DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 20: Famous Cook! Sanji of the Sea Restaurant!
As the Going Merry sailed away from the Isle of Strange Creatures, the crew couldn't help but feel that they were one step closer to their goal, now that the little side-trip was over. Zoro was sound asleep above the cabin. Nami was calmly reading a book she found below deck, since she had a pretty good idea where they were going at this point. Usopp meanwhile was preoccupied with polishing off all the dirt from his arrows, and repairing ones that had loose arrowheads. Meanwhile, Ragnar took this opportunity to polish his mail armor with a thick protective coating of cod liver oil, as well as sharpening his axes on a whetstone.
Suddenly, a loud crash was heard by the three of them. Startled, they dropped what they were doing, and saw that Luffy was holding a wooden crate that had the label "Danger!" on it in big red paint.
"Phew…this sucker's heavy!" Luffy muttered, wiping his brow.
"What the hell is that?!" Nami asked, noticing the crate.
"I found this baby below deck!" Luffy replied. The three crewmates all gathered and noticed the crate's contents.
"It's full of cannonballs!" Nami exclaimed.
"Kaya certainly wasn't kidding," said Ragnar, amazed by the sight, "She and Merry really did pack us with enough supplies for a long sea voyage…and that includes ammunition."
"I figured since we have some cannons now, we could get in some target practice," Luffy explained, only for Usopp to chuckle.
"Just leave the artillery to me!" He proclaimed, "I hearken back to the time when I was three years old and jumped on a passing cannonball riding at halfway around the…"
"So, Ragnar, how do you work this thing?" Luffy asked his Viking friend.
"I think I saw how you fire it, back in Orange Town," he replied, "But I have no clue how to load this thing." Suddenly, he had an idea and turned to the navigator, "Nami, do you still have that linstock you nabbed from Buggy's crew?"
"I think so. It should be below deck, right where I put it," she told him. Ragnar only nodded and went below. He returned later with a barrel swab, Nami's linstock complete with a lit match-cord, and other necessary implements.
"Okay, I think we're ready for a test run," said Luffy, turning to his sleeping first mate, "Hey, Zoro! You know how to shoot one of these?"
"Aaand he's asleep. The guy sleeps constantly," muttered Nami.
"Aw man! That's no fun," grumbled Luffy.
"I'm sure he's still recovering from those injuries he sustained from the battle against Kuro's crew," said Ragnar, as he then turned to Nami, "Alright, Nami, what's our course?"
"Well, just to the south of here, there's a reef that would make for some excellent target practice," she replied, looking over the nautical charts of the East Blue.
"Then, let's go!" Luffy exclaimed, "For real, guys? What are we doing sailing around here for? That sounds awesome!"
True to Nami's suggestion, the Going Merry sailed on a course due southward, until at last, they arrived at a small reef and found their target: A massive rocky crag jutting out of the sea. Luffy somehow managed to load the cannon with a charge of gunpowder, a fitting cannonball, and primed the touch-hole. All it took was a single ignition from the linstock, and… BOOM! A massive crack, the sound of thunder, shattered the silence of the afternoon. The sound was so jarring that Zoro finally woke from his dream. Luffy and Usopp watched on as the cannonball hit three feet away from the outcrop.
"What happened?!" Ragnar shouted.
"Way off the mark!" Luffy replied. Zoro got up from his position to see a column of water spraying upwards.
"Hey! What's so loud down there?!" He asked, still groggy from his nap.
"Cannon fire practice," Luffy explained, "But it's not going very well."
"Like I said, let the expert in missile warfare handle this," Usopp suggested, improving the angle of the cannon, "Judging from the trajectory of the last round, this should do it." Then he turned and shouted, "Fire in the hole!" With a single touch from the match-cord, a second cannonball was sent hurdling from the barrel of the gun, and struck the islet in one blow.
"Awesome work, Usopp!" Luffy exclaimed, "You hit it right on the first try!"
"Whoa…I really did," the long-nosed archer muttered, before feeling proud of himself, "Whaddya think? I'm pretty magnificent when it comes to this stuff. So, are you impressed yet?"
"Yeah, you better believe it!" Luffy replied, "So, it's all settled: you're our archer and gunnery officer."
"Wait! I don't get to be captain!?"
"No! I'm still the captain!"
Soon enough, all five Straw Hats reconvened in the cabin of the aft-castle, which was fitted complete with a kitchen, refrigerator, and a dining area all right next to the helm.
"So, what's our next course of action, Captain?" Ragnar asked, "We have a ship well stocked with provisions and ammunition, our jolly roger, and we nearly have a complete crew."
"Well, come to think of it, there was one other position I was thinking we have to fill, before we head out to the Grand Line," he explained.
"You're right," said Nami, glancing at the stone-built kitchen, "The kitchen is really nice on this ship, just pay me and I'll do it."
"I suppose it is vital for long trips," muttered Zoro.
"No decent pirate ship should be without one…" Luffy began, only to shock everyone with his answer, "…A musician!"
"Are you an idiot!?" Zoro asked.
"What do you think we're doing out here?!" Nami added.
"Just when I thought you were gonna say something smart," Usopp muttered.
"But we're pirates, and pirates sing a lot, don't ya know?" Luffy asked.
"We'll hold off on the musician for now," Ragnar suggested, "But first and foremost: we need a cook. We can't just survive off of dried meat, salted fish, hardtack, and pickled vegetables all the time."
Suddenly, a loud crashing sound could be heard on deck. The sound of barrels splintering followed.
"GET OUT HERE, RIGHT NOW, YA DAMNED PIRATES!" A voice shouted. The Straw Hats instantly took notice to this. Was someone mad at them? Perhaps was it one of Buggy or Kuro's crew? Or perhaps Captain Morgan's lackeys? Luffy opened the door, and saw a young man, about 23 years of age, dark skinned with short black hair. He had a tattoo on his face that was the Wano character for "sea" on his left cheek, sunglasses covered his eyes, while he wore a purple shirt under a blue hooded jacket, tan trousers, and black boots. In his right hand he wielded a dadao sword with a red handle and circular guard. The blade of the sword only grew wider as it reached the tip.
"Hey! What the Hell!?" Luffy asked the boarder, "Who are you!?"
"Shut up!" The man yelled, "Who I am means nothing…ya stinkin' pirate!" The warrior suddenly ran forward and slashed at the railing leading to the helm with his sword. Quickly, Luffy jumped out of the way, while Nami and Usopp watched from the door window.
"Hey guys? Sounds like Luffy's got himself into a fight," said Zoro, "How many are there?"
"Uh…just one guy," replied Nami
"Did Luffy ask for help?" Ragnar asked.
"No," Usopp told him.
"Then just let him handle it," Zoro added. The two only looked on at the fight between Luffy and the swordsman.
"Over the years, I've lost count of all the pirate heads we've taken," the warrior told Luffy, "And now you guys think you can kill my partner!?" He then slashed at Luffy again, hitting the deck this time.
"What do you mean by partner!?" Luffy asked, downright confused, "Look, I don't know what's going on. Just stop wrecking our ship!" Then he stretched out his arms and flung his attacker behind him, causing the man to hit the wall of the cabin, knocking all the wind out of him.
"Lost by a hair…" the swordsman muttered as he hit the deck and lay on his back.
"Who is this guy?!" Luffy asked. Why would anyone attack the Going Merry when they hadn't even earned a reputation yet? Just then, Zoro came out to see what was going on.
"Johnny? Tell me that isn't you," said the Pirate Hunter, looking down at the attacker.
"Huh!? Who's sayin' my name like they think they know me or somethin'?" Johnny asked, looking up to see Zoro's face. Instantly, he got back up, his face changing from anger to shock, "Big Bro Zoro!?"
"Johnny! It really is you! What are you doing here?"
"What am I doing here!? Why are you on a pirate ship!? What's goin' on around here?!"
"Hey, just relax. Is everything okay? Where's Yosaku? Is he with you?"
From the dining cabin, Ragnar, Nami and Usopp looked out the window to see Zoro and Johnny talking.
"Hey look! Zoro knows that guy!" Usopp muttered, his nose pressing against the window.
"What's going on here?" Nami asked.
"We're about to find out, it seems," said Ragnar.
Johnny took Zoro to the port side gunwale of the Going Merry. Down below was a small boat, and aboard was a man with a shaved head and red headgear wearing only a black shirt, plaid yellow boxer shorts and a long green hooded coat with boots. On his waist were bandages from which blood flowed. It was obvious: this was Yosaku.
"He…He's been sick," Johnny explained to Zoro. The two men hoisted Yosaku onto the deck of the Merry.
"How long ago did this happen?" Zoro asked, shocked to see the poor man in such a sorry state. Yosaku was pale, sweating, breathing heavily and bleeding from his nose and mouth. Nami, Usopp and Ragnar made their way to the deck to see what was going on. Johnny was in tears at this point.
"Up until a few days ago, he was healthy and full of life!" he explained, "But now…he keeps fainting and getting really pale! I have no idea what's causing it! His teeth started falling out and his old wound opened up and started bleeding again! He got so worse; I didn't know what to do. So, I thought, maybe we'd just rest on a little island, but then…a cannonball came flying from this ship!"
Upon hearing this, Luffy and Usopp were both shocked. They almost killed an innocent man!? They had no idea someone was on that island.
"W-We're very sorry!" The two boys said in unison, bowing in respect.
"Sorry isn't good enough," Johnny told them, "Isn't that right…Partner!?" Then he looked up at Zoro, "Big bro…give it to me straight: is he gonna die?" Zoro was about to give an answer, when Nami and Ragnar began inspecting Yosaku for symptoms.
"Wait…you said that his teeth started falling out?" The Viking asked, only getting a nod from Johnny in response. Ragnar and Nami only looked at one another: they knew what this man was suffering from! Nami turned to her captain and archer.
"Luffy, Usopp, we have some limes in storage!" She told them, "We're gonna need those right now!" Instantly, the two boys scrambled to the cabin leading below deck. Ragnar brought the ship to a halt and dropped anchor. By the time he returned, Luffy and Usopp were squeezing lime juice into Yosaku's mouth, trying to get him to drink. "He's got scurvy," said Nami.
"Scurvy?" Johnny asked.
"A debilitating disease that all sailors fear, and it wreaks havoc on the body," explained Ragnar, "I've seen the symptoms firsthand myself as a boy. First, the gums swell up; they turn black and bleed when touched, making eating extremely painful. Sometimes, teeth even fall out. Then, usually bruises start appearing on the body, followed by internal bleeding from the eyes, nose, and even the muscles and joints. Many longship crews died because of this plague in the past."
"Ragnar's right. If we aren't too late, he'll be just fine in a few days, though."
"Really, Big Sis?" Johnny asked Nami, his spittle getting all over her face, much to her annoyance, "Thank you, big sis!" She only wiped the spittle off and pushed him gently away.
"Please…don't call me that…it sounds dumb," she grumbled, "Besides, Ragnar is also right in that Vikings used to die from this disease. This was once a hopeless disease that plagued sailors, and we just know how to deal with it now. This is caused by a simple deficiency of plant derived nutrients, like Vitamin-C. Back in the old days, sailors couldn't carry fresh fruits and vegetables because they couldn't store them, but we know better now."
By this point, Luffy and Usopp began shoving the limes right into Yosaku's mouth, to the point where they were about to burst out.
"Ragnar, didn't you say that we needed a doctor?" Luffy asked his quartermaster.
"Wait…Luffy, you didn't know about this?" Ragnar asked, almost shocked by his friend's lack of common sense.
"LUFFY! YOU MORON! HOW COULD YOU OVERLOOK THAT!? A DOCTOR'S CRUCIAL IF WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT TO THE GRAND LINE!" Nami yelled, "EVERY SAILOR SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SCURVY!"
"Don't worry, we'll find one soon," he said with a chuckle.
"I hope you're right about that," Nami replied, sighing in frustration as she pinched the bridge of her nose. At that moment, Yosaku spewed the limes that were shoved into his mouth, coughing as he sat up and looked less pale than he did before. Suddenly, he and Johnny interlocked their arms and started cheering.
"Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!" they cheered in unison.
"The nutrients cured me!" Yosaku cheered.
"Now, you're all better!" Johnny declared.
"YOU CAN'T HEAL THAT QUICKLY!" Nami yelled at them, causing the two men to face the Straw Hats.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves," they said in unison once more.
"My name is Johnny,"
"And I'm Yosaku,"
"Together, we're the baddest pirate hunting bounty hunter duo in the world!" They declared in unison. Johnny then continued, indicating Zoro.
"Big Bro Zoro, over here, used to be one of us!"
"Glad to make your acquaintance." Zoro only smiled and stepped towards his old companions.
"Small world," he told his old friends, "Never thought I'd see you guys again."
"Well, if you think you're surprised," Johnny began.
"We never imagined that you became a pirate yourself," Yosaku finished.
"Tell me about it," Zoro remarked with a smile. The three immediately went to embrace as though they were brothers, only for Yosaku to faint once more, his skin getting pale. Evidently, Nami was right. He couldn't heal that quickly.
"He'll be alright once the lime juice kicks in," said Ragnar, picking Yosaku up over his shoulder, "For now, however, he needs some rest…and a pair of trousers."
That evening, the Straw Hats and Johnny reconvened in the aft castle's main helm room. Yosaku was resting soundly in the emergency sick bay in the storage room of the aft castle.
"Big Bro Ragnar, how is he?" Johnny asked the Viking quartermaster.
"The lime juice has done all it could. It's up to him now," said Ragnar, "But more to the point. I had a look around storage, and it has become evident: our options are severely limited in terms of nutrition."
"Let this be a lesson to us all," said Nami, writing all she could in a journal with her quill pen.
"Yeah, Ragnar's got a point," Zoro added in, "This is the kinda trouble you run into when you choose a life on the sea."
"I agree with our senior officers," Usopp chimed in, "And this means, when we're at sea, we really gotta think about how we can get the right amount of nutrients with very little food."
"It's also absolutely necessary that someone on this crew knows how to do that," Nami added. In that instant, Luffy and Ragnar only looked at one another, as they knew exactly what they now needed more than ever.
"If that's the case, then I think Ragnar and I are both in agreement on this," said Luffy, "This ship needs a cook."
"Indeed," added Ragnar, "If we are to have more options available to us when it comes to food, then it makes sense we have a cook aboard who knows how to make use of such resources. So, what are we waiting for? Let's begin our search for a cook!"
"I'm in! Good idea, you guys!" Usopp exclaimed, "Once we have a cook, we can have delicious food even when we're out at sea!"
"A cook, huh?" Johnny asked with a grin, "Well, fellas, I know just the place, and trust me when I tell ya – the food is gonna blow your minds!"
"Alright, let's go!" Luffy declared, "Where to?"
"Consider yourselves warned," the bounty hunter explained, "This place is close to the Grand Line, and I've heard a lot of rumors lately…" he continued, directing his attention to Zoro, "Namely about how a certain hawk-eyed man you're looking for is there." Hearing that, Zoro grasped his swords in excitement. Johnny then turned to Ragnar and told both him and Nami, "Set a course for North-Northeast!"
"Understood! North-Northeast!" Ragnar shouted, taking the helm, and looking out the window, every so often, keeping his eye trained on the star of the little bear throughout the night. He and Zoro took shifts every so often, so that he could sleep.
By dawn, the next day, the Going Merry managed to reach the destination she was set.
"What is that?" Ragnar asked Johnny, noticing the most peculiar structure on the horizon growing closer and closer.
"We're here, Big Bro," said Johnny. Instantly as the five Straw Hats came out on deck, they saw it. The structure itself was the strangest looking ship. She was large and oval-shaped, with two masts. The bow of the ship was carved in the shape of a fish's head, with the rudder at stern obviously mimicking a fish's tail fin. There were three decks aboard, each atop the other, with the third deck having a roof, just like a proper house. The hull was painted a pale light green, with red accents. "Behold! The Sea Restaurant: Baratie! So, Whaddya think?"
All the crew each had different reactions. Luffy and Usopp were both thinking about delicious food, given how they were both drooling. Nami was equally excited for a chance to rest and relax. Ragnar couldn't help but feel amazed at the scope of this ship, whereas Zoro was just unsure of what to make of it all.
"Wow! It's a big fish!" Luffy exclaimed.
"It's most impressive, Johnny. Never have I seen anything like it," said Ragnar, whistling in amazement.
"How lovely!" Nami commented.
"This is the coolest place ever!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Just like I told ya, right?" Johnny asked. However, at that moment, Ragnar couldn't help but sense something was off. He turned and saw a blue Marine ship coming right alongside them.
"Warship incoming!" He shouted, "She's flying marine colors! Just a lone ship!" Everyone turned to see that the Viking spoke true as a Marine ship pulled up alongside the Merry. Now the atmosphere turned to one of tension.
"Hey, Luffy, they're not gonna start firing at us, are they?" Usopp asked, concerned for the state of the ship.
"It's just my luck!" Zoro grumbled, "Of course, the Marines would show up."
"But…how did that ship even pull up so close?" Nami asked, unaware that Johnny was sneaking back to the aft castle where Yosaku poked his head out after a full night's recovery.
"It's best we avoid clashing with them," said Ragnar, "Since they've seen us, we must speak with them." He then turned to Luffy, "Tell them to let us pass, and we will do them no harm."
From the Marine ship, a tanned man with pink hair and wearing a pinstripe suit approached into view.
"I've never seen that jolly roger before," he muttered, observing Usopp's handiwork, but then his attention turned to the raven banner on the aft mast. "Aw Hell…Vikings!" The marine placed his right hand on the ship's railing, showing off his knuckle duster. He was a man of about 26, tall and well built. "I am Lt. Iron-Fist Fullbody, but you can just call me Sir," he shouted, then looked to the Straw Hats. "You there! Which one of you is the captain? Identify yourself now!"
"Ragnar, I'm gonna need you with me on this one," said Luffy as he made his way forward, "My name is Monkey D. Luffy," he responded, "We only made our flag the day before yesterday!" Ragnar then stepped forth in full view.
"Well met, Lieutenant. I am Ragnar of the Lion Clan, son of Sigurd Jarl of Fornburg," Ragnar declared, "We mean you and your seamen no harm whatsoever. Only allow us to pass, and we will do you no harm."
"The son of a Jarl, are you?" Fullbody asked, then noticed Johnny and Yosaku, hiding behind the door. "Hey, you two! Right there! I've seen you before. You're that bounty hunter duo that goes after the small fish, right?"
"Er…well, we…" Johnny began, afraid that the Marines would recognize both him and Johnny as pirates.
"So, you've finally been caught by pirates, have you?"
"Well, actually, we…"
"Now this is definitely funny," Fullbody chuckled, at which point a lady in a wine-red dress appeared, clinging to his arm.
"Hey, c'mon baby, let's get going," she told her man.
"Oh, of course, darling," the lieutenant replied, his attention devoted to her. It was evident to all exactly what the relationship between those two was.
"Hey! Wait a minute!" Johnny yelled back, pulling out a stack of wanted posters from his jacket, "You think a couple of small-time bounty hunters would go after these guys!?" He then threw the posters behind him, and they fluttered all over the Merry's deck. Yet it was clear Fullbody was not even paying attention to their pleas.
"Now, let's go to that restaurant," said the lieutenant to his date, then he turned to his subordinates and ordered, "They're an eyesore. Sink 'em."
"He ignored us!" Yosaku grumbled, "Next time we see him, he'd better have a little more respect for us. Ragnar and Nami then made their way over to the wanted posters on the floor of the deck. Ragnar couldn't help but notice one that caught his attention, a wanted poster of a little girl with raven black hair.
"What's this?" He muttered, picking up the poster, "Wanted, Dead or Alive: Demon Child Nico Robin…bounty of…79 million berries!? For only a child!?" The Norseman couldn't understand the concept in the slightest. Why would the marines put a bounty on a little girl?
That was when Nami noticed one such poster going for 20 million berries. As soon as she picked it up, instantly she knew who was on the poster. It was Arlong, the very fish-man who killed her mother and enslaved her village! Just the very sight of his face made her blood boil, as all she could hear was that damned gilled freak's sinister laugh ringing in her ears. She only kept her gaze fixed at the floorboards of the deck, so that no one else could see her anger, crumpling the poster in her hand as she made her way towards the helm, slamming the door behind her.
"Well, she seemed angry," Ragnar told Luffy, "Whaddya suppose that was about?" However, then he noticed the Marines' cannon loading into position.
"Hey, you guys! Look!" Usopp shouted, "They're pointing their guns right at us!" The men on deck finally noticed and drew their weapons.
"Beat to quarters!" Ragnar bellowed, at which point he noticed the Marines' ship firing a sole cannonball at the Merry. "Brace yourselves!"
"Leave it to me!" Luffy declared, as he locked his legs around the fore-castle's railing, and stretched his arms out to grasp the figurehead and the mainmast, catching the cannonball, "Now…Gum-Gum Slingshot!" He stretched back with all his might, and as he snapped back forward, the cannonball ricocheted past the Marines' ship and off into the horizon. Fullbody and his date only looked up to see the cannonball fly over their heads to who-knows-where.
"I wonder what that was," the lieutenant muttered as the two seamen rowed out to the restaurant, "I hope our reservation is okay."
Back aboard the Merry, Luffy noticed Nami's earlier reaction and knew the time was right.
"I gotta check on Nami," he told the crew, "Ragnar, you have full authority as Captain until I return." Then he made his way to the aft-castle, where Nami was holed up in. Ragnar only nodded and turned to the rest of the crew.
"Well, since we're here, gents, we might as well enjoy ourselves," he told the four men, "Zoro, Usopp, once Luffy and Nami return, maybe it's best we check in for lunch."
"Are you serious?!" Usopp asked, "We're actually going to eat here!?"
"Why not? If we are looking to recruit a cook, it's a good idea to survey the quality of the food at this place." Ragnar turned to the two bounty hunters, smiling, "Johnny, Yosaku. Think you can guard the Merry while we're gone? Oh, and mind if I keep a few wanted posters, in case we need to pay attention for rivals?" The two men only nodded in confirmation, as they began repairs at the railing on the aft-castle. "Good. If the Merry is attacked, we'll need to be ready."
"I just sure hope Nami's feeling alright," said Usopp, "Hopefully she'll get over whatever was eating at her soon."
At the helm, Luffy only noticed Nami sitting at the table, her entire body trembling with rage. He had a hunch in the back of his mind that he knew why she left in such a huff.
"Nami? You okay? You left in such a huff back there. I…?" He asked, but all she did was tense up, not even managing to speak or look at her captain. Then he noticed the wanted poster she was clenching in her hand. "That's Arlong's wanted poster, isn't it?"
"…Yeah…" she only replied, her voice trying to desperately hold back the rage and pain she felt. Luffy only made his way to the table and sat down beside her. He knew he had to alleviate the situation somehow.
"Nami…just please tell me what's bothering you," he told her, "It's gonna be alright. Remember, you can tell me anything. No matter what happens, I'm always gonna be here for you." Those words finally managed to hit deep. Nami was truly touched by Luffy's kindness. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would find someone who was willing to support her and hear her out. There was no way for her to maintain her act any longer. Keeping her gaze fixed to the table, she only lifted the left sleeve of her shirt, revealing a blue tattoo on her shoulder – a tattoo in the very image of the Arlong Pirates' jolly roger.
"Luffy…I remember you told me that you saw my memories back when we met at Orange Town, right?" She asked, her voice trembling, "…but seeing them pales compared to living through them."
"I understand."
"For 8 years, I spent my time pressed into that bastard's crew, doing everything I could to free my village, enduring all kinds of abuse from Arlong and his crew. He said that if I was able to collect 100 million berries, he'd leave my village, but I can't help to think that…he…he…"
"Nami…"
She struggled to find the right words as tears flowed down her cheeks, but Luffy understood what she feared: Arlong would probably go back on his word.
"I wanted to wait until we had more members of our crew, but…I can't do this anymore." She then mustered what courage she could gather, and raised her tear-filled eyes to his own, "Luffy, you were the first person who was willing to help me out…please. Promise me you'll help me…that you'll help my village."
Luffy could see the pain and anguish in Nami's eyes, understanding that what she suffered was worse than anyone could have imagined. Instantly, he pulled her into his arms, his hand stroking her orange hair.
"You have my word. I'll do everything in my power to help you, Nami," he said softly, "Once we're done here, we'll set a course for your village, and we'll make sure that Arlong and his crew learn what happens when they mess with one of our crew."
Nami couldn't help but feel as if a burden was lifted off her shoulders. She only returned Luffy's embrace, sobbing into her captain's shoulder. He gave her something that Arlong never did: hope.
Meanwhile, at the Baratie, the doors to the restaurant opened, and Lt. Fullbody made his entrance inside. All the diners gathered paused as they gazed upon the imposing yet well-dressed military man. Yet Fullbody only stepped back and allowed his date to enter first, only to wrap his arm round her waist and lead the way in, letting the maître-d escort them to their seats.
Back aboard the Merry, Luffy and Nami finally emerged from the lounge, noticing Ragnar explain to Johnny and Yosaku about the politics of his homeland.
"At one time, the title of jarl meant any individual second only to the High King, but the use of the title has become more relaxed," he explained, "Now, a jarl may be a chieftain, a warlord, a captain of a ship, or any person born into nobility." At that moment, he noticed Luffy and Nami exiting the aft-castle, both smiling as if nothing happened between them.
"Is Nami gonna be okay, Luffy?" Usopp asked, "She seemed pissed a few minutes ago."
"We'll talk later," said Luffy, looking to Ragnar, "How'd it go with the crew?"
"I may have suggested that we have lunch at the Baratie," said Ragnar, "Does that earn your approval?"
"Are you kidding?! I was gonna suggest the same thing," Luffy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm as he began to drool, "C'mon guys! Let's go!" All of the Straw Hats only smiled and sighed. Their captain truly was a boy of simple pleasures.
Inside the Baratie, all the restaurant was abuzz with murmuring about Lt. Fullbody's presence, as it was unexpected for a marine officer to be seen in public so casually.
"Oh wow! That guy sitting over by the window is Lt. Fullbody! Well, Whaddya know!"
"Hey, look kids! A big shot from Marineford!"
"He's so elegant…"
Fullbody paid no heed to these whispers, though. As the customers whispered among themselves, a young man of about 19 approached pouring the officer and his date, Moodie, a bottle of red wine.
"You're quite famous," said Moodie, "Everyone here is complimenting you."
"Oh, don't be silly, my dear," Fullbody replied, "They're all admiring you." The two then toasted, before taking a sip of their wine. Fullbody couldn't help but find its flavor intoxicating, and motioned to the young man still holding the bottle. "This flavor…and the aroma…it is the unmistakable scent of the soil of Micquo of the North Blue: bitter with plenty of body and a tad sour…this wine! It has to be the famed Ithürzburger Stein!" Fullbody only turned to the young man who placed the bottle on the table with a grin, "Tell me, waiter, am I right?"
"Uh-uh…not even close," the boy replied, grabbing Fullbody's wrist and placing a soup spoon in the officer's hand, "Now, eat up. This dish is best served hot." Fullbody managed to get a good look at the boy as he walked away. The boy had blonde hair brushed over the left side of his face, revealing the spiral his right eyebrow curled into, while his chin was covered in noticeable stubble. He wore a black double-breasted suit with golden buttons and a navy-blue tie, which complimented the blue pinstripe shirt he sported. "And by the way, sir. My name's Sanji; I'm the sous-chef. All the waiters resigned as of yesterday."
Fullbody only hung his head in utter embarrassment. How could he have screwed that up? He thought he was spot on, and now he was seen as a laughing stock, as the sound of giggles and chuckling filled the entirety of the ship. Sanji wounded his pride, something he could not let slide.
"Are you an expert?" Moodie asked her man, "About wine, I meant."
"Oh…I thought I was, at least," he replied, not even meeting her eyes, "Though it seems my taste-buds are a bit off today." As Moodie only giggled at the comment, Fullbody couldn't help but let Sanji's smug response eat at him. 'What the hell happened!? I'm certain I requested that the owners serve that particular wine!' He thought, taking one glance as Sanji ascended the spiral staircase leading up to the second floor.
Back aboard the Merry, Johnny and Yosaku celebrated a job well done repairing the banister, while the Straw Hats took the small boat the two bounty hunters owned to sail to the Baratie. Zoro and Usopp manned the oars, while Luffy, Nami and Ragnar were in the middle of quite the conversation.
"So, Ragnar, what were some of those posters you were looking at?" Nami asked, "More of Johnny and Yosaku's targets?"
"Ja. I was curious about who they were going after," said Ragnar, "Sad to say, most of them didn't ring any bells, but I did recognize a few iconic names as far as pirates go."
"Ooh! Which ones did you see?" Luffy asked enthusiastically.
"Well, the main one that got my attention was the poster for Whitebeard, but I recognized a few from the North Blue as well," explained Ragnar, "Trafalgar Law – Captain of the Heart Pirates, and Bellamy the Hyena. Rumor has it that they already reached the Grand Line, but no one knows whether they're still alive or not. There was also a third, Humming Brook. Though, from how worn it was, that bounty looked like it predated Gold Roger's lifetime."
"Well, it's a good idea to keep track of them," replied Nami, "Who knows which pirates we end up encountering in the Grand Line, and if they end up as either friends of foes."
Meanwhile, at the Baratie, Fullbody only kept staring into his soup, the shame of embarrassment eating away at him, when all of a sudden, he noticed a silverfish crawling next to his foot, and crushed it.
"Is something the matter, darling?" Moodie asked, "Is the soup not to your liking."
"Huh? Oh, don't worry, my dear," Fullbody told her, "Everything's fine…" He now had an idea. After a few minutes' time passed, he spotted Sanji making the rounds and shouted, "Hey! Waiter! Get over here!" All at once, the music stopped playing as Sanji came back over to Fullbody's table, hands in his pockets.
"I think I already told you, I'm not a waiter," said Sanji, his tone showing how calm and collected he was. He only looked at Fullbody for an instant, but then noticed Moodie in her gown, giving her a subtle grin, "What an irresistible beauty you are," he told her, placing his hand atop her own, "Mademoiselle, would you care to join me later for a glass of wine." Yet before she could respond, Fullbody slammed his right hand on the table, jolting the glasses and bowls and catching Sanji's attention.
"Hey! What's the meaning of this!?" Fullbody asked, pointing to the silverfish that somehow managed to get into his soup, "Is bug soup the daily special, or did you prepare this just for me!?"
"Bug soup?"
"That's right! What's this bug doing in my soup!?" Fullbody demanded, smugly grinning to himself, 'This is gonna ruin their reputation,' he thought.
"Sorry, sir, but I don't know to be honest," Sanji replied with a witty grin, "Looks to me like he's floating. Though, it kinda looks like he's drowning, but it's hard to tell for sure." Once again, the restaurant echoed with the snickering of the diners. For a sous-chef, Sanji clearly had a sense of witty humor. Fullbody was now apoplectic! How dare he be laughed at by these hoi polloi! Even his own date found it funny. His own plan to humiliate Sanji backfired on him! The rage he felt was by now unbearable.
"Don't you dare fuck with me, WAITER!" He yelled, his right hand clenched into a fist, as he brought it down hard, smashing the table clean in half. The sound of laughter was soon replaced with splintering wood, shattered glass and breaking China. It was so loud, that even outside it could be heard. Silence then fell over the restaurant. All the diners looked on in utter shock at this burst of rage from a military officer. Moodie got up from her chair, her hands covering her mouth in suspense. Yet Sanji only knelt and directed his gaze towards the soup, now spilt all over the floor.
"You could've eaten it if only you took the bug out," he lamented, "It would've been delicious. It took three whole days of intensive cooking to prepare that soup for you, and you just wasted it." Sanji only placed his hand in the soup, only for Fullbody to step on it.
"Can't you see that you're biting off more than you can chew, boy!?" He growled, but Sanji only kept his gaze fixed to the floor, not even giving a response. "I'm the customer here! Do you hear me!? I'm paying you!"
"Stop it! Fullbody!" Moodie begged, trying to pull the lieutenant away from what she saw as pointless.
"Shut up!" He yelled, throwing her aside, like a rag. She only looked on in despair as the lieutenant was clearly not the man she thought he was.
"Can your money truly satisfy your hunger?" Sanji asked the Marine officer.
"What are you talking about?" Fullbody asked, his anger slowly giving way to confusion.
"I'll ask again," Sanji declared, turning his gaze towards the lieutenant, the frustration in his eyes all but hidden, "Can your money satisfy your hunger?!" Quick as a flash, Sanji managed to free his hand from Fullbody's grasp, then expertly stood on his hands, kicking the lieutenant senseless.
By that moment, Zoro opened the doors to the restaurant, and the five Straw Hats all were witness to the aftermath. All the diners were horrified at what happened. The ruckus was so loud that chefs from the second floor came down the steps to see what was going on. Sanji was clutching Fullbody by the face with his left hand. The lieutenant's face was bloodied and bruised from the kicking he got.
"Is that the Marine lieutenant?" Ragnar asked, stunned to see a boy beat a marine lieutenant bloody.
"Don't ever waste food around me again," Sanji growled at the lieutenant, "At sea, if you ever anger your cook, you're signing your own death warrant! Remember that!"
The Straw Hats only looked on in suspense. They had no idea, but this was only the first of a slew of events that would send shockwaves throughout the world, and they would be at the center of it all!
A/N: So, thus begins the Baratie Arc - where all sorts of iconic moments are bound to occur, and we already have seen one: the debut of Sanji! Though, I also went ahead and threw in more foreshadowing ahead. You may have noticed I snuck in old bounty posters of both Brook and Robin, for one. I also mentioned Law and Bellamy as well. Don't worry, we will definitely be seeing Robin soon, once we have the Straw Hats reach the Grand Line.
Also, more Nami x Luffy shipping! I didn't really like how Nami "betrayed" the crew when she stole the Merry, so I wanted to have Luffy confide in her for a change of pace, and a show of trust.
As for the description of scurvy that Ragnar provided, it is actually spot on with what I found as the symptoms for the disease, and would have definitely been a major concern for Vikings, since citrus fruits like lemons were a luxury in the Middle Ages, something only the elites could obtain, and those were largely as a result of trade with the Mediterranean powers, such as - once more - the Byzantines and the Abbasids. This brings another part of historic Viking Lore to our section.
Most people in the West think that the Viking Age began with the attack on Lindisfarne on June 8th 793 CE, but that's because it's what the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records. In reality, the Viking Age truly began in the east. Four decades before the raid on Lindisfarne, Swedish Vikings were already trading with Arctic nomads in Finland, using their camps as bases to attack the Baltic. The Finns introduced the Vikings to the Balts as the Rus' which means "men who row". These Rus' Vikings would go to sail down the Volga and Dnieper rivers in modern Russia and Ukraine, reaching the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. These routes brought them into contact with the Slavs, Balts, Turkic peoples of the steppes, and the Khazar Khaganate, and the Rus would give their name to one of the largest countries in the world: Russia. Yet as the Vikings continued further south, they ended up as far as Baghdad and Constantinople, and sometimes these shrewd merchants would set up shop, trading goods from the north for silver, which they used to buy exotic goods from the East.
And mention of a doctor...it definitely seems like the Straw Hats will need one...I sense a certain blue nosed reindeer is also going to be seen in the future.