Chapter 19

The promise

Sanji abruptly hung up the Den-Den Mushi, exasperated. "Dammit, that bastard never answers the phone!"

Not far from him in the workshop, Liam and Nami were leaning over a book around the desk and they gave him a puzzled look as Franky rested his huge hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, bro, he's gonna pick up eventually!"

Sanji gritted his teeth and reached for a cigarette in his pocket before lighting it to relax. More than a week. He had been trying to reach Baratie for more than a week and no one on the restaurant boat had picked up once.

"Is it normal he doesn't answer?" The navigator inquired, putting down her compass and looking worried," Maybe they have… a problem?"

"No, they know how to defend themselves. It's more like that old geezer who never liked this stuff," The cook muttered, pointing to the sleeping device. "He always let me handle reservations and orders but I thought someone would have taken over since I left…"

"Then it's only a matter of time," Liam reassured him.

The blond took a drag on his cigarette butt while the cyborg was rummaging through the many pieces gathered in the workshop that Liam had offered him to examine in case he liked something. The cook then returned his attention to the Den-Den Mushi, pensive. The new transmitter built by the scientist from data collected in recent weeks was working perfectly. The young man had even taken care to place a beacon reinforcing the signal near the door which had taken him several days of crossing, but all his efforts remained in vain for the moment since Zeff didn't even deign to pick up when the Den-Den Mushi was ringing.

Sanji sighed. Time passed inexorably. Autumn was now well established and the restaurant was almost done. Robin, Usopp, Brook and Chopper were busy finalizing the decoration right now. As for Luffy and Zoro, the cook had seen them walking away towards the beach after lunch. They obviously wanted to let off steam and everyone knew this meant they were going to shake the island in fighting. Sanji was surprised not to hear the earth cracking or trees collapsing yet.

The blond shook his head and used the ashtray not far from him before picking up his cookbook which he had retrieved from the Sunny. He leafed through it until he reached the last page and grabbed a pen. He was going to wait a few moments and he would try his luck again. After all, Franky and Liam were right. Eventually, Zeff would get tired of hearing the Den-Den Mushi ringing and he would pick up. And then Sanji would tell him.

An explosion was heard at the beach side and Sanji raised his head, annoyed. Really, those idiots didn't know how to behave. However, he suddenly put down his pen and a second later, he stood up. Franky followed him distractedly with his eyes and the cook stubbed out his cigarette butt in the ashtray.

"Apart from Usopp, who's got explosives on the island?"

At these words, his friends suddenly turned to him and shared a worried look. In an instant, they were all rushing outside.

When Sanji turned up on the shore a few minutes later, Zoro was standing between two groups of about thirty people facing each other. He recognized in the one on the beach a good part of the villagers in fishing gear and he instinctively looked around for Lily but he didn't see her. However, he spotted Tori, the former tattoo artist turned farmer. Like his fellow citizens, he seemed tense and one of the fencer's swords was pointed towards the second group. They were probably coming from the sea if the blond judged by the small boats stranded on the sand. In this group, he didn't recognize anyone and the cook frowned at the sight of guns and pieces of wood that these men and women were holding.

Because of the explosion, Sanji had expected another pirate attack and their weapons had initially confirmed this impression but given the condition of these newcomers as he approached, it was unlikely. Indeed, their clothes were damaged and they seemed tired. A fierce will was however visible on their faces and the cook understood why Zoro didn't take his eyes off them: they were obviously ready to fight.

Sanji stopped a little behind his companion caught in the crossfire and behind him, he heard Nami, Franky and Liam quickly join him despite their short breaths.

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?!" A villager suddenly shouted to the newcomers.

"Really, what's got into you?!" Another islander got indignant.

"What about you, what are you playing at?" An armed man retorted. "Since when do you have people to defend you?" He added, pointing to the swordsman's blade.

"What's going on?" Franky growled. "Who are these guys?"

"Where's Luffy?" Nami asked, not seeing him anywhere on the beach.

The cook looked questioningly at the fencer and despite his eyes fixed on the threat, Zoro saw him. "They turned up and started attacking the villagers who were fishing on the coast. They threw some kind of grenade and Luffy protected them."

The cyborg and scientist winced while Sanji was putting his hands in his pockets but next to him, the navigator couldn't help but take another step towards the swordsman despite the weapons pointed in her direction. "Where is he? Is he okay?"

"The blast of the explosion threw him into the woods," Zoro replied, pointing at the trees along the beach with his chin.

Immediately, Nami turned around to rush into the woods while Usopp, Brook, Chopper and Robin were turning up in turn. The rest of the crew stopped alongside the shipwright, scientist and cook, catching sight of the situation.

"We heard an explosion, is anyone hurt?" Chopper asked, worried.

"Not for the moment," The blond answered in a calm voice. "Nami-san left to make sure Luffy was okay."

"Luffy-san?" The skeleton repeated, puzzled.

"He took a grenade these guys threw at the villagers!" Franky was offended.

"What?!" Usopp glanced fearfully at the edge of the trees where Nami had just disappeared. "Can someone explain to us what's going on?!" He exclaimed then. "Zoro, what the hell are you doing?!"

"Shut up, long nose," The swordsman replied, focused.

"Who are these people?" Robin chimed in. "They don't look like pirates."

Speechless because of the shock until now, Liam seemed to be able to speak again. "They are… the inhabitants of the villages of the two secondary islands," He whispered.

"Okay, but is it normal they wanna attack you then? You don't have good neighborly relations?" Usopp asked, deadpan.

"They turned up suddenly and started shooting!" A woman from the village answered, indignant. "They've gone mad!"

"You're the ones who lost your minds!" A man from the opposing camp retorted, his veins bulging. "And you're gonna pay for this!" The armed group took a step forward threateningly. They were determined to ignore the swordsman who released his two other blades, ready to strike.

Liam then rushed to his side, hoping to reason with them. "What's with you guys?!" He was panicking. "You don't recognize us?! We're from the same island as you, we've been living together for years!"

"We're no longer your brothers since you made a pact with the devil!" A woman yelled in response, pointing to the straw hat crew.

"What?" The scientist turned to the pirates in disbelief.

"We saw them, they ain't normal!" Another man said.

"They have a boat with the black flag!" A man accused them, pointing to the Sunny a little further.

"The straw hat boy stretches like a rubber band and look at these ones!" Another yelled, pointing at Brook and Chopper.

"It's not what you think!" Liam tried to appease them.

Another woman turned to the scientist, furious. "I went to exchange flour a few days ago in your village! You have food for the whole season and this thunderstorm hasn't destroyed any of your crops while ours are ruined!" How is it possible, huh?!"

"They're witches! Pirates and witches!" His companions shouted, mad with rage.

The crowd roared and, galvanized, the attackers advanced towards the beach, their weapons pointed at the swordsman. Zoro twirled his swords to make them step back. They thought they might be stronger given their number, but the fencer knew how to recognize the power of his opponent and he would make short work of them. To dissuade them from continuing, he unleashed his threatening aura while the villagers were approaching in turn.

"They're pirates but they helped us!" Tori shouted at them behind the fencer.

"They ate devil fruits; they're not witches!"

"Thanks to them, we have enough food!"

"Don't attack them!"

At that moment, the fingers of the woman who had railed against Liam whitened on her weapon and Zoro prepared to disarm her. However, to everyone's surprise, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"They helped you, really?" She said, her voice breaking. "You got enough food, right?" She stifled a sob before switching targets and aiming her trembling weapon at the villagers. "Why you?!" She screamed then. "We're also hungry! My son can't even stand up right now, so why you?! Why you and not us?!"

"We also have families to feed!" A man added at her side, desperate. "Our crops are totally ruined because of this thunderstorm; we won't last the winter out!"

"And you, you got all this food; you have no right to keep everything for yourself!" Another man spat; his eyes were filled with tears.

"You'll give us what you have or we'll kill you to the last!" The woman warned them, cocking her gun through her tears. "We won't starve just because we weren't as lucky as you! It's not fair!"

Liam threw himself in front of her rifle to protect the villagers. "Don't do that, this is insane!" He begged her.

"We have more food than usual, that's true, but not enough to feed the three islands!" A villager panicked.

"Liars! Give us your food!" Another man cried, aiming at him in turn.

Hysteria engulfed the armed crowd like wildfire and before anyone could react, a gunshot was heard on the beach. Zoro leapt forward and deflected the bullet which ricocheted off his sword towards the sea. A second later, he brutally took her weapon away from the woman responsible and she collapsed on her knees in the sand while the swordsman positioned himself again in front of the group in a flash. He was looking gloomy.

Sanji flinched. "Mosshead, don't! They're just hungry villagers!"

"I know. I'll use the flat of the blade." The fencer watched his targets carefully and took a deep breath. "One-Sword Style: Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix!" The wind from his sword tore their weapons from the fingers of the assailants who froze before losing their heads for good. They had nothing more to expect from their point of view.

They rushed to the beach, ready to fight with just their fists.

"Treinta Fleur!" Despite the rage and desperation driving them on, hands shot up around their legs and pinned them down while Usopp was pulling out his Ginga Pachinko. "Smoke Star!" The salvo he fired enveloped the group in smoke and the effect was immediate: the inhabitants coughed before collapsing, their meager strength already leaving them.

The villagers of the main island watched their compatriots crawling miserably on the sand, their eyes filled with pity. As soon as Usopp's attack wore off, Brook and Franky rushed to pick up their weapons and Chopper dashed to their side to examine them but most were just too exhausted to get up.

At the same time, Luffy emerged from the forest, his face scratched and his arms reddened.

"Luffy!" The little doctor exclaimed when he saw him. "Are you okay?!"

"Yup. Nami pulled me out of the tree where I was stuck," He answered with a smile while pointing to the navigator who walked behind him with his thumb.

"You were stuck in a tree?" Brook wondered.

"The grenade threw me into a tree trunk," He confirmed.

"Drop it, it ain't the first time it happened to him," The navigator added with annoyance.

"What's going on?" The captain asked, his face now serious when he saw the men and women lying on the beach and unable to get up.

"They're inhabitants of the other two islands," His musician explained to him, "They're hungry and have spotted the food supply of this village."

"They're totally desperate," Franky sighed.

"They're very thin," Chopper added, saddened. "Their skins are pale; they probably have severe deficiencies…"

"We must help them!" The straw hat boy immediately suggested.

"What can we do?" Robin asked, turning to Liam.

The scientist shook his head in confusion. "I don't know. We could… share what we have, I guess," He replied, glancing at the people of his village.

"Liam, we don't have much even if we have more than them," A man protested.

"What are you talking about? We can't let them starve to death!" Another villager pointed out.

"This is the first year we can stock up," A woman reminded them. "If we share, we'll have almost nothing either!"

Liam sighed. "The decision isn't mine. We'll have to agree."

As the townspeople gently nodded, Sanji resolutely took one step forward. "Share. I know you don't have a lot but these people have nothing left. Share and I assure you that I'll develop this island. No one will ever need to come to this again."

The thirty villagers shared a look, unsure. "How are you gonna do that?" A man asked suspiciously.

"I'm gonna open a restaurant here," The blond answered.

"A restaurant? So what, you need food to do so and no one can afford to go there!" Another man replied.

"Connections with the outside world will be established; the doors will be a means for trading," The scientist added.

"You always said it wasn't a safe way, Liam," A woman pointed out to him.

"It's true but thanks to them, my knowledge has greatly increased; I'm gonna stabilize the doors!" Their friend assured them.

"This restaurant will have the best food the world has ever tasted and people will flock by the hundreds to eat here," Sanji asserted. "All proceeds will go to All Blue."

"Really?" Another woman whispered.

The calm and determined voice of the cook raised a wind of optimism among the community, which turned to him, suddenly full of expectation.

"You can trust them; look at what they've been doing for us already!" Liam pleaded.

"Why would you do that?" Tori then asked the blond. "What's in it for you; you're not from this island."

Sanji took a cigarette from his pack and quietly lit it. "It's a policy I've always had and that's why I'm a cook. As long as I can, I'll feed those who need it. And today, I'm on All Blue, the ocean I've dreamed of finding all my life. Share just this once and you won't regret it."

The crowd greeted his words with silence and a light breeze blew across the beach as Sanji blew his smoke towards the sky. In the end, the townspeople exchanged knowing glances before nodding and Tori stepped forward to face the pirate.

"We'll share. The rest is up to you."

Sanji looked him straight in the eye. "You have my word."

The blond loosened his tie and dialed Baratie's number without thinking, already tired of hearing the dial tone from the Den-Den Mushi.

The inhabitants of the other islands had been treated and they had returned to sea with half of the village's food stock without further incident despite the skepticism of some and the apprehension of others. Nami had then wanted to go back to Liam's workshop to pick up her work tools and the cook had decided to accompany her. Indeed, now that he had made this promise, he felt all the more obliged to contact his mentor as soon as possible. Chopper and Usopp also joined them and the rest of the crew returned to the Sunny.

Sanji glanced at the clock. It was almost dinner time and he hadn't started his preparations. Anyway, the fourth ring told him that he could soon get started.

"Hello?"

Sanji's heart jumped in his chest and he stared at the Den-Den Mushi in a daze. He could never forget that voice. "O-Old geezer, is that you?"

A silence answered him and for a second, the blond thought it was his imagination.

"What do you want? You're bothering me during dinner rush, you little shit!"

His harsh words finally convinced the cook he hadn't been mistaken and at the same time, it gave him a new breath. "Shut up, old fart, I know what time it is! And would it kill you to pick up the phone when it rings?!"

"I'm busy."

"What does that mean?!"

"What do you think?"

Sanji bit his lips not to answer. Even from the other end of the earth, the old man managed the feat of annoying him even faster than the mosshead. He then heard a series of curses from a cook when he knocked over a dish and he even heard the kick he took from the chef.

"If I'm calling you, there's a reason," He continued, trying to maintain his composure.

"Really? If you get in trouble, you're on your-"

"As if I'd call you on my deathbed, bastard! But it's important so tell your shitty kitchen boys to shut the fuck up for two seconds!"

"I ain't got time; I've got a service to provide. I don't twiddle my thumbs."

"I don't twinddle my thumbs either, senile old man, so do what I tell you for once!"

Usopp, Chopper, Nami and Liam watched their friend, fascinated to see him yell in front of a clearly unimpressed Den-Den Mushi. Then they heard a sound of saucepans and a door slamming before the atmosphere became a little more serene. Sanji took the opportunity to catch his breath and his friends leaned forward, waiting for the old cook's reaction.

"Are you spilling the beans, yes or no?" The old pirate grumbled.

"Yes. I… Uh, I-I've found…" Sanji took another breath, at a loss for words.

"Brat, if you tell me you've found the woman of your life, there'll be hell to pay," The voice of the old cook growled. "You used that line on me at least a hundred times."

"It's not that, you moron!" Sanji barked. "Dammit, let me talk!" He was gasping and panting, and finally closed his eyes. "I've found All Blue and I'm gonna open a restaurant there."

An uncanny silence stretched in the room for a few seconds and everyone held their breath. Sanji stared at the Den-Den Mushi, struggling to realize that he had finally been able to announce to the person he considered his father that he had achieved the dream they had shared since day one.

"Good for you."

Zeff hung up and the Den-Den Mushi went back to sleep instantly. Nami, Usopp, Chopper and Liam stared at the device, taken aback.

"Wh-What happened?" Usopp stuttered, flabbergasted. "Why did he hang up?!"

"He didn't even ask where you were!" Chopper added in disbelief.

"I don't know this man but he seems to have quite a temper," Liam whispered.

The navigator returned her attention to the blond who had hung up in turn and was now taking a cigarette out of his packet. "S-Sanji-kun? Won't you try calling him again?"

The cook flicked out the flame of his lighter, which set his cigarette ablaze. He took a drag on it diligently and then quietly blew the smoke out, his hair obscuring his face. "It's useless, Nami-san, he won't pick up."

"You think he didn't believe you?" The doctor asked him.

"Maybe."

His four friends watched the blond more intently, surprised to see that he seemed perfectly in control of his emotions. However, when Sanji turned his head towards them, they noticed that a cold anger flooded his face and Usopp swallowed his saliva in front of his eye shining with fury.

"That old jerk. I'm gonna prove my point even if I have to drag him here from the East Blue!"

I hope you're glad to hear from Zeff!