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Chapter 34

Back on track

Wrapped up in his long coat, Sanji watched the sun slowly rise over the All Blue from the beach. The winter cold was still penetrating in recent days, but the clear skies made it possible to enjoy breathtaking sunrises and sunsets. The blond puffed on his cigarette. His gaze was lost on the horizon adorning with the first light of dawn above the sea.

He had never lost the habit of waking up at dawn since all that time spent on the Merry and then on the Sunny. Anyway, as a cook, he had been up early most of his life in order to prepare his ingredients or wander around the market to buy the freshest food. It was also often in the morning that his most innovative ideas came to him and strolling between the stalls full of fragrant dishes fed his creative side each time.

His bearings had changed slightly here though. Indeed, he couldn't choose the fish and shellfish he would serve a few hours later, nor could he afford to go to Vorgo before cooking, the island being too far away. The fruits and vegetables were often delivered the day before by the suppliers he had selected with Zeff, and Liam and Tori took them to the restaurant after they had passed the door.

Still, the blond had recreated his ritual by walking regularly in the orchards of the main island. In this environment, in the middle of the plantations and closer to nature, the recipes for the next seasons came naturally and he was never short of ideas. In this way, All Blue was another kind of equally interesting challenge.

The sky was now taking on a rosy hue and the blond slowly set off, his cigarette between his lips. The days were flying by. It's been more than three weeks since the restaurant had opened and word of mouth was slowly growing. Vorgo was now well informed of the local attraction that the All Blue had become, but it still took time for the news to reach the surrounding islands. Yet reservations for business meals beyond simple tourists were starting and today, they had a table for several mayor deputies from Vorgo who were inviting representatives for future partnerships in order to brag about the location of their island. On this matter, Sanji was reassured to note that Zeff and him weren't the only ones to realize the potential All Blue could represent.

Walking across the pastures whitened by the morning frosts, Sanji glanced distractedly at the many empty houses on the side of the village. As Liam and Lily had told him on opening day, many of the locals had taken advantage of the stabilization of the main door to leave All Blue and at the time, the cook couldn't help but blame them. Everyone who had left had no idea of the sacrifice he had made to be here today to give them a chance to grow and he had felt particularly angry. Quickly however, reality had caught up with him and he had understood that his misfortunes weren't competing with theirs. Everyone endured the obstacles of life as best they could, and it wasn't foolish to want to leave a place where starvation and attacks were commonplace. Legendary ocean or not, survival was their ultimate goal and that he easily understood.

Still, the blond had a reason to rejoice. The handful of villagers who had chosen to stay were those who believed the most in his project and all gave him the support they could: they participated in door checks with Liam, they picked up the deliveries of food from suppliers, they helped Lily with fishing, or they offered farming help to Tori to develop their land. The two chefs could thus focus fully on cooking and this help was precious because with the increasing number of seats they served each day, the preparation and the service never let them rest.

In the end, Sanji took the small path that led to the restaurant and soon, its outline stood out against the clear sky. Smoke was already coming out of the chimney and the blond smiled as he finished his cigarette: Zeff was already awake too. Although the old geezer regularly reproaches him for having been dragged here by force to work in a restaurant which wasn't his, his former protege knew that Zeff actually enjoyed the exhausting hours they spent in the kitchen as much as he did. Indeed, they were on All Blue and they were working to develop an island in the middle of a miraculous sea that they hoped to find all their lives. There was nothing more beautiful.


"Excuse me, are you the owner of this restaurant?"

Busy checking the accounts from the day before, Sanji turned towards the entrance and saw a very young girl with red cheeks and long, tousled auburn hair framing a pale face. He left his papers and approached, curious. "Can I do something for you?"

The girl nodded sharply and bit her lip before taking a deep breath. "I'd like a job, please." The blond raised a surprised eyebrow. The girl had drawn features and seemed particularly emaciated in her oversized clothes. She couldn't be more than sixteen or seventeen years old. "Aren't you a little young to work?"

"Please, I can do any job, I swear!" She said, brutally desperate. "I can do the cleaning or the cooking, I can take care of weeding your terrace or even… even entertain your customers, I don't know…"

"Entertain customers?" The cook wondered, "Can you sing or something?"

The girl looked down for a second while readjusting the small bag she was carrying on her back. "N-No but I can do other things… Anything!" She assured him, raising her pleading gaze to his. "I'll do whatever you want, I just need a job…"

Sanji felt a surge of pity in front of the distraught look she was giving him. Her little bag with holes and her threadbare shoes were clear signals through which he understood that she was indeed willing to do anything. Even the most degrading and unspeakable things if necessary.

He shook his head. "Where are your parents?"

"On an island several weeks away from here."

"You're alone?"

"Yes, but I can look after myself! I can get through a lot of work!"

"I don't doubt it but why do you need to work?"

"Well, we're poor. I couldn't stay home any longer…"

The fatality in the girl's voice made the cook's heart sink. How many children like her were ready to jump into the clutches of the first comer for a few berries? Unfortunately, Sanji knew the sad truth and the answer was a lot. A whole lot.

"My father had a job in the salt mines but he got sick and my mother's work in the fields is no longer enough to feed everyone. I'm old enough to support myself so I didn't want to be an extra weight for my family… And I really can be useful to you in all areas, trust me!" She added fervently when she saw him silent.

"If you've finished going over the books, instead of chatting, you got work to do in the kitchen, shitty brat!"

Furious, Zeff pushed open the swinging kitchen doors and appeared in the room. He then noticed the one he was looking for and walked straight towards him, his wooden leg hitting firmly the floor with each step. Arriving next to him, the old cook folded his arms on his chest before staring at the young girl who had tensed at his approach. "Who's that?" He asked the blond.

"She just arrived; she's looking for a job."

Zeff squinted to take a closer look at their surprise guest, then frowned. "How did you get here? Did you come through the doors alone?"

The girl nodded imperceptibly, her eyes lowered. "I took advantage of the fruit delivery last night…"

"I knew it," The old cook grumbled, "The controls are to be reviewed down there, I told you that scientist and that farmer who watch over the Vorgo's door didn't look serious!" He then reproached the blond.

"They're not security guards, old man, they do what they can!" Sanji immediately replied.

"If they can't catch a kid, what will they do when pirates arrive, huh?" Zeff said again and Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Please, I really wanna work here," The girl whispered.

Zeff gave her a suspicious look. "Why?"

She looked down again, uncomfortable. "I-I don't know but… everyone on Vorgo says the food is delicious here and since your restaurant is on a strange ocean, I'm sure it'll be successful and I thought I'd like to participate…"

At these words, the old cook noticed the radiant face of his former protege and he frowned more: he already knew his opinion. "Your age?" He growled.

"Sixteen years old in… eleven months, sir," She confessed, her cheeks flushed.

"A kid," He grunted.

"She can learn," The blond pointed out.

"I can do anything!" She automatically agreed. "Washing, tidying up, gardening, cooking-"

"Bullshit. You don't know how to cook," Zeff cut her short. Wide -eyed, the young girl stared at him and the chef pointed out her dry, winter-damaged hands with a jerk of his chin. "If you knew how to cook, you'd take care of them. And even if you could, in your condition, you wouldn't do any good."

Confused, the young girl nevertheless tried to recover. "I-I know how to make a few dishes my mom taught me…"

"It's not called cooking so I don't want you to set foot in the kitchen, is that clear?" Her cheeks burning with shame, the girl looked down again. "Yes, sir."

Sanji then clicked his tongue in displeasure. "Don't talk to her like that, old fart. I'll find her something else to do, that's all." The young girl looked up at him, bright with hope, and Zeff frowned. "What are you talking about, brat, we don't have any money to give her." The blond brushed aside his argument with a wave of his hand. "Early receipts have paid off suppliers and with the number of bookings increasing, we need someone to help us."

"And where is she gonna sleep? This is not a hotel!"

"I don't know, we'll find a place…"

"I don't need much," The young girl chimed in, "If there's a barn somewhere-"

The hand of the old cook ordered her to be quiet when he turned to his former protege to firmly fix his gaze on his. "Listen to me, you idiot, you're gonna have to feed her, house her and pay her so if you commit, you better be sure because this girl is gonna count on you and I won't let you evade responsibility!"

At first stunned, Sanji then took a few seconds to think. When put it that way, he realized the responsibility Zeff had agreed to take on in Baratie each time he had hired an ex-con or a former pirate. These people had nothing and the restaurant became their whole life. Failure became all the more unthinkable and it was indeed not a decision to be taken lightly.

In the end, he turned to the young girl who was still searching his face, anxiously hanging on to his every word. "Here's how it's gonna be: we need someone versatile who can provide service as well as reservations or a bit of cleaning depending on the moment. In return, we won't be able to pay you much for now but we'll find you a place to sleep and we'll provide all your meals. Is that okay with you?"

Eyes sparkling with joy, the girl was about to nod enthusiastically when Zeff cut her short again. "Don't expect to have a day off or your days to be less than twelve hours," He warned her harshly.

"I agree, it's perfect!"

Sanji smiled frankly and Zeff rolled his eyes. "What's your name?" The blond then asked her. "Amy, my name's Amy!" She replied, delighted. "Alright, Amy, welcome to the All Blue team. I think you can stay with Lily and then, if you feel ready, I'll show you the organization…"

"I can start right away!" She offered immediately."No way." The old cook's gruff voice roared again and Amy froze instantly. "Nobody starts on an empty stomach," He growled, "What good are you if you collapse in front of the customers because you haven't eaten in days?"

"I found a crust of bread yes-"

"You don't have a choice. You sit down here and you wait," He growled again, pointing to a chair at the table. "And I repeat, you don't put a single foot in the kitchen, understand?"

Amy nodded and sat quietly, her tiny bag at her feet while Zeff turned away to return to his lair, grumbling. Sanji followed him, a smile on his face. All Blue had just opened and already managed to help someone. The first of a long line, he was sure!


"The customers of table ten. I don't like them."

Zeff raised an eyebrow as the blond returned to his place behind the work plan after bringing several plates into the dining room. "What's the problem?"

"They sent back their dishes saying Amy got the order wrong but I wasn't far and I know she wrote down what they said. Now they nitpick about the meat cooking. They're a bunch of arrogant people."

The old cook shrugged and resumed opening oysters for the next seafood platter for the deputy mayor's table while Sanji checked the doneness of the mussels and clams.

"The white wine for table seventeen, don't forget to get it. The girl won't know."

"Two minutes," The blond nodded.

Amy was actually starting her first shift tonight. Excited, she had barely stood still as soon as her meal had been swallowed and Sanji had made her go around the owner to show her the organization of reservations and how to take orders. Lily had then arrived with the catch of the day and the young girl had cleaned the room before observing the lunch service that the blond and the fisherwoman had shared. Lily had immediately agreed to house their new recruit at her home and they had spent part of the afternoon together as Amy settled in and changed into new clothes appropriate for her job.

At dinner time, the young girl was ready and she had welcomed the first customers between enthusiasm and nervousness, allowing Lily to rest. Yet Sanji tried to check that she didn't feel overwhelmed regularly because he had asked her to come and see him if it was too much, but he sensed she wouldn't do it. She was too happy to have found a job and still too afraid of losing it.

That's why a few minutes later, the young chef went to the cellar and prepared the bottles according to the orders to arrange them and make it easier for his new employee. On the way up, the blond glanced around the room through the kitchen window and saw that Amy was serving the desserts for table five as he had instructed her before going downstairs.

Satisfied, he was about to turn away when he spotted the group of four men at table ten who were laughing and casting mocking glances in the direction of the young waitress. The cook gritted his teeth. He was certain that these morons were having fun at the young girl's expense since they had noticed her inexperience. This attitude made him want to kick in their ribs to make them spit out their rudeness. However, he was also aware that Amy would have to learn how to deal with this kind of situation which was bound to happen again sooner or later. Yet Sanji had decided that if these guys crossed the line, he wouldn't hesitate to make them regret coming.

Diverting his attention from the scene, the blond finally walked into the kitchen. "I feel like I'm gonna kick them out before the end of the evening," He grumbled, once again taking his place behind the work plan.

"Stay still, kid. And take care of the Den-Den Mushi," Zeff replied, understanding the hint, "It has been ringing for a while."

Sanji grumbled in turn before picking up. "Hello?"

"Sanji, it's Liam. I wanted to tell you that four men disembarked earlier. They didn't do anything special but they seemed restless and I wanted to let you know just in case…"

The blond nodded while shoving a cigarette between his lips. "I think I spotted them and they won't stay long in theory."

"Really? They don't like it?"

"No, it's me who doesn't like them. I have a feeling I'm gonna send them back to you soon so get ready."

"Oh. All right…"

Sanji then massaged the bridge of his nose, annoyed to remember them. "Liam, while I think of it: have you heard anything?"

"No, sorry… Still no signal or message."

"It's okay. Thanks." The blond hung up and gritted his teeth around his cigarette butt as he headed to his huge pot to stir the mussels simmering on the fire.

Every day, he couldn't help but ask his friend if the Den-Den Mushi in his workshop had turned on, the hope present in him each time. Unfortunately, his wait was always extended, but as he had told the scientist earlier, he clung to the fact that it really wasn't that important. Indeed, even if he hadn't heard from the crew for several weeks now, he wouldn't get discouraged. Like him, he knew his friends didn't have a minute to themselves.

A sound of broken dishes and fat laughter were suddenly heard in the dining room and the two cooks instantly turned their heads in that direction, their eyebrows furrowed. Seconds later, Amy shyly appeared in the kitchen doorway, visibly embarrassed. "I'm sorry but the customers at table ten are asking to see you… They're disputing the bill…"

Sanji swung his dish towel over his shoulder and tucked his cigarette butt between his teeth a little better. "I got this, Amy."

"I'm sorry," She added, her shoulders down.

"I suspected it was gonna happen, they're idiots. Don't worry about that."

The cook then headed for the doors to join the dining room but Zeff stopped him, seeing his almost delighted look to finally be able to fight with the troublemakers. "Remember this restaurant just opened, don't scare the other customers."

"Have a little faith. But letting those jerks go after Amy or tarnish All Blue's reputation is out of the question and you know it."

The blond disappeared behind the swinging doors, Amy at his heels, and the old cook sighed before returning his attention to his stove. In those moments, he knew it was hard to reason with his former protege and he understood him. While they had to keep a low profile, they also needed to get the message across: All Blue was well guarded and its owners wouldn't let anyone disrespect staff, customers or locals.


"Is there a problem, gentlemen?" The blond calmly asked as he arrived in front of table ten.

"Yeah, we wanna see the boss!" One of them demanded.

"What's happening here is unacceptable!" Another said.

"Then I'm in the best position to answer you," The cook continued, undeterred, "Tell me what's going on."

"Your waitress doesn't know how to use her ten fingers; she keeps ruining our evening!" He showed him, pointing to the half-broken glass on the floor.

"She also screwed up the order," A fat dark-haired man added.

"The mistake was fixed if I remember correctly," The young chef reminded him.

"Yeah, but we had to ask her for water or bread every time!"

"It looked like she was purposely not serving us properly!"

Behind the cook, Amy hunched over, flushed with embarrassment, and the blond shook his head. "You'll notice that our waitress is alone here, she can't be at your service all the time."

"Yeah, well, it's not normal we have to pay a full bill after all these inconveniences! I'll have you know the customer is king!"

Sanji nodded stoically. "Of course. A twenty percent discount should cover it." He then grabbed a pen and was about to correct the note when the fat, dark-haired man grabbed his arm. "Do it fifty percent and we'll think of not saying anything too bad about your restaurant."

Sanji raised an eyebrow before looking at the man's hand on his arm, unimpressed. He then removed it with a sharp move while around them, silence was falling in the room, the attention of the customers being drawn to the scene.

"I'm sorry, blackmail doesn't work here."

"What did you say, twirly?"

This time, the blond stared at him frankly and the man laughed maliciously. "It ain't a goddamn waiter who can scare me and you shouldn't have tried to act like a big shot with me: I won't pay your fucking bill. Either way, this restaurant is crap and I don't wanna talk to a freakshow with ramshackle eyebrows."

The kick he got in the stomach propelled him against the opposite wall, sending his chair flying and knocking the table in his path. The other customers jumped and Amy put a hand over her mouth, stifling a cry of surprise. Sanji then approached the man half stunned by the force of his attack and quietly removed the cigarette from his lips to look at him.

"The only guy who's bold enough to insult me in this way has at least the lucidity to stand up to me, even if he needs three blades to do so. And you, I don't think you're up to it so customer or not, you should watch your words. You never know who you might run into."

The three other fellows approached their still staggering friend and picked him up, glaring at the cook who glared back without batting an eye. "You don't need to pay but you get out of my restaurant and you never set foot here again. It's non-negotiable."

The men then shared uncertain looks and Sanji finally lit his cigarette. "If I have to kick you across the ocean to Vorgo, I will," He warned them, blowing his smoke. "However, I can't guarantee the state in which you'll arrive there."

After another silent dialog, the four men decided to take the door and Sanji appreciated their decision before turning to the other customers, bowing deeply to them. "Ladies and gentlemen, please forgive me for this rude interruption." He then started clearing the abandoned table, straightening the chair and stacking the plates. "Amy."

The young girl abruptly came out of her stupor and approached with trembling steps. "Y-Yes?"

"Don't let anyone walk all over you or put you down, even customers. If they deserve it, we'll kick their asses too."

Stunned, Amy nodded slowly as the blond picked up the broken glass from the table and floor before turning to her again, suddenly delighted. "Please let our guests know that if they want a second dessert, it'll be offered to them! And as soon as the service is over, don't forget to take a slice of the pecan pie that I made earlier. It's absolutely delicious!"

The young girl immediately took out her pen and order book. "Sure, I'll go right away!"

Amy walked away to the other tables and Sanji finished clearing his own in a flash. When he walked back to the kitchen a few moments later, the conversations had quietly resumed in the room and he pushed open the swinging doors with satisfaction. In the end, habits weren't so hard to find here.


I hope you enjoyed this breath of fresh air that Sanji gave us because next week, we'll hold our breaths again with the crew!