Work Text:
Tiny 5-year-old Sanri was sitting cleaning up some dishes on the cruise ship she had joined after successfully running away from her cell. She tried hard not to scratch her forearm which was irritated from the bandage she was using to hid markings that labelled her one of Germa's experiments. She had no intention of them ever finding her again now that she was free from them and hiding the obvious feature of her past was the best way to keep it that way - though she would have to find something less scratchy for future use.
Her attention was grabbed from her work as she overheard some of the older workers talking about their future dreams.
When the older men noticed her shy eyes watching them with interest, they welcomed her into their conversation trying to get her more comfortable around them as the little girl had flinched away from everyone’s touch since she was found on the ship, cleaning dishes as if she worked there in an oversized chefs' attire, with bruises and scars visible on her skin. All the crew on the ship took one glance at the girl and knew they could not in good conscience let her return from where she came from and welcomed her onto the ship with open arms, despite her wariness and helped heal her up.
Though when they heard her say she was going to find All-Blue the chefs laughed. They however saw how the little girl recoiled into herself once more and tried to undo their error by trying to explain. “Oh Sanri, that’s just a fantasy.”, one chef said.
Another chimed in softly, “We are all sea-fairing cooks, we’ve all had our fantasies about it but you’ve got to remember it’s just a dream.”
Sanri pouted and scrunched up her face in defiance. “A dream?”, she said lifting her chin up high. “Well, I’m going to find the All-Blue and then we’ll see who’s dreaming!” She turned back to her work of cleaning the dishes, pout on her face.
The chefs on board couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s quite the quest then, good luck.”, one said getting a distasteful look from his friend.
His friend turned to Sanri. “Alright there, little girly. Do you even know what kind of place the All-Blue is?”
Sanri finish cleaning the final plate before stomping up to the tall cook that asked the question. “Yeah, I do, I’m not an idiot! The All-Blue is a place where fish from all four seas live. There’s fish from East-Blue, West-Blue, the South-Blue and -” Sanri pauses as memories past her eyes that didn’t go unnoticed by the cooks in the room. “The North-Blue.” Sanri looked up into the eyes of the tall chef showing nothing but wonder in her eyes to hide the bad memories that plagued her. “To cooks who have taken to the seas, it’s an irresistible paradise. I will find it!” She finished determined.
The tall cook couldn’t help but smile down at her fondly, unable to hide his own childish fantasy of the place. “Oh yeah? That place is a gold-mine. It’s got fish and plants from all over the world! Any chef would jump at the chance to cook there.”
“True.”, His friend stated. “The cooks I know would risk life and limb to find it.”
“Yeah, if it were real.”, the tall cook said.
Sanri pouted as they explained why they thought it couldn’t possibly be real, but she knew it was real. She knew it like she knew the sky was blue, the sea was deep and that fire is hot. The all blue was out there and she would find it no matter what anyone said.
She went back to work, ignoring the cooks' again, much to the other chefs’ disappointment. The captain of the cruise ship even hit the cooks for scaring Sanri off and making her feel uncomfortable.
Later the same chefs that had tried to get her to talk to them were eating the leftovers from the dinner rush. Sanri looked at them with disgust. “It’s way gross to eat the leftovers of strangers. You should just let me throw that stuff away.”, Sanri said annoyed as the men pigged out in front of her.
The men turned and shook their heads at her wistfully. “See little miss, when you talk like that, it just proves you have a whole lot to learn. So, listen up, shorty.” One of the cooks looked at her and she froze in place like a rabbit caught in a trap, making the man sigh as his friends kicked him under the table, not wanting the captain to be mad at them again for making Sanri scared. The cook started again in a softer tone, hoping to ease her fright but still in a tone that would make her take note of his words. “Listen Sanri. If you plan to continue to live on the high seas, you need to be resourceful. The ocean is a strange and unpredictable place. Food is a precious resource. If you waste even a single scrap of food it could be a fatal mistake, for you or those you care about. You don’t always know where your next meal will come from. Do you understand Sanri?” The cook saw as Sanri relaxed even contemplating his words so he turned around trying to find something that the little girl might like, eyes landing on an untouched trifle. He held it out to Sanri as a peace offering. “Why don’t you try some? This hasn’t been touched so you won’t even have to worry about germs like the rest of us.”
Sanri tentatively took the relatively large trifle for a 5-year-old from the cook’s hands and scurried off to eat it privately after thanking the man.
None aware it would be their last meal on the ship.
Sanri had just finished the trifle and was bringing the dish back to wash when she heard a waiter run come in, telling the kitchen staff that the ship was being attacked by pirates. Sanri hurried to help prepare for a fight despite her lack of fighting prowess. She didn’t want to die, not here. She wanted to find the All-Blue.
She heard someone say something about the Pirates being cooks and that their leader was a man named Red-Leg Zeff but she didn’t really care as she grabbed some knives to defend herself.
Sanri noticed as two pirates started to approach and reach out for her. She slashed her knives in the air, nicking one of the pirates making the man cutch his hand in pain. She growled like a cornered animal. “You bastards better stay away from me!”
The cooks of the cruise ship panicked and tried to tell her to stop making them mad but they were too far away to protect her.
It was then that the captain of the pirates noticed her, with her kitchen knives in her hands, poised to protect herself.
Looking too much like a wet kitten to be of any harm to anyone.
Zeff glared at his men, making eye contact with them to make sure they knew not to actually hurt the little girl which they nodded in agreement. Still, he knew he had to make it seem like he would. In his gruffest of voices, he turned to her. “A bit young to have a death wish, but that’s no reason not to grant it.”
Sanri glared harshly and twirled the knifes in her hands which surprised Zeff enough to smirk in intrigue. “Alright you jerks! If I’m gonna die here, I’m at least takin’ some of you with me!”
Zeff liked the little brat’s gusto. Still he had to put a stop to her nonsense before she seriously hurt herself. Since he had the most control out of his men, he made his way to her and quickly push-kicked her, hard enough to hurt and send her flying but not enough to cause any real damage. Still Zeff was impressed as the little girl crawled back towards him. Faintly, Zeff heard the little girl muttering to herself about how she was not gonna die. His eyes softened as she lay before him and he was going to pick her up and hand her over to someone so they could take care of her.
But then the little devil dived forward and clamped her teeth onto his ankle, hard enough that he was surely bleeding beneath the fabric of his boot. He then heard her whisper around his leg in her teeth. “I’ve got to live so that I can find the All-Blue!” The phrase stopped him from shaking her painful bite off. He stared down at the girl with a soft smirk on his face even when the rest of his crew started laughing, bringing the girl to tears. He shook her off as gently as he could instead of kicking her as he would have with any other child since the little girl had somehow made his heart warm up. Still, he turned his back to her, trying not to show weakness when he heard her state she couldn’t die before seeing the All-Blue.
When one of his men stated they should leave because the storm was getting worse, he ordered them to collect the treasure quickly, though he did spare a glance at the little girl shaking on the floor. He frowned when he saw some blood at the corner of her mouth though since he knew he didn’t kick her hard enough to make her bleed... unless she was already hurt.
But if he didn’t glance back, he wouldn’t have seen when a wave washed her off the ship. He ran quickly and kicked down the mast of the cruise ship to get himself closer to the little girl. He didn’t want her to die and if she was truly injured by his kick, she wouldn’t have the strength to survive.
It was while he was swimming to save her, he saw both ships be destroyed by an ocean wave stirred up by the storm. Unfortunately for him, the shipwrecks collided and trapped one of his legs. He knew he had to work quickly to free himself to survive but from the corner of his eye he saw as the little girl let out some of the air in her lungs and breathed in water instead.
Zeff didn’t know where this protectiveness came from, especially since he didn't really like kids, but he quickly came up with an idea that would allow him to save her. He wrapped the iron chain of one of the ship anchors around his leg and used it to rip his leg off from below the knee before swimming down to save the little blonde. And after he resurfaced, he saved a small bag of food and was lucky enough to also grab on to a bag of treasure before a wave carried them to a small and barren rock in the middle of the ocean.
Zeff took off his captain's cloak and wrapped the little girl up in it, noticing the bruises he was sure he didn’t cause on her skin as he perform CPR to get the water out of her lungs. It didn’t take long before the little girl was coughing up the water violently before she passed out once more into a peaceful sleep. Zeff held her in his arms tightly, trying to give the girl some of his warmth as he looked out into the sea. In the distance the storm still raged on. He quickly tied a rope around his wounded leg to stop the bleeding as he pondered on what he was going to do next, keeping watch over the little blonde girl’s breathing.
Sanri opened her eyes, feeling the warmth of arms and cloth covering her. She startled though after she remembered what happened though her movement only caused the arms to tighten around her.
She lifted her head to see the pirate captain that raided the cruise ship open his eyes. He let out a chuckle that vibrated throughout his chest. “So, the little brat is finally awake then? You are very lucky to be alive you know.” Sanri glared and tried to move away when pain flared through her, making her clutch her stomach. “Don’t move. It’s not a good idea with the state you’re in and not from the kick you got from me, though I’m sure it didn’t help. Nor the nearly drowning to death in the freezing waters of the sea.”
Sanri looked away from the man and out to sea to avoid looking him in the eyes. “What happened to the ships?”, She asked fiercely making her look to Zeff like nothing more than an unhappy kitten, instead of the threatening aura he was sure she was trying for.
He smirked tiredly down at her. “Who knows. It was a terrible storm. They are both most likely completely destroyed. It seems we are the only survivors.” Zeff fixed his cloak around her more securely to distract himself from the pain of missing his leg. “And we’ve washed ashore on a desolate rock without so much as a coconut tree to give us food.”, he explained sadly as the girl glare at him weakened with his tone and treatment. “Sure, there are fish in the sea but the rock has been curved by the waves in such a manner that we wouldn’t be able to climb back up if we ever went down. Sad, isn’t it?”
Sanri pouted at the man in distress at the predicament. “This is all your fault, old man!” A choked sob came up her throat as she looked at the man. “If you didn’t raid our ship this wouldn’t have happened.”
Zeff wiped her wet face softly. “Perhaps, perhaps not. Many things can wreck a ship. But there isn’t any use whining about it, it won’t help.” Zeff made sure to say it softly but as informatively as possible. “If nobody comes, we’ll just dry up and become two more skeletons in the sea.”
Sanri perked up and looked Zeff in the eyes and Zeff could see that she was imagining it. Despite how morbid it was he couldn’t help but chuckle at the kid’s reactions. “Don’t worry brat. I saved you some food, about five days' worth but it can last longer. You can last longer without food than water anyway. Not that it won’t kill you eventually, so I’ll help you ration it for as long as possible and we’ll gather water when it rains. I know you don’t understand but we’ll have to work together to survive and stay sane, kid. What’s your name anyway? Best get to know each other while we’re here. I’m Zeff, Red-Leg Zeff. I’m... was the Captain of the Cook Pirates.”
It was quiet for a while as Zeff watched the girl contemplate answering. Then slowly the fight left her as she realised that Zeff wasn’t going to hurt her and that they really were trapped together for the unknown future. Quietly she spoke, “Sanri.”
Zeff looked the girl in the eyes and smiled widely. “Pear. Fitting for a little cook.”
Sanri face grew red in fury and wiggled in his hold. “I’m not little, you bastard!”
Zeff burst out into laughter as Sanri fought to escape his cloak. “You’ve got a mouth on you Little Pear. Not very girly at all.” He couldn’t say it wasn’t cute though, even if he probably shouldn’t encourage language like that in a kid. Then again, he was a pirate and not exactly A+ parenting material by any means. Plus the kid had earned the right to swear to let out her frustration considering their situation.
But then the kid wriggled off his lap and out the cloak. Unfortunately, it meant she came face to face with the stump that used to be his leg. Sanri look at it in shock and her lip wabbled until she spoke, unable to hide her emotions. “Did you lose your leg coming to save me?”
Zeff tutted at the brat and wrapped her back up in his cloak to keep her warm. “Don’t flatter yourself, Little Pear. My leg got caught in the wreck. If I didn’t rip it off, we’d both be sleeping with the fishes. Coming to save you might have even saved my life. I was under the water when the waves hit the ships. Don’t feel guilt over it.”, Zeff explained softly. “But now you see why we have to work together. I might need some help gathering water. In return, I’ll give you all the food.”
Sanri looked at Zeff with innocent confusion. “But won’t you need some too?”
Zeff turned his head away from the soft questioning eyes of the little girl, tutting at her in reply. “Don’t be silly. I’m an adult. I don’t need as much food as a runt like you does. I have more fat. It’ll keep me going longer.”
Sanri puffed her cheeks out cutely. “I’m not a runt, Old Geezer!” After the rage left her, she looked at Zeff with a shy pout. “Thank you for the food and for saving me.” Sanri turned her head away. “Even if it was your fault.”
Zeff couldn’t help but laugh and ruffle her hair before telling her not to mention it.
Zeff had hid the bag of loot to keep it safe - especially since he found a jewel incrusted dagger in there - when Sanri was asleep and when she woke up, he explained how he rationed the food to last her 28 days as well as what food he’d rationed for her to eat first.
“Bread goes mouldy fast, Little Pear, especially in the heat. So, it’s best to eat that first so it doesn’t give you a sore stomach. Cheeses and preserves last longer so they are for you to eat later.” Zeff then made sure to have her look him in the eyes. “I’ll give you your rations so just try to not think about food. No matter how hard it may be.”
Sanri nodded obediently before pouting. “Not little.”
Zeff grinned at the blonde. “Keep telling yourself that Little Pear.”
Zeff then taught her how to collect rain water from the scattered bits of useful material that washed up with them as well as the natural places it would gather. Finally, he showed her how to flag down a ship if she saw one.
Just in case he didn't make it but he wouldn't tell her that.
Days passed.
Then weeks.
Weeks turned to months.
And without much to do other than talk to each other; that was what they did.
Sanri held her legs as she sat in Zeff’s lap, looking out to sea towards the sunset. She had already marked her tally for the day and had the last ration. She had tried to share it with Zeff but he said that it would just make him ill since he hadn’t eaten in so long already so she finished it but gave him the last of the water she collected instead.
She leaned back into Zeff’s stomach and the grumpy old man ruffled her hair softly. “So, what do you plan on doing after we get off this rock, Little Pear?”
Sanri closed her eyes in thought as the bigger man's fingers carded through her hair in a way that made her sleepy. “Mmm... get myself another job working in the kitchen as a cook. I’m gonna be the best cook in all the seas one day.”
Zeff laughed, “You? You’ll have to compete for the title with me brat. And I’m no push over in the kitchen.”
Growling at Zeff, she shook off her tiredness and stood up, pointing her bony finger at him. “Just you wait old man! I’ll be a better cook than you in no time!”
Zeff smiled warmly at her in response before wrapping her securely in his cloak despite her protests. “Settle down, would-be-cook. You’re wasting energy you don’t have.”
“Would-be... I’ll show you old geezer.”, Sanri grumbled as she let herself get comfortable in his warm embrace. “What are you planning on doing when we leave, old man?”, she asked sleepily. “Finding a new crew?”
Zeff grimaced as he held the little girl to help keep her warm, bony as they both may be. “No. I think that even if I didn’t lose my leg, my pirate days are behind me. It doesn’t feel right to return to it after losing those guys and I’m getting old as it is.” He stared up at the sky as he lay down, thinking on what to say. “You know this isn’t the first time I’ve found myself hungry like this. Trapped at sea, cursing it. And each time I always come to the same wish. That there was a restaurant on the sea.”
Sanri looked up to Zeff’s face from where he’d bundled her up on his chest. “A restaurant?”
Zeff smirked down into her visible sparkling blue eye. “Yeah. I was thinking that, if I make it out alive this time, I’d like to build a restaurant on the sea as my final purpose in life.”
Giggling, Sanri smiled up at Zeff. “Yeah? I’ll help you! So, we definitely can’t die!”
“A weakling like you can’t be much good for anything.”, Zeff said light-heartedly but soon realised that Sanri froze in his hold. He noticed tears in her eyes at what he said. So, he turned away so it was harder for her to look him in the eyes. He didn’t need her seeing the emotion there. “So, I’d better teach you how to be strong so you can help me properly. Then when you’re all grown up, you can find the All-Blue for me.”
Zeff could feel as big eyes stared at him hopefully, “All-Blue? But your men said-”
“Never you mind what they said. Of course it does. It’s why I saved you after all.” Zeff grinned down at the little girl in his arms. “When you’re all grown up and I’ve taught you all I know, head to the Grand-Line. That’s where All-Blue is sure to be.”
Sanri and Zeff smiled at each other. The old man watched as the little girl feel asleep, knowing she would be dreaming of fish from all four seas and the crystal-clear waters said to be found in All-Blue.
"I'm not hungry anymore", Sanri whispered fearfully into the cold night air some days after she had the last of the food. She couldn't remember when that was anymore. Her best guess would be 6 or 7 tally marks back. Sanri cuddled closer to Zeff for comfort which old pirate gave easily.
Zeff soothingly stroked her golden hair as he looked up at the stars over head. "Me too. But a ship will come. And when it does all the food you ever eat after will taste even better than it did before."
Sanri looked up to the old man's face seeing only the truth before she left herself be soothed to sleep.
Zeff did however start to ponder about Sanri and the wounds she had prior to being stranded but every time he asked her, she shut down and wouldn’t speak for hours at a time when he brought it up.
He wasn't all that concerned though. Children hurt themselves all the time. Especially at sea.
That was before the bandage on her left arm slipped down her thinning arm to her wrist revealing the most vile thing Zeff had ever thought to see on a child.
Numbers.
03-66
Zeff's fingers traced the thick inky black lines that contrasted the little girls alabaster skin. Fury like none he had ever felt before consumed him as his eyes remained fixated on the markings as puzzle pieces fit together into an image he didn't like as he thought over the meaning of the child's name. Sanri. Three pears. Three.
“Little Pear, what-”
Zeff was forced to look away from the tattoo as the arm was violent pulled from his grip. The old cook watched as Sanri started to freak out and claw at the numbers muttering about how she had to get rid of them. About how she couldn’t go back. Clawed so hard that blood started to seep under her fingernails from her skin.
The old pirate could only grab and hold her thrashing body close to him while keeping her arms and hands as far away from each other as possible. He shushed and rocked her like a baby as she whined.
“I don’t wanna go back!”, Sanri cried hysterically. “I’d rather die!”
Zeff growled, “Then don’t go back! Not like I’d make you!” Sanri stopped thrashing even as tears ran down her face. Zeff wiped her face with a hand. “I thought you said you’d help me make my restaurant?” Sanri nodded silently as a reply. “Then that makes us family Little Pear!” When she started to thrash again Zeff knew who had played a hand in hurting her previously. He had been to the Sabaody Archipelago after all. It had made him angry then when he saw people selling their own children into slavery. It made him even angrier now knowing that someone hurt this sweet little girl and left an old gruff pirate to pick up the pieces from what they had done to her. He hugged Sanri tightly, letting her head rest in his neck as he carded a hand through her hair. “Family protects each other, so I’ll fight to protect you and keep you away from the bastards that hurt you! You got that, you little bratty pear? You're my daughter now!”
Zeff felt as the little girl relaxed in his arms before holding on to him for safety.
At least if they died on that rock Sanri would know she was safe and had someone that care for her.
He retied the bandage around the arm, hiding markings once more so the child didn't have to see them again.
Zeff didn't like how quiet his little girl was now. Ever since he saw the tattoo she was quiet. With a distant look in her eye. He needed to do something to cheer her up. Hell he needed to do something to cheer himself up.
And being on the barren rock was definitely not helping.
He thought about something he could do with his limited material, when an idea struck him. He grinned wide as he rested his head on top of hers.
Then he started to hum a tuned most pirates on the sea knew and smiled too. Sanri was no different perching up at hearing tune even if she didn't knew the words.
"Yo hohoho, yo hohoho~ Yo hohoho, yo hohoho~
Yo hohoho, yo hohoho~ Yo hohoho, yo hohoho ~"
Zeff wrapped his arms around Sanri as he began to rock to the tune.
"Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.~
Sea wind blows, to where, who knows? The waves will be our guide.~
O'er across the ocean's tide. Rays of sunshine far and wide.~
Birds they sing, of cheerful things, in circles passing by.~
Bid farewell to weaver's town, say so long to port renowned.~
Sing a song, it won't be long, before we're casting off.~
Cross the gold and silver seas, a salty spray puts us at ease,~
Day and night, to our delight, the voyage never ends.~"
Zeff hummed again as he added a small twist to his rocking making Sanri giggle happily as she swayed with Zeff's humming making warmth gather in his heart.
"Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.~
Pirates, we eternally are challenging the sea.~
With the waves to rest our heads, ship beneath us as our beds,~
hoisted high upon the mast, our jolly roger flies.~
Somewhere in the endless sky, stormy winds are blowing by,~
waves are dancing, evening comes, it's time to sound the drums.~
But steady men, and never fear, tomorrow's skies are always clear.~
So pound your feet and clap your hands 'til sunny days return.~"
This time when Zeff sang the yo ho ho part Sanri sung along happily as she clapped to the beat.
"Gather up all of the crew, it's time to ship out Binks' brew.~
Wave goodbye, but don't you cry, our memories remain.~
Our days are but a passing dream, everlasting though they seem.~
Beneath the moon we'll meet again, the wind's our lullaby.~
Gather up all of the crew, it’s time to ship out Binks’ brew.~
Sing a song, and play along for all the oceans wide.~
After all is said and done, you'll end up a skeleton,~
so spread your tale from dawn 'til dusk upon these foamy seas.~"
Once more the duo giggled through the yo ho ho ho part of the song and Zeff relaxed as he saw his little girl smile once more.
Sanri and Zeff were nothing but skin and bone. Though even the first half of that was failing, cracking from dehydration as there hadn’t been any rain in a week.
Sanri felt as Zeff fell to the ground in the mid-day heat from where he sat beside her. It wasn’t like she couldn’t tell that he was barely holding on at this point. She shook him trying to keep him awake and with her. She didn't want to be alone again.
That’s when she saw it.
A ship.
A ship heading right for them.
Zeff finally opened his eyes as he heard Sanri flagging a ship down just as he taught her. It gave him the strength to get up and join her. He leaned against a rock for support before he picked Sanri up so she could stand on his shoulders, making it easier for the ship to see them.
They were saved!
Thankfully it wasn’t a navy ship or a pirate ship. Just a simple merchant ship that was happy to give them aid, especially after seeing Sanri in the state she was in, begging for someone to help them. The ships doctor quickly looked them over and patched them up before the female cook on board the ship practically force fed them broth, all the while telling Zeff off for not taking care of ‘such a cutie-pie properly.’
Sanri giggled though as the big gruff ex-pirate called the woman a Mademoiselle and tried to explain that he tried his best while stuck on that rock – it didn’t help when Sanri corrected his pronunciation of the North Blue dialect perfectly. The lady cook just hit him with her spoon before she refilled his bowl then led little Sanri away to get her some nice new clothes that her father will be paying for, since ‘it was the least he could do for getting such an angel trapped on a desolate rock to begin with’.
Zeff blushed angrily but just nodded and agreed.
Sanri on the other hand looked uncomfortable at the separation but Zeff noticed in time before the little girl started to cry. He called Sanri over before the lady led her out the room. He placed his hands on her shoulders before going down to be eye level with her. “Little Pear, if you need help just call, okay? I’ll be right in here. I’ll come right away, even if the doctor will be mad at me. I’m not going anywhere.”
Zeff could only melt as Sanri nodded before running back to the lady.
He regretted it when she spoke though.
“Rest up old geezer.” All he could do was grumble about the disrespect with a smile threatening to break out onto his face.
Zeff was happy as he watched Sanri run about the merchant ship handing out snacks to the crew as she wore a baby blue adults jumper as a dress with thick leggings to keep herself warm. To Zeff it made him realise how young the little blonde was as the jumper was nearly falling off of her if not for the copper safety pins making it small enough to fit her. He could still see the bones of her face under her skin and that she was weaken by the prolonged starvation, but at least she looked emotionally like she was on the mend... from the starvation at least.
He let his eyes fall to the fresh bandage he wrapped around her forearm to keep the numbers hidden. The image of her clawing her arm was seared into his mind forever and was enough of a reason to not want Sanri to see them. Moreover if someone saw the numbers they could think they could sell her back for some quick cash. The bandage seemed to hide the tattoo enough for the mean time but he'd have to think of a better long term solution.
The lady cook of the ship sat beside him and offered Zeff some tea to drink. He took it graciously. “Thank you for giving Sanri something other than what she wore on the island. I think it’s helping her much more than you think.”
The woman just nodded. “Children are resilient... More so than what many think, Red-Leg.” Zeff stiffened at her words. “Oh, don’t worry. No one on this ship are great fans of the Marines even if that doesn’t mean they’re fans of pirates either. I do however think it’s best not to freak out a kid that’s already been through so much. I just didn’t know you had a daughter, considering you went to the Grand-Line.”
“I don’t or well I didn't.” Zeff scrunched his face in anger, he rubbed his face to hide it as his eyes landed on the newspaper article of Germa 66's presence in the East-Blue as his mind thought bad to the 66 of Sanri's tattoo. “The kid was abandoned by her family. She had a couple of episodes while on the island. I just don’t want to leave her on her own. Especially with how attached she is.” The woman watched as Zeff smiled softened as his eyes landed on the little girl once more as the child pouted at one of the merchants patting her head patronizingly before kicking him in the shin in return. “She grew on me. Plus, she’s a little cook. I plan on opening a floating restaurant and need a sous-chef to help me.”
The woman chuckled. “All it takes to make a pirate go soft is a little girl. Who knew?” She watched as the ex-pirate chef blushed, grumbling under his breath as Sanri hurried over to them for safety from the now angry merchant, climbing into Zeff's lap with Zeff's assistance. The lady cook stood with a smile as she prepared to get back to work after beating up her crewmate for getting angry at a little girl with her frying pan. “A floating restaurant? We’ll be reaching a port soon with some decent shipbuilders and I know of a few people looking for work. They’re the rowdy sort but I highly doubt you’ll care much about that now will you? I’ll send them your way. What you planning on calling that restaurant of yours anyway?”
Zeff grinned wide. “I think I’ll call it ‘The Baratie’.”
Sanri squealed as she ran all around the ship that Zeff had made just for them, admiring it from every angle she could before running back and bouncing on the balls of her feet in front of him. “It looks like a fish! A fish old man! It’s so cool!”
Zeff messed up her hair that had grown out more since they had fully recovered, long enough now to be up in a ponytail, though she still covered on eye with her fringe. “I know, Little Pear. You saw and helped with the design process. You saw the blueprints.”
Sanri pouted kicking up at Zeff exactly as he taught her, even if he just caught her foot before picking her up by it to dangle her upside down. It only resulted in her pouting more. “Yeah, but I didn’t think it would look as good as this though. And I’m not little!”
Zeff however just chuckled, used to this argument by now. “And how many times do I have to tell you, Little Pear, that you will always be little to me. Even when you are old and grey, you’ll be my Little Pear.”
Sanri just huffed with a bright blush on her face, arms crossed in childish rage even if it made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. The position showing off the black leather cuff that she now sported that perfectly covered the markings of her past. “Let me down old geezer. I wanna explore my kitchen!”
That statement got Zeff’s eyebrow to twitch in mild-aggravation. “Who’s kitchen, little bratty pear?”
Sanri knew she was in trouble as Zeff dropped her on her butt before raising his leg up high. She made as sweet a face as possible as she looked up at Zeff. “Our Kitchen?”
Zeff’s peg-leg came straight down on her head. “Now you lie to me Pear! I’ll show you who’s kitchen it really is!”
Sanri held her head as she ran onto the ship with the old geezer on her tail as he was less likely to damage the newly bought specially designed ship. “That hurt old man!”
Zeff led her into a sparring match of kicks, getting her to practice her self-defence skills on the ship, making sure she was ready to protect herself from violent customers long enough for him to get there. After she had passed his test, he bonked her lightly once more on the head with his peg leg before picking her up. Zeff then tickled Sanri making her giggle as he continued to the kitchen. “Let’s go make sure everything is working in my kitchen before we go get supplies, ok my Little Pear?”
Sanri pouted from her place in the old man’s arms. She thought of grown-ups they saw in the port town. She saw many stood outside smoking cigarettes. “Maybe I should start smoking then I’ll be an adult.”
Zeff tutted at her before pulling out a lollypop from his pocket and sticking it in Sanri’s mouth to keep her quiet long enough for her to truly listen to what he had to say. “You smoke; I kick you. It’s as bad for a chef as hurting their hand’s Little Pear. It destroys the tastebuds. You can't be the world's best cook if you can't taste can you? Plus, you’ll only be an adult when I let you go find All-Blue for me. Remember that.” Zeff was proud as Sanri smiled brightly at him from his arms and gave a nod of agreement to his statement.
And they lived relatively happily ever after for 13 years until a rubber man accidentally sent a cannonball into the Baratie in self-defence.
But that's a story for another time.