Chapter 3

All in discretion

"Luffy, are you watching the fishing rod?"

"Yeah… It's not moving."

"You sure? I think I saw the hook move just now."

"Probably the wind…"

Usopp, Luffy, Brook and Chopper were slumped on the deck, their bellies ready to burst. They had been asked to fish, but their physical condition prevented them from even lifting their heads to look at the horizon.

At lunch, Sanji had served Franky's favorite dish and the whole crew had been overwhelmed by burgers and fries in multiple adaptations. This had resulted in a real orgy during which not only the cyborg had cried with joy but also all his crewmates in view of the quality and number of dishes.

The cook had offered hamburgers with grilled ham, camembert cheese and sliced mushrooms surrounded by pickles of red onions and sweet salad which had made the captain and the cyborg happy. Zoro had devoured burgers with duck aiguillettes in miso sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and red onion tempura simmered in a port wine and black truffle sauce. For their part, Brook and Robin had enjoyed burgers with beef and two-pepper sauce accompanied by salad, diced-up Roquefort and pickled red cabbage. More classic, Nami had preferred a burger with beef, lettuce, tomato and Emmental topped with a fragrant spice sauce. As for Jinbei and Chopper, they had feasted on semi-cooked red tuna burgers accompanied by julienne cucumber, Tzatziki sauce, spinach and raw red onions drizzled with coconut milk, lemon green, coriander and Espelette pepper. All of these mouth-watering creations had also been accompanied by a mountain of fries with the most diverse sauces, leaving the Straw-Hat crew members more sated than ever.

That's why when leaving the table two hours later, even Luffy had trouble finishing his dessert, which was made up of simple fresh fruit and cottage cheese. While Franky had insisted on helping the cook with the dishes as a thank you, Zoro had dragged himself to the crow's nest saying he wanted to train even though he was more likely to be sleeping like a log to digest now. For his part, Jinbei had gone with the girls in the library for some quiet time and the rest of the crew members had been asked to go fishing to replenish the supplies that had really dwindled.

"I'm not gonna be able to swallow anything at least until tomorrow," Usopp grumbled, trying to straighten up to really watch the rod.

"Sanji told me that he had planned a simple smoked trout salad for dinner," Brook reassured him as he was content to follow the clouds with his gaze without moving.

"It was so tasty," Chopper sighed, totally encased in his coat which protected him from the cold air.

"Whose dish is it tomorrow?" Luffy got enthused and his little head struggled to see his crewmates above his huge belly.

"I think it's Zoro-san," The skeleton answered. "Nami-san and Robin-san were the first to benefit from their meals and then Usopp-san and I the next day."

"Sanji said he'd need to shop for Luffy and Jinbei's dishes," The sniper agreed, watching the hook while fighting sleep.

"What do you think he'll make?" The little reindeer asked.

Usopp shrugged limply. "Something with Sea King maybe. Zoro loves it."

"Sanji's Sea King steak is so good!" Luffy rejoiced. "Oh, I love it when he makes our favorite meals, I wanna eat like this every day!" He then waddled despite his distorted figure, stars in his eyes.

"I agree on the principle but it would not be reasonable," His musician noted, "At this rate, we will have more chances of defeating our enemies by crushing them under our weight than to impress them with our agility…"

"Yeah, but it's our fault," Chopper noticed, "We could settle for portions adapted to our constitution without second helpings…"

"How do you wanna resist the dishes Sanji serves us?" Usopp grumbled. "It's impossible to refrain, everything seems to come out of the kitchen of the Gods!"

"I admit that it's hard," The doctor whispered, closing his eyes with a blissful smile on his lips.

"We should ask our cook to reduce the quantities," Brook suggested, yawning in turn.

"Yeah, good idea… We'll do that…"

At that moment, Usopp joined his crewmates in dreamland, forgetting his fishing rod and next diet at the same time. He was carried away by the delicious thought of the thousands of succulent dishes that were being made only a few meters from him.

"Seriously, you're still eating?"

"It's snack time!"

On the deck where the crew had gathered to take stock of their next destination, Luffy gave his navigator a huge smile while Usopp finished his own pain au chocolat with a satisfied sigh. A few steps away on the grass, Zoro yawned loudly, his eyes still half-closed, while Jinbei and Brook were tasting small biscuits not far from the cyborg. As for Robin, she was still turning the pages of her book.

"We take advantage of it while Sanji prepares our favorite dishes. He'll probably put us on a diet afterwards," The sniper added.

"We're going to reduce the quantities," The little reindeer approved, reveling in his apple turnover while sitting against the navigator's deckchair. "Soon."

"Very soon," The young woman corrected, "Such a rate of spending on food will inevitably unbalance our accounts!"

"Don't worry, Nami-san, I have drawn up a very precise forecast that will allow us to stick to our budget!" The cook assured her as he came twirling to bring her a cup of tea with red fruits. "I can show it to you later if you want to!"

She gave him a puzzled look as she took her drink. "Yes, I'd like to. After all, if you manage to stick to the usual budget, I'm not opposed to the idea of enjoying this kind of meal more often."

"I have everything planned!" The blond assured her again, batting his eyelashes.

Satisfied, Nami nodded while crossing her legs on her deckchair, her map in hand. The weather had cleared up a bit and the few rays of sunshine at the end of the day were pleasant. "Well, as you know, we'll reach the next island tomorrow afternoon. It's a fairly isolated area and relatively modest in size, but it seems that its market is quite honorable and we should be able to stock up without problems," She said.

"Great! That means we can make my meat meal!" Luffy belched.

"Probably," The young woman agreed before going back to her notes. "However, we need to be careful, we don't know exactly what to expect and the Marines could ambush us."

"You think?" Franky wondered as he sucked in his last drops of cola. "Aren't they busy trying to keep some order?"

"It's a possibility not to be overlooked," Jinbei estimated, "The Warlords are now hunted down and the World Government no longer wants to compromise with pirates."

"Why attack us more than others?" Usopp pointed out to them. "We help them by trying to dethrone the Emperors somehow!"

"Emperors are a guarantee of stability for the world order," Sanji muttered. "If we take them down, we open up breaches for all the rebels on the planet."

"This is how eras change and current powers are dethroned in favor of new ones," Robin confirmed, "The World Government has already made the choice to remove the privileges of the Warlords, clearly demonstrating its position and will to protect the World Nobles."

"In this great political chessboard, we are among the most important troublemakers," Brook noted thoughtfully.

"Indeed. The Government already kept their eye on us when they started referring to Supernovae to point out pirates whose bounties were rising dangerously," The navigator continued, "Now and knowing the even temporary alliance that was established between some crews of the Worst Generation, they'll be all the more attentive to eliminate us as soon as possible."

"That's not reassuring," Chopper grimaced.

"That means we're getting closer to our goal," Zoro said.

"That means we'll find the One Piece soon!" Luffy yelled, drunk with joy.

Nami shook her head. "This is exactly why we can no longer afford to go on an adventure on every island we come across, simply hoping that everything will go well. From now on, our survival will also depend on our ability to remain discreet enough to evade minor attacks that might draw attention to us."

"It's gonna be quite a challenge," Usopp sighed.

"It's gonna be awesome!" His captain roared.

"I reserve the right to call Law in case of problems," The redhead informed them. "Not only is he a good strategist but in addition, now that you have revealed your weakness to us, Luffy, he'll also be an excellent means of pressure."

"Really?" The straw hat boy wondered.

"Definitely. For example, if you can't stand still, I'd ask him to use his rooms to prevent you from biting into the smallest piece of meat by dismembering you and attaching each part of your body to a corner of the Sunny."

At these words, Luffy scowled. "You ain't nice, Nami!"

"How are you gonna convince Law to do this?" Usopp wondered, "I rather think he'll do everything to never cross our path again!"

"I don't see where his interest would be," Jinbei agreed.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm sure the so serious surgeon of death wouldn't like to see his romp with Luffy published in the Times of Morgans," The navigator answered casually.

Eyes bulging, the cook turned abruptly to his captain. "Luffy, you got laid with him in front of everyone and even under the eyes of young innocent girls?!" He was furious.

"What? But I-"

"The photos I took on the beach three days ago can be interpreted in various ways, but I'm sure one of the versions will be more interesting than the others," The young woman cut them short.

"Oh my God," Usopp sighed.

"You would blackmail someone with the image of your own captain?" Jinbei pointed out, clearly surprised.

"You really are vicious," Zoro approved, jaded.

"I just know how to recognize something to my advantage when I see it," The redhead calmly retorted.

"Yohohohoho! This scam is worthy of the greatest blackmailers!" Brook praised her.

"Nami, you're evil," Chopper admitted, as scared as he was impressed.

"You thought of everything, sis!" Franky congratulated her in turn, laughing.

"Our navigator in all her glory," Robin agreed, amused.

Their friend shrugged as she folded her map, ending the conversation. "Ending at Impel Down or in an Emperor's dungeon isn't my plan and I intend to put all the chances on my side to do so."

Zoro made sure to walk through the galley door perfectly in time for lunch the next day. Today was the day of his special meal and he was particularly impatient to know what the cook had come up with so that he could throw his dishes back in his face. Indeed, the blond didn't fail to annoy him since they had gone back to sea between his stupid flights of poetry and his arrogance when he believed he knew the fencer's tastes better than himself. However, they hadn't yet gotten back into their old habit of wanting to kill each other every time their eyes met. Zoro had put it down to their exhaustion after the gigantic battle they had endured. Still, this tension was present between them and the swordsman had no doubt that this occasion would finally trigger more concrete hostilities.

Zoro was really looking forward to this upcoming fight and he had already decided that despite Nami's vociferations which wouldn't fail to tear his eardrums or even cut off his allowance on their next stopover, he wouldn't back down. Sanji might find it harder not to obey the navigator, but the swordsman relied on the strength of their innate rivalry. Zoro was convinced that the blond was dying to test his resistance against the fencer's new blade and he himself felt the excitement assailing him when thinking about it. With his propensity to make Zoro lose his temper and his need to constantly oppose him, the cook was a perfect opponent for the swordsman to unleash the full power of Enma.

As he sat down at the table next to his captain who was already stamping with impatience, Zoro reminded himself that the limit of their confrontation was the integrity of the Sunny. Still, he wasn't worried. He knew that Franky wouldn't let them damage her too much and that Luffy himself would stop them if they went too far.

Definitely in a good mood, the fencer smirked when he saw the blond fidgeting behind his stove. He was really looking forward to it.

A few minutes later when all the crew had joined them around the table, the fencer however lost his smile as suddenly as it had appeared.

"There you go!" The cook placed multiple fragrant dishes on the table and his friends' eyes lit up when they discovered them.

"It looks sumptuous!" Usopp noted. "My mouth is watering!"

"The recipes look particularly refined," Robin noticed.

"I want it!" Luffy shouted immediately, his hands already reaching the dishes.

Unfortunately for him, his cook was faster and blocked his way. "Patience, Captain. This is the mosshead meal so it's up to him to start."

"Fine…" The straw hat boy complied graciously with their new ritual and he turned to his first mate. On his right, the man was still staring at the dishes since their arrival on the table as if he couldn't recognize them and Luffy nudged him. "Come on, Zoro, I'm hungry!" He urged him.

"Do you have a problem choosing your favorite, Greenie?" The cook inquired in front of his lost gaze.

"You…" Zoro swallowed and looked back at the blond who was gazing at him, a little mocking smile on the corner of his lips. The fencer just couldn't believe it.

"I?"

"You made fish. And rice."

Sanji nodded and a sincere smile lit his entire face this time. "I favored raw fish and sticky rice."

"Why?" The swordsman asked, flabbergasted.

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes, but-"

"Sanji made your favorite dish, Zoro! That's really nice!" Chopper thanked him, delighted.

Faced with the immobility of the fencer, Sanji showed him his preparations. "Fresh tuna tataki with soy sauce, sesame and lime. Sea bream ceviche with citrus fruits and chili. Salmon, avocado and melon tartare. Mullet tartare with red cabbage and ginger. Diced white tuna with fresh coconut milk. Assorted sliced sashimi and temaki with white and black sesame, wasabi or chili paste and yuzu. And of course, sticky rice and pickled vegetables," He added, pointing to the two large bowls in the center of the table.

At this moment, a timer sounded at the back of the room and the cook went there quickly to return with his arms full of steaming teapots. "Green tea sencha, gyokuro or matcha," He explained to the swordsman. "I also put several bottles of sake aside. Junmai, honjozo and daiginjo. Which one do you wanna start with?"

Zoro didn't answer and Sanji served him a portion of ceviche and tataki before filling his cup with matcha green tea with a smile, particularly proud of himself. "Enjoy your meal, mosshead."

The swordsman began to eat like an automaton and the rest of his friends rushed to help themselves in turn. Amid playful exclamations and barely concealed groans of delight, Zoro remained silent throughout the meal. He finished his plate and his tea but didn't want a refill or even wait for the premium sake that was reserved for him. Even as his crewmates were still enjoying their meal, he got up and left the room in silence under the surprised gaze of the crew.

Sanji didn't mind. He knew that Zoro didn't expect to see his request satisfied and he fully imagined that the defeat must have a bitter taste despite the excellence of the dishes for the swordsman. Playing fair, the cook decided to keep a share for Zoro's dinner without forgetting his bottle.

"We have a problem." Nami lowered her binoculars which scanned the coast, frowning, as Luffy hung from the figurehead to get a better view of their next destination. "There are several Marine ships moored in the port," She explained afterwards as her friends gathered around her.

"Did they see us?" Usopp asked anxiously.

"I don't think so. The officers are probably ashore, the port is deserted."

"Can we dock elsewhere?" Brook asked.

"No, this island isn't big enough; there's only one access."

"How about we go discreetly?" Franky suggested. "With the Shark Submerge for example."

"Why not, but the problem will be the same when it comes to disembarking," The navigator pointed out.

"I could swim easily to the coast but I'll be noticed once I arrive," Jinbei noted in turn.

"Still, we need to dock at least to stock up on food," Nami insisted, worried, "The next island is several days away and because of the unpredictable conditions of the New World, such an opportunity cannot be passed up."

"Not to mention that our stocks of medicines are at their lowest," Chopper worried.

"Why don't we go? It's only three small ships," The captain pointed out, disappointed at the idea of not disembarking.

"We have just left Wano, it's very plausible that the Marines are waiting for us on the next island nearby," Her navigator sighed. "I bet it's crawling with officers everywhere actually," She ground then, searching the island more thoroughly with her binoculars.

"A trap?" The swordsman said, frowning.

"Most probably," Robin chimed in, "Arrange three light frigates ostensibly on the port after the upheavals suffered by the entire region seems improbable. This is surely a way of allaying our distrust."

"Even if there are Admirals on this island, we can beat them!" Luffy decreed, pushing his hat on his head.

Nami shook her head. "We can't afford to risk our lives for mere supplies, Luffy; we won't last long at this rate."

"We must also take into account the fact that we're not completely healed of our last fight yet," The little reindeer reminded them.

"So what are we gonna do? We need to eat; we can't go to the One Piece without eating!"

His crew sighed and Nami hesitated. "Maybe our best chance is still to wait for the next island… If we're careful about the stock and if the weather holds, we should be able to reach it in seven or ten days."

"It's an extremely long time on the Grand Line," Jinbei pointed out.

"I know, but I don't see what else we can do…"

"If you don't mind, Nami-san, I may have the solution."

"Sanji-kun?"

The navigator turned to him along with the rest of her crewmates and the man looked down. "I still have this… Germa outfit that allows me to make myself invisible. I could go to the island and do the shopping while remaining completely anonymous."

"You're right!" Usopp exclaimed. "This stuff is amazing!"

"You're totally classy with it, bro!" Franky assured him. "It's a super Black Rolling Destroyer!"

"The Raid Suit?" Jinbei wondered.

"It could work!" Nami got enthused.

"What comics does it come from?" The sniper tried to remember. "Law knew it and X-Drake too."

"This name is not unknown to me but I cannot find it," The skeleton approved while scratching his head.

"Sora, Warrior of the Sea," The blond mumbled.

"It was published for a very long time in the World Economy News Paper and is very popular in the North Blue," Robin added.

"This costume is stupid," The swordsman grumbled.

"Great! Go get the food, Sanji!" The captain decided.

"I'm gonna give you the money and you'll just need to leave it to each storekeeper from whom you shop," The redhead agreed, smiling again.

"You can do the same for the drugs, I'll make you a list!" The doctor approved before rushing towards his infirmary.

"I'm gonna maneuver to stay far enough away from the island!" The shipwright concluded, heading towards the helm.

Sanji just nodded at the general enthusiasm before slowly walking towards the boys' quarter. Indeed, he had kept the Raid Suit at the bottom of his belongings even if his first instinct had been to get rid of it. Yet, just like when they had left Big Mom's territory, he had kept it in the end. He didn't know why he didn't just destroy this outfit despite the aversion it triggered in him every time he laid eyes on it. He didn't need a particular outfit to protect his friends or defend his interests, even if it was specially designed for combat and undoubtedly developed his own qualities.

So maybe Sanji had kept it because deep down, he recognized that the Raid Suit had been helpful on Wano, and today it was still true. And maybe also because he had the unpleasant impression that from now on, he couldn't live without it.

We're starting to crack open the door and in the next chapter, we'll look more in depth at Zoro's reaction.

See you before Christmas!