Chapter Text
Sanji had always known that everyone lived in a world dominated by water, the most common substance on the planet’s surface. All the water was in the ocean, which virtually affected the climate and weather in all regions, even in the centres of vast continents. However, it felt so calm and peaceful where Sanji lived.
The ocean supported the greatest variety of living things, from microscopic algae Sanji loved to chew while swimming to the largest creature on the planet, the blue whale, who passed his home a few times a year. As much as Sanji tried to learn their language and call them, his voice was too small to be heard by such a majestic creature.
The ocean covered many realms and the enormous variety of life that inhabited them, including Sanji’s kind. Deep below the surface, Sanji lived with his family and their people in a kingdom of merfolk—the most famous merfolk kingdom in the Pacific Ocean: the Vinsmokes. The Pacific was not only the world’s largest ocean but also the deepest. It was also the least explored ocean, so it was such a thing to be influential in this mighty ocean. Hundreds of volcanic islands dotted the ocean Sanji’s family inhabited, but Sanji lived in the vastest and bluest ocean, where it interacted with penetrating sunlight by scattering it into a lovely mixture of colours of violet and blue. Even with his sharp vision, Sanji could still clearly see everything with the bits of help of the sunlight. At night, blooms of phosphorescent algae sometimes occurred in such densities that they illuminated the water with an eerie light.
Sanji and his family lived in a giant shipwreck whose whole structures now had been plastered with seaweeds, algae, and small sea creatures that Sanji secretly loved to eat as snacks. It was a navy ship, Sanji figured, with most of its rooms still intact except for the midship hull that was split into two. The Vinsmokes family used the ship’s deck for daily activities, such as eating and meeting with other merfolks. The king, Sanji’s father, loved to flaunt their weapons on the Bulwark and flare of the ship. Only the servants and merfolks in higher positions were allowed to stay with the Vinsmokes family inside the camber of the ship. For some reason, Sanji’s room was almost allocated outside the ship, the open sea. However, because of his sweet mother’s refusal, his room was now at the forefoot of the ship, far from the other family members but close to his mother’s. The only thing Sanji cared about was his mother. So, when his father agreed, he was happy because no one else visited his mother as often as him.
His poor, sickly but beautiful mother was the only angel shark amid a colony of grey reef sharks. Sanji loved tracing the patterns on his mother’s fins and comparing them to his simple grey ones. He often argued that his mother’s fins were the most beautiful in the kingdom, but his mother always begged to differ, saying Sanji was the prettiest.
His father and siblings thought differently, though. His father never cared about quality, preferring the quantities and strength in it. His fins were deemed too small, too long, too thin, and too slim compared to his siblings’. Well, if Sanji were to refute, his brothers especially looked too much like a fat whale instead of a shark who was famous for its streamlined body, strength, and agility.
He used to argue about his accused body proportions when he was younger, but now found himself more often than not questioning why he was so different. Why he would never be able to be as strong and scary as his brothers, no matter how many times he trained and hunted food with them. They had the same face, were born at the same time, had the same parents, and ate the same food, but just like their brightly coloured hair, Sanji and his brothers’ differences were like day and night. Ichiji, the eldest brother, had the sharpest teeth; Niji, the second eldest, had the biggest tail fin; and even Yonji, the youngest, was the biggest of them all.
Deep down, Sanji knew his father was afraid he would turn out to be an omega, where the majority of omegas were usually in the smaller and more vulnerable crowds. Confident that they were certainly growing up as alphas, his brothers loved to bring up their father’s disappointment to Sanji, humiliating Sanji verbally and physically on the ship deck where everyone could see. Their father’s negligence in stopping and scolding them was seen as the green light, the norm of Sanji’s everyday life.
Hence, when everything became too unbearable for little Sanji, when even the most beautiful sea Sanji loved the most couldn’t cheer him, and when his mother’s lovely voice couldn’t sooth him, Sanji ventured deeper into the small trench tens metres away from the kingdom.
Upon his journey, he preyed on a few delicious tunas and served them on beautiful stone platters his family usually deemed as an unnecessary action for merfolk’s way of dining. Nonetheless, aside from his mother, Sanji knew there was someone who also enjoyed feasting food that was carefully plated and presented.
Miss Octopus, as Sanji loved to call her, was five times bigger than him. She lived under the rocks inside the trench, refusing to come out except to interact with Sanji. If Sanji felt lonely and sad with his life, he remembered her and felt better. He thought that since he never saw Miss Octopus come out, she must’ve missed a lot of food, so Sanji always brought her some when visiting. She was also a good listener despite her terrifying size.
He knocked on the higher wall of the trance as soon as he arrived, “Hello, Miss Octopus! It’s Sanji, and I’m bringing you tuna!” A single tentacle came out and bopped his cheek blindly, which he, in turn, giggled.
“Oh my, thank you, little man. I’ve been famished of your tasty food,” appeared a tall, slender woman with flowy hair as dark as the deepest trench in the ocean and sharp, blue eyes. Despite his dark and gothic appearance, the merwoman’s pale skin was like the moonlight in the night sky. She was very beautiful and kind, so Sanji loved visiting her.
Sanji sat at the trench entrance, obeying Miss Octopus’s insistence not to follow her inside. His tail swayed in a consistent rhythm that showed his blatant giddiness in seeing his only friend. Miss Octopus didn’t sit beside him, opting to float in front of Sanji while deliciously feasting on the food Sanji bought.
“How are you today, Sanji?” Miss Octopus softly smiled; she patted Sanji’s blonde head affectionately. Throughout the years he had known her, never had she disclosed her name to Sanji. He used to be so sad and thought Miss Octopus didn’t really want to befriend a shark cub, but she reassured her that she loved the nickname he gave her way more than her actual name. And Sanji understood that, having secretly hated his surname and connection to the Vinsmokes.
“Same old, same old,” the merboy sighed forlornly. “Mother looked sicker than ever today; she threw up the medicine given by the doctor because it hurt her tummy, she said. Father was furious. I was about to protect her, but my brothers didn’t let me, and I was given a punishment. I wasn’t allowed to come back until tomorrow. I hope Mother is okay now…”
Miss Octopus was quiet. She also looked sad, so she must be on Sanji’s side. “Has your father tried to bring another medicine? If the medicine wasn’t suitable, the body could reject it and become worse.”
“Not this time,” Sanji listlessly answered. “Father was afraid we didn’t have much time before the migration. I-It’s like… he found Mother to be a burden on the journey. I was so mad earlier.”
“Oh, Sanji…” Miss Octopus brushed his cheek when Sanji’s eyes became teary. “What is this about migration?”
“Reiju, my eldest sister, had her coming-of-age ceremony a while ago. Father wanted her to join the mating fest in the Indian Ocean in her first mating season. It’s why this migration will be especially important with the whole kingdom going.”
Miss Octopus’s eyes lighted up in recognition. “Ah, the famous ceremony where every merfolk around the world come to get married?” She giggled, cheeks reddening as she whispered to Sanji, “My boyfriend and I promised to go there someday.”
Sanji leaped up a few metres in the water. “Your boyfriend?? You never told me!”
Miss Octopus laughed more loudly; she squished Sanji’s cheeks. “He is a sperm whale, and he only visits me once every one or two years, depending on the currents, because he lives in the Arctic Ocean. Our situation is kinda special because giant octopus are usually sperm whales’ enemies.”
“But you love each other?” Sanji was a sucker for romance, looking up at Miss Octopus with hearty eyes.
“Of course!”
Sanji was confused, “Then why not marry now? You can join our entourage and migrate with me!”
Miss Octopus suddenly turned melancholy. “We actually agreed to go until I’m ready to go outside this humbly abode of mine, little one.”
“Why are you not ready? You are strong, big, and so pretty. I really like you; everyone should, too!” Sanji insisted innocently, beaming when Miss Octopus’s face turned brighter.
“It’s not as easy as that. Not all merfolks in the ocean are as kind as you, Sanji. With my power and tentacles, I was known as the ‘Devil Child.’” Such an unbefitting name for a beautiful lady, Sanji thought.
“They sound so mean, like my father and brothers… A lady shouldn’t be called that,” Sanji huffed, holding Miss Octopus’ hand tightly.
The merwoman hummed, “Speaking of mean merfolks, why were you punished for protecting your mother? Not allowing a little cub to go home at night where they’re the most vulnerable is really cruel.”
Sanji sighed in defeat, “To be honest, my family doesn’t really like me, except my mom. My sister is indifferent, though. I used to sleep with my mother, and when I was big enough, Father didn’t want to grant me a room even though my siblings had their own. He said sleeping outside could teach me how to be stronger… you know, ‘because I was more alert or something.”
Miss Octopus frowned. In a serious tone, she asked, “Does this punishment happen often? Since when have you been told to sleep outside?”
“Since the first time I met you, Miss Octopus!” Sanji grinned innocently, not realising the merwoman’s expression was darkening. “They usually beat me—my brothers—but it’s because I’m weaker than them. Father often says it won’t hurt as much as I complain if I’d got stronger.
“If I hadn’t passed out, I got to sleep outside,” Sanji said cheerfully. “That means I’m stronger than before and I also get to meet you, Miss! I can also prepare our food! Father said platting our meal is a waste of time and only for sissy; Mother and I disagree, though, because food is meant to be respected while eaten deliciously.”
“That’s…” Miss Octopus didn’t look so happy; Sanji felt something wrong with what he said that displeased her. “Did your brothers… hurt you today before visiting me?”
“Oh, I ran before they could get me, Miss!” Sanji bragged in excitement. “Father always said I was a failure because I’m the smallest of my siblings, but I was the fastest, you know? Shouldn’t a shark be the fastest in the ocean?”
Miss Octopus pulled Sanji in a hug, “Oh, little merman; I’m sure you’ll grow up to be the fastest and strongest shark.”
“I know I’ll be the fastest, but I don’t know about the strongest…” Sanji hugged Miss Octopus tightly, happy with the comforting gesture. It had been a while since his mother had been able to hug him due to her weak state.
“No, I know you’ll be the strongest because you have the most beautiful soul and kindest heart,” Miss Octopus said sincerely. “And they’re the only things that matter.”
“Okay, if you say so,” Sanji played with her tentacles. They could be very sticky when she wanted to, but it felt so squishy and soft and cuddly right now. “Miss, would we meet again someday if I couldn’t return here? Not in this ocean.”
“I promise I will find you, Sanji,” Miss Octopus said. “Be it the Pacific, Indian, Antarctica, or coral reefs, we will meet again.”
Sanji smiled sweetly, grateful for Miss Octopus’s presence. “You’re the best friend I have; I love you, Miss Octopus…”
“You can rest in my place, little man,” Miss Octopus brought a half-asleep Sanji to the pile of stones and algae she usually slept on. The shark cub fell asleep, hugging one of the tentacles. His sparkling, golden hair swayed on the contrasting algae-covered stone. “And call me Robin,” she whispered to nobody’s ears.