Sanji looked up and saw a woman approaching him along with two men, standing beside her. The woman was tall, had fiery pink hair and big pink eyes. She was wearing a dark red flamenco style dress with white frills, a green sash for a belt with a large red rose on her hip and hot pink shoes. She was also wearing a gold headband, silver-emerald necklace and diamond shaped emerald earrings. "Sanji, I've searched for you for ten years." The strange woman announced to Sanji.

"Behold, the amazing Carmen!" One of her assistant chefs said.

"The greatest cook in the East Blue!" The second assistant replied.

"I am passion, some has called me Fiery Carmen. Ole'!" Carmen clapped her hands together.

"I am the first apprentice of Carmen, and my name is Leo. " One of her assistants said. He was short, head a big head and a large chin, and his eyes, nose and mouth were small compared to his head. He was wearing a blue matador suit, red tie with a black dress shirt underneath and blue and grey shoes.

"And I am the second, Jose." The other assistant added. He was short, had a round body and a big nose. His nostrils were so large they looked like he was wearing sunglasses, while his eyes were very tiny barely noticeable that he had any at all. He had short brown hair, wearing a green matador suit and a dark green shirt underneath of it, a lighter green tie and green and grey shoes. Sanji ignored them, only focusing on Carmen. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, turning into hearts.

"You are beauty itself!" Sanji exclaimed. "It is my deepest dream come true. Yes! Beauty has come searching for me! It is truly an honor, wonderful Carmen!"

"Don't you dare!" Carmen pulled out a frying pan and smacked Sanji in the face with it.

"My you are so passionate! But tell me Carmen, how is it that you and I know each other?" Sanji asked.

"Oh, boys!" Carmen told her assistance. "Show him."

"Ma'am!" The two pulled out flyers and threw them on the ground in front of Sanji. Sanji picked a few up, looking at them. "Please look!" They were numerous photos of chefs known all throughout the East Blue.

"These are all pictures of chefs."

"These are the most famous cooks of the East Blue! And the great Carmen defeated every one of them in competition." Her assistant told Sanji.

"Yes, actually, I am the most amazing cook in the East Blue. The cooks who have challenged me have all been disappointing in simpler terms. And I was beginning to think that there was no one left to challenge my skills. But then, I came across an article of the Baratie sea restaurant from when you still worked there. A cook from the Baratie said the prior seus chef was the best cook in the East Blue. He said that in all of his years in the restaurant business he had never met your equal. From that moment and now, I have spent every minute of the last ten years searching for the entire East Blue for you." "Now, I challenge you, Sanji! If you dare bring your cooking spices to the market at one in the afternoon, you will be minced like garlic before a heated oil in a pan!" Carmen began to spin around rapidly until she got dizzy. Her two assistants carried her away.

"Okay then, we'll see you later!"

"Finally, a woman with a passion like mine." Sanji murmured.

"So, kid, are you going to compete in the marketplace?" A man asked Sanji.

"Huh? Nah, I don't like contests." Sanji told him and walked away.


"Damn that rubber boy. I can't believe we can't him anywhere on this entire island!" Buggy growled.

"Hey captain, I've been meaning to ask. Why are we wearing cloaks?" Mohji asked him. His pet lion was sitting behind him.

"Why are we wearing cloaks, why are you so stupid!" Buggy shouted. "There is a Marine captain in this town called Smoker. If he finds us before we find straw hat, then I'll never get my revenge! This sucks! Go and find that straw hat before I totally lose it!"

From behind the clown pirate captain, Luffy and Zoro were sitting at a table not too far off as they finished eating their meals.

"Whew, man I'm stuffed. Loguetown might be our last chance to get a good meal for a while. I was starving." Luffy sighed happily, patting his stomach, completely full.

"I was starving, too. Also, completely out of money. I'm glad that I ran into you." Zoro said. Luffy blinked in confusion and looked at the swordsman.

"I don't have any money. I thought you did." The straw hat captain answered. Zoro's eyes widen in shock.

"You don't!?" He hissed.

"You sure you don't?" Luffy asked him.

"Of course not, where would I get any money." Zoro replied. Luffy laughed.

"You are always broke!" He grinned.

"I hate that straw hat! I want to crush him like a bug the next time that I see his ugly face!" Buggy shouted.

"Then how are we going to pay for this meal?" Zoro asked.

"He will pay!" Buggy slammed his hand on the table.

"Maybe we just won't pay." Luffy suggested.

"I swear he'll pay!" As Buggy slammed his fist down again, he hit the tip of his spoon, sending his bag flying behind him. It landed on top of Luffy's hat. Luffy reached up and opened the bag and saw that it was full of gold coins inside. He turned back, looking at Buggy who had his back to him.

"Whoa, that's cool! Hey, you didn't have to buy us our lunch, but thanks!" Luffy grinned as he thanked him. He left the money on the table for the bill and walked over to Buggy, giving the bag back. "You're the best." Zoro walked over and placed his hand on the clown captain's shoulder, thanking him as well.

"Yeah, thanks a lot buddy." The two left the restaurant and Buggy was still unaware that it was Luffy and Zoro.

"Yeah, whatever, you're welcome." He spatted out.

"Come again!" The restaurant owner shouted to Luffy and Zoro as they left the restaurant.

"We will!" Luffy shouted. Buggy's eyes widen.

"Wait, I know that voice!" He gasped.

"Oh yeah, I think that was the straw hat guy." Mohji told him as he ate his food. Buggy stiffened and narrowed his eyes at him with a dark glare.

"If you take one more bite then you'll die." His crewmate yelped at the clown's threat. "Don't just sit there! Go after him, you idiot!"

The crew member ran out along with his pet lion, trying to chase after Zoro and Luffy. "Yes, sir! Which way did he go?!" He ran in the wrong direction the straw hat and Zoro took.


"The market, quite a busy place." Sanji murmured seeing the crowded market full of people. "Loguetown's market is incredible! They have everything that a great could possibly want! These are superb." He approached a fisherman's stand, looking at the varieties of fish.

"You sure know how to pick 'em. You're looking at some coastal fish that we've just caught earlier this morning." The salesman smiled.

"Coastal fish? They sure are firm and fresh. Are you sure that they were caught in the East Blue? I've never seen them before. What kind of fish is this?" Sanji asked him.

"Ah, you definitely know your way around sea food. You are correct, these fish are different they're from the West Blue. People from the East Blue usually don't know this type." The man told Sanji.

"The West Blue? Then why do you call them coastal fish?" Sanji asked.

"Young man, is this your first time here?"

"Uh, yeah." Sanji answered.

"Just look at this. You won't find fish like these in the East Blue, we've got tons of 'em. You can pull them out of the water all day long." The salesman said.

"So how does that happen?" Sanji asked.

"The crossing currents brings them in from all of the other seas out there. Loguetown is just in the right place." The man explained to Sanji. Suddenly, there was a loud commotion coming from across the docks from the market. Sanji and the man saw a large crowd. "Hey, sounds like they caught something good! Let's go check it out!" The two walked over to see what it was.

"So, what is it? Holy-!" The salesman fisherman's eyes widen in shock and disbelief. "Nice catch! It's an elephant blue fin tuna fish!" Sanji's eyes widen as well in shock. The fish was blue in color had like elepahant-like ears and tusks.

"That's right! It must have gotten mixed in from the South Blue. I got it with pull and line!" The fisherman replied.

"Blue fin tuna fish." Sanji murmured.

"Hey look! This fish it's a weird one!" A younger Sanji was reading a book about different fish found all over the seas, while two chefs were washing the dishes.

"What are you doing with that cookbook, Sanji? You studying different kinds of fish?" One of the chefs asked him.

"That one's the elephant blue fin tuna." Another one explained as they saw the fish that Sanji was looking at.

"You ever seen this fish?" Sanji asked.

"Sometimes it's called the gem of the ocean." One of the chefs answered.

"Some people say that it's a miracle even." Another one said. "But I've never seen one."

"Of course not. That one's from the South Blue, you never seen one from the East Blue unless you can find the All Blue." The other chef said.

"The All Blue, now that would be impossible." The chef replied.

"Tell me about the All Blue." Sanji asked them.

"It's an legendary sea where all of the fish in the world swim together." The chef told Sanji.

"Careful or he'll believe a word that you say." The other chef retorted.

"Where is the All Blue?" Sanji asked.

"I told you. Now he thinks it's real."

"It's a joke, Sanji. The All Blue doesn't really exist. Forget about it, just keep studying." The first chef answered.

"The All Blue." Sanji murmured, softly.

"Okay, lift it!" One of the fishermen shouted as they were about to move the fish.

"Hey, hold on a second! How much for it? Sell the fish to me!" Sanji insisted.

"What?" The fisherman looked at Sanji, confused.

"I've got money! Please, let me buy that tuna!" Sanji shouted.

"I'm sorry, but I can't sell this to you. This fish is going to be the grand prize for the contest." The fisherman answered.

"It's a prize?" Sanji questioned.

"That's right. The annual cooking contest happens today. So, cooks from all over the East Blue will be here to compete and this will be the grand prize for the winner." The fisherman explained.

"It is an elephant blue fin tuna, after all. Any champion cook will be honored to have it as a prize." The other fisherman answered.

"If you really want it then you should enter the contest. You are a cook, aren't ya?" The salesman asked Sanji.

"Yeah." Sanji replied.

"Registration is right over there. You should give it a try if you still want a shot at the tuna. If I were you, I'd hurry before it closes. See ya!"

"A cooking contest, yeah! Wait a second..." Sanji hummed. Where had he heard about the cooking contest before? Did someone tell him about it earlier? He remembered that someone did, but nothing came up. "Oh well." Sanji shrugged and walked over to the registry to sign in for the contest.


Usopp, Aya and Nami were exploring the streets as they were walking.

"Hey! There she is! Aya!" The three stopped, hearing someone call out.

"Do you hear something?" Nami asked. Aya recognized the voice. "Thats-" The group looked up and saw Ichi waving down at them. To everyone's shock he jumped off! Nami screamed as they saw the man hurtling straight down towards them. "Why would he do that?! Is he crazy or something!?" Usopp shouted. As Ichi was about to reach the ground, for a split second it looked like he hovered for a bit then landed his feet on the ground, landing in front of the three, completely safe.

Nami, Aya and Usopp stared in disbelief. Ichi brushed himself off until he noticed the group staring at him.

"What?"

"What do you mean, what? You just fell 25 feet to the ground!" Nami shouted.

"Really? It felt higher than that." Ichi shrugged.

"That's not the point!" Nami shouted, angrily.

"Why are you here?" Aya asked him.

"Wait, you know him, Aya?" Usopp asked. Aya nodded.

"Sort of. He works at the fortune teller's shop as her assistant." She told him and Nami.

"We were in the neighborhood." Ichi replied. "My brother and I were headed to the market to pick up some groceries."

"We?" Aya questioned. Suddenly, she tensed up when she felt a hand placed on her shoulder. Aya heard Usopp yelp in surprise, Nami as well. Aya turned her head to her surprise she saw that it was L, standing right next to her. Aya stared at him in shock.

"It seems that we're all heading in the same direction. Mind if we tag along?" L asked.


Down at the market, there were swarms of people crowding the marketplace, waiting for the competition to begin. "The annual cooking festivities is about to start!" The salesman shouted. Aya, Nami, Usopp, Ichi, and L arrived to see the crowded market, wondering what was going on.

"It's so crowded. I wonder what's going on." Aya questioned.

"This year's grand prize, the elephant blue fin tuna! It's the gem of the ocean and a miracle! Who is going to win this truly spectacular prize?" The salesman announced.

"That will be me." Sanji looked over and his eyes widen to see Carmen not too far from him. "I'm so glad that you've decided to show, Sanji. But the title of the East Blue number one is going to be mine. This will be fun. I've never had any real competition before."

"Oh, my Carmen! It is so good to see you again!" The cook's eyes turned into hearts, and he rushed over to her, taking Carmen's hand. He puckered his lips to kiss it. "My lips are so close!"

"Don't you dare!" Carmen smacked Sanji on the head with the frying pan again.

"Yeah, that's the fiery passion that I craved!" Sanji exclaimed.

"Hey, look over there! Sanji's here!" Nami shouted.

"You're right!" Usopp shouted.

"Of course." Aya sighed.

"Hey, over here, Sanji!" Usopp called out to the cook. Sanji turned his head, seeing the three the crowd. Sanji ran over, looking at Aya and Nami, ignoring Usopp.

"Nami, Aya! You came to watch me compete!" He grinned, happily.

"Uh, no. We were just walking by." Aya replied.

"So, what made you want to compete in a cooking contest, Sanji?" Nami asked.

"Usopp, when did you get here?" Sanji turned to Usopp.

"I was the one who shouted out your name, first, jerk!" The sniper shouted.

"Who's ready to start cooking?! Just for fun we picked one of you out of the crowd to join our panel of judges. Someone on the stand, who was just on his way home to sweep off the rest of his daughter's wedding reception. You ready, sir?" The salesman said.

"Yeah!" The man shouted, obviously drunk.

"The rules are very simple; each cook competes in a blind draw head-to-head elimination round, with the highest total score wins. Whoever ends up undefeated throughout all of the rounds will be the East Blue champion. First up, from the Eastern Part of the East Blue, Sues the Lizard! Facing him representing our very own Loguetown, Broccoli! Ready! Let's go!" The two chefs competed against each other as everyone watched them.

"What's up, Sanji? You really want to be known as the best cook in the East Blue?" Usopp asked.

"No, that's don't be stupid. I'm just after one thing and that's the fish." Sanji told him.

"Fish?" Nami turned her head, seeing the elephant fish on the grand prize stand for the winner of the contest. Aya saw it as well.

"Yeah, that looks like a nice fish." She replied.

"It sure does. But the confusing part is figuring out exactly how to get that fish to talk." Sanji was already thinking of the different recipes that he was going to cook. He noticed Ichi and L standing behind Aya.

"Who are you?" Sanji asked. "And why are you standing so close to my Aya?" Aya's mouth dropped slightly, taken back by what Sanji had said. Usopp's mouth dropped a little as well. L narrowed his eyes at Sanji, while Ichi was staring at him, silently.

"I'm L and this idiot is my brother, Ichi." He replied as he introduced himself and Ichi to Sanji.

"I'm just here to see you cook! Nami and Aya both said that you're the best!" Ichi said.

One by one each chef faced against each other, including Sanji and Carmen, defeating their opponents, climbing to the top of the ranks. It was time for the final round; it was Sanji against Carmen.

"Now, it's the final round!" The salesman shouted. The crowd cheered, wondering who was going to win!

"Wow, these people are really excited." Aya murmured.

"You're right." Nami replied.

"With his distinctive skills of things for food, we have in the finals, Sanji! Facing him with her gorgeous presentation and culinary acumen, Carmen! Who will be the winner of the elephant blue fin tuna? Start your cooking!" The salesman announced, starting the final round. Sanji and Carmen quickly began to cook their dishes for judges to decide.

"Go Sanji!" Aya shouted.

"Yeah, you got this!" Usopp shouted.

"Carmen is cooking with outstanding showmanship while doing things that are relatively simple. Meanwhile, her two cheerleaders are trying to distract her opponent! And how is Sanji doing? He is rocking! And it looks like Sanji is whipping up a creation of delightful of delights!" The announcer explained as Sanji and Carmen were working on their creations.

"You don't really believe that do you, it's silly." One of the chefs chastised Sanji.

"What would a kid like you know anyway?" Another one commented.

"I know a lot more than you do, you bastard!" Sanji growled, shouting at them.

"That will be enough, Sanji. Can't you see that we're busy cooking? We don't have time for your silly games. Why don't you go and set out the plates?" The chef told Sanji.

"Even if theoretically, this is an impossibility. The North Blue, South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue, they're separate seas that shouldn't be able to mix because of the Red Line continent running from North to South and the Grand Line ocean current running from West to East. A place where you can find all fish from four different seas should be impossible. But I know that it does exist! Otherwise, how do you explain the West Blue fish and the elephant blue fin tuna? That old geezer might not have been just telling stories. I don't have a choice; I have to look for it at the Grand Line. I don't care how long it takes. I will find it! The legendary sea, the All Blue!"

Ichi and L watched in amazement as they saw Sanji picking up the pace as he was working on the finishing touches on his entry dish.

"Sanji is moving on to his final preparations! Carmen is finishing up as well. She just has the plate of her creation. This is it folks, the moment that we have all been waiting for! Who will win the elephant blue fin tuna?! Is only moments away!"

"Sanji's masterpiece is finished!" The announcer replied. "And here comes Carmen with her final touches! Now, it's all in the hands of the judges!"

"Well then, here it goes. The winner of this year's cooking championship is, Sa-WAIT!" Just as the judges were about to speak, Carmen shouted, stopping them. Sanji's eyes widen as he stared at her, also the crowd, wondering as well.

"I cannot forgive myself. I can't believe that I thought that I could beat you. I watched you cook when we were young even back then they wouldn't let me in the kitchen, like you. And it made me so resentful. I trained so hard for so many years, that's why I wanted to find you and show you what I've learned. But after all of this time, you've only gotten better. I don't know what made me think that I could beat you. The truth is, you beat me, fair and square. You are the number one cook in the East Blue." She told Sanji. Sanj's eyes turned to hearts and was about to hug her.

"Carmen, that is the best compliment that everyone's ever given me! I'm so happy that I could kiss you-!" But one of Carmen's assistants smacked Sanji with the pan. "Don't you dare!"

"WHY'D YOU DO THAT?!" Sanji shouted, angrily, kicking the assistant.

"I'm forfeiting this round but be ready for the next time that we meet. I won't lost to you again." Carmen stated.

"Well, if it's a challenge from you, Carmen, I'll definitely accept." Sanji told her.

"And the winner is, Sanji!" The announcer declared.


"Wow, that was fun! I don't know why but I just love competitions." Nami said. She was walking ahead with Aya, while Sanji and Usopp were carrying the giant fish on their shoulders. Ichi and L were trailing behind them, carrying some bags of food.

"HOW DID I GET STUCK CARRYING THE HEAVY END OF THIS THING?!" Usopp exclaimed, angrily.

"Wow, an actual elephant blue fin tuna. I wonder what it tastes like. I just can't wait to cook it!" Sanji said.

"I've never seen one up close before!" Ichi shouted. "It's so big!"

Suddenly, Nami stopped in her tracks looking at the sky. Everyone noticed that she had a strange look in her eyes.

"Huh, what's up, Nami?" Aya asked.

"It's the air." Nami replied.

"Air?" Usopp questioned.

"It's going to rain." Nami explained.

"But it's so nice out." Usopp said, confused. The sky was completely clear, the sun shining as well, with a few clouds drifting by. There was no sign that a storm coming.

"How do you know Nami?" Aya asked.

"I'm sure of it. Let's hurry." Nami said and she ran off heading to the docks.

"Wait!" Usopp shouted. The three ran off chasing after her, leaving Ichi and L behind.

"Okay, see you guys later!" Ichi called out as he waved goodbye to them. L silently watched them left and turned around walking away.

"Let's go."


As Luffy and Zoro were walking the streets as strong gust of wind blew Luffy's straw hat off from his head. "My hat! Wait! Stop hat!" Luffy cried out. He quickly chased after it, leaving Zoro behind. Zoro tried to follow after Luffy but lost him in an alley as Luffy turned into a sharp corner, still chasing after his head.

"Uh, Luffy, where'd you go?" Zoro called out.

The straw hat finally dropped on the ground and Luffy picked it up, putting it back on his head. "My hat. Hmm? Oh, I found it, the execution platform! Here goes!" Luffy grinned, seeing that he was back at the town square, the execution platform was straight ahead of him.

"Captain, we've found him, this way!" One of Buggy's crew members told him as he approached the clown pirate, waiting in an alley.

"Are you sure about that?" Buggy asked.

"You found him? He's there now?!" Smoker exclaimed.

"Yeah, we were watching the square as you ordered, and he just showed up out of nowhere!" One of the Marine soldiers explained to him.

"Perfect." Smoker huffed. "So, you finally showed up. Took him long enough."

Luffy had managed to make it to the top of the platform and stood on top of it, looking down at the square. Several bystanders and town residents noticed him as they looked up at him, wondering why he was up there.

"Woo hoo! So, this is what the king of the pirates saw when he died!"