Chapter 47

Remember

"This wasn't so bad," Nami said.

Around the table on the Sunny where they were gathered for a snack a few hours after disembarking on the island, her crewmates nodded.

"They had a good quantity of Adam's wood and we bought everything we could but we'll need to wait for their next delivery for the finishing touches," Franky agreed.

"Their prices were not as exorbitant as I feared," the redhead added.

"They had tons of different woods!" Luffy said, swallowing his third muffin.

"Some storekeepers seem to be linked to traffickers in the region," Jinbei continued. "At the cola warehouse, I saw several shipments of illicit materials."

"They tried to fence a lot of stuff," Zoro confirmed, grabbing the tea that the skeleton handed him.

"Very dangerous herbs and plants for those who don't have enough skills to handle them," Chopper added.

"They're obviously still looking for a solution to revive their economy," Brook noted, pouring himself a cup of tea with enthusiasm.

"Their official activity revolves around aerospace," Robin informed them, her own cup in hand. "There's a very large research center a little away from the city."

"What about this big water tower we see in the distance?" Usopp asked.

"This is one of their auxiliaries," the archaeologist replied.

"It doesn't look young," the swordsman noted.

"Given the field of activity, I am quite surprised that they persist in this path," Jinbei pointed out. "The money required for this type of research is usually very high."

"They probably don't have many other assets to develop," the navigator deduced.

"How did it go at the market, Sanji?" Chopper asked since his crewmate hadn't yet opened his mouth.

"Uneventfully, don't worry." The cook replied while bringing new muffins to his captain who jumped for joy, "There's not a lot of choice but the products are of good quality overall."

"It's obvious that the inhabitants aren't very rich," Usopp remembered. "The town is rather dilapidated and the storekeepers aren't talkative…"

"They seem to be on the lookout," Robin agreed, "It is likely that their painful experience is still vivid in their memory."

"We saw several… posters," Nami admitted, casting a quick glance at the blond who had returned to his worktop. "They're a little old but it can't be that long ago."

"They seemed to be gods here given the number of portraits plastered everywhere," the sniper agreed uneasily.

"That might be a problem," the blond chimed in when he returned to his friends with a new pot of tea in hand.

"Did something happen?" Chopper immediately asked him, worried.

"No, but the island isn't big and the Sunny is clearly visible as soon as you go down to the port. It won't take long for them to recognize us."

"They'll make the connection with your name and your presence among the Straw Hat Pirates," Jinbei said. Sanji nodded while pouring tea for the navigator. "Yean, that's for sure. My wanted poster is particularly clear now."

"What do you think the reaction of the residents would be?" Brook asked.

"Hard to say," Franky muttered. "They seemed to be busier making some money than anything else, but if I were them, I wouldn't be happy to see someone with the name of those who took everything from them."

"Sanji has nothing to do with them!" The little reindeer got indignant.

"Of course, Chopper, but they don't know," Usopp reminded him with a sigh.

"Adam wood's next delivery is in a few days but, if necessary, we'll head back to sea right away," Nami suggested.

"The Log-Pose reloads in four days but we can use the other destinations," Robin agreed.

"So far, no one has given the impression that we're not welcome," the swordsman pointed out. "Besides, it wouldn't be in their interest to provoke us; they're clearly not strong enough."

"Zoro's right, it's useless to anticipate now," the navigator admitted. "The best thing is to remain attentive and behave as usual. If necessary, there'll still be time to modify our strategy. What do you think, Sanji-kun?" She added to include him in this decision.

"I have no objections, Nami-san," the blond assured her. "Just because these bastards have been there doesn't mean we shouldn't pursue our initial goal. Moving towards Laugh Tale is the only thing that matters."

As his crewmates nodded, Luffy stole the last muffin from the table before stuffing it into his mouth. "It's decided then: we'll see!"

His crew could only agree with his words. Not having a strategy and adapting to the moment worked much better for them usually. When they had a plan, the first of them always managed not to follow it anyway.

Sanji slowly strolled through the streets of the city. He was looking for something without knowing what exactly and he could have stayed on the Sunny to remain as discreet as possible but as the hours passed, his nervousness had gotten the better of him. After returning to the ship, the blond had spent his time in his galley and making several doughs for the quiches for the evening meal had kept him busy. The next day, he had begun to glance inland, and after lunch he couldn't help but imagine the damage the Germa had possibly inflicted on the locals.

Thanks to his purchase, Franky worked tirelessly to renovate the ship with Chopper, Usopp and Jinbei while Zoro slept at the crow's nest and Brook and Luffy fished in the port. Only the girls had decided to return to town and Sanji had tried to stay on the Sunny as much as possible. Yet after giving their snacks to his companions, he had finally cracked.

He had informed his friends that he was going for a ride and Chopper had offered to go with him but the cook had declined. He simply needed to assess the impact the Vinsmokes had had on this town. Maybe if he didn't notice anything unusual, he would feel calmer. Sanji knew his guilt was irrational because he hadn't participated in plundering the people of their wealth or knowledge but it was no less real. This cursed name attached him to those from whom he wanted to break away at all costs and with it, the weight of responsibility for their actions.

For the moment, however, apart from the time-worn posters to the glory of Germa, he hadn't seen anything special. The streets were quiet and although the buildings looked rather shabby, the residents didn't look like they were starving but working hard. Their faces were tired and they didn't linger but a few smiles were visible here and there. The islanders were probably recovering from their failed collaboration and if it was only about economic damage, Sanji considered it the lesser evil.

At the turn of a small square, the cook saw several stallholders and he approached with curiosity. He had already filled the Sunny's pantry with Usopp the day before but he might discover new ingredients. Moreover, if he could help the inhabitants at the same time by purchasing their goods, he would be all the more satisfied.

Sanji made his way through the small handful of people who were examining the foodstuffs available. There was no crowd but the blond still had to move to let a family pass before reaching the stall that had first attracted his attention. While he was carefully examining the local cakes, wondering if he should take fifteen or twenty to satisfy Luffy's appetite in addition to that of the crew, he was suddenly slightly jostled. Turning his head, he noticed that a lovely young dark-haired woman had bumped into him, her arms full of packages to the point of hiding her view.

With heart-shaped eyes, he was about to rush towards her when she shifted her bags to apologize, confused. Their eyes met and while Sanji was already reaching out to relieve her of her load, those of the young woman widened and she backed away with a cry. Her bags fell off but she didn't try to catch them, obviously too scared to even move.

Sanji lowered his hand, stunned. Maybe he had been a little abrupt in his eagerness, but never before had he faced such a reaction. He took a step forward to apologize for his boldness but his gesture made the whole crowd around him and even the stallholders move back. He froze this time, a bad feeling running up his spine in a long thrill.

"P-Please forgive me, Mr. Vinsmoke, I'm terribly sorry! I-I didn't see you! Please, forgive me!"

Sanji felt his stomach churn as the young woman fell at his feet, her voice strangled. In shock, he took a second to compose himself but before he could help her to get up, a man broke through the crowd to also fall in front of him.

"Have mercy, Mr. Vinsmoke, my sister has been working tirelessly for two days; she's exhausted!"

Sanji widened his eyes in shock. "Get up! I'm not gonna-

"O-Of course, I'm sorry!" The man jumped up and violently pulled on her sister's arm to push her out of the way faster. Then they remained cautiously kneeling, paying absolutely no attention to the food now spread out on the ground. The blond tried to calm them down.

"Let me hel-

"I'm begging you, don't hurt us!" The man cried as the cook approached and he threw himself on the ground again, dragging his sister with him until their heads touched the dirty street. Sanji went completely still.

"I'll do whatever you want but don't hurt my sister!" The man implored again with a throb in his voice.

Around them, the other inhabitants shuddered in terror and some decided to leave right away. Sanji looked at them, helpless. Wherever he looked, he saw only fear and concern on the faces of those anticipating his next move.

"I-I don't wanna hurt you," he stammered.

His words didn't have the desired effect because no one moved and Sanji felt his heart pounding in his chest. He took a deep breath but before he could open his mouth to explain the situation, the cake seller shoved all his preparations into his arms.

"Please accept my modest pastries and I'll bring you some more as soon as you want!" He pleaded.

"You can also take my food!" Another stallholder told him.

"And mine!"

Sanji barely glanced at them, groggy. On the ground, the young woman and her brother were still crying as they awaited his sentence and the merchants were scrambling to give him the food they sorely needed. The food that had fallen earlier lay a few steps away, forgotten, and the rest of the inhabitants continued to watch the scene in terror.

Sanji felt his heartbeat race. He needed to leave right away.

"I don't need it." He returned the pastries to the merchant with a sudden move and before anyone could react, he soared to the sky to escape them.

"Cook!"

Sanji woke up with a start. He sat up from the galley table where he had fallen asleep, but the harsh light hurt his eyes and he blinked for a moment, panting. Finally, he saw the swordsman's face above him and felt his hand on his shoulder. The blond stared at him for a minute, visibly lost.

"Wh-What?"

"You were having a nightmare."

At these words, Sanji became aware of his fast-beating heart and his forehead covered with sweat. Fragments of his dream suddenly came back to him and he shivered.

"I'm okay…"

He closed his eyes and placed a hand on his face to try to regain his senses. The images came back strongly now and he forced himself to take deep breaths to calm down.

When he had returned to the Sunny, he had managed to regain his calm by making several brioches while Brook informed him of the catch he had made with the captain. Still in shock, Sanji had gone through the motions but dinner hadn't been all that bad. After all, he had known that the Germa passing by this island would surely involve sordid consequences but he had hoped it wouldn't.

Confronted with the reality, he had to come to terms with the idea that his presence had spread across the whole town now. He hadn't yet found the courage to tell his friends. The crew wouldn't be surprised because they had considered this possibility since their arrival but he needed to accept it before facing it. A few more hours wouldn't change much anyway. Indeed, Sanji doubted that the inhabitants would try anything against him or the Straw Hat Pirates given the terror they felt in front of him.

After dinner, he had naturally felt that he wouldn't be able to sleep and he had settled down with a recipe book to pass the time and a cup of herbal infusion made by the ship's doctor. The blond hadn't had another panic attack for several days but he knew that it had been a close call a few hours earlier so he preferred not to take any risks. Sanji had thought he wouldn't be able to sleep all night but he had obviously ended up falling asleep and he regretted it bitterly now as his body began to shake.

"Should I go get Chopper?"

The cook opened his eyes between his fingers, suddenly remembering the presence of the swordsman at his side. Zoro's hand had left his shoulder but he was looking at him attentively and his furrowed eyebrows showed his concern. The swordsman had probably finished his watch and before going to bed, he must have wanted to get a bottle. But instead of his usual snack, he had found the cook stirring in his sleep, his face tense and his breathing wheezing.

"I… I just need… He must have left the herbal mixture in the infirmary."

Zoro simply nodded before pushing open the door connecting the two rooms. A second later, he placed several small bags in front of the blond before heading towards the teapot and heating the water.

By the time the water started to boil, not a word was said, and Zoro just observed his companion in silence while Sanji tried to regain control of his body. In the end, the swordsman placed the teapot on the table and the blond grabbed his empty cup to fill it with a new bag before pouring the hot water. More minutes stretched out in silence while the cook watched the water in his cup gradually turn red. At least, his fingers had stopped shaking.

"What was it this time?"

Sanji slowly raised his head. Leaning against the counter in front of him, Zoro had crossed his arms over his chest to better observe him. His eyebrows were still furrowed, proof that he wasn't yet satisfied with the blond's state, and Sanji sighed.

"A nightmare. Or rather, a memory of the time when I was still in North Blue…"

Sanji didn't specify but Zoro understood perfectly that he was referring to the Germa and he simply nodded. The cook wrapped his hands around the hot cup and let his gaze drift in there again.

"I was about… six years old," he recalled after a moment. "Judge regularly tested our physical abilities to gauge our progress and I probably experimented just about every possible training. Needless to say, I was far from passing whatever the test. Running for hours without stopping. Jumping from the surrounding wall more than ten meters. Dueling against each other when my brothers already had superhuman strength. And swimming…"

Sanji shivered despite the hot cup between his fingers and he closed his eyes for a second, the horror of that day brought back to life by his nightmare. For his part, Zoro didn't move.

"Obviously, I was constantly behind but I was doing my best," he finally continued. "I could see that I wasn't meeting the expected standards and I worked harder because that was what was expected of me and I wanted… to please him. But that day, I really almost died."

The cook raised his cup to his lips and the liquid burned his throat. He then gently put it down.

"The tests also consisted of making us swim long distances in the middle of the Grand Line. I wasn't a bad swimmer but compared to the others, I was pathetic. I remember vividly the moment my body gave out. I had lost count of the cramps because of the freezing cold of the sea and the continuous effort. I don't know how long I swam, maybe hours. But suddenly, everything stopped. I started to sink. I already didn't have much breath left so it was quick. In a matter of seconds, what little air I still had was gone. The water invaded everything and the salt burned my throat and eyes. I couldn't see anything. I started screaming, I struggled. I knew I was going to die. Nobody came."

Sanji took another shaky sip of his drink and Zoro frowned. "How did you make it?"

The blond kept his eyes fixed on his cup. "Reiju told me that Germa soldiers eventually fished me out. I don't remember because I had already lost consciousness. All I remember is the terror of seeing the sea swallowing me up without being able to do anything about it and the panic I felt when I realized that I was alone. This nightmare is always the same…"

Silence settled again and Sanji finished his infusion before getting up to take a few steps. He passed by the swordsman to rinse his cup and then decided to sit on the bench. He buried a hand in his hair to grip it with a nervous laugh.

"I didn't mean to feel sorry for myself, I'm sorry you had to hear that," he whispered to his companion who was now drinking. "It's just that with this island and what happened this afternoon…"

"What happened?"

Zoro stood up from the counter he was still leaning on and Sanji looked down at his hands which he began to twist anxiously. He hadn't missed the swordsman's suspicious glances during dinner but he hadn't wanted to see it as a sign. Now, he was forced to change his mind though. Maybe because of his slightly quieter behavior or simply by intuition due to their presence on this island, Zoro seemed to have sensed his inner turmoil since his return to the Sunny.

"A young lady recognized me in town and… she thought I was going to hurt her," he confessed, his throat tight. "Just seeing my face and I saw the terror in her eyes. A terror that only the cruelest human beings can inspire. I wanted to get closer but I saw that she was preparing for the worst. She threw herself on the ground, her brother did the same and everyone begged me not to touch them. I don't even want to imagine what they went through… They must have put them through hell, Zoro."

The swordsman took a sip from his bottle. "Probably."

Sanji sighed. "I wanted to tell them that I'm not like them but no one believed me. Everyone was afraid of me and no matter how hard I tried to reassure them, every time I made a move, I petrified them more. I ended up leaving."

"You did what you could."

"Maybe. But that's not enough," the blond whispered.

"What more could you have done?" The swordsman wondered.

"I don't know. Something to help them but I don't know what," the cook admitted.

Zoro didn't add anything and he finished drinking in silence before walking away from the counter. Sanji was lost in thought again and he walked over to the table to place his empty bottle on it and then open the door to go outside. Before going out though, he stopped for a moment, his back to his companion.

"Don't get lost on the way, cook. You've made a lot of progress so don't let them take control of you again. What they've done or what they'll do in the future, there's nothing you can do about it. Remember that you're no longer in the middle of the ocean. You're not alone."

Once again, this is hard for Sanji but Zoro keeps a close watch.

Next chapter, we'll talk about Sanji's feelings from Zoro's point of view!