verbal jousting had then started as naturally as if they had parted the day before.
"You can't understand, you marimo head; the prettiest girls live here, I can't help it!"
Zoro narrowed his eyes. A frustration he was feeling more and more painfully turned out to be that the blond's actual absence prevented him from kicking his ass like he deserved. So he had to find a way to win this oral battle and soon, a sly smile tugged at his lips.
"Fine. I'll tell Nami and Robin they won't have to hear you giggle since they ain't your favorite anymore then."
An indignant cry answered him and the swordsman saw with satisfaction the eyes of the Den-Den Mushi almost popping out of their soft sockets. "I forbid you to utter such lies, bastard swordsman, you hear me?! I'll kill you with my own hands if you dare even think of telling them such horrors!"
There was a silence then during which the fencer smugly listened to the blond who was trying to resume a normal breathing after the offense he had just suffered. Satisfied with himself, he then moved on to something far more important. "There are no more bottles in the storeroom, cook, where did you put the others?"
He heard the click of his companion's lighter resonate and he almost thought he heard him inhale on his cigarette butt before the man answered him. "Don't tell me you've already finished them, I haven't kept that many," He grumbled. "You'll have to buy the next ones."
Zoro frowned, annoyed. He didn't have any money and he didn't want to borrow any from the witch. "You said I'd have enough!" He reproached him.
"You'd have had more than enough if I was there to curb your alcoholic consumption," The blond's voice calmly replied.
The swordsman sighed and the silence stretched again before the cook suddenly spoke again. "Does Chopper still have pain au chocolat for breakfast, mosshead?"
Surprised, the fencer tried to think for a second. "Uh, I think so."
"What about Brook, does he have his cereal? This moron only likes the chocolate and puffed wheat ones but Luffy pinched it all the time…"
The swordsman shrugged. "I think he bought some."
"What about food stocks?"
"I dunno. Nami and Robin decided to manage."
"They don't do the dishes too often at least?"
"No more than the others. Usopp made a schedule."
"I hope that elastic belly glutton didn't gobble up all the provisions I made…"
Zoro couldn't help but smile at his companion's concerned voice. Even though Sanji didn't show it to the others when he got them on the Den-Den Mushi, the swordsman could well imagine him worrying at every meal thinking about them. "We survive, curly. Stop worrying."
"Hm…" The blond seemed to get lost in his thoughts and Zoro stared at the Den-Den Mushi, intrigued. "Mosshead, you remember the notebook where I jotted down my recipes?"
"The one in which you write in the evening?"
"Yes, I forgot it on the Sunny but I need it."
"So? We're hundreds of miles away, what you want me to do?
"Idiot, just read me the recipe I'm looking for!"
"Who do you take me for? I ain't gonna read to you! Ask Chopper or Robin!"
"I wanna surprise the crew when you get back. And if you help me, I'd suggest Chopper or Usopp to give you a loan for your bottles."
The fencer sighed loudly. "Where is it?"
"I ain't sure… The galley or the bedroom."
Zoro muttered before turning on his heels and striding out of the workshop. The cook's fucking notebook better be in the bedroom because he refused to look for it in the galley where his friends were starting to gather for lunch. No way they see him trying to satisfy the blond after their outburst, they could imagine that the swordsman had lost their argument…
Luckily, he found the small notebook on the shelf by the cook's side in their bedroom and he plopped down on the chair across from the Den-Den Mushi when he returned. "Which one?" He asked, leafing through the pages all covered in fine handwriting.
"Towards the end, I think. A roast meat recipe. Maybe lamb."
Zoro leaned over to start with the end of the notebook, focused. "Tournedos Rossini?"
"The meat isn't roasted."
"Capon with truffles?"
"Nope. Although it might be a good idea…"
The swordsman sighed and turned a new page. "Crusted beef?"
"Hey, I had forgotten this recipe! With coarse salt, it can really make an interesting appetizer. Had I thought of raspberry jam as an accompaniment?"
"Who cares, focus," His companion growled, quickly turning another page, "I ain't got all day."
Sanji sighed in turn through the handset and Zoro's gaze stopped on a tempting recipe. "Pork ribs flambéed with rum!"
The blond's voice sneered. "Focus, mosshead. I said roasted meat."
The swordsman scanned another page wearily. The activity already bored him so if he couldn't even suggest the recipes that he liked the most… "Oh. Herb-stuffed rack of lamb."
"Bingo! I made two variations a short time ago: one with lemon peel and strong mustard and the other with lime juice and fine mustard. Which one?"
Zoro frowned to decipher his companion's handwriting. "You underlined the fine mustard three times and you put a question mark at the level of the lemon peel. You added 'more salt' and 'tempered acidity'. That's all."
"Hm, I remember. The lemon peel was a good idea but a pinch of basil salt would sweeten it up a bit more. It should bring out the taste of the asparagus even if I cook it with rice…"
The fencer closed the notebook with a snap. "Don't forget to talk to Usopp and Chopper."
"Yeah, yeah. Ask Franky to stock up on potatoes too. There are too few here and-"
"Holy shit."
"What?"
Zoro took a deep breath to sniff the air before the cook heard a heartbreaking sigh. "I bet it's that idiot skeleton who's making lunch…"
"How do you know?" The blond's voice wondered.
"It smells of burning."
"Fucking hell, my pots!"
"Yeah, your pots. I'm the one who coincidentally washes them every time he cooks," The fencer growled.
"Don't let them burn, mosshead, or you'll have to deal with me!"
"Keep talking, curly."
Without further ado, the swordsman got up and cut off the communication before heading for the door, grumbling. With each new step, the smell of smoke intensified and he grimaced. In addition to the dishes, he would probably eat a burnt meal for lunch…
Sanji grabbed his shopping bags before going out on the threshold of the house where he found the owner of the place in the company of the young fisherwoman. Like every morning, the cook had passed by the workshop of the scientist in the hope that the crew had succeeded in transmitting. Although he had braced himself for an inevitable period of silence, he couldn't help the relief from hugging him today when Liam told him that connection attempts had been made. The blond had then decided to postpone his shopping and had patiently waited to hear the characteristic crackling of the set which had fortunately not taken long.
"I left the transmitter on, they're gonna try to transmit," He said, lighting a cigarette as he came up to them.
"Have they been all right?" The young woman inquired, worried. "It's been more than two weeks since we had no news…"
"Don't worry, sweet Lily, there was no problem!"
"They found the door to Wakiti Island then," Liam deduced.
"Nami-san steered the Sunny perfectly!" The blond nodded as the group moved on, "The connection isn't great but they should be able to send us some data before leaving."
"The progress that we'll be able to make thanks to this data is unhoped-for!" Lily rejoiced.
"I haven't even finished reviewing the latest transmission they've sent so I don't know how I'm gonna manage with the upcoming ones but it's been a long time since I've been this excited!" Liam agreed.
"We can trust them," The blond nodded with a proud smile, his cigarette butt between his teeth.
The three friends continued on their way under the hot late morning sun. Summer had settled in for a few weeks on All Blue and the temperature kept rising throughout the day. Lily then showed her basket to the cook which she had covered with a cloth. "I told you I'd bring in some sole but I couldn't find any," She apologized, "I got some carp and whiting instead."
"No problem, my dear!" The blond immediately reassured her. "Good cooks must know how to draw inspiration from the resources that nature offers to them day by day!"
"I think Tori will have some carrots and peppers," Liam added.
"With a few new potatoes, I could make a nice gazpacho livened up with filets of whiting and if he still has figs, I could make a pie!"
"I think the guys will love it," The scientist said with a smile.
"You're a real magician, Sanji," The dark-haired woman marveled.
"Oh, thank you my sweet Lily but it's not that complicated!"
The cook dragged on his cigarette, smiling. For some time, he had got into the habit of offering his recipes to the inhabitants of the village who, although fearful at first, had quickly learned to gather around the succulent dishes of the newcomer. This is how Sanji had met many of them and their often tragic stories had touched the cook. Most had lost one or more members of their family and when only one adult remained, he was always struggling to feed their children. The blond was therefore particularly enthusiastic about the idea of offering them a few meals. In exchange, the inhabitants gave him the fruits of their harvests and Sanji was discovering the resources of All Blue in this way.
Sanji had then developed many variations of his recipes in addition to original creations and he never tired of experimenting thanks to the multitude of fish he now had at his disposal. Indeed, Lily found new species for him every day and the former tattoo artist he had seen the first day, Tori, provided him with some of the best fruits and vegetables on the island.
The blond gently blew his smoke towards the blue sky. He was eager to show his new knowledge to his friends and as they walked towards the fields, he glanced at the notes he had taken when Zoro had found his recipe. The cook smiled, imagining the face the swordsman must have made when he had finally accepted his request. The blond had never considered things this way but in this sense, their distance was good for something because he was certain that he would never have obtained from the mosshead that he read his recipes other than in these circumstances. He would therefore never have imagined that hearing him turn the pages of his notebook and pronounce the names of so many ingredients would have such a seductive flavor in his eyes. Maybe because Zoro never talked about his cooking or food in general and that was then particularly sweet given the importance of this subject for him…
When the small group arrived at their destination a few minutes later, Tori waved at them from the trees and Lily and Liam walked out to the orchard while chatting happily. For his part, Sanji followed them more slowly, lost in thought. If he had the chance, he was going to ask the mosshead to pry into his recipes again. He now had the idea of drawing inspiration from certain fruits for a gourmet and naughty evening when they will be just the two of them again…
"And now?"
"Nope."
"What about now?"
"Hm… Yes! Don't move!"
Luffy froze with his arm in the air despite his precarious balance. Sitting on the sniper's shoulders, he tightened his grip on the little reindeer he was holding at arm's length.
"Chopper, a little more to the right!"
The doctor shifted his body weight and stretched his paw to the right for the cable to follow. Connected to the main Den-Den Mushi from the cyborg's workshop, the position finally made the set crackle.
"There it is, it transmits!" Franky got enthused, rushing to the devices.
"I won't be able to stay like this for very long," The sniper groaned, trying to catch his breath.
"You can do it, bro, Nami said this data is super important!"
The sniper jabbered a few more words before focusing as much as possible. The weight of his two friends combined in addition to their unbalanced position required a real effort from him to stand up straight and the sweat began to bead on his forehead. The Sunny was motionless thanks to the anchor the shipwright had dropped right after checking the location of the door but that didn't stop the straw hat boy from sliding slowly and he suddenly tightened his legs around the gunner's neck so as not to fall.
"L-Luffy!" His friend choked, his eyes popping out of his head.
"But I'm slipping!" The captain replied.
"Guys, don't let go of me!" Chopper panicked.
"Hold on!" Franky's voice shouted, still busy adjusting the machines.
"I-I… I'm done!" The sniper's legs buckled and he crashed to the grass on the deck as his two friends tumbled as well. They landed on Usopp's back, who hiccupped even more.
At the sound of their fall, the swordsman against the mast opened an eye, displeased. "Keep quiet," He growled.
"We're trying to transmit the data," Chopper apologized.
"It doesn't pick up well here either," Luffy added, scratching his head over his straw hat.
"You all right?!" Franky inquired, tumbling out of his workshop.
"It's fine but I know someone who could help us," Usopp grumbled, getting up and wincing.
"I scraped these fucking pots for hours, I got the right to sleep now," The swordsman got annoyed.
"It's true that it really was burned," The doctor recalled.
Zoro sighed then closed his eyes to try to go back to sleep. Naps were really all he had left since leaving All Blue.
Yet at the beginning, he had thought he had gained peace of mind when he no longer heard the blond screaming all the time on the ship. He didn't get kicked in the stomach anymore either, and that was a big plus. On the other hand, the number of his chores had doubled and he could no longer let off steam. He had tried to lead Luffy but the captain was more into having fun than fighting and their fights usually ended when the straw hat boy started laughing or chasing one of their friends, completely forgetting his first mate in the process.
There was also no longer anyone to brighten up his watches by preparing small snacks or keeping the bottom of a bottle for him. Indeed, even if the cook was always heavily reluctant to let him drink, he never forgot to leave the fencer his share. Unfortunately for more than a month, his snacks were reduced to more or less round rice balls or pieces of fish cut more or less straight. And if the swordsman didn't care about the appearance of his food, he had to admit that the taste had changed too.
However, the swordsman had sworn never to share the slightest of these inconveniences with the blond. There was just no way the cook knew his absence on the Sunny was so noticeable. Besides, Zoro was sure that the other crew members wouldn't hesitate to tell the blond if they hadn't already done so, between the less tasty meals and the tons of dishes left indefinitely in the sink.
Zoro sighed again against the mast. He didn't even count the fact that his nights were also turned upside down since he couldn't relax in his lover's arms anymore. The room seemed strangely dull to him without the blond to enliven its space and he preferred to fall asleep at the crow's nest as before some nights. So yes, Usopp better not wake him up more than necessary because his naps were the swordsman's last sense of normality.
"Part of the data has gone through but we'll need to start over," Franky noted after glancing at the Den-Den Mushi, "Perhaps the next door will be more powerful?"
"It's hard to tell, we're getting further and further away from the main island of All Blue where Liam's receivers are," The sniper reminded him.
"Anyway, the watering is cool!" Luffy admired.
The cyborg nodded and observed with satisfaction the watering can he had built and hidden in the Sunny's head. Arranged this way, the aesthetics of the ship weren't compromised and its position close to the surface guaranteed a constant supply of water which it then projected on the sound waves to reveal the door.
"Let's take a break, we'll try again before dinner," The shipwright suggested.
"Who's on potato duty tonight?" Usopp asked, taking a sheet from his pocket. "It might be a good idea to anticipate."
"I am! I'm gonna cook!" His captain immediately offered.
"Forget it, Luffy, I removed you from all the preparation schedules when you ate the dough of the quiches Lorraine. It's you, Franky!" He then said to the cyborg.
"But it was so good!" The straw hat boy insisted, annoyed.
"Yeah, sure, raw dough is indigestible," The sniper grumbled.
"I have to do the laundry today!" The little reindeer then remembered. "Do you have clothes to give me?"
When everyone shook their heads, Franky glanced at the door to the boys' quarter. "Changing the sheets wouldn't hurt, I think."
"Good idea, I'll do it!" The doctor decided, delighted to be able to fulfill his task.
"Zoro, are you gonna get yours?" Usopp asked him.
"No need, they're clean," The swordsman muttered, still trying to go back to sleep.
"Whatever you say but I'm not sure Sanji would say the same thing…"
His crewmates walked away without paying him any more attention, but the fencer couldn't help but open his eyes again to direct his gaze towards his room, frowning. If by mistake Usopp told this conversation to the cook, Zoro wasn't sure the man kept his promise to ask the sniper to lend him money. He would even probably make sure that the swordsman couldn't borrow from anyone and he'd have no choice but to become indebted to the witch forever.
Breathing deeply, Zoro decided to postpone the problem after his nap and he resolutely closed his eyes but he was restless. Really, whether that damn curly brow was absent or present, everything always revolved around him…
Zoro and Sanji don't handle this separation in the same way but the presence of the other colors all their thoughts.
I hope this vision seems credible!
Next chapter is going to be posted Friday, the 26th.
