As the Going Merry continued sailing, Ferros came up with the cannonballs stored in the hold.
"Okay, we're going to have to keep well-stocked on these. No telling what threats we'll run into as we travel the Grand Line. Usopp, how about helping make sure the cannons are properly calibrated?"
Usopp saluted. "Sure thing!"
Zoro, meanwhile, was sleeping on the roof of the cabin.
"Wonder what he dreams about," Luffy said.
"Probably how he got his dream in the first place." Merone guessed.
"Hey Nami, you've got good eyes. Any place where we can fire that won't put anybody in potential danger?" Ariala asked.
"There's a reef just to the south of here that make for great target practice."
As Lithos got the Merry into position, Zoro dreamed about his past, something he had told Luffy and the Children of Whitebeard shortly after they met.
Back when Zoro was a young boy, he had arrived at Shimotsuki Village to challenge the dojo of Koshiro, a kendo teacher. He was determined to face the strongest fighter so Koshiro called in his daughter, Kuina. Zoro was swiftly defeated but he took that as a sign to train even harder, so he became a student at the dojo, taking on the hardest regiments, slowly growing in strength and skill.
He ended each day tired but satisfied with his progress and it wasn't long before he was outperforming most of the other students. And eventually, he reached a level of skill where he could defeat the adults of the dojo with ease. However, no matter what level he reached, Kuina seemed to beat him every time they fought. Even after two thousand matches, he lost every single time.
This left Zoro feeling frustrated but the next time he challenged Kuina, he realized she had her own frustrations to vent out, feeling that she'd only become weaker as she grew older due to being born a woman. However, Zoro told her that she shouldn't limit herself and they made a promise that one of them would grow up to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, a dream they both shared.
Tragically, Kuina lost her life in a fatal accident and Zoro, in anger and grief, threw himself into his training. Koshiro came to him and handed him the dojo's prized sword, Wado Ichimonji, asking that he promise to become stronger for both his and Kuina's sake and that was when Zoro vowed that no matter what, he would achieve his dream not just for himself, but for Kuina as well.
Zoro had never cried so hard that day. And it would be a long while before he would shed tears again. Eight years later, Zoro perfected his Three-Sword Style. He left a final funerary offering at Kuina's grave, then said his goodbyes to Koshiro before setting out to fulfill the promise he made.
Back in the present, the sound of the Merry's cannon woke Zoro from his dream, leaving him annoyed that his nap was interrupted.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Thomas and Usopp are checking the cannons. We have to make sure they're ready at a moment's notice." Merone explained.
Usopp proved as be as skilled with heavy weaponry as he was with a slingshot, easily blasting the large stone reef with the first shot.
"Nice! It looks like all our cannons work and are properly calibrated." Ferros approved.
"Well, we'll still need a more dedicated gunner going forward. Cannons aren't really my specialty." Usopp admitted.
"Oooh! Pick me! Pick me!" Ed cheered, hopping up and down.
"I don't know about you, Ed." Double-D pointed out. "As for me, while I could provide medical aid with my Devil Fruit, I'm still a novice when it comes to being a Doctor, meaning we'll have to find a dedicated one at some point."
"And with my Devil Fruit, I don't wanna be restricted to just guns!" Eddy said.
As it turns out, Eddy had eaten Douglas Bullet's Devil Fruit, the Clank-Clank Fruit, which granted the user the power to disassemble objects and reassemble them into whatever they pleased. As for Double-D and Ed, they had eaten the Pharm-Pharm Fruit and the Absorb-Absorb Fruit respectively.
"You know, now that we have a big kitchen to work with, we should consider finding a cook for our crew," Luffy said as the crew headed down to the ship's galley.
"I'd also recommend a boatswain at some point. Especially since we're starting to form a more complete crew." Lithos added.
"Yeah, I mean, we're already at eleven crew members!" Ariala pointed out. "That's a big number for a group just starting out."
They suddenly heard someone causing a ruckus up on the deck.
"Come out, you damn pirates!"
"Okay, who's making a mess outta my ship?!" Luffy demanded as he stepped out.
The one causing a ruckus was revealed to be a man with short black hair wearing sunglasses and brandishing a sword. On his face was tattooed the kanji for "Sea".
"Who I am doesn't matter!"
He started to swing his sword, but Ariala caught him in a pocket of wind, levitating him off the ground.
"We just got this ship! So no roughhousing!"
"How many are there?" Zoro asked.
"Just one from the looks of it," Nami noted.
"Really? Just one lousy punk thought he could take on this whole ship?" Eddy asked incredulously.
"Me and my buddy have taken the heads of many pirates!" The man snapped. "I'm not about to let my partner get killed by some nameless pirate scum!"
He tried to strike with his sword, but Ariala yanked it out of his hand since he was still in her air prison and caught it in her hand.
"We have no idea what you're even talking about! Where did you jerks even come from?!"
"Hang on... I recognize that voice." Zoro spoke up as he stepped onto the deck to see the man futilely trying to free his sword from Ariala's grip. "Johnny, that you?"
"Who the hell is saying my name like they're familiar with me?!" Johnny replied before noticing Zoro. "Wait...Aniki?! What are you doing on a pirate ship?!"
"It's a long story. Where's Yosaku? Isn't he usually with you?"
"You know this guy, Zoro?" Luffy asked.
"Yeah, we were partners for a while during my bounty-hunting days."
After being put down by Ariala, Johnny showed the crew a small boat hooked to the Merry. On it was another man with buzzcut hair wearing headgear with a bandaged stomach wound.
"Yosaku!" Zoro called out in concern. "What the hell happened to him?"
"He got sick," Johnny explained as the crew helped Yosaku onto the deck. "He was all full of life until a few days ago. Then he started getting pale and kept fainting. I have no idea what's causing it. His teeth fell out and his old wound opened up and started bleeding. I brought him to a rocky island to rest..."
"And it happened to be the one we were using for target practice," Usopp realized.
"Oh, dear..." Double-D muttered. "We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience we inadvertently brought you and your friend, sir."
Merone sighed. "I know what this is. He's suffering from scurvy. It's a common affliction for seagoers."
"Is it fatal?!" Johnny asked worriedly.
"It can be if not treated immediately. Luckily finding treatment is easy if you plan ahead." Lithos said.
"Hey, Nami, we need one of the fruit juices! One of the orange ones should be best! And bring a funnel as well!" Ferros called out.
"Got it!" Nami called out, coming out with the juice and funnel, making it easy to pour into Yosaku's mouth.
"If you're going to spend your time at sea it's common sense to bring along a source of ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C as it's more commonly called. Fresh fruit or fruit juices are best for this, as well as the means to store them." Double-D noted. "A Vitamin C deficiency can leave a person susceptible to scurvy."
Nami nodded. "Yeah, it was a big problem in the past, because food couldn't keep well on long sea journeys. So storing fruits and vegetables wasn't feasible. Luckily these days refrigeration technology has vastly improved."
"At some point, we're going to need to find a doctor for our crew. Double-D's Devil Fruit can only help so much." Ferros noted.
After a few seconds of ingesting the orange juice, Yosaku sat up, overjoying Johnny as they danced around in glee.
"Easy there, buckaroo!" Ed said in a playful scolding tone. "Healthy you are not yet!"
"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves," Johnny said. "As you've heard, my name is Johnny..."
"And I'm Yosaku," Yosaku added.
"Together, we are a pirate-hunting duo!" They said together.
Zoro chuckled. "I honestly never thought I'd run into you out here."
"Same here, Aniki. When did you decide to turn pirate?" Johnny asked.
"When the son of a corrupt Marine Captain decided to have me executed for defending innocent people from his dangerous pet. And that's the short version."
"Yosaku, was it? You still need rest." Double-D said as he and Nami ushered Yosaku to the galley. "A single dose of orange juice is not going to make your scurvy go away in an instant."
Meanwhile, a Marine lieutenant named Fullbody was entertaining his date Moodie, pouring some wine for her.
"So, where are you taking me today?" Moodie asked.
"To the best restaurant in the world," Fullbody replied.
"I didn't know there was one out in the middle of the ocean."
Fullbody chuckled as he offered a toast, metal knuckles visible on his right hand.
"Here's to your beauty. Just you wait, Moodie. This restaurant will exceed all your expectations."
That night, Usopp and Merone were watching over Yosaku as he slept off a fainting spell.
"You know, I think it's a godsend that Luffy started his journey with an effective Quartermaster. Careful distribution of resources is important on a long ocean voyage."
Merone nodded. "My siblings and I learned everything about how to manage a ship's resources while on our father's ship."
"But Lithos is the most responsible of all of us, so he's the acting Quartermaster," Ferros said as he sat nearby while drinking an Orange Smash soda. "Merone is the most level-headed and in charge girl, so she's First Mate. Ariala and I are Second and Third Mate."
"Though neither of them can decide who's Second and who's Third." Luffy snickered.
"But having the right resources is only half the solution. We still need the right crew members to distribute those resources." Lithos noted. "We need a cook for food resources, a doctor for medical, a gunner for our ammo and powder, etcetera."
"As it is now, I'm only the Reserve Doctor and Usopp is the Reserve Gunner on top of his duty as Lookout," Double-D said.
"Actually, there's a restaurant nearby where you might be able to find a cook for your crew," Johnny said. "Thing is, it's close to the border between the Blue Seas and the Grand Line. And Aniki, there are rumors that the hawk-eyed man you've been looking for is in that area."
Merone hummed. "Curious... Why would he be out here in the weakest waters? The man lives for a challenge."
"Well, like I said, it's only just a rumor." Johnny pointed out. "But I say with no exaggeration that the restaurant I'm thinking of has the best cooks in the entire world, bar none. It's just to the north-northeast of our current position."
"Sounds like we need to check it out!" Luffy grinned. "Nami, bring our heading north-northeast!"
"Aye aye!"
"Food for Ed!" Ed cheered.
And so the Going Merry was directed to a floating restaurant in the middle of the ocean, known as the Sea Restaurant Baratie.
"We have it in sight!" Nami called out.
"Wow, look at it!" Usopp said. "It's a giant ship with a fish figurehead!"
"Mother and Father always talked about the Baratie on their trips," Double-D noted. "They travel the seas often."
"The whole thing is a floating restaurant that travels the Blue Seas, kept stabilized in any weather thanks to the large fins jutting out from either end. The cooks all reside on the upper deck, with the kitchen on the middle deck and the dining area on the large lower deck." Johnny said. "With 23 cooks who are masters of the craft, there should be one you can convince to join your crew."
"Dang! Whoever owns this place has got some real fancy pockets!" Eddy grinned.
Suddenly a warning bell sounded off nearby. Usopp hurried up to the crow's nest and peered out in the direction of the noise.
"Marine vessel off the starboard! She's closing in fast!"
"Ugh, of all times!" Luffy complained. "Just when we were about to get some food!"
"Their cannon is aimed right at us, but there's no way they'd risk firing from this close," Zoro noted. "Unless they were idiots, of course."
The vessel happened to belong to Fullbody, who stepped out onto the deck of his ship.
"That's a pirate flag I haven't seen yet. I am Lieutenant Iron Fist Fullbody! Have your captain come out and state his name at once!"
"I'm already here!" Luffy said as he stepped up. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates! We just made our Jolly Roger the day before yesterday, so I'm not surprised you haven't heard of us yet."
Fullbody chuckled. "So it's a rookie crew. Maybe I shouldn't have-"
His words were cut off when he noticed Johnny sneaking into the cabin to join Yosaku.
"You two! I remember seeing you before. You're that bounty hunter duo who always goes after the small fish. So you finally got caught by pirates."
"Actually, they're our guests, good sir. Yosaku got sick so we helped render aid." Double-D said.
Fullbody hummed. "Rather atypical behavior for pirates, but not unbelievable."
"Hey, baby. We should get going." Moodie said as she approached.
"You're right. We've wasted enough time out here."
"You bastard!" Johnny snapped as he revealed all the wanted posters he and Yosaku had, many of them crossed off showing they'd already claimed that bounty. "We're not just after small fry on the seas!"
Nami noticed one poster of a Sawtooth Shark Fishman, worth 20,000,000 Berris. The sight of it made her clench her fist, which Luffy in particular noticed.
"Those people are an eyesore," Fullbody said as he walked off with Moodie, "Sink 'em."
"Shit, they really are going to fire!" Ariala panicked as she saw the cannon being deployed.
Acting quickly, Luffy grabbed the mast and figurehead, becoming a makeshift slingshot in the process.
"Careful, Luffy! The Baratie is right over there!" Ferros warned.
"Got it!" Luffy replied. "GUM-GUM SLINGSHOT!"
As the cannonball sent him stretching back, he let go of the mast to redirect the cannonball out to the open sea. Fullbody was getting into a longboat with Moodie when he heard the giant splash that occurred. When he saw Luffy recovering from the slingshot, he could only look in sheer disbelief at what just happened.
"Uh, should we fire again?" A Marine trooper awkwardly asked.
Fullbody groaned. "Don't bother. We have a reservation schedule to keep."
With no further issues, the crew walked into the Baratie and marveled at the interior.
"Wow, this place is even better than I imagined," Nami said.
"Looks like a high-class pirate restaurant!" Eddy grinned. "Something tells me this'll be good eats!"
A large chef with a tall toque and braided mustache approached, accompanied by a Goldfish Fishman with a grey beard.
"Welcome to the Baratie. Table for thirteen, I assume?"
"Yes, please!" Luffy grinned.
"Ooooh, he's got a pirate leg!" Ed said as he saw the chef's peg leg.
"Don't mind that. Sea life can literally cost a man an arm and a leg." The chef chuckled. "Name's Zeff and I'm the head chef of this fine establishment. My Maître D here will lead the way to your table."
"Please, if you could follow me." The Fishman said politely.
As they sat down, Fullbody and Moodie also entered. He noticed the Straw Hats but simply scoffed and ignored them. A lanky man dressed in a nice black suit with blonde hair and swirly eyebrows soon approached, handing everyone their menus.
"My name is Sanji and I'll be serving you today. Our chef's special today includes oven-roasted seabird, prawn bibimbap, three types of churrasco, mussel stew, and is served with tepache." He then stole a look toward Nami, Merone, and Ariala, a glint appearing in his eye. "And please let me know if you'd like anything from our dessert menu."
"Well, ain't he a charmer." Ariala giggled to Merone, who kept a stoic expression.
Sanji cleared his throat. "Apologies, that was unprofessional. Please let me know when you're ready to order."
"I'll take the barbecue meat platter with a large cobb salad!" Luffy excitedly said.
"I'll also have the cobb salad as well as the fried seafood platter," Merone said.
"I'll take the stuffed sweet potato with eggplant and feta cheese," Lithos said.
"Oooh! I'll take the bacon-wrapped pesto chicken!" Ariala said.
"Gimme a Sea King steak, Medium-Rare if you please," Ferros said.
"I'll have the Sea King steak as well, but make mine Well Done," Zoro said.
"The large omelet rice for me," Nami said.
"That chef's special sounds good. I'll order that." Usopp decided.
"I'll have the Ham & Cheese Omelet Special," Eddy said. "Make sure the eggs are high quality or else."
Double-D rolled his eyes. "Please ignore that. I'll take the sun-dried tomato basil orzo."
"Ground beef and gravy over mashed potatoes with extra gravy!" Ed excitedly said. "And a side of buttered toast sticks!"
Johnny and Yosaku ordered a large beef bowl, with Yosaku also ordering a large fruit salad to help with his scurvy.
"Any drinks? One of our signature cocktails, perhaps?" Sanji asked.
"Giving us the hard sell, huh?" Nami joked.
"Apologies, madame. How about an Aperitif to start with?" Sanji offered with a flirtatious grin.
"Oooh! I'll take one!" Ariala excitedly said. "Can I get the Aperol Spritz?"
"I'll have one as well. A Blue Margarita."
"Classy ladies, aren't you? And for the rest of you?" Sanji asked.
"I'll get a round of beers for me and my friends if you would," Zoro said as he gestured to Johnny and Yosaku.
"Two beers!" Usopp said. "I usually have three, but..."
"And milk for me!" Luffy said.
"Lithos and I want some of your finest spiced rum." Ferros grinned.
"I'll have a Cola," Eddy said.
"Orange Juice for Ed!" Ed said.
"I'll just order some mineral water," Double-D said.
"Me too," Nami said. "But make my water regular."
"With or without ice? Cubed or crushed?" Sanji asked playfully.
"Does it really matter?"
Sanji nodded. "I'll send that right up. Rest assured, we will strive to bring you a quality meal."
"So how are we paying for all this?" Yosaku asked as Sanji left. "Baratie is top quality so it can get expensive."
"Thanks to the treasure from Gaimon we do have a little bit of a buffer. We could afford to eat here several days in a row if we wanted." Nami said.
"Well, how about that!" Eddy grinned. "We just joined this crew and already we're eating like kings!"
Luffy knew something was bothering Nami, ever since she saw that wanted poster. He didn't name himself captain because he wanted the title, he knew how to read people. And for Nami to be willing to part with money so easily meant her mind was incredibly conflicted right now. He'd have to talk with her later. But her mood brightened when the food came out.
"This meal was personally cooked by me. So please, enjoy every bite." Sanji said.
The chef's special came with a giant block of mozzarella cheese. The churrasco was sausage, beef, and shrimp. The barbecue platter had various meats of all cuts. And the fried seafood included scallops, clams, eel, squid, and other edible sea creatures. Zoro took his first bite of the Sea King steak and found that even well done it was incredibly tender.
"Oh man, this is the best cooking I've ever had!" Luffy said, already stuffing his face. "I think we found our candidate for the ship's cook!"
"Not bad, but Mama's homemade omelet is better," Eddy said after sampling his dish.
At the same time, Sanji was bringing over a wine bottle wrapped in a towel to Fullbody's table, pouring some out for him and Moodie.
"Looks like everyone's looking at you," Moodie noted, seeing the other customers were gossiping about how elegant Fullbody looked.
"Well, I'm sure it's you they're admiring," Fullbody said as he took a sip of the wine. "Mmm, incredible! This flavor and scent... Like the soil of Micquo of the North Land... Bitter with plenty of body, a tad sour... This is Iturutz Burger Stein! I'm right, aren't I, waiter?"
Sanji had a bit of an annoyed look as he placed the wine bottle on the table and removed the towel, showing a completely different label from what Fullbody was expecting.
"Incorrect, sir. Now please." He grabbed Fullbody's hand, the one with the metal knuckles, and placed a spoon in it. "Your soup is getting cold. Please eat while it's still hot. Also, I'm actually the sous chef. All our waiters ran off yesterday."
Moodie giggled, which annoyed Fullbody. The Straw Hats all snickered at Fullbody's attempt to look like a sophisticated big shot.
"Serves him right for trying to sink us for a flimsy reason," Usopp said.
"This is why wine experts are bullshit," Merone said before biting into a fried squid filet.
"He probably ordered the wine ahead of time when he made the reservation, but Sanji thought a different wine would go better with the soup he ordered. This guy knows his stuff." Nami noted.
Meanwhile, Fullbody was irritated beyond belief.
"That damn cook thinks he can make a fool of me, Meanwhile those no-name rookie pirates are over there eating, drinking, and laughing together. How is that fair?!"
He noticed a tiny bug scurrying near his foot and stomped on it. A wicked grin crossed his face as he subtly slipped the insect into his soup, then waited as Sanji started to pass by.
"Hey, waiter!"
Sanji gave a sigh of annoyance and walked over.
"I already told you, I'm not the waiter." He then noticed Moodie and his own mood instantly improved. "Hello there. I didn't know we had another beauty gracing this fine establishment today. I must have been distracted not to notice you before."
Fullbody slammed the table to get Sanji's attention.
"Hey! Is this place in the habit of serving soup with bugs to its customers?!"
"Only if they order it," Sanji quipped.
"Then just what the hell is this bug doing in my soup?!" Fullbody demanded, pointing to the insect he placed there.
Sanji took a quick look as Fullbody smirked, thinking he could ruin the Baratie's reputation. However, Sanji just gave a smirk of his own.
"I couldn't say, I don't know much about insects. If I had to guess, I'd say it's either drowning or doing the backstroke."
That got Moodie and several other customers, including the Straw Hats, giggling.
"You think you can mess with me?!" Fullbody yelled out as he slammed his fist into the table, breaking it in half.
Sanji took a deep breath. "You could have just taken the bug out, you know. It took three whole days to cook that soup."
"You think you can act like a big shot around me?" Fullbody demanded, grabbing Sanji by the collar, the blonde chef not batting an eye. "I'm the paying customer! And as the saying goes, the customer's always right!"
"Stop it, Fullbody!" Moodie pleaded, only to be pushed aside.
Johnny and Yosaku were about to rise to her defense, but Zoro stopped them.
"I think swirly-brows over there has this."
Indeed, Sanji hadn't even so much as flinched the entire time. However, his expression did darken when he saw Fullbody push Moodie away.
"First of all, the phrase you just uttered is not a hard truth, but a philosophy. It means that customer satisfaction is the priority. But it's impossible to satisfy everyone, and this establishment doesn't need toxic customers. Second, money can't satisfy hunger. Only food can satisfy hunger."
Before Fullbody could react, Sanji had broken free of his grip, did a perfect handstand, and spun around with his legs extended to slam right into Fullbody's face, breaking his nose and jaw while also knocking him to the ground. The sound of the impact got the rest of the chefs rushing down to find out what was going on as Sanji picked Fullbody up by the head, actually lifting him off the ground.
"Don't... Waste food. At sea, insulting a cook is as good as suicide. Remember that."
"Wow, he's pretty badass," Luffy noted as the Straw Hats watched the scene unfold.
"And here I thought the worst an insulted cook would do is spit in your food," Usopp muttered.
"Sanji, what the hell are you doing?!" Yelled Patty, the Baratie's patissier. "Are you at it again? And with a Marine Lieutenant of all people!"
"Still taking your duty too seriously, Patty?" Sanji asked nonchalantly.
"Don't take that tone with me!" Patty yelled. "A restaurant cannot exist without its customers! So why the hell are you hurting one of our precious patrons!?"
"Let's see; He treated food carelessly, insulted cooks, assaulted his date who also happens to be a customer, scuffed my uniform, broke one of our tables..."
"I WAS NOT ASKING FOR A LIST!"
Sanji shrugged as he dropped Fullbody. "The point is we don't need a toxic customer like him when we have plenty of other, more polite customers who are still waiting to be served."
"Damn you... I'll get this restaurant shut down... Just wait... One call to the Government and I can..." Fullbody coughed before gasping as Sanji stomped on his chest hard.
"If that's the route you're going to take...Then maybe I should finish you off."
Sanji raised his foot over Fullbody's head, fully intent on crushing his skull into a paste. The other chefs quickly moved to hold him back.
"What the hell is going on down here?!" Zeff yelled out as he came down.
"It appears one of our customers got on Sanji's bad side, sir." The Maître D said.
"What did the offending customers do this time?" Zeff asked before sighing in annoyance. "Doesn't matter. He's clearly a toxic customer, so throw him out!"
"Are you insane?! Do you know who I am?!" Fullbody demanded.
"A lousy Marine lieutenant who thinks he's higher on the pecking order than he really is," Zeff replied.
Fullbody was about to open his mouth when a Marine ran into the restaurant.
"Lieutenant Fullbody! That Krieg underling escaped custody!"
"Are you serious?! We needed seven men to capture him and get a lead on Captain Don Krieg! Not to mention he was close to starving when we found him and we haven't fed him for three days!"
"Who's Krieg?" Luffy asked.
"Foul Play Don Krieg. His bounty is at 17,000,000 Berris. He's known as the strongest pirate on the East Blue, despite there being only one pirate in the area with a higher bounty." Johnny said. "He has a fleet of fifty captains with a crew total in the thousands, and he's known to employ a variety of dangerous weapons."
The sound of a gunshot went off as the Marine collapsed to the floor dead. Most of the customers naturally screamed and started vacating, but the Straw Hats and cooks just remained calm.
"Good heavens!" Double-D gasped.
"Seems we have a new customer," Patty noted nonchalantly.
Zeff nodded in agreement as he approached the one who shot the Marine.
"Sir, before we seat you I will have to ask you to holster your pistol."
The man, despite a bleeding head wound, did as asked then walked over to the nearest empty table and sat down.
"I'll take whatever food you can bring me. Doesn't matter what dish it is."
Fullbody was shockingly concerned for the chefs, despite having fought with Sanji just minutes ago.
"Damn it. They're gonna get killed if they don't kick this guy out."
Zeff didn't seem concerned. "You look like you haven't had a decent meal in days. We'll set up a tab for you and bring you our largest entree. Do you need anything to drink in the meantime?"
"Just some water. I'm too thirsty for booze."
Zeff nodded in understanding as he turned to Sanji.
"Sanji! Let's get to work."
"Got it, Pops."
Zeff walked past Fullbody, who was still stunned by the whole scene.
"Don't worry about him causing trouble. Every member of the cooking staff is a fighting cook. Besides..." He nodded to where the Straw Hats were finishing their meal. "I doubt they'd sit still if they felt threatened. And I can gauge a man's strength just from his appetite. They're tougher than this guy. Might want to see about patching up your subordinates."
Fullbody's brain finally snapped back to reality and he quickly scrambled to check on his men. Meanwhile, Sanji came out with a seafood risotto and placed it in front of the man, along with a glass of water. The pirate quickly wolfed down the entire plate, taking a few gulps of water to make sure he got it all down.
"Sir, why act so charitable to someone who likely can't pay?" Patty asked Zeff.
"You don't know what it's like, Patty, to lose food and water on the ocean. It's unbelievably terrifying, more so than any other danger at sea. But me and Sanji... We know that feeling all too well. Why do you think Sanji gets livid when he sees someone wasting food?"
The man finished scarfing down the food as he cried to Sanji.
"Thank you. I thought I was going to die."
Sanji grinned. "Delicious isn't it?"
Luffy laughed as he walked over.
"A good cook who can even tell what someone needs to eat without them ordering. Now I know you're the perfect cook to join my crew!"
Sanji and the other cooks stared at Luffy, completely flabbergasted at his request.
"Be the cook on my pirate ship!" Luffy offered.
Sanji blinked. "Wait, you're a pirate?"
"What, you didn't notice that Marine Lieutenant firing on the pirate ship earlier?" Zeff asked, "That ship belongs to this man and his party. I actually saw you deflect that cannonball away from the Baratie. Thanks for that. This restaurant is my personal treasure, and I won't stand for anyone causing damage to it."
"Well, I was the one who made sure Luffy aimed it away in the first place," Lithos said.
"You don't seem to be upset that we're declaring ourselves pirates, though." Luffy noted.
"A paying customer is always welcome. It doesn't matter what their alignment is." Patty declared. "Plus, all of us who work here as cooks have a pretty pirate-like disposition ourselves, so we can handle it if things get too rowdy. Heck, Pops here is a retired pirate himself."
"Wow, that's neat," Luffy said. "But I don't think you look familiar."
"Well, I was pretty small-time as pirates go. My bounty at the time of retirement was average for the East Blue. Though I was tough enough to survive a year in the Grand Line." Zeff said. "Heck, most of the customers who come here nowadays do so for the fights between the cooks and pirates. Dinner and a show. What's not to like? It's why the wait staff decided to vacate, buncha lousy cowards."
"So, Sanji, how'd you like to join my crew?" Luffy offered.
"Sorry, but there's a reason I have to work here. So I refuse." Sanji replied.
"I refuse your refusal!" Luffy declared, getting right up in Sanji's face. "My ship needs a good cook, and you seem like the best one here. Well, except for Pops, but there's no way I can ask him to leave this place."
"You won't be arguing with him," Merone said as she approached. "Once Luffy decides on a crewmate, he won't give up on them."
The pirate then stood up. "Excuse me, I'd like to get a word in on this argument. My name is Gin, a member of the Krieg Pirates."
"Gin the Man-Demon?" Ferros asked. "You're infamous enough among the Krieg Pirates to have a bounty of your own. Last I heard it was 12,000,000 Berris."
Gin nodded in acknowledgment of his infamy as Ferros showed the wanted poster he had on him.
"You said you were pirates too, yes? Do you have any goals?"
Luffy grinned. "My crew is sailing to find the One Piece. I'm going to be King of the Pirates, and Thomas wants to vindicate his father's claims that it's real."
Gin suddenly had a horrified look on his face.
"I'm guessing you only have a few members."
"We're at eleven right now, twelve if you count Sanji," Luffy admitted. "We're still looking for strong crewmen."
"Why are you counting me?!" Sanji demanded.
"Listen, you kids seem nice, so I'll offer a warning; The Grand Line is the one place you should avoid." Gin warned.
"Too late. My brothers, sister, and I were actually born there." Merone said.
Gin's jaw hit the table. "You're telling me people actually live on the Grand Line?! In that hellhole?!"
"I take it you've been there before?" Luffy noted. "Then you must know all about it."
"Hardly. That place... Nothing about it makes sense." Gin said, his body shaking. "You can't 'know' anything about it because it doesn't work like the rest of the world. That's why I fear it."
"I'm guessing you and the Krieg Pirates went in unprepared. It's a common mistake." Ariala shrugged.
"I guess we were pretty cocky going in there. Well, I'm a stranger to you and your crew, so I have no right to stop you from going." Gin said as he started to walk out. "I'll make sure to pay my tab the next time I come. Thanks for the food."
He set off on a longboat he had taken from Fullbody's ship. Zeff chuckled and turned back to Luffy.
"If you're serious about trying to recruit Sanji, you're welcome to keep your ship docked here as long as you need. But I'll warn you, he's stubborn."
"So am I," Luffy said with a cheeky grin.
"Personally I'd be grateful if you take him off our hands. Shit cook's been nothing but trouble for months." Patty said.
"I'm standing right here, shithead!" Sanji called out.
"I'm aware!" Patty yelled back.
"Regardless, feel free to order from us again while you're moored here. We always appreciate repeat customers." Maître D said.
Later, Gin had returned to Don Krieg's flagship, the Dreadnaught Sabre.
"So you were helped out by the cook, which is how you were able to come back here."
"Yes, Captain. Sorry for my weakness." Gin apologized.
"Starvation is one of the few weaknesses that cannot be avoided, and can be forgiven," Krieg assured. "I just wish the rest of our remaining forces were so lucky as to find a place to get food."
Gin looked around the ship. "I never imagined the flagship was in such condition. But maybe... That ship can replace it."
That got Krieg's interest.
Even when doing things in moderation, sometimes, you get a long one.
I wonder if this fic can be added to Ash & Rubber's TV Tropes page, since it's essentially a Remake/Extension.