Chapter 31
The opening
Sanji passed between the tables set in the large dining room, mindful. The immaculate tablecloths were perfectly ironed, the crockery shone brightly and the subdued light from the large chandeliers on the ceiling provided enough light while avoiding plunging the room into an overly raw artificial whiteness. Satisfied, the blond examined the decoration then. He wanted to make sure that everything was in its place: the paintings that Robin had suggested to hang adorned the room elegantly and Nami's arrangement honored the ocean all the way to the tables where small painted shells brought a casual touch.
At the end of his inspection, the cook smiled. Everything was perfect. The day before, he had only removed the huge collage of sand, seaweed and bits of shell that his captain had given him. The rendering wasn't really harmonious and would have totally denoted in the restaurant so instead, the blond had brought it home. It was a unique memory and beyond the frankly clumsy creation, it was above all the symbol that Luffy had also supported this project and in this, Sanji wasn't going to get rid of it.
In front of the entrance, the cook wiped the large mirror not far from the door one last time before stepping back and nodding. He then glanced instinctively at his reflection and winced. He tried to fix his hair and contemplated his outfit with a critical eye to be certain that it was still spotless. He sighed in the end, noting that his dark circles were clearly visible, before turning away. It was too late to complain about his image now. In a few hours, the first customers would be here.
"Sanji, what do you think?"
The man turned his head towards the dark-haired woman who had just entered and who was walking towards him. Seeing her, the cook's eyes literally popped out of their sockets. "Sweet Lily, you look absolutely gorgeous!"
"I don't feel comfortable in high heels so I preferred normal shoes," She apologized, showing them to him. "You look perfectly amazing!" The blond repeated, twirling around her.
The young fisherwoman smiled and lowered her head to look at herself. With her bun, white blouse and straight black shirt, she had trouble recognizing herself, she who used to stride across the island in overalls and boots because of her activity.
However tonight, she would be the representative of All Blue at the opening of the restaurant that two of the best cooks in the world were going to open so she wanted to be up to the occasion. Although the young woman didn't necessarily want this first role, her involvement for several years on the island and with its inhabitants had pushed most of them to turn to her to fill this mission and after some hesitation, she ended up accepting.
"How many people will be here?" She asked him.
"Full house," The blond replied, pointing to the reservation book placed on a small table. "The advertisement worked."
"I feel stressed," Lily then confessed, "I've never done this kind of thing before…"
"Don't worry, they'll probably be curious about this ocean but nobody knows it better than you," He reminded her.
"Do you think they'll care if I talk about fish and fishing methods? Because I'm not sure they do," She pointed out, biting her lip.
"Zeff will refocus on the cooking if necessary, you can trust him on this."
"Okay…" The dark-haired woman took a deep breath to try to give herself courage and Sanji smiled broadly. "You'll bewitch them either way; you're breathtaking!"
At these words, Lily couldn't help but smile again, amused by the cook's attitude. "You look very elegant yourself," She answered sincerely.
"It's nothing compared to your beauty, sweet Lily!"
"She's right, this outfit suits you perfectly."
Sanji turned to Liam who had just entered and he nodded in greeting before taking another glance at his own clothes in the mirror. His reflection then made him lose his enthusiasm. "It's been a long time since I've worn this kind of clothes," He sighed, fixing his hair again.
"Really? But that's the traditional dress of the cooks," Lily wondered.
The blond shook his head. The fitted white jacket he wore undeniably enhanced him, as did the same color trousers he had chosen and the ivory apron that was wrapped around his waist. It made him look both relaxed and professional. Still, he frowned. "On the Sunny, I never bothered to put on a particular outfit and I always preferred to work with a simple apron. This jacket will be too warm when we'll need to handle the heat in the kitchen," He grumbled, already rolling up his sleeves.
"Can't you take it off?" The young woman asked.
"Zeff wants me to be presentable because I'll have to go back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen…" He then inspected his black shoes which gleamed with cleanliness and took a cigarette out of his pocket, annoyed. "This idiot doesn't even know what he wants. On the one hand, I need to stay in the kitchen and on the other hand, he refuses to hire a few people to help and we have to do everything on our own…"
Sanji nibbled his cigarette butt while throwing yet another glance at the sparkling room to once again check its total integrity. The restaurant, but mostly the ocean itself, would arouse curiosity and the two cooks had been forced to develop a strategy to deal with the questions that their visitors would inevitably ask. So it had been decided to send an invitation to some journalists and Lily would step into the spotlight alongside the old cook to communicate. It was better to announce the color right away before the craziest rumors started to run throughout the Grand Line about this legendary ocean. The doors were to be a border and using them was a crucial issue to be exposed from the start for the integrity of this new territory.
Lily and Liam had been insisting that Sanji should be introduced too, but the two cooks had pointed out that the blond's wanted poster should, on the contrary, encourage him to be discreet. Zeff had indeed benefited from a largesse from the Marines who greatly appreciated his cooking on the Baratie, but also and above all because he had lost his leg and they thought this injury no longer made him such a dangerous enemy. But just declaring that a Straw Hat crew member had settled down to cook seemed implausible, so it was intended to use Zeff's notoriety to ensure the place's prestige.
Sanji knew his presence would eventually get known and he secretly hoped that the restaurant's reputation would be high enough by then to erase his interest in the eyes of the Marine. However, if he had to flee to guarantee All Blue some peace, he would do so because he didn't want to end his days in Impel Down.
"Has Zeff planned a speech after all?" Liam suddenly inquired, snapping him out of his thoughts. The blond couldn't help laughing at the prospect. "Of course not. The old geezer can't even find a real name for this restaurant, so he's unable to string more than ten words together!"
"At least people will remember it," The scientist said, shrugging his shoulders.
"He could have racked his brains a little more," The cook grumbled, "Anyway…" Sanji opened the front door and lit his cigarette before quickly taking a drag, careful to let his cigarette burn outside despite the biting cold. "Making him answer questions is a big risk but if he sticks to cooking, it should be fine," He continued.
"I wish you could be introduced," Lily sighed, "This restaurant is your idea after all…"
"What counts is the quality of the dishes that'll come out of this kitchen," The blond reminded her. "If the food is good, people will come back no matter what and that's how All Blue will grow."
"I'm not worried about that, your food is the best they'll ever eat," Liam said. "Even on the surrounding islands, there's no possible competition."
Sanji smiled at his friend's confidence in them, then took a drag on his cigarette butt again. "Either way, it's a one-time event; we have no room for error. How does it look for door control?" He asked him.
"The weather is calm on Vorgo and the link is stable, there shouldn't be any problem but I'll stay down there just in case with Tori," The dark-haired man answered.
"Including the time of crossing, the first customers should be here by 7pm," The cook noted, glancing at his watch.
"I'll have to go soon," Liam approved.
"The official opening will be at 9pm sharp. Everyone has to be here by then."
Lily and Liam nodded firmly in return. Just like their friend, they measured the importance of this opening and fully intended to participate in its success.
Sanji ran his fingers along the wooden worktop. The silence in the kitchen allowed him to hear the noise of more and more conversations in the dining room and he was all the more nervous.
The appetizers had been served for several minutes already and the evening would start soon. Not far from him by the sink, Zeff was silently chopping up a few more potatoes. The two cooks had spent a good part of the afternoon getting ahead on all possible preparations, their limited number forcing them to anticipate most of the dishes they would present. This was also why tonight's menu would be unique, with Zeff arguing that All Blue's specificity wouldn't allow them to offer identical dishes traditionally displayed on a menu.
It had been decided that the arrival of the day and the specialties that the two cooks would be able to create each time would be their main asset. Only when the first profits would roll in, they would consider calling on experienced kitchen boys to keep pace. Sanji didn't quite understand why the old cook applied the same reasoning concerning the waiters because their only skill in the dining room should have counted but since it was also about saving money, he hadn't insisted too much. Tonight, he would have plenty of opportunity to help Lily serve the customers anyway.
"I'm warning you, I don't want any trouble," His mentor suddenly growled, dropping his potatoes into the water to rinse them.
The blond immediately looked up at his imposing figure, outraged. "I know how to behave, you old fossil! You should think about controlling your own temper instead if you want people to come back after this opening! Lily's already stressed enough so you better know what to say!"
Zeff snorted disdainfully. "I've been running a restaurant for more than ten years, kid, you ain't gonna teach me how it works. You, on the other hand, it's your first and with your ridiculously hot temper, don't let them discover your head is showing up in all the Marine posts in the Grand Line before we even made this place profitable. I didn't come all the way here to see you shatter the hopes of these people because of your stupidity."
The sound of his former protege's jaw grinding was practically heard from across the room when Sanji gritted his teeth hard. Ready to retaliate harshly, he finally lowered his eyes and grabbed a knife and a bunch of carrots to keep busy.
"It was me who made the decision to help them and you have no idea what it cost me. My dearest wish is seeing this restaurant becoming successful so don't piss me off with your bullshit. I know what I want."
Zeff didn't answer and the next few minutes ticked by in the babble of voices of the adjoining room and the clink of utensils on the worktop. Sanji's knife furiously sliced the food but his tension made his gestures clumsy and the blond took two times to cut his eggplant into thin and harmonious slices. Annoyed by his own agitation, he then forsook his vegetables and leaned against the opposite wall to let his gaze wander through the window. He stuffed a cigarette between his lips and noticed that his hands were shaking.
He sighed. "I can't believe I'm so nervous…"
Still leaning over the sink, Zeff shrugged. "Don't go crying when the evening hasn't even started yet. You just told me it was you who wanted to open this restaurant."
"I know," The blond got annoyed, "It's just… It's not just a restaurant, as you noticed. It's the future of this entire ocean that depends on us!"
"You're going a bit too far," His mentor growled. "All we do is cook. The rest, we can't do much about it."
Sanji shook his head, letting his gaze wander again into the night-darkened ocean. "I wish Luffy and the others were here," He whispered suddenly. "Knowing what they think would have helped…" He then bit his lip in spite of himself. "Chopper and Brook would have tasted the desserts; they never get tired of sugar. Franky would have tested the spicy dishes and Robin-chan always has the safest opinion regarding the accompaniment of the dishes with the most suitable tea. Nami-san would have noticed the freshest fruit in seconds. Zoro would have no equal in praising the bar and Luffy would sell the whole menu to the first comer provided he hadn't eaten it all before…"
Sanji then laughed but it wasn't a mirthful sound. He was aware that he became melancholic at the most unexpected moments since his friends had left. "I can't even call them today; the connection doesn't work where they are…"
For his part, Zeff was finishing drying his potatoes and he turned around after a few moments to wipe his hands. "Do they have newspapers in the New World?"
At these words, the blond turned his attention back to him, frowning. "Newspapers?"
"Yeah, newspapers. They know how to read down there too, right?"
"What kind of question is that? Of course, they do," He grumbled. "Why?"
"Because if you stopped whining for five minutes to cook, you might have a chance they'd hear about you thanks to the next News Coo."
The old cook grumbled and then took the fish they had marinated in the afternoon out of the fridge. Meanwhile, Sanji let his mentor's words warm him. Zeff was probably right. If he worked hard enough, perhaps the Straw Hat crew would hear from him despite the extreme conditions they encountered in the New World. This perspective gave the cook a little courage and he grabbed his knife again. He no longer shared their daily lives, but he could still make them proud.
Sanji put the cassolettes in the oven in one fluid motion and while straightening up, he grabbed the parsley with one hand then shifted to the left to grab the saucepan where his cream was simmering. He slammed the oven door shut with his hip and rushed to the worktop with his new ingredients. He poured the cream over the fish and the pan-fried mushrooms already placed on the plates facing him with a precise flick of the wrist, carefully adjusting the necessary quantity while taking care of the aesthetic result. Without taking his eyes off his dish, he then grabbed the small scissors on his right and chopped the parsley at full speed in order to flavor each dish.
His task completed, he allowed himself a second of respite to stare at the large wall clock in the kitchen. 10:17pm. Most of the customers had finished their starters and he was browning the last cassolettes while the main course plates finished being prepared. So far, everything was going as planned: Lily provided a good part of the service and the blond helped her to ensure a regular rhythm. Sanji had also recommended most of the tables on their wine selection and he couldn't help but pay a few flirtatious compliments to several women. Fortunately, the majority of them had been amused by his attitude rather than offended and the blond himself hadn't lingered to fulfill his role in the kitchen. The most important thing remained that no one seemed to have recognized him and for everyone he met, he was just the waiter helping the chef.
"What the hell are you doing with the plates? Are you asleep or something?"
Sanji sprinkled his preparation with pepper and he turned around, a mocking smile on his lips. "They're ready. If you didn't twiddle your thumbs, we could serve the second side dish at the same time."
Zeff groaned and threw two leeks at him, which the blond barely caught. "What's wrong with you, old man?" He got annoyed while Lily came to retrieve the hot plates placed on a tray.
"A leek fondue for table twelve. The customer is allergic to mushrooms." The cook nodded and a thin smile even stretched his lips around his cigarette butt as he walked over to the sink to clean them up. "You forgot what it's like to work with someone efficient if you didn't even have time to take care of it," He sneered, a new knife in hand while a knob of butter was already sizzling in his pan.
In response, Zeff placed his own preparation to garnish the new plates, a pot overflowing with small vegetables each perfectly cooked according to its variety. "When you're done talking, maybe we can get to desserts. Or have you lost the habit of keeping up the pace when cooking for a single crew?"
Sanji gritted his teeth and focused on his leeks. No way did the old man think his abilities had taken a hit and for the first time in his life, he thanked Luffy for having such an appetite. He hadn't spent all these nights and all these days in his company without developing endurance and a foolproof technique, so he redoubled his ardor, determined to prove it to Zeff.
When Sanji finally turned off the lights in the room, Zeff was finishing tidying up the kitchen. The old cook planned to go straight up to bed and the blond locked the door behind him as he left. In doing so, he immediately lit a cigarette and took advantage of the cold night air to sort through the events of the evening, a smile on the corner of his lips.
Despite his initial apprehension, everything had gone well. Being immersed in work had done him good and for her part, Lily had welcomed the guests with simplicity, her natural charm doing the rest. The two journalists had of course insisted on knowing the reasons for the opening of the restaurant and the young woman had skillfully directed the subject to the difficulty that the doors represented to stabilize. Then there were a few curious questions about the characteristics of the ocean that she was able to answer without difficulty and in the end, Zeff spoke about the food he intended to serve.
His somewhat gruff attitude hadn't discouraged the customers who probably thought that a personality such as his fit perfectly with the desire for authenticity of these people who had seized the opportunity to participate in this opening in search of new sensation. Indeed, it wasn't the first time that they were promised tasty food but they had never been invited on an unknown ocean to discover it and that had made the difference.
Now however, they were enthusiastic for both the ocean and the food and Sanji had even heard some applause when Lily had come to end the evening. The heart of the young cook was full of joy when he had heard it: he was sure now, All Blue was going to be known not only for its ocean but also for its restaurant of the same name.
The blond shook his head as he walked towards Liam and Lily who were facing the ocean near the cherry tree. Maybe the old geezer had been right to baptize the restaurant of the same name as the ocean in which it bathed. The sea notoriety would reflect on the restaurant and for Zeff as for his protege, All Blue was the real reason for their presence here. No doubt it was a kind of homage then.
"This opening was a success, the first reservations won't be long, I'm sure," He said, coming closer with confidence.
His two friends turned to him to nod back and the blond instantly sensed the unusual tension between them. Surprised, he took a drag on his cigarette. "Something wrong?"
"Sort of," Liam sighed.
"No, we knew it was coming," Lily corrected.
Sanji frowned and removed the cigarette from his mouth, the smoke mingling with his condensed breath in the cold night air. "What is it?"
"The crossing of the door went very well. It remained stable all evening and the customers were delighted to be able to switch from the Grand Line to the All Blue so easily," The scientist said.
"And that's not good news?" The cook wondered.
"Most of the inhabitants of All Blue are gone," The young fisherwoman whispered. Sanji stared at her in disbelief and she looked down. "What do you mean they're gone?" The blond then inquired, appalled.
"Don't take it personally," Liam tried to calm him down.
"Most of them were just waiting to be able to leave," The young woman added softly, "Even if they really believed in your project, they suffered too long here. As soon as they saw that customers were coming in and out without a hitch, they gathered their things…"
Silence settled among the three friends and Sanji finally brought his cigarette butt to his lips, his eyes fixed on the sea. Yet after a few moments, he shook his head firmly, more determined than ever. "They can leave if they feel like it, but believe me, they'll be back soon when they see what All Blue has become!"
This chapter wasn't so easy to write at the time. The opening needed a lot of details to remain coherent and guarantee realism.
Next chapter is about the crew!