Archive of Our Own

Zeff had just finished making a call to an old ally of his from his time on the Grand Line. Memories of Sanri’s childhood and teenage years passed through his mind making a bittersweet smile grace his face.

13 years he had been her father. 13 years of raising his greatest treasure; a treasure he didn't know he wanted or needed in his life. It had not always been clear sailing, definitely not with his daughter's past, but they had made it out both mostly unscathed though whether that was more by chance than any active part he played could be debated. Still he was proud of raising the strong self-confident woman his Little Pear grew up into, with the a strong passion for life and all it had to offer with a kind heart to boot.

Not bad for a gruff old pirate if he said so himself.

But he knew he had taught her all he could at this point, even explained haki as well as he could though he was no expert, being self-taught. She was an even better cook than himself now as well, making succulent dishes fit for kings and attracting wealthy and powerful clients that tried to lore her away from the Baratie with lavish gifts... that failed to hide their lecherous eyes from Zeff but they were all quickly introduced to his kicks.

More importantly he saw her wistful expression as she stared out in the direction of the Grand-Line on clear nights. He knew she was seeing the fish from All-Blue dance among the stars as she thought of the adventures she'd have on her way there just like she did so long ago on that barren rock as they huddled for warmth.

It was especially worse after a monotonise day of work of practically running the restaurant like a well oiled machine. At times like those he could almost see the chains that bound her. Chains that Zeff held the keys to as she stared out longing for adventure.

So as much as it pained him and as much as he wanted to keep her safe it was time for Sanri to leave, to have her own adventures. He’d miss her dearly and have to adjust to life without her constant presence but having her go with someone he could trust to keep her safe until they found her a crew as well as be able to teach her something useful, like true control of haki, would ease his worry. And he knew Mihawk would do it since the hawk-eyed bastard owed him a favour for giving him his New World log-pose after the young swordsman broke his own. 

However, before he could stop his ponderings of the future on his own accord and stir up the courage to tell his little pear that she was a proper adult now (though hopefully in a less awkward way than when she was 12) he was surprised as a cannonball flew through the ceiling of his office. 

He was only minorly injured but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t make whoever did it pay. 

No one trashed the Baratie but him and his cooks! 

Sanri readjusted the lolly in her mouth as she heard the loud crash from the old man's office. She let out an angry puff of air from where she was finishing up a dish. Quickly she wiped her hands to make sure they were clean before fixing her blue shirt under the black bodice like waistcoat she wore with polished golden buttons. She then made sure her arm cuff was in perfect position, before picking up the dishes. “Someone go check on my old geezer while I make rounds in the dining hall. Can’t have you ugly bastards scaring the customers away any more than you already do.” 

She heard one of the cooks remind her to not fight the customers but just kicked the kitchen door open with her steel-toe ankle boots as she flipped the bird in the approximate direction the complaint came from. 

Seriously, it wasn’t her fault she had to keep kicking customers out. She was lucky she grew up on trousers and shorts since there wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t need to kick some asshole to the curb. It got to the point were she wore thick smart black skin-tight stretchy trousers, perfect for fighting, most of the time just to make it easier for everyone. It was what she liked to wear most of the time and she wasn’t girly anyway but a change would be good from time to time. 

Sanri served the food to her customers with a smile and kept up light conversation, while completely missing how people drooled over her figure, until the door to the restaurant opened with a bang. She moved the sucker in her mouth in irritation of the disrespect as one of the other newer chefs rushed to take the man, who seemed to be a marine, and his date to a reserved table, giving them their food right away. Sanri watched as the chef went to the bar and grabbed an expensive bottle of wine that would completely clash with the dish they served, something the waiters would have advised against if they didn’t all get scared and run off. Still, she couldn’t let such a travesty like this pass. She marched up to the chef and told them to go back to the kitchen and away from the bar until they could advise the customers properly. The chef tried to tell her he had it handled but Sanri just kicked him through the kitchen doors with little effort while simultaneously opening a wine that matched the dish and wrapping it in a white napkin. She sauntered over to the Marine’s table with a practiced smile on her face from years of helping deal with customers and filled their glasses, trying to ignore the gossip about the man around her and just focus on the happy smiles of those eating their food. 

However, her smile left her when the moronic marine tried to pretend to be a great wine taster to impress his date and the other occupants of the room, rather loudly. What was worse was the fact it seemed to be working.

Well, she couldn’t let such spreading of misinformation go unpunished. 

Sanri grabbed his wrist while the other put down the bottle revealing the wine was completely different from what he said before picking up a spoon to put in his hand. “Not even close, sir.” She stared the man down before turning away to serve the other customers. “Eat up. That dish is best when hot.” Still Sanri turned back to the table to give one last cutting remark. “And sir, my name’s Sanri. I’m the sous-chef. All the waiting staff ran off as of yesterday.” Sanri could hear as the customers started talking about this Fullbody character, this time commenting on how wrong he was as well as Sanri’s grace. She just shook her head before returning to serve the customers. The old man should be proud of her for holding her temper while dealing with the pompous man as long as she did and for not going straight to violence for once.  

She smiled to herself as she thought of how not even Zeff could do that especially if the racket she could hear coming from his office was him and whoever damaged the ship. 

Fullbody pulled her out of her good thoughts though with the clicking of his fingers and a cry of “Waitress” in her direction.  

He was pissing her off more and more as the seconds went by. Maybe this was why the waiters all ran off? Not their fighting, but dealing with such rude and ill-mannered idiots. She wouldn’t put it past them. Sanri took a few deep calming breaths and rolled her lollypop across her tongue using the pear flavouring to ground her, before she tried her best not to stomp over there and smash the fucker's brains in in front of his date. 

“I believe I already told you; I’m not a waitress.” Sanri sent a quick glare to the man before focusing on his date as she had yet to offend her and saw that while she hid it well from Fullbody she was looking for a way out of her failure of a date. And Sanri would always lend a hand to her fellow ladies, seeing as she saw on a daily basis how some men treated women. It was the least she could do. “Madam, you look so beautiful. Would you mind coming with me and sharing a glass of wine while I pick your brain over fashion. I’m unfortunately stuck dealing with men and never get to have any decent conversation.” 

The lady giggled at her remark and she gave a friendly smile in return, offering out a hand for her to take to lead her to salvation. It wouldn’t be the first time Sanri had to help someone escape a date and it probably wouldn’t be the last either. Sanri could tell the woman was about to take her hand but they were interrupted by Fullbody slamming his hand on the table.  

“Hey what is this? Is bug soup on the menu today or did you make it just for me?” The arrogant man pointed at the soup, but Sanri just rearranged her lollypop. 

“Bug Soup?”, Sanri questioned as she looked at the bowl. She knew the chefs at the Baratie always did quality checks for customer food and if it wasn’t up to par ate the food themselves. Upon looking closely though it seemed as if the dead bug was placed there on purpose. 

Fullbody smirked up at the blonde, “That’s right. What’s this bug doing there waitress?” 

Sanri however returned his smirk with a charming smile as her fringe hid the pulsating vein on her forehead fully - along with one of her eyes. She knew this fucker was trying to pull something and she wasn’t going to let him get away with it. “Sorry sir, don’t know really. Looks like he’s floating, then again, it kinda looks like he’s drowning but it's hard to say for sure.” Sanri muscles relaxed as the rest of the customers started to giggle at her comment and a real smirk took over her face but it was enough to distract her from Fullbody, giving him time to smash the table in his rage. 

“Don’t you mess with me waitress!” Fullbody was panting heavy in his anger and his date stepped back away from the table in shock. 

Sanri however ignored the marine to bend down and mourn the lost dish that the man had wasted with his outburst. She touched the soup, knowing there was no way to salvage any of it, as her fringe and ponytail hid her face from view helped by the light natural curl in her hair. “You could have still eaten it if you’d just taken the bug out. It would have been wonderful. It took three full days of cooking to prepare that soup for you and you wasted it.” Sanri’s voice was dark with threat but Fullbody still stomped on her hand, unknowingly setting his doom. 

Fullbody ground his heel into the blonde's hand, unaware that he was too weak to hurt her. “Can’t you see you’re biting more than you can chew.” Fullbody stood towering over her. “I’m the customer here, you understand me! I’m paying you!” 

Fullbody’s date ran over than to help Sanri thinking she was being hurt. She grabbed onto Fullbody begging him to stop it but the brute of a man pushed her away harshly making her slam her back on the ground. His date was left shaking in fear. 

Sanri spoke softly but clearly. “Can your money truly satisfy your hunger?”, she asked keeping her eyes on the soup as old memories came back to her. 

“What do you mean?”, Fullbody asked angrily. 

It was then that Sanri lifted her gaze to reveal a sharp and cold blue eye like the turbulent sea that cut right into Fullbody’s soul making him flinch back in surprise. “I’m asking can it satisfy your hunger?” Before the man could do anything to defend himself Sanri gave him a swift beating leaving him battered and bleeding.  

Sanri picked up Fullbody by the throat as the customers and chefs went to see what all the ruckus was about. She focused on Fullbody even as she heard the doors to the restaurant open with more customers that would likely be scared off now because she had to deal with some trash. She hoped one of the nicer chefs calmed their worries but this matter had to be dealt with personally. Sanri crunched down hard on her lolly, breaking it into pieces in her mouth that she crunched on as she spoke bringing Fullbody closer so he could look her in the eye. “Don’t ever waste food around me again.” Sanri’s ponytail fell of her shoulder revealing her face to the three new customers that stood at the door. One of them looked like he would enjoy the fight but the other two looked unnerved by it.“ At sea, if you ever provoke your cook, you’re signing your own damn death warrant. Remember that.”  

Her attention was grabbed by Patty’s footsteps coming closer. “Damn it, not again Miss Sanri! What are you doing to our customer? Can’t you see he’s a marine lieutenant!”  

The gruff man looked at Sanri with disapproval but all she did was pout at him and lower her arm still holding Fullbody’s limp body. “Like I care, I’ve met better mannered pirates. Besides, you’re a terrible cook, what makes you think you can talk to me like that?” 

Patty scowled at her as he crossed his arms. “A crappy cook like you are calling me bad? Restaurants can’t exist without their customers. They’re our life blood. So, we don’t want to hurt them like you seem to keep doing.” Sanri knew he didn’t mean her cooking skills but it wasn’t her fault she was always stuck dealing with the shitty customers instead of the ones with decent manners. 

Sanri lifted Fullbody higher in the air again as she held back a whine in the back of her throat as she bit into paper stick left in her mouth. “He deserved it! He didn’t treat the food or me with respect. And he insulted all the cooks.” Patty wouldn’t get it, he never did. Only Zeff ever understood and even he didn’t have to deal with men slapping his ass or calling him a dumb blonde bimbo when he was trying to work and being pigs about asking her out when she actually realised that was what they were doing. Sanri let go of Fullbody’s face, letting him slump down to the ground before holding her head up in defiance as she stared Patty down with a feral grin. “So, I taught him a lesson.” Sanri turned her back on them as she went to comfort Fullbody’s date, helping her up and getting her a new table away from Fullbody who was still shaking with anger when she returned. 

“You’re gonna regret this. All of you.”, Fullbody muttered making Sanri pay attention to him again. “No restaurant should treat its customers like this. I’ll shut you down. Do you understand me? I will Shut. You. Down. This entire place. This whole restaurant is finished. Do you hear me?” 

Each word Fullbody spoke made Sanri blood heat up in rage. “Then maybe I should just finish you off now?” 

Fullbody froze in shock as the blond stared at him with that cold blue eye, not believing what he was hearing. “What?” With the look in the blonde’s eye, if the other chefs hadn’t jumped on top of her to help hold her back, he’d be a goner. 

The Deadly eye stared at him as she thrashed around trying to remove the group of men holding her back by the strain of a hair. “It’s arrogant assholes like you that think they’re such big shots that they can push people around really piss me off!” Sanri clawed at the air as she tried to reach Fullbody to hurt him. “You’re not such a big shot now, are ya? Are ya?!” 

Fullbody started to cry. He’d never seen such hot fury on a man before let alone on such a gorgeous woman as she pushed herself through the men holding her back, just missing his face as he pushed himself away. 

It was then that a crash could be heard and two individuals fell into the dining room distracting the blonde woman long enough for him to completely shuffle out of her reach. 

Sanri looked Zeff over assessing him for damage and calming when she found only minor injuries on the old man.  

“Damn it my ceiling! Another thing that’s going to have to be fixed because of you!” Zeff glared to the young man wearing a straw-hat that fell with him. “This is all your fault, you brat!”  

Sanri saw Zeff face redden in rage. “Old Man, your blood pressure!”, Sanri called to him frustrated that he might get himself so riled up he hurts himself even as she continued to fight the chefs hold. 

Zeff waved her worry off though without looking her way. “I know already Pear!” 

“How is it my fault? You attacked me!”, The man, boy really, shouted back petulantly, making Zeff growl angrily. 

But one of the cooks pulled him out of it when they said Sanri had gone crazy again. He walked up to the cooks with his hands on his hips. “Sanri, don’t tell me you went on another rampage in here, you brat!” 

Sanri froze however as Zeff looked at her with disappointment. She stopped fighting and looked away from Zeff and towards the soup. “He deserved it old man, so put a cork in it.” 

Zeff followed her eye line to the broken table and spilt soup. He sighed heavily before grunting his disapproval. “Oh, so now you're ordering me around! Just who do you think your talking to, Little Pear?” Zeff hid his smile as Sanri blushed in annoyance at the nickname before it was wiped off his face when noticed the footprint on her hand. “You punk!” Zeff quickly kicked up and tapped Sanri on the head lightly three times with his peg-leg. “Who said you could hurt your hands? A cook’s hands are precious!” Sanri clutched her head with her other hand as Zeff examined her the 'injured' hand. Once Zeff was satisfied that Sanji was really fine he turned with steam coming out his nose as he kicked Fullbody across the face, hard enough to send him halfway towards the door. “You get your ass out of my restaurant! And if I find out you mistreated a lady again let alone my sous-che, I’ll kick you out of the East Blue!” 

Fullbody groaned as he landed hard. What type of a restaurant was the Baratie? The boss was more like a gangster than a cook to the point that it seemed more like a pirate ship than a restaurant. A thought shared with a Straw-hat wearing pirate but who got a grin at the thought. 

Patty glared at Sanri from his place beside Zeff. “How can you deny our motto that the customer is king?” 

Sanri glared back just as fiercely. “Oh please, Patty. The only kingly customers are the ones who stomach the slop that you call food.” 

Zeff crossed his arms as he looked between his chefs. “That’s it, if you two want to fight you’ll keep it in the kitchen, you understand me? At least pretend for the customers that you’re civilised.”  

Luffy put a hand on his head as he looked around as his eyes landed on the only female cook that everyone was calling mad. “Wow, this restaurant is crazy.” Maybe he could see if she’d be a good fit for his crew since she seemed to be about as mad as the old geezer who ran the place. 

However, a marine came in looking for Fullbody. “Pirate Krieg’s henchman has escaped. He attacked us and vanished.” 

Fullbody started to panic as he got to his knees. “He what?!” 

The marine looked down to hide his shame. “Well, sir we’ve already lost seven of our men and the only thing we wanted out of him was a lead on finding Krieg.” 

“Impossible. When we picked him up three days ago, he was right on the verge of starving to death. And we haven’t fed him anything. Where’d he get the strength?” Suddenly, Fullbody’s rant was stopped by a swift kick to the spine as Sanri crushed him under her heel, a crack sounding throughout the room.  

The other chefs went to stop her but was silenced and stilled by her holding up her hand. “You have no idea the strength a starving person has when freedom is in sight, scum. If you had fed him something, this probably wouldn’t have happened at all.”  

Luffy watched on as everyone’s attention was drawn to the door as a gun shot was fired at the marine before glancing at his crewmates that took a seat to watch how this would all play out.; though he took notice of how Zoro’s eyes seemed to be more interest in the blonde cook and her legs instead of the thin man walking into the restaurant, asking for food or the marines making their escape with their injured lieutenant. 

Patty shifted characters, pulling something that was supposed to be a customer pleasing smile but fell short by a hundred miles. “Hello and welcome, you damn crook!” 

The tired man looked down. “Just bring me something to eat and make it quick.” 

Patty rubbed his head. “Of course, right away, but might I be so bold as to inquire how you’re paying for your meal?” 

The man cocked his gun and pointed it at Patty’s head. “Will a bullet be enough?” 

In a flash Patty’s terribly false good demeanour returned to his regular gruff attitude. “So, you don’t have any money then?” And with that Patty sent his fists down on the unwelcome customer’s head, hard enough to break the chair he was sitting on as well as make Zeff grumble about another broken chair. 

Luffy watching on impressed as cook handled the pirate and explained their policy on only feeding paying customers until he noticed the lady cook walking away as the pirate was beat up by the other cook. Luffy followed her and watched from a distance as the old owner watched her make a meal with a proud smile before he returned to the dining hall to help with calming the customers.  

He watched from the roof as the lady put another lollypop in her mouth before picking up the dish and a bottle of water before going out to where the pirate had been dumped out back and placing it in front of the man then sat down and got comfy. “Eat up.” 

The pirate gulped obviously hungry and thirsty but he still turned his face away from the food. “Take it and leave me alone. I won’t accept charity. It doesn’t matter how down and out I may be. Just take the stuff away.”  

Sanri took her lollypop out of her mouth. “Stop your whining and eat it already. I don’t care what they say in there. To me, if there’s anyone hungry, they’re a customer.” She put her candy back in her mouth as if it emphasised her point. 

The pirate was still so prideful though even as Sanri heard his stomach growl painfully. “Sorry, but, I’m not your customer.” 

Sanri looked up to the blue sky as she let the new pear lolly coat her tongue with sugar. “It’s amazing how beautiful and cruel this ocean can be; how it’s almost a death sentence to lose your food and water out here; how difficult it is to survive.” Sanri looked then at the man with kind eyes. “I know what it’s like to go hungry because of the sea more than anyone.” Her visible eye turned to a steely ocean blue as she looked into the man's eye from where he had turned to get his nose way from the smell of her delightful cooking. “You can die for your pride if you want. But listen, if you eat and survive, won’t that give you the opportunity to fight for pride truly worth having? Both now and in the future?” 

Sanri knew her words hit home when the thin man sat up and started to shovel her food down his throat. She could hear he was crying. Between bites the man apologised and thanked her for the food and told her how he thought it was over, that he was going to die. She didn’t react however until the man complimented her food and that it was the best he’d ever had. A grin took over her face as hair covered her eyes. “Of course it is.” 

Luffy laughed loud as he stood up seeing all he needed of this lady to make his decision. He’d found his cook.  

“You’re lucky she gave you some food. You weren’t looking so good there. I thought you were a goner!” Luffy then turned his bright smile onto the blonde woman. “So, listen, Miss Cook, why don’t you leave this boat and join my crew?” 

“Huh?”, Sanri looked at him puzzled.  

Luffy pointed at his chest as he spoke, “I could use a cook like you on my pirate ship.” The rubber man jumped down to sit closer to his future cook so he could persuade her to join.  

Sanri rolled her lollypop in her mouth in thought. “You’re a pirate? Is that why you went and did a crazy thing like shoot a cannonball into the restaurant?” 

Luffy pouted. “That was an accident. It was self-defence that turned into a stray shot.” 

Sanri could only laugh making her smile wide. “A stray shot?! In any case you really don’t want to do anything stupid to this place.” Sanri looked into Luffy’s eyes with a smile. “My old man used to be a cook in a famous pirate fleet.” 

Luffy smiled thoughtfully. “Oh, so the old man used to be a pirate. That explains a lot really.” Luffy then paused as he replayed what she said as did the pirate that introduced himself as Ghin. As if they were one, they said together. “Your old man?! That Old Man is your dad!” 

Sanri smiled. “He adopted me all official-like. So yeah.” Then she took her lolly pop out of her mouth as looked towards the ship. “This restaurant is everything to that crazy geezer. It’s the only treasure he’ll need for the rest of his life. He’ll do anything to protect it.” She then turned her gaze to the rubber man once more. “On top of which, all the cooks who joined him out of respect and admiration are just as hot-headed as any pirate, me more than anyone. Which helps since pirates are always coming and going out of this place. Can’t count how many times I’ve had to kick some manners into them. And if not that, kick them off the ship.” 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that. This is a really wild restaurant huh?”, Luffy chuckles as he watched his cook-to-be talk.  

“So true... and this is how it is every day.”, Annoyance laced every word. “It’s gotten so bad that customers are coming here just to watch fights between the cooks and the pirates. Every day it been a new pirate ship and a new rampage.” Sanri put her lolly back in her mouth before continuing, needing the flavour to calm her. “It wasn’t long before all the waiting staff got scared and bailed.” 

Luffy slapped his feet together as he put it all together in his head. “Ah, that makes sense. So that’s why the old man wanted me to work for him for a whole year.” Luffy then looked directly down at Sanri with a big smile. “So, are you joining my pirate crew, or what?” 

Sanri let a sad smile grace her face. “I’m sorry but I can’t. My Old Geezer said he’d tell me when I was ready to leave here to go find the All-Blue on the Grand Line and he hasn’t given me the go ahead yet. Plus, I don’t know if you’ve realised it or not but he’s very protective of me. I kinda get hit on a lot and there was this one time were someone gave me candy and tried to kidnapped me so... it's a whole thing with him.” 

Luffy didn’t like that answer though and got all up in her face from where he sat above her. “No way. I don’t accept.” 

Sanri gritted her teeth around the paper stick in her mouth confused by this outcome. “What? You don’t accept?!” 

Luffy just sat up and crossed his arms as if it made perfect sense. “It’s very simple. I refuse to accept your refusal. You are a good cook and I need one plus we’re going to the same place, so it’s obvious that we should be pirates together.” 

Sanri move away from the spot where she was leaning against the handrail to make it so Luffy could listen to her better. “Listen to what I’m saying. I can’t leave here yet.” 

Luffy pouted. “If you’re just waiting for him to give the say so then it’s a stupid reason to stay.” 

Sanri stood up angrily and shouted in his face. “His advice hasn’t led me wrong yet! Plus, my answer was no you shouldn’t need to hear anything else! So, take your pirate ship and find a cook somewhere else before I cut you up, Straw-hat!” 

“You listen to me, jerk! No one makes fun of my straw-hat unless they’re ready for a beating!” Glaring back at Sanri with just as much anger when Ghin interrupted them explaining that he was a pirate of Don Krieg’s fleet. 

“You say you are a pirate yourself. What is it you seek?”, Ghin asked with curiosity.  

Luffy just gave him a crooked smile. “Oh! The One Piece and pretty soon I’m going to sail the Grand-Line and find it.” 

Ghin froze at the statement. “Well, you can’t have been seeking it for long, if you don’t even have a cook yet, your crew can’t be all that big.” 

“Nope. She’s only the fifth member.”, Luffy said proudly as he pointed to Sanri making her mad all over again. 

“I told you already, I’m not going so don’t count me!” Sanri just watched as the rubber man pouted at her defiantly before she continued to listen to Ghin. Not because she was planning on leaving but out of sheer curiosity.  

“You seem like a nice kid so I’m going to give you some friendly advice, okay?”, Ghin said kindly. “The Grand-Line is a place you want to avoid. You’re still young. There’s no need to rush into anything. Remember the Grand-Line is one small part of this entire ocean. If you want to be a real pirate, there are plenty of other places out here in the seas to explore.” 

Luffy hummed in acknowledgement. “Well, why don’t you just tell me what to avoid in the Grand-Line now?” 

Ghin put his head in his hands. “I can’t. I don’t know anything. I don’t understand it. And that is why I fear it.” 

Sanri tilted her head in thought as she looked Ghin over. “For being a crewmember of Don Krieg’s you’re a pretty wimpy pirate.” 

“Who’s Don Krieg?” Luffy asked as he put a finger up his nose, disinterested in anything other than thinking up ways to convince his cook to join his crew. 

Zeff was stress cooking in the kitchen and as a result was being meaner than normal with his cooks telling them to not get in his way.  

Ultimately it was Patty and Carne that managed to stir up enough courage to go cook beside him and find out what was wrong with him. 

“What’s wrong Boss? Are you worried that more of those Don Krieg Pirates will come since they can’t be happy Patty threw him out.” They knew Sanri would feed the man regardless but that just meant that he could bring trouble back to them. 

Zeff huffed and kicked both men away from him as he continued to cook. “No, you morons. You think we can’t handle a bunch of lacky pirates? Hah like hell I’d worry about that.” 

Patty chuckled as he filleted a fish. “My thoughts exactly boss. We haven’t gained the reputation of fighting cooks for nothing. But if it isn’t the pirates, what is it?” 

Zeff stopped what he was doing. He knew the other cooks were listening but if he didn’t say it now then when would he? “Little Pear is ready to leave. I’ve made arrangements for an acquaintance of mine to come take her to the Grand-Line as well as have them find a crew that will keep her safe. I’ve just got to tell her.”  

The chefs all looked at Zeff to see him crying into his dish. “I’m a big wuss, ain’t I? Real men shouldn’t cry when parting but my Little Pear hasn’t even left yet.” Patty and Carne teared up as well along with the rest of the cooks, as they patted Zeff’s back consolingly. No matter how long each of them had known Sanri, they all grew to be as protective of her as family, even if she was stronger than them. 

“Don’t worry Boss. You could leave it a surprise for her and we can prepare a farewell party. Make it extra special.”, Carne said as he wiped his tears from his eyes. “Miss Sanri always went on about going to find All-Blue. I hope she’ll come back after she finds it.” 

Patty shouted at Carne in weepy rage. “Of course she will! She’ll have to help us sail there so we can set up there before taking over the restaurant. Ain’t that right Boss?” 

Zeff wailed as he kicked the longest working chefs he had across his kitchen. “Of course she will, you shitty idiots. Get back to work already!” 

Each chef wiped their face before crying “Yes Boss Zeff” and returning to work, hearts heavy that one of their own would be leaving soon as Zeff went to look for Straw-hat. 

Sanri leaned against the railing as Ghin prepared to sail off. “So long then.” 

Luffy bounced his knees up and down from where he was sat perch on the railing. “Thanks for the warning, but I’m still going to go to the Grand-Line.” 

Ghin nodded resigned. “I know. Do whatever you want. I’m just a stranger and I can’t stop you from going anywhere you want to go. I just wanted to give you a fair warning.” The thin man then looked into Sanri’s bright eye and blushed bright red when he finally let himself see how pretty the chef that saved him was. “And to you Miss Chef, thank you for everything. You saved my life and I owe you for that. You’re cooking skills are the best I’ve ever seen. I hope to come back again sometime.”  

Sanri turned her head to the side letting her hair hid her light blush at the honest compliment to her cooking. “I’ll save you a seat. And try not to get caught again, okay?” 

As she began to turn away however she noticed Ghin’s eyes fill with terror. Sanri rolled her eyes before she turned around to see exactly what she suspected, Zeff glaring from the upper deck down at Ghin with a look that promised death until he started to sail off. Zeff then turned his furious attention to Luffy who she knew was too close to her for his standards. “Chore-boy, get up here right now!” Luffy however was nonplussed about Zeff’s attitude and just greeted him with a smile. Zeff glare weakened as he saw no alternative motives from being near Sanri. “You are hard to find. Get back to work you two. Pear after you get Chore-boy to the kitchen go wait some tables. The rest of the idiots have faces ugly enough to scare off a sea king!” 

Luffy, however, didn’t last long in the kitchen before he was kicked out to work with Sanri, who was a lot more patient with him when she was explaining what he had to do and why when it came to waiting on tables. It made him even more determined to get her to join his crew. Unfortunately, he was pulled out of this thought on how to do just that by a call of “Chore-boy”.

But it wasn’t from Boss Zeff. 

He turned around to see his three crew members sitting at a table with food smiling at him while they giggled. 

Luffy ran over to them quickly making a few people take notice, one of whom was Sanri, who watched as he slapped his hands on the table. “What are you doing?!” 

“We heard you had to work here for a whole year.”, Usopp said as he put his elbows on the table. 

Even Zoro grinned at him. “Is it okay if we redraw the flag on our ship?” 

Luffy pouted as he looked at the dishes over the table. “You’re eating all this delicious food without me? What kinda crew are you?” He let his cheeks puff out in anger. “How could you do this to me?!” 

Zoro grinned bigger as he kept up the ruse, “Hold up. I think that’s our business, isn’t that right?” 

Sanri eyebrow twitched as she watched from a distance as Luffy put his booger into the green-haired man’s drink. She started making her way over to the group to replace it before making Luffy drink the water himself for messing with drinkable water, when the man made eye contact with her out the corner of his eye before flicking his gaze to the booger in the water then winking at her with a Cheshire grin.  

It stopped her in her tracks as she watched the green-haired man trick Luffy into thinking he was going to drink it before swiftly grabbing him and forcing the rubber man into drinking it himself with victorious laugh. The rubber man then rolled around on the ground as his crew laughed at him. 

And Sanri couldn’t help but burst into loud giggles against her will as she watched the squabbling crewmates. Her bright laughter was so shocking to those around her they stopped and stared at her beautiful image, the Straw-hat crew include, as it was such a difference from the bad-ass fighting chef they had seen holding the battered form of a marine lieutenant. Sanri got herself back under control as she made her way towards them but there was still a giggle at the back of her throat that made every man - and some women - that heard it blush at the angel-like quality it had - apart from Luffy that was - and woman look at her in either jealously or awe.  

“Aren’t you all quaint.”, she spoke with a grin as she stared down at Luffy from where he lay on the floor. “Luffy, is this the rest of your crew? You sure do surround yourself with interesting people, don’t you rubber boy?” 

Luffy sat up and matched Sanri’s grin before sprinting over to wrap his arms and legs around her like the monkey he was. “Yeah, Sanri who else would I have around me but the very best! Oh, I’ve got to make introductions.” Sanri just shook her head at the rubber boy but didn’t stop him as he pointed out and named each member of the crew. “That’s Usopp. He’s our sniper. He can hit anything dead on from a mile away.” 

Sanri looked the long-nosed man up and down assessing, eyes hooded in thought, unaware it made her look like she was checking Usopp out. “Can he now? Anything?” She’d didn’t notice that her phrasing could come off provocative but the crew did. Especially Usopp that blushed so hard it turned his nose red. 

“Yup, anything.” Luffy grinned proudly before moving on to Nami. “That’s Nami, our navigator. She can take you anywhere.” 

Sanri repeated the process of assessing Nami as she did Usopp with the same eyes. “That must be useful. Though I’m sure she wouldn’t take you to heaven.”, Sanri stated with a kind smile Luffy’s way. Unaware, yet again, that what she said could be taken in completely different way than she meant it, making Nami blush the same colour as her hair. 

Luffy laughed lightly as he got what Sanri meant. “No way, she’s a good friend even if she can be grumpy.” Luffy ignored Nami as she told him off from her seat so he could introduce Zoro, who’s eyes were down cast and hidden in shadow as he rested his hand on his swords. “And finally, that’s Zoro, our swordsman and first mate of the crew.” Sanri look at Zoro with wide eyes that showed only innocence which made Zoro look at her in puzzlement as he stared into her eyes, until Luffy ruined the moment. “I think he wants to fight you since he kept looking at your legs.” 

Zoro then matched the rest of the crew as a blush engulfed him in flames, however he grabbed their rubber captain and pulled him off the woman as he shouted at him with fury over his face. “Luffy! What are you on about? You can’t just say things like that, she could take it the wrong way! Why not just say I was admiring her power and strength?! And another thing, what’s with you clinging on to her, huh? You can’t just latch onto random people like that, it’ll make them think you're as weird as you actually are!” 

Sanri just watched on with a small blush as Luffy laughed wildly as Zoro shook the rubbery man until he had enough. “But Zoro, Sanri, isn’t a random person. She’s gonna be our cook!”  

Sanri crunched down on her lollypop making it shatter once more in her mouth as she let her anger consume her. “Stop saying that! I already said no. And I know for a fact you won’t be able to convince my old man!” 

Sanri felt as a hand landed on her shoulder gently and turned around to look at Zeff who had a dark expression on his face. “What’s this? Chore-boy wants to convince me of something? What’s that than, Little Pear?” The protective look Sanri would know anywhere was on Zeff’s face and she just rolled her eyes at the man that was her father.  

However, Luffy just smiled a bright innocent smile at Zeff from his place in Zoro’s hands. “Oh, that’s right! You said all you need is permission from the Boss Zeff then you can be our cook! So, what do you say old man?” 

Zeff took three big steps towards the pirate captain and his first mate before kicking them with his peg-leg as hard as he could without breaking his own ship. “Like hell I’d let my little pear go with some no name pirates that haven’t proven they can keep her safe when I can’t!” Zeff chased Luffy and Zoro around his dining hall as he threw kicks at them both, Zoro even had to take out his swords to defend himself.  

Sanri let her old man run off some steam but would stop him before he did any real damage. She liked Luffy after all and Zoro intrigued her. So, she sat beside Nami and Usopp and started up some small talk to pass the time. 

“My apologies but it’s best to let the old geezer let his anger out once and a while on people that can handle it. Though if it goes too far, I’ll put a stop to it. Your captain’s made a good impression on me.” Sanri refilled both pirates' glasses with soft smile making them blush. “How are you enjoying the visit here at the Baratie? Has the food been to your liking?” 

Nami smiled at the other woman politely. “Yes, it's been interesting to say the least but the food has been delicious. But it is a bit expensive for us to eat regularly.” 

Usopp grinned at the blonde. “I know right and it seems like we’ll be here a few days at least.” 

Sanri blinked at the red-head owlishly, not realising until now that they’d be stuck here until Straw-hat settle his debt with Zeff. She gave the pair an awkward smile. “Oh well, not to worry. There are plenty of cheaper options available on the menu for you to purchase as well as a discount for allergies if you can’t eat off it. And if you still don’t have enough money. You can even help out around the restaurant as waiters since we need them anyway. I’ll not let you starve while you’re stuck here.”  

Deciding that Zeff had had more than enough fun running around after Luffy and Zoro, Sanri grabbed both Zeff and Luffy by the collars, choking them as she dragged them away to get back to work. Unfortunately, both men continued their fight verbally as they shouted into each other’s faces.  

What was also unfortunate was that Zoro was running at Zeff with his swords when she stopped the fight, so she barely stopped the man from impaling her by kicking him under the chin and into the table Nami and Usopp were sitting at.

Thankfully the pair managed to save the food. Sanri gave the three a smirk before dragging Zeff and Luffy way. “Sorry about that! Next round of drinks are on the house.” 

Nami turned to Zoro, who was staring at the blonde as she dragged Luffy and Zeff away with interest as he rubbed the place where her foot made contact. She smirked at seeing the blush on his face. “So, you’re a leg man? I wouldn’t have expected that.” 

Zoro bared his teeth at the navigator as he got up and fixed the table, raising an eyebrow as he traced the pears curved into to table top. “Shut up it’s not like that!” He then let his eyes return to the blonde as she served customers as he returned to his seat. “It’s just - did you see how she kicked that marine? I think she fractured his spine.” 

Usopp shivered in slight fear. “Really? Now I’m really glad you forced Luffy to drink that water, if she fractured a marine’s spine for wasting food. Who knows what she’ll do if we waste drinking water.” 

Zoro however shook his head. “No. She beat him up for wasting food.” A feral grin spread over his face that could rival one of Luffy’s. “She fractured his spine for starving someone.” Nami and Usopp eyes fell on the blonde chef as Zoro laughed. “Luffy’s chosen a great cook. We’ll be here until he convinces her to join him.” 

Four days later found Zoro and Usopp taking shifts serving tables, who they were meant to be doing with Luffy but the rubber man was once again fighting with the peg-legged owner about letting Sanri join their crew along with forgiving his debt. 

Zoro picked up some empty plates from a table and headed back to the kitchen to wash them, to avoid hearing Usopp whine about Nami not having to work since she claimed the treasure was hers as well as how bored he was becoming. Zoro had been with Luffy the longest and knew the rubber man wouldn’t leave without both settling his debt for the damages to the restaurant and getting Sanri to join the crew, so Usopp would just have to suck it up for however long they’ll be there. 

As he worked Zoro thought back over the last few days. He never thought he'd enjoy watching someone else fight but it was a sight to see Sanri kick rude customers off the floating restaurant. And that wasn't all. He'd seen her working in various different ways over they're stay. From dealing with customers with a warm smile; managing the books in after closing on that table with the curved pear with elegant handwriting with no calculator to help her just her muttering and the glasses perched on her nose to see the numbers clearer; managing inventory to his favourite sight, her cooking with such confidence that took his breath away. It was that competency, that completely confidence in her own skill of running a restaurant that made heat go to his cheeks.

The swordsman entered the kitchen and was going to give the orders to Sanri when two gruff cooks, Patty and Carne, stepped in his way.

“What do you want with Miss Sanri, Chore-boy number 2? We don’t want you messing with her.”, Patty huffed out.  

“Whatever you need to say to her, you can tell us and we’ll tell her.”, Carne glared unaware that Sanri had overheard.  

Zoro frowned annoyed at this too. He barely got to talk to the blonde without someone, mostly Zeff, Carne or Patty coming between him on his way to her. That being said it did give him a great view of the blonde cook beat up them up when she got annoyed at them.

Just like now when she came up behind the men and kicked them both across the kitchen. “Like hell I need you protecting me! Now get out of my way and back to work!” Sanri put her foot down and readjusted her clothes before focusing on Zoro with a small smile. “What do you need?” 

“Table 3 wants the chocolate cake for dessert; table 16 wants the seafood risotto; tables 23, 25 and 45 wants the soup and I think table 69 were just here to perv on you. I heard one of them say something about being disappointed you weren’t in a skirt. Thought you’d want the privilege of kicking them out yourself.”, Zoro said with a shrug. He watched as her forehead vein popped out as she viciously smiled around her lollypop.  

“Did they now? I’ll have to teach the pervs some manners.” Zoro was surprised as she returned to cooking, quickly plated up a few dishes before giving orders to the other cooks about what she needed done as she kicked the door open to leave. Suddenly she turned around to look at the dirty plates in Zoro’s hands. “Clean those up then do me a favour and man the bar. You seem like you know how to make a bottle pop.” 

Zoro couldn’t help himself as he blushed bright red as she left. Did she always say things like that? Was she doing it on purpose? Zoro didn’t think so as her eyes held nothing but innocence. He made his way to the sink where not far away was Carne preparing vegetables. There was no harm in asking. “Hey, can I ask you a question?” 

“What do you want Chore-boy number 2? Make it quick I’m working here.” Carne didn’t look up from his work. 

“It’s just I can’t tell if Sanri realises how suggestive her comments are?” 

Carne stopped peeling at his words and looked at Zoro washing the plate with an awkward laugh. “Yeah, Miss Sanri always talks that way. Boss Zeff tried to explain it to her once, but she just doesn’t get it. It’s kind of our fault. She thinks she’s speaking normally as we spoke that way as she was always in the kitchen as a kid on a ship entirely with men and Zeff would have filleted us if we talked about pervy things around her. If she didn’t already know how to swear, Zeff would have made sure every chef was the perfect gentleman. She’s not really good at seeing through perverts either, unless they try to touch her, but she knows how to protect herself from them. To put it in perspective, most men that come in here get a nosebleed just by looking at her so you can assume how many times that’s happened. It really pisses us all off. It was why at least half the waiters left since they couldn’t stop hitting on her and kept getting beat up by Zeff, when she didn’t notice and by her, when she did.” Carne returned to cooking. 

“I thought they left because of the fighting?” Zoro asked as he finished the cleaning the last plate. 

Carne laughed, “Yeah partly but they also left because they couldn’t handle Zeff’s protectiveness. But I’m sure things will calm down here after she’s gone.” The gruff chef face turned bittersweet. 

Zoro smiled. “So, the old man gave in huh? Luffy will be happy to have his cook then.” He was caught off guard by the firm no he received that wiped the smile off his face. 

Carne huffed, “It’s a surprise so don’t go telling her or that captain of yours. But Zeff’s arranged for an old ally of his to pick her up and find her a crew on the Grand-Line so she can find All-blue. He trusts that guy will find her good crew since he can’t be objective when it comes to her. No crew will ever be good enough to him.” 

Zoro’s eyes widened as he looked at the cook before he turned back to dry the dishes with a grin. “So, you’re saying all Luffy has to do is convince this guy? Shouldn’t be too hard for him. He won’t have nothing but the best for his crew and he’s decided that Sanri is the best cook there is. He’ll except no one else.” 

Carne didn’t know how to reply to the compliment to Sanri or the stubbornness of Straw-hat. It left him stuttering. Carne would have replied but then the cries of the customers caught his attention. A chef ran into the kitchen. “It’s Don Krieg! His ship is approaching the restaurant!” 

Everyone left the kitchen they just reached the dining hall when Don Krieg was being helped in by Ghin. Zoro placed his hands on his swords as he watched on. 

“I beg you. I need food. And water. We have money. Lots of money.”, Don Krieg said shaking weakly as he looked up towards Sanri who had a plate of seafood risotto in her hands. “Please. It’s been so long. I don’t even remember the last time I ate. Please Miss.” Zoro had heard of this man and his tricks from bounty hunting. He knew that however weak he was pretending to be of hunger, he was hiding what strength he did have to get more sympathy. “I need food and drink. I’m begging you.” 

Zoro’s eyes fell on Sanri as he ignored the muttering of the chefs around him. Her eye were hard as she stared the tyrant captain down food in hand. She watched as he fell down before she hid both both eyes behind her fringe. 

Ghin guided Krieg onto the floor as his legs gave way underneath him. “Please, help him! Our captain is on the brink of starvation. He could die! He hasn’t had a single bite to eat for days. He’ll die if he doesn’t get some food soon!” 

Zoro was sure he heard Sanri morbidly chuckle out, “Days.” He wished he could see her eyes so he could understand the thoughts going through her head. 

Patty started full belly laughing. “I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.” The gruff chef placed his hands on his hips. “The great Don Krieg, kneeling before us!” 

“We have some money. We’re here as customers this time!”, Ghin argued as he knelt protectively over his captain. 

Patty glared down at the pirates and stepping forward ultimately blocked the way. “Do you really think I’m that stupid? Hey get a hold of the marines!” 

Panic flooded Ghin face. “What?!” 

Patty grinned as he crossed his arms. “He’s finally weak enough to be captured. This may never happen again and I’m not going to ruin it by helping him get his strength back!” The customers and the other chefs all seemed to agree that it would be best the just leave him to starve. Zoro wouldn’t disagree with them, even as Don Krieg promised he’d not do anything, the swordsman knew it was an empty promise. They were right that Don Krieg would kill them as soon as he was better but he couldn’t help but think of being tied to that cross as his body ate itself as each day past.  

Then he saw her move and pick up a bottle. 

“Boo-hoo for the cruel pirate.”, Patty said but was kicked in the face by Sanri before she moved past. 

“Step aside, Patty.” Zoro watched her along with everyone else as she glided her way towards Krieg and Ghin. She placed the plate and bottle on the floor softly with a sweet smile. “Here’s something for your captain.”  

The whole room was shocked at her, Zoro included but then he saw as his captain grinned and shield his eyes with his hat as Ghin thanked Sanri once more. This must be the side of her that drew Luffy to her. Zoro grinned then as he swore silently to himself to help prove that Sanri should join their crew. She was a Straw-hat in the making with her fighting skills and cooking. Plus someone would have to feed the bottomless pit that was Luffy. Why not a cook that seemed to have her own dreams with a heart of gold? 

Don Krieg thanked Sanri as she held her knees to her chest from where she was crouched in front of Krieg watching him eat as tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Ghin and Zoro couldn’t keep their eyes off Sanri as she angelically smiled around her lollypop in her mouth, showing her kindness. But Carne interrupted them both as he pushed passed Zoro and the other chefs shocking Sanri into defensive position. 

“Miss Sanri, please, I know you’ve been sheltered your whole life but even you have to see why you’ve got to get that food away from him right now!” Carne shouted in a panic and missing the subtle flinch Sanri made at his comment. “Please Miss Sanri. He’s a cold, heartless, killing machine. This is the man known as the ruler of the East-Blue, the most treacherous of all pirates!” Carne’s face grew dark in horror. “It started in prison. He pretended to be a marine. And when he decided to declare his pirate ambitions, he took command of a marine vessel by killing the senior officer! He would raise the marine flag when entering ports, then lay waste to the unsuspecting cities and passenger ships there. He even showed the white flag before attacking enemy ships. He does anything to secure victory.” 

Luffy watched the large man on the floor with distasteful eyes. “That guy fights dirty.” 

Carne balled his fists as he continued. “He’s also unmatched in physical combat. Do you think he’ll just leave us alone? I’ve got news for you! That’s not possible for a bloodthirsty killer like him, Miss Sanri! He deserves death! So please Miss Sanri, get that food away from him before it’s too late.” 

A bottle slamming on the ground behind Sanri just gave her enough of a warning to hand spring herself away from Don Krieg though he still clipped her legs causing her to fall over in her landing and her lollypop stick fall from her mouth. 

Luffy, Zoro and even Ghin watched on in shock as Krieg hurt someone, a lady no less, that had quite literally offered him salvation. 

“Miss Sanri!” Patty cried as he rushed over to make sure she was okay but she waved him off but it was too late as the customers all started to panic and move to the back of the dining hall towards an emergency exit. 

Ghin looked up at Don Krieg with wide eyes that hid his anger. “This is not what we agreed on! You gave me your word. I only brought you here because you promised you wouldn’t ruin this place! Or hurt the woman who saved us!” 

Don Krieg showed no kindness as he dragged Ghin up to a standing position with cold indifference to the pain in his crewmate's eyes. It reminded Sanri of Judge too much for her not to grit her teeth as wisps of old memories filtered through her mind that she could barely remember. 

“Yes, that was delicious.” Don said as he cracked the bones in Ghin’s arm to silence him making the poor man groan in agony as he stared down at Sanri with a predatory look in his eye that had Zoro preparing himself to jump in if need be, to give Sanri enough time to get up and protect herself. But the blonde had already got herself back on her feet even as she remained crouched on the ground ready to pounce into action. “I feel alive again!” Krieg dropped Ghin onto the ground dismissively. 

Krieg looked around the ship with calculating eyes. “This is a pretty good ship. I believe that I’ll take it along with the blonde.” He donned a vile smirk as his eyes returned to Sanri as he licked his teeth. 

Sanri smirked disgusted. “Right. I see.” 

“As you can see my ship is a wreck. Naturally I’ll be needing a nice new one.” Don Krieg then looked over all the cooks that had tensed up. “After a few small chores, everyone except the blonde will leave this ship.” 

“What?! No!”, Carne shouted. 

Ghin clutched his arm as he shook in pain. “Don Krieg... You promised... Please!” Don Krieg just ignored him as he pointed at his ship. 

“There are about 100 men left onboard my ship, all are weak with hunger and many are seriously wounded. If you valued your lives, you will prepare food and water for every last one of them. I’ve lost too many men to hunger already.”, Don Krieg stated and Sanri could help but the urge to feed them even if Don Krieg’s manners left much to be desired. “Bring them over immediately!” 

“You’re telling us to feed our executioners?!”, Carne asked in disbelief. “Do you hear how stupid that sounds?! We refuse!” 

Don Krieg eyes hardened. “You refuse? I wasn’t asking you. Now make no mistake, you wretched cook, I’m not placing an order. I am giving you one! Do I make myself clear?!Don’t defy me!” The tyrant pirate captain became feral. 

Sanri was about to giggle at how dumb Don Krieg was but was stopped as she heard Ghin whisper his apology to her. Her eyes softened at him in understanding. 

Patty however disagreed. “Oh Miss Sanri. Look what your kindness has brought to his restaurant? This is why I keep telling you not to feed the people that can’t pay!” 

Sanri ignored him though as she looked past Don Krieg to the men she could just barely see on the galleon. They look so much worse than Don Krieg, telling her that he was probably keeping a larger store of food for himself before he ran out, the greedy fucker. 

But the terrible captain was a later problem. 

She stood up and dusted off her trousers, put her hands in her pockets and started to walk towards the kitchen. 

Patty’s eyes widened. “Where do you think you’re going Miss Sanri?” 

Sanri giggled as she stopped on her journey. “To the kitchen. Looks like I’ll be cooking a hundred more meals today?” 

Zoro eyes widened as he looked at the grin on Sanri face mesmerised as she showed no hesitation to cook for her enemy. And make it no mistake Zoro could see her clear distaste for Don Krieg but there was just something in her gaze that made him stop and stare. 

Luffy and Ghin seemed to also agree that her kindness was baffling after Don Krieg’s treatment especially after he told her to ‘hop too it’ however it drew them towards her. But the cooks didn’t feel the same way. 

“What?! Are you crazy?!”, the cooks cried as one. She was quickly surrounded by the chefs with grim but determine looks on their faces as they pointed large cutlery weapons towards her. Sanri was as cool as ever unfazed by their reaction. 

“Miss Sanri, we don’t want to hurt you but we can’t let you go anywhere near that kitchen!” one chef cried with tears prickling in his eyes. 

“Please understand Miss but your kindness is misplaced here. He wants to hurt you and we can’t allow you to help him do so. It’s insanity!” another said. 

Sanri looked out at the men around her as she held her arms out. “Alright. Stop me if you wish.” She then gave them a fierce look. “I know that it’s no secret that Don Krieg is a terrible, ruthless man. I know he plans to hurt me, but that doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t matter.” She made sure to make eye contact with each of the chefs. “After we feed all these men, who knows what’s going to happen?” She bowed her head and closed her eyes making her ethereal in that moment. “I am but a simple cook, no more and no less. If someone is going hungry, it’s my duty to feed them. That’s all I know. Whaddya say? Is that wrong?” Sanri opened her eyes and looked at the chefs innocently. 

“Miss Sanri...”, They said in awe but only slightly lowered their weapons.  

Patty wrapped his arms around Sanri tightly as he picked her up off the floor. “No. Miss Sanri, I can’t let you do it this time. You bring free food to the bums I kick out of this place, over and over again. I’m not about to argue over who’s right in that particular situation, but this time Miss Sanri you are flat-out wrong and you could get seriously hurt.” Sanri didn’t struggle or even attempt to leave his arms even if the glare on her face made it clear she was unhappy with his choice of restraint even as she was pasted over to Carne's equally secure hold. Zoro and Luffy wanted to help but Sanri’s lack of struggling made them stay in place. Patty then walked over to a cupboard to look for something. “We’re going to protect this place. Fortunately, we’ve got numbers on our side. It is Don Krieg, but what could he do against all of us?” 

Don Krieg growled angrily but stayed still humouring them. 

Patty found what he was looking for and unwrapped it. “At a joint like this, pirate scumbags come and go all day. We’re fully prepare to serve any kind of customer!” Patty grinned over his shoulder at Don Krieg. “I really hope you saved room for dessert. Cos’ I have a secret recipe that is truly to die for!” Patty then pulled out a lobster shaped cannon. “Open wide for the Meatball of Doom!” He then fired the canon at Don Krieg making a mighty blast. 

Ghin cried out for Don Krieg to see if he was okay as he couldn’t see through the dust cloud. Carne released Sanri from his hold as he thought the danger was gone now. 

Patty rubbed his nose with a smile. “I might have broken the door. I sure hope Zeff doesn’t yell at me again.” 

Carne lay a hand on Patty shoulder as he looked into the dust cloud. “He might go easy on you for saving the restaurant and all.” 

“So, what are we going to do about all the guys left on Krieg’s ship.”, Sanri asked curiously at what they intended knowing Zeff probably had other plans. 

“Fry ‘em! Cover it in batter and fry the entire thing.”  

But the chefs' celebrations were cut short as a voice could be heard through the smoke. “Are you a chef or a comedian? Because your jokes are lame.” A vein could be seen about Don Krieg’s brow. “And that dessert was terrible! The worst I ever had!” Guns of various types appeared from Krieg’s armour making the chef quiver in fear. Zoro jumped protectively in front of Sanri even as she took a defensive stance, ready for attack. “So, die!” Don Krieg's fired on the chefs and Zoro defected the bullets that came his way with a few quick slices of his sword. As for Sanri she just moved past the bullet with graceful ease.  

She even glared at Zoro. “What are you doing? I ain’t no damsel in distress. Go play hero with the other chefs who need your help.” Zoro may have glared at her but he did as she asked after seeing she didn’t need any help. 

Eventually Krieg stopped firing at them and with Sanri’s, Zoro's and Luffy’s help the chefs, while worse for wear we’re all alive. 

Krieg look at them in anger as he removed his gloves revealing diamond coated knuckle busters. “You should not defy me! I am by far the world’s strongest man!” Zoro lifted his eyebrow sceptically as he’d wager most of his strength came from his armour. “Arms made of solid steel! Wootz steel body armour, impenetrable! And a diamond fist that could pound this entire world to dust.” 

“Now he’s just being dramatic.”, Sanri couldn’t help but say under her breath. 

“In addition to the weapons on my body, I have a fleet of 50 ships with 5000 pirates. My record is perfect! I’ve won every single battle that I’ve been in!” 

Zoro had heard Sanri and leaned over to whisper in her ear. “And a pretty bad liar. He said he needed a hundred meals and he’s got a single galleon ship that looks like it's about to sink.” 

Sanri giggled at Zoro’s words and the swordsman smiled at her airy laugh despite himself. However, because of Sanri’s laugh both were caught by Krieg.  

His eyes were wild, he was practically foaming at the mouth. “You think this is funny, do you?! I am Don! And I am the only one fit to be called Don! When I give you slimeballs an order, you will follow it down the last letter! Don’t you ever disobey me!” 

Sanri grinned at Don. “Sorry sweetheart but it's clear you just got out of a sticky situation. Especially with that ship all banged up out there.”  

Don blushed in embarrassment at both the innuendo and at how easily his lie was seen through. Zoro was sure if the owner didn’t come then Don would have exploded in rage and straight up attacked Sanri and Zoro. Zoro knew he would be fine either way but he wasn’t sure of Sanri’s full abilities just yet and didn’t want to risk her getting caught in between. 

Zeff sent Zoro a glare as he had seen the interaction between him and his daughter while walking past. He knew that Zoro was not like Luffy and definitely didn’t like how Sanri giggled at whatever he said to her. But he would have to deal with that later. 

Zeff placed a big bag on the ground silencing Don Krieg’s mindless rant. The cooks at the restaurant called out to stop him but to him it was clear on what to do. “This is about a hundred meals. Now take it to your men right away and leave my restaurant. Before I change my mind and kill you for badly attempting to hurt my daughter.” Zeff stared Don Krieg down. 

Don Krieg looked over Zeff's features and his eyes widen in shock and fear as his mind gave him an answer to who was standing before him. “You’re... Red-Leg Zeff.” 

Zeff didn’t even smirk in Don Krieg’s direction as he turned around and walked towards Sanri to check her over as the cooks questioned his motives. He was surprisingly please when Zoro moved to let him past before stepping in front of them again protectively. 

... 

But Zeff still didn’t like him. On principle. 

Zeff then heard the complaint that finally snap him out his worry for Sanri. 

“If all of those pirates get their strength back, the restaurant will be completely taken over!” 

Zeff face was emotionless as he stared into nothingness with his back towards Don Krieg with memories flashing through his mind of when he held a little 5-year-old girl in his arms as they wasted away on a barren rock. “That would be true... if they still had the will to fight.” Zeff felt as Sanri squeezed his hand and brought him out of his memories and smiled down at her loving before turning back towards Don Krieg once more with humour in his eyes. “Tell me... did your will survive defeat?” Zeff knew from the look in Don Krieg’s eye he understood what he meant, even if tyrant was in denial of the fact. 

The cooks however looked on in horror at the prospect of Don Krieg’s defeat. “The great Don Krieg was defeated?” 

“Whoa. Not even he could do it. A pirate fleet with 50 ships couldn’t make it on the Grand-Line.”, Carne said shocked. 

Sanri however thought that Zeff sailed did it with fair less men, so wasn’t it just a case of quality over quantity. Flours had different grades for a reason. 

Luffy watched on in with interest.  

Don Krieg stared at Zeff intensely. “It is you, isn’t it? You’re Red-Leg Zeff!” Then Don Krieg’s eyes took on a calculating edge. “So, you are alive. The unrivalled pirate captain who was also the ship’s cook.” 

Zeff raised an eyebrow, showing where Sanri got her attitude from. “Yes, that’s right, I’m still alive. But what does any of this got to do with you? I haven’t been a pirate for many years now. I chose the life of a father and cook.” Sanri blushed and smiled fondly at her adoptive father. 

Don Krieg laughed as he looked at Zeff’s peg-leg. “‘Choose the life of a father and cook’, huh? Yeah right. You didn’t have a choice old man. You live as a cook because the only thing you can be is a cook.” Sanri face puffed up in anger as the stupid bastard didn’t know what he was on about even as he continued on like he knew everything about Zeff. “He was known far and wide. Red-Leg Zeff was a master of deadly kicks who never used his hands in battle. It was said that with his mighty legs, he could crush bedrock to sand and leave foot prints in solid steel. ‘Red-Leg’ referred to his boots which became soaked in the blood of his enemies as he kicked them down.” Zoro looked at Zeff with more wariness as Luffy started at him in delighted awe. It was so unfortunate that Don Krieg had to continue talking. “You know, it really is a pity that you no longer have that precious leg of yours. I heard that rumour quite some time ago. How unlucky for you to have such an accident at sea. Now that your greatest weapon has been sacrificed to the sea, you’re defenceless, completely unable to fight.” 

Zeff just shrugged as if it was of little consequence. “I never really thought it so unfortunate. After all I found my dearest treasure because of it.” Sanri looked puzzled unaware of any treasure besides the gold they used to make the Baratie. “Plus, I don’t need to fight anymore. I’m a cook. And as long as I have my two hands for that, I’ll be fine. Besides I taught my daughter everything I know.” Zeff’s eyes turned to steel as Don Krieg eyes shift to Sanri with even more interest. “Now enough chitchat, let’s get to the point. What do you want from me?” 

Don Krieg smirked. “You mean besides your daughter?” Zeff growled out protectively as he placed Sanri behind him much to her growing annoyance. Zoro’s white swords, Wado, even seemed to gleam brighter. “Red-Leg, You’re the man who sailed the perilous waters of the Grand-Line and came back unscathed. Impressive. There should be a logbook detailing your tactics, a full year of your journey there.” Don Krieg pointed at his chest. “Give it to me! Now!” 

Luffy gawked at Zeff in awe before turning to Sanri with a pout. “You never said your dad was a cool pirate that’s went to the Grand-Line!” 

“I thought it was heavily implied!”, Sanri shouted. “This is so not the time, Luffy!” 

“Fine but I’m still mad at you. When we set sail, you’ve got to make me extra meat okay?”, the rubber man grumbled, getting two sharp glares from Zeff and Sanri. “We’ll discuss it later.” 

“My logbook, huh?” Zeff turned back to Don Krieg as he looked at him with indifference. “You’re right, I do indeed have a record of my travels. But I will never hand them over to you.” Luffy smiled as he watched Zeff stand up to Don Krieg and as the brute looked confused at Zeff noncompliance. “You ignorant brute. That logbook is sacred to me. It’s the pride of the crewmen that I sailed with. It’s far too important to give to you.” 

“Alright. I’ll take it!” Don Krieg clenched his hand in anger. “Yes...It’s true that the Grand-Line beat me. Still, I will never give up on it! I am Don Krieg! In the end, it’s just another ocean. I had enough weapons and men and ambition! Regrettably, the only thing I lacked was information. I just didn’t know enough.” Don smirked as everything came together in his mind. “But now I’ll fix all that. Once I have your logbook, I’ll form another pirate fleet and seize the legendary One Piece. Then I will stand as ruler of this great pirate era!” 

Luffy walked past Sanri, Zoro and Zeff to stand in front of Don Krieg. His voice was firm. “Now, hold on!” Luffy pointed at Krieg while had one hand on his hip as he stared him down. “It’s me who’s going to be King of the Pirates!” He said it so matter of fact in a way Zeff had never heard before that he was starting to like the terp and he didn’t like what that meant. 

“Wait! Don’t be such an idiot! You better back off chore-boy!”, Patty cried scared of what antagonising Don Krieg would mean for the Baratie. 

“No way, not from this.”, Luffy said with a grin as he stared Don Krieg down. Zoro could help but smile too as he readjusted his grip on his swords. 

Zeff really damned himself. He liked them. And he really didn’t want to like them. 

“Did you say something, kid?” Don Krieg said as his superiority complex was showing. “I won’t allow that kind of stupidity again.” 

Luffy placed his hands on his hips relaxed. “Oh, yeah? Well, stupid or not, I’m just stating the facts as they are.” 

“This isn’t a game.” 

“Yeah, I know. But I’m still going to conquer the Grand-Line.”, Luffy said with ease. 

Don let his frustration with the conversation out as he raised in voice into a bellow. “Uh! No, you won’t! It’s true that we didn’t have the information we needed, but my fleet of 5000 men was wiped out in just seven days, you brat! That sea is hell!” 

Sanri could see Ghin was shaking in fear as he was obvious having a flashback to those seven days in every curve of his face. Everyone was shocked and just wondered what had happened to leave the man so traumatized. 

Don Krieg’s face turned impassive as he tried to stared Luffy down, but it was unsuccessful as Luffy’s expression remained unchanged. “Unfortunately, I don’t find your smart-ass remarks very amusing. If you insist on this foolish behaviour, I’ll crush you right here and right now.” 

“Go ahead, if you can.”, Luffy challenged. 

“I can, and I will. It would be my pleasure to send you to an early grave, you cocky runt!” Don stated but as he looked over the situation, he found that the odds weren’t exactly in his favour. He was out numbered for starters; not to mention the green-haired man was almost certainly Roronoa Zoro, the pirate hunter that seemed to be following Straw-hat with unknown strength; match that with Red-Leg Zeff’s child with apparently having similar skills as the ex-pirate with the man himself probably with some ability for fighting still and the sniper shaking behind the pillar in the room, he wasn’t a fan of his current odds.  

Zoro moved to stand by Luffy to strengthen their front. “You need a hand?” 

“If you don’t need help, that’s okay too!”, Usopp stated as on shaky legs stepped out from behind the pillar. 

Luffy looked between then with wide eyes. “Oh, hey guys. Appreciate the offer, but I think I can handle this clown.”  

Zoro put his swords away with a shrug, he knew Luffy’s skill so he just went back to stand beside Sanri as Zeff glare at him turning more pout-like as time went on as he liked the Straw-hat Pirates more by the second. 

“Aw, too bad! But if you say you don’t need any help, who am I to argue?”, Usopp said with shaking legs as he moved to stand closer to Zoro and Sanri, knowing the swordsman could protect him. “Us awesome fighters are just going to sit this one out! Holler if you need us!” Zoro elbowed Usopp to shut him up but all it did was irritate Usopp. “What’d you do that for Zoro?!” 

“Shut up already, you weirdo!” Zoro then gave Sanri an awkward apologetic glance as he was feeling embarrassed by Usopp’s cowardly behaviour. “Sorry about him.” 

Sanri just tilted her head at him in confusion, not sure why the green-haired man was apologising for his friends cowardness. It wasn’t like it was Zoro’s knees knocking together. 

Krieg laughed as he looked towards Zoro and Usopp. “Are those two guys your crew? That’s a pretty small group you got there, kid.” 

Luffy faced turned defiant as he held out two fingers. “Well, that’s not all. I got two more!” 

“I’m not a part of your crew!” Sanri face puffed up in rage. Zeff however stayed silent this time instead of voicing any disapproval as he just stared down Don Krieg with a face of stone. 

It finally made the tyrant captain put his guns away. “I’ll deal with you later.” He picked up the bag of meals and threw it over his shoulder. “Right now, I’m going to feed my men. Those of you who don’t wish to die can leave the restaurant now and escape that fate. The only things I’m after is the girl, the logbook and this ship. However, if you wish to stay and be slaughtered, I have no problem burying every last one of you at sea. Know that.” Don Krieg then left the Baratie silently as every person in the room stared at him with either disgust, horror or both. 

Luffy huffed air out of his nose as he crossed his arms. “Like I’d let Sanri go with a clown like that.” 

Ghin was shaking from his place on the floor, eyes glued to the floor. “I’m so sorry Sanri. I never thought it would be this way.” 

But it wasn’t Sanri who replied to him. 

“You have nothing to apologise for, sailor.” Ghin met the eyes of Zeff and Sanri, who smiled as she stretched her arms above her head as she watched her dad talk with pride. “Every cook at this restaurant did what they thought was right. That’s all there is to say about that.” 

Patty, with fork weapon in hand, shouted in disbelief. “But... Boss I know Miss Sanri is your daughter but you can’t possibly be taking her side in this?! Her misplaced kindness got us into this mess! This time she’s put, not just herself, but the whole restaurant in danger!” 

“He’s right! She’s responsible!”, One cook said. Another piped up, “You need to hold her accountable!” One by one each chef complained until Zeff exploded. 

“You fools don’t know what you're talking about!”, He roared at his staff. “None of you have any idea what it’s like to be on the brink of starvation; to have no food or water on the open sea. There is no way you could possibly understand what a terrifying prospect that is! It’s the most difficult situation a person can face, let alone a little 5-year-old girl!” Sanri let her arms fall as she rummaged around for a lollypop in her pocket, unwrapping and popping it in her mouth as a distraction even as the cooks' eyes fell on her in morbid fascination.  

Zoro was not much better as he watched her features that showed only her collectedness of the situation. 

“I don’t know what you're on about, Chef Zeff.”, Patty said confused. 

Carne placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort as he stared at his boss’ daughter with respect as he understood. 

Zeff smiled at Sanri with pride getting a face splitting grin in reply. “The difference between all of you and Sanri, is that Sanri knows.” 

Giggling as she rolled her lollypop with her tongue. “Don’t sell yourself sort, old man. I’d have never survived without you. Days? Ha! That’s not nearly the brink. 85 days, nearly 3 months: that’s starvation. And we still had the energy to dance after we flagged down that ship.” 

Luffy looked on with pride at his soon-to-be crewmate's tale of survival while Usopp’s jaw was hanging as he thought that Sanri must be the same kind of monster that Zoro and Luffy were. 

Zoro and Ghin were another matter. Their eyes widened as they looked at Sanri, trying to imagine suffering worse than what they went through and surviving as a child. They couldn’t picture it in their minds. Their respect and adoration for the blonde grew tenfold. For a split second they made eye contact with each other, blushing and looking away from each other with a glare as they saw the same look reflected in each other's eyes. It wasn't lust like in others eyes, this was true respect and affection.

Zeff addressed his cooks once more. “If all you're going to do is stand about grumbling, then leave this place and never come back.” 

Patty’s grip tightened on his weapon. “I, for one, am going to stay and fight! I couldn’t live with myself if I accepted defeat!” 

The chefs all agreed as they call the Baratie their home. It made Sanri smile fondly at each of them. But it made Ghin smack the ground in horror.  

“What are you doing?!”, he cried looking around the room before letting his eyes fall back onto Sanri. “You saw how powerful Don is, right?!” 

“We’re we looking at the same man, Ghin? Coz’ all I saw was a man with too many weapons, not enough sense with an over inflated ego. I mean calling himself the world's strongest man? It's like he hasn't even head of Uncle Whitebeard!” Ghin paled at the name that left her mouth. She then walked over to a turned over table and used the power of her feet to right it before leaning against it. “Listen up, because I’m only going to say this once. Do not mistake my kindness for weakness. Feeding someone who’s hungry is my sacred moral duty. But now that your crew is well fed, I have no obligation to them.” Sanri took her lolly out of her mouth. “With a clean conscience, I can beat every last one of them to a bloody pulp. If anyone tries to take this restaurant...” Sanri’s eyes took on a vicious gleam to them that was directed at only Ghin but Zoro shivered in excitement at her tone. “They’re dead. I’ll kill them without a moment's hesitation. Got that?” 

Ghin saw no kindness in Sanri’s eyes the resembled the raging sea. It made him gulp in hesitation. 

“Hah! You’re behaving like a real headcase Miss Sanri. Letting him live then threatening to kill him?” Patty laughed. 

Sanri just rolled her eyes as she placed her lolly back in her mouth. “Can it, Patty.” 

“Luffy, I got to say, you out did yourself with this one.”, Zoro smirked at his captain. 

“I know right! She’s awesome!”, Luffy stated with a big grin. 

But Usopp felt a little different. “Who cares how awesome she is?! We got to get out of here right now!” 

“I mean it is Don Krieg, but he’s in pretty sad shape.”, Zoro explained as he rubbed the back of his neck were the trace of his shiver lingered. 

Luffy realised something of importance. He turned to address Ghin who kneeled defeated on the floor. “Hey Ghin! You said you didn’t know anything about the Grand-Line. But I thought you’d been there. That doesn’t make any sense.” 

Ghin gulps as he averted his eyes as he felt so many things all at once. “Nothing makes any sense now. What happened to us on the seventh day of our journey through that cursed sea. I don’t know if it was a dream or reality. I saw things that I can’t bring myself to believe. I know in my heart that it’s impossible for that entire fifty ship fleet to be completely eradicated by just one man.” He clenched her head in his hands and those around him looked at him shocked with horror. Usopp let out a scream in terror. Zoro and Sanri were wary of the prospect. Even Luffy was surprised. “It all happened so fast. As soon as this man appeared, he began to systematically sink our ships one after another. If that raging storm hadn’t come upon us when it did, then that monster would have destroyed our flagship as well.” Ghin shaking became worse as he seemed to hold back the sob in the back of his throat. “I don’t know if a single other ship made it out. It all seems like a terrible nightmare burned into my memory! I just want to forget. His eyes... They were like a hawk’s, sharp and murderous. His gaze alone felt like the cold hands of death!” 

Sanri tilted her head, confused on how a gaze could be like hands, but Zoro grunted forward in surprise as he realised who was being spoken about. 

“What did he just say?”, Zoro asked no one in particular. 

“That a gaze could be hands. I don’t get it either.”, Sanri replied with a straight face. Her comment had Zoro and Usopp looking at her with confusion in their eyes. “What?” 

Before either could reply to her, Zeff spoke up. “Well then. Seems to me like you had a run in with the one they call ‘Hawk-Eye’. Your description of his heartless gaze isn’t proof of his identity in and of itself. But the way he so easy decimated your fleet confirms without a doubt that it’s him.” 

“Hawk-Eye Mihawk.” Zoro said as he shook with anticipation. 

Luffy tilted his head towards him. “So, you know him, Zoro?” 

Zoro shook off his tenseness from the thought of a battle with him. He leaned against the wall at his back. “Yeah, I do. He’s the man I’ve been looking for. Hawk-Eye is the whole reason I set out to sea.”  

Sanri flicked her gaze from Zoro to Ghin as she sucked on her lolly thoughtfully. “Could he of had some score to settle with you guys?” 

“We didn’t do anything to him.” Sanri though his face was being honest. 

Zeff grinned roguishly. “Perhaps you disturbed him during a nap.” 

“Stupid cook!” Ghin unleashed his frustration. “Why would he destroy an entire fleet for something so trivial?!” 

A chuckle burst from Zeff’s throat. “There’s no need to shout. It’s just an example. I thought you might like a bit of friendly advice on what kind of place the Grand-Line is.” 

“And what kind of place is that?”, Usopp asked nervously. 

“He probably means anything can happen there.”, Zoro answered his question and Usopp flinched in fear. 

“Hey Luffy! Do we really, really have to go there?”, Usopp pleaded. Luffy’s eyes were covered by his hat. When Usopp noticed he was shaking. “Hey... Luffy?” Usopp asked worried, but he soon found out his worry was misplaced as the rubber man grinned with excitement. 

“That’s so awesome! This is going to be such a blast!” 

Usopp scrunched up his face in annoyance. “Don’t you understand the concept of danger?!” 

“I don’t think he does.”, Sanri replied from where she sat. 

“Finally, my life’s goal will be achieved on the Grand-Line.”, Zoro could only smile, even as Usopp cried at his hope of convincing Luffy went out the window. “My rival. He’s out there somewhere, and I’m going to find him.” 

Sanri stared at Zoro trying to figure out if he was serious. When she only found sincerity, she bit onto her lolly stick. “Are you that stupid? You can’t just walk up to a guy like that and pick a fight. It’s idiots like you guys who end up dead.” 

“That may be true. But lay off the name calling.” Zoro, with a straight face, made sure to look her dead in the eye making Sanri uncomfortable. “I devoted my entire life to becoming the world’s greatest swordsman.” His expression didn’t change and Sanri was captivated by the intensity in the swordsman’s golden eyes. “I made my choice, so I’m the only one who gets to call me stupid.” 

(Zeff didn’t pout as he saw Sanri stare at Zoro with such interest. He didn’t. And even if he did you couldn’t prove otherwise.) 

“Hey! What about me?!”, Luffy asked giggling. 

“Me too, right?! It only seems fair.”, Usopp stated with a uncomfortable grin on his face. 

Zoro poked the liar’s head with his seethed sword. “Shut up, stupid.” 

Sanri tilted her head in confusion at the interaction. “What morons.” But there was a tiny barely there smile on her face that Zeff noticed and he smiled at his daughter bittersweetly. 

But Patty had to ruin the moment. 

“Enough! Do any of you maggots understand the current situation?! That enormous galleon moored in front of our dear little restaurant is none other than Don Krieg’s flagship! So why don’t we check back into reality and deal with this?!” The cook bared his teeth in frustration. 

Sanri had had enough of the needless worrying. “Have you seen that galleon, Patty? It’s barely holding together and I can almost grantee that the men are no better, and the food they’re eating will make them feel sick because they haven’t eaten in so long.” Sanri let her calculating eyes fall on the vessel as she leaned back to watch the starving men eat. “There is probably approximately 2 or 3 men on that ship that have any real ability to fight through that properly. One of which is Don Krieg himself but with his superiority complex and very obvious arrogance we can lead him into a false sense of security.” Sanri smirked a small real smile as she heard Don Krieg’s men cheer. “As long as we don’t forget about his weapons or his tendency for foul-play we’ve actually the better odds. Right, old man?”  

Zeff smirk mirrored Sanri’s. “It won’t be easy but it is definitely more in our favour.” It was said so matter of fact that the cooks grinned at their bosses as confidence filled them. 

Ghin was frozen in shock at their attitude. Even as they heard gun fire from the galleon, most didn’t even stop in their preparations for a fight. It was like they had forgotten how big Don Krieg’s bounty was. Luffy didn’t even seem fazed as he kept close to Usopp and Zoro, the three watching Sanri with assessing eyes as she helped take charge of the ship with Zeff, though Ghin knew there was more hidden in the swordsman's eyes. His eyes followed her as well. He couldn’t help it; he had never met a woman like her before. Kind and ruthless. Innocent but provocative. An angel and a demon all wrapped up in black and blue.  

His train of thoughts came to an abrupt end as Don Krieg called out for his men to attack. But then so did everyone’s as the sound of something cutting through the air could be heard before a loud bomb.  

The galleon was sliced in two. 

Those within the restaurant looked on in surprise as the flagship was wrecked before their eyes. Zeff sprouted off orders to raise the anchor so that they rode the wave instead of sinking. 

Zoro eyes widened in worry. “Wait Nami and the guys are still on our ship out there!” He ran towards the door after Luffy who had the same thought and just hoped Usopp followed. 

All three watched the aftermath of the destruction out of the corner of their eyes, Usopp  not able to contain his horror, as they ran to find the Going Merry just to find she was missing. Thankfully they heard the cries of help from Johnny and Yosaku. Quickly they pulled them out of the water and to safety. 

“Are you okay?!”, Luffy asked the crying men as they sat on the deck of The Baratie getting small nods as replies. This calmed Luffy a little but they were still missing their navigator. 

Zoro had similar thoughts. “What happened to the ship?! Where’s Nami? Is she okay?” 

“I’m sorry Big Bro. I don’t know how to say this, but she’s gone!”, Yosaku cried. 

“Big Sis Nami!”, Johnny said as if in disbelief of what happened. “She took all the treasure and sailed away” 

“She did what?!”, The three remaining Straw-hat pirates cried out in shock as Nami while a thief had seemed to have grown to like them over the course of their journey. They couldn’t understand why she would do this. 

“What’d you say?!”, Usopp asked angrily. 

“For real?! Nami sailed off with the Going Merry?!”, Luffy asked worried. 

“I need a straight answer! Now, what happened?!”, Zoro asked angry and annoyed. 

Yosaku lay tired on the ground as he cried at letting down his ‘Big Bro’s’. “Well, it all happened in only a few minutes. Nami was all focused on the wanted picture of Arlong. We warned her about him.” 

Johnny nodded in agreement. “Yeah! We told her how dangerous it would be to go after him but then she tricked us into turning around. Said she needed to change. And you know that we’re gentlemen, Big Bro Zoro. So, we did.” 

“Yeah. It was just the right thing to do to not look. We couldn’t turn around until she was done. But she wasn’t really changing. She just used it as a ruse to get close to us and push us off the boat.”, Yosaku stated. Zoro however didn’t believe either of them on that point from the blushes on their faces that gave away they’re lie. They may have turned around but they turned around to peek. It made him sigh in annoyance but nothing more. It’s not like he cared much for Nami’s modesty. To him she wasn’t attractive and barely tolerable at the best of times. Still, he didn’t think she was a bad person, not really.  

It was Johnny who continued the story. “She said it was business. Said she was a thief that only targeted pirates and that her score was the ship. She said she never joined the crew and that she was just travelling with you guys. Said she had fun and told us to tell you that if it was truly meant to be that she’ll see you real soon. Then that galleon was hit.” Johnny and Yosaku got to their knees in apology. “So that’s the story of how Big Sis Nami took the ship!” 

“Sorry.” 

“Damnit!” Zoro punched the wall in frustration. “She just had to make a bad situation worse!” 

“The heartless thief! Kaya gave us that ship!” Usopp declared as he clenched his fists. 

“Wait! I see a ship!” Luffy looked out to sea scanning trying his best to see. “It’s the Going Merry!” Luffy turned to the bounty hunter friends. “Tell me were you boat is.”, the pirate captain demanded. 

“We have it moored to the restaurant.”, Johnny stated. 

Luffy turned to face his crew. “Zoro, Usopp, don’t just stand there! Take their ship and go get Nami.” 

“Calm down. Let her keep the ship.”, Zoro said annoyed. I knew he was right not to fully trust her. “Trust me. That woman is way more trouble than she’s worth.” 

“She’s the only person I’ll except as the ship’s navigator!” 

Luffy stared Zoro in the eye and he knew that look. It was the same look he had on the last four days as he tried to convince Zeff (as well as the cook herself) to let Sanri join his crew. Zoro just dragged a hand down his face. “Fine, I’ll do it! You’re one high maintenance captain, you know that? Just make sure you get the cook to join us. Okay? Alright Usopp lets go.” 

“Okay! You really have the hot’s for Sanri, don’t you Zoro?”, Usopp said cheerily only for his nose to be grabbed by Zoro roughly as he was yanked hard by the nose and thrown onto the boat. 

“Shut it! It’s not like that!”, Zoro shouted angrily even as his ears turned pink against his will. He cleared his throat in an effort to calm down before he addressed Luffy. “Well, be careful. The situation here could get really bad really fast.” 

Luffy nodded. “Yeah, got that right! But there’s no way I’ll let him have Sanri. She’s our cook!” Luffy smirked at Zoro though as he sent him a wink. “Should I tell her about the onigiri? ” Zoro just scowled to hide his deepening blush. 

Zeff looked on with worried eyes at the galleon as they fumbled to save each other until he saw the Warlord swordsman in the distance. His eyes narrowed in annoyance as the shitty brat broke the glasses in his bar with his antics. 

“Don Krieg the man who destroyed our fleet is back! What are we going to do?”, one of the enemy pirates cried.  

Zeff saw out the corner of his eye as Sanri stood beside him looking out curiously at Mihawk’s approaching ship and out the corner of the other how the Straw-hat swordsman turned and froze, staring with on hand on his swords. He knew he should have told Sanri sooner what he’d done but he didn’t think Don Krieg would be preparing to attack the Baratie. Plus, he really didn’t expect to like the little upstarts that were the Straw-hat pirates. He had tried so hard not to like them. He could only hope the green-haired idiot didn’t die because there was no way that green-haired punk wouldn’t pick a fight with how intensely he stared at the Warlord. Mihawk kept his head down as his ship came closer making Don Krieg nervous but Zeff was just annoyed by it.  

Patty gulped as he held his weapon. “That’s got to be the guy that destroyed Krieg’s fleet! He sunk fifty pirate ships out on the Grand-Line all by himself!” 

“Looks like he came back to finish the job, but is that all he wants?”, Carne asked as he held onto the railing. 

“Wait a minute. He just looks like any ordinary man. He doesn’t even appear to have any kind of special weapons with him.” 

Zeff pulled Sanri into a side hug as his leg started to feel a little funny. She easily took some of his weight with ease making him smile softly as he knew regardless of what happened this might be one of the last times she was there to support him. After relishing the moment, he focused back on the approaching Mihawk as he answered his cooks’ silent questions. “He carries his weapon on his back.” 

“That’s impossible!”, Patty stated. 

“He couldn’t have destroyed a galleon like that using nothing but a sword!”, Carne supported Patty. 

Zeff just shook his head. “Hawk-Eye Mihawk is a true master. He is, without a doubt, the greatest swordsman in the world.” Mihawk had heard Zeff statement as he lifted his eyes.  

Zoro smiled in anticipation as he never thought he’d met Mihawk so soon on his journey. He knew the time had come for him to fulfil his promise with Kuina and made his way towards the man that he would defeat. Though that was when he heard the question Don Krieg’s crew asked Mihawk and his reply. 

“You monster! Why are you doing this to us?! What the hell have we ever done to you?!” 

Mihawk barely tilted his head in the direction of the question. “Just killing time on my way here to take someone into my care.” Zoro eyes widened as this was the man picking up Sanri. Zoro cleared his mind. Whatever now he just had extra motivation to defeat him. 

Zeff face became a solid cherry red in anger though at the comment. “Hey shitty brat! Killing time?! What are you doing bringing trouble to my restaurant?! You owe me another favour for this!” 

The Don Krieg pirates became more wary at the outburst of the old cook even as his daughter held him back from going over to the Warlord. Don Krieg, in particular, had cold sweats at knowing these two knew each other as well as knew each other enough for Red-leg Zeff to call him a brat even as he hid them perfectly with his facade of confidence.  

“Your have a cute daughter, Zeff. She must be adopted.”, Mihawk stated with a straight face. “Do you have any of that red wine I like so much?” 

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to you! You could have cut my ship!”, Zeff fumed. Mihawk’s expression did not change but Zeff could tell he was pouting much to his satisfaction. The idiot could have sunk the Baratie, that isn’t something he wanted to reward and the backhand comment about his looks wasn’t warranted. He could have made a cute child but he was just lucky enough to have one landed in his lap on an empty rock in the ocean. 

Their conversation was cut short as Mihawk flicked his eyes towards one of Don Krieg’s crew who had his gun pointed at him lazily, pulling his sword off his back as he went. The gunshot rattled through the air headed straight for him. Gracefully, he tilted his sword, redirecting the bullets with blinding ease. 

It confused the enemy pirates. “What?! I missed? But I aimed straight for him.” 

Zoro was behind the man that spoke. “He diverted them. He changed the course of the bullets, using the tip of his sword.” Zoro was amazed at the control and elegance of the movement. A small grin was plastered on his face as he walked past the bewildered Krieg pirates. 

“Hey who do you think you are?”, one pirate asked as he passed. 

However, one of his crewmates’ eyes widened in horror as he saw his three swords strapped to his waist. “It couldn’t be...” 

“I’ve never seen a sword handled so gently or with such grace.” Zoro said and Mihawk made eye contact with him. 

“There’s no strength in swordplay based on force.”, Mihawk stated with no emotion. 

“Did you also use that sword to slice up this ship?”, Zoro asked even though he already knew the answer. 

“I did.”, Mihawk replied rising in silent question at what the green-haired swordsman wanted. 

“Then it’s true, you are the best.” Zoro’s anticipation was at its peak now as he faced Mihawk. “I set sail for only one reason – to meet you.” Zoro took his bandana off his arm and started to tie it around his head covering his hair. 

Mihawk just sat cross-legged on his boat not showing any interest in the conversation. “What is your goal?” 

“To beat you.”, Zoro said confidently making Mihawk smirk and chuckle. 

“How foolish.” Mihawk said already knowing the other swordsman was nowhere near powerful enough to make him sweat, let alone beat him. 

Zoro pulled out one of his swords. “You’ve got spare time, let’s do this.” 

That was when the pirate that notice his three swords before shout out as his suspicions were confirmed. “Whoa! No way! It’s him! Roronoa Zoro! It’s Zoro of the three-swords style!” 

Don Krieg watched on with interest. “Really, a pirate hunter?” 

Sanri stopped sucking her lollypop in shock, Making Zeff laugh at her surprised face. “He’s a what?!” 

“You didn’t know? You need to read the newspaper more.” Zeff said getting a pout from his daughter in response as she crossed her arms in a mirror image of him. 

“Come off it, old man. All that’s in that is political drivel.” 

Zeff’s eyes hardened. He knew, though he kept it to himself, that the real reason was because of Germa and her trying to avoid hearing anything about it. Even years later, it still made her anxious hearing about the place that formed her worst nightmares. He turned back to watching the two swordsmen interact.  

Luffy did the same even as Usopp tried to tell them they had to hurry. 

“A fight... You’re a weak, pitiful creature.”, Mihawk stated before jumping to stand in front of Zoro. “If you are, in fact, a competent swordsman, you should see the disparity in our abilities, even before we cross swords.” The older swordsman’s eyes were assessing as he knew the swordsman was competent just by looking at him. “I must ask you, why have you challenged me? Could it be your courage? Or is it simply your ignorance?” 

Zoro grin was wide and feral. “My ambition drives me!” He then placed Wado between his teeth before taking out his other swords. “Also, I made a promise I intend to keep. Two actually. See the cook is ours, my captain has made the decision and he’ll have only the best.” Mihawk narrowed his eyes at him not sure how he knew about his favour with Zeff but annoyed by it all the same. He flicked his eyes to Zeff to find him staring Zoro as well. 

“What’s he on about, old man?”, Sanri asked Zeff as she pulled on one side of his braided moustache in annoyance of being left out of the loop. “Mihawk said that as well earlier. What did you do?” 

“Ouch! That hurts!” He managed to get her to let go. He then sighed as he turned back to watch the swordsmen “I was going to tell you. I just wanted it to be a surprise. Patty and Carne took charge of making party plans but this kinda messed up our plans.” Sanri just stared at him soulfully. “He was here to pick you up and help find you a crew on the Grand-Line.” Sanri lip gave a slight wabble at the news. “But I don’t know how the pirate hunter knows.” (Carne was suspiciously looking anywhere but at him though.) Zeff then had both sides of his moustache pulled hard. “Ouch!!!” 

“Dumb old man!”, Sanri said with tears in the corners of her eyes. “What if I’m not ready to leave, huh?!” Sanri let go of his moustache before turning back to the brewing fight. “We’ll talk about it later. Let’s just watch Zoro fight Mihawk.” Zeff could see she was upset still and lifted his hand to pet her hair softy as he nodded in agreement, flattening her puffed in rage hair. 

“The greatest swordsman in the world going up against Roronoa Zoro. Two masters of swordplay.”, Patty said from her other side. “What kind of fight is this going to turn out to be?” 

Yosaku called out in support as Johnny was beside him agreeing. “There isn’t a person alive who can beat Big Bro! He’s already the best in the world!” 

Luffy, however watched on with sharp eyes after hearing why Mihawk was here. But he was silent as he waited to see the outcome. 

Zoro watched as Mihawk took of his cross necklace to reveal a tiny knife. He narrowed his eyes. “Funny! What do you think you’re going to do with that?” 

The greatest swordsman readied himself with his knife. “It’ll be more than adequate. After all, you wouldn’t kill a fly with a cannon, would you? You might have quiet the reputation on the East-Blue, but that doesn’t mean much to me. This sea is by far the weakest of the four.” Mihawk then looked sadly at his knife. “Unfortunately, I don’t carry any blades smaller than this one.” 

Zoro’s eyes blazed.  “I’ve had just about enough of your attitude.” He sprinted towards Mihawk. “Now you die!” 

Mihawk looked at him with sharp eyes. “You have no idea how big the world really is.” 

Zoro ignored him through as he sliced through the air. “Ori Giri!” 

(“Rice balls?”, Sanri questioned under her breathe.) 

To Zoro’s morbid fascination his three swords were stopped. By nothing more than a pocket knife. 

“Zoro!”, Luffy called out worried. 

“What?! Big Bro’s Oni Giri was stopped?!”, Johnny said as his and Yosaku mouths opened in shock.  

“But that’s crazy! That attack never fails to stop an enemy! What’s going on here?!” Yosaku asked no one in particular. 

Zoro tried to move his swords but was completely unable too. He had no idea what Mihawk had done but it was effective whatever it was. Zoro was having a minor panic in his mind as he didn’t think Mihawk was this much stronger than him. He couldn’t figure out how Mihawk’s skills were so much better than him. Zoro let his emotions take control of him. “I’m not this far behind the world’s strongest!” He through attack after attack not moving a step back. 

Mihawk’s eye just twitched as he defended himself with ease. He was slightly annoyed as fighting the swordsman was like fighting a toddler. Mihawk eventually pushed Zoro away making him fall. 

Zoro ignored Johnny and Yosaku’s cries as he tried to collect himself. He’d have to think about fighting him differently. His anger with himself was raising. Did he not train hard enough? Did he not have enough ambition? Enough reason? No! He had trained every day and pushed himself to the point of failure. He knew he was strong. “You can’t be that much better than me!” He stood back up and continued his attack as Mihawk danced out of the way with each wipe of his knife, barely having to touch his swords to redirect them. It frustrated Zoro to the point he was growling under his breath. 

Mihawk blocked Zoro’s attack. “Such ferocious swordplay.” Zoro knew he was just trying to make back down but he didn’t devote his entire life to swordsmanship just to be dispatched by a toy of a knife. Even so, he could her Kuina’s voice in his head and it made him faulter and Mihawk hitting the back of his neck. He got back on his feet wobbly from exerting to much energy and cleared his head of his emotions as much as possible as they were only hindering him as it was right now. He took a breath. He had to defeat this man; for Kuina, since she couldn’t anymore, dead too young by a simple accident. He fell over again though by Mihawk just stepping out the way. 

“What is it then? What weight do you carry on your shoulders?”Mihawk could tell something was bothering the green-haired swordsman. He was also starting to feel a twist in his gut telling him to take note of what was happening in detail. That something of importance was about to occur. “Speak up weakling!” 

Mihawk saw as the two that called the swordsman their ‘big bro’ prepared to jump in and defend him but the Straw-hat wearing one that reminded him of Shanks held them back. The hat even looked like his old one he gave away... to some kid. Mihawk’s eyes then returned to the swordsman how got the energy back to stand up with confidence. 

“No, I won’t lose. I refuse to be defeated!” 

Mihawk’s gut was still twinging as he stared at the man. It was even growing in intensity. Then the man attacked one last time. And Mihawk striked. His knife struck home but yet the swordsman didn’t step back. The twinge in his gut intensified even more. He needed the man to tell him why. “You are defeated, yet you don’t step back. Why not?” 

“I don’t know... but I will not run. Even if I retreat a single step, I would be shattering the promises I’ve made. I can’t run. I would lose my honour. You see, without that, there would be nothing left for me here.” 

Mihawk’s eyes widened but a fraction. “That’s what defeat is.” 

Mihawk watched as Zoro chuckled. “Then I won’t accept defeat.” 

“Then you’ll die.”, Mihawk stated plainly. 

Zoro stared directly in Mihawk’s eyes. “I’d rather die than give up!” Finally, the twinging feeling faded as he saw the potential in his challenger with his strong heart, willing to choose death before defeat.  

In his interest he flicked his eyes towards Zeff, who seemed to see the same thing as him even if it did annoy him. Then his eyes landed on the reason why the old man was annoyed. His daughter was staring, worried over the outcome, as her eyes flickered between his challenger, the straw-hat boy and his crew.  

It seems he was not really needed as the young lady had already found her crew and he couldn’t say he wasn’t impressed. Still, he’d not let Zeff reclaim his favour. He did come all the way after all. 

Mihawk stepped back and seethed his knife tying it back around his neck. “Sir, state your name!” 

“I am Roronoa Zoro!”, Zoro stated as his eyes were like a tiger. 

Mihawk took his sword off his back. “I’ll remember it! No-one as strong as you has come around in quite some time. So, as a swordsman’s courtesy, I’ll use the world’s strongest black sword to finish you.” Mihawk would be extra careful not to kill him though. 

“Thank you. I appreciated it.” Zoro prepared himself. It was either the world’s greatest or death. 

On the side lines Sanri listened horrified. “They can’t be serious? This is pointless.” But no one answered her as both swordsmen prepared to attack. 

It was all over in a second. She didn’t even have enough time to tell them to stop. 

Two of Zoro’s three swords shattered into pieces as blood soaked his chest where he was cut. 

Zoro lost. And he never imagined he would lose in that moment. 

He took Wado out of his mouth and seethed her as he thought on Mihawk’s power before preparing himself for a blow, arms out wide. 

Mihawk’s feeling came back in full force. “But way?” 

Zoro grinned. “Scars on the back, are a swordman’s shame.” 

“Fine.” Mihawk smiled in delight for the first time at the prospect of fighting Zoro again as he slashed down. He heard Straw-hat cry out for his friend even more impressed with the young captain’s control. Even his other friends cried out for him. Still Mihawk kept his eyes on Zoro as he lifted his gaze from his wound to his eyes. “You shouldn’t rush these things, young man.” 

Sanri rushed forward to clutch the railing as she watched Zoro fall into the sea. She just didn’t understand why. Zoro knew that Mihawk was way out of his league, at least at that current moment in time. The fight’s victor was clear from the start. But still he challenged and fought him. And he would prefer death? He was insane! And so stupid. It was irritating! She couldn’t help herself as she let out a cry as Zoro was about to hit the water. “Don’t be stupid! Give up your ambition for now and live!!!” Sanri was about to jump in after him but Zeff placed a strong hand on her shoulder which she was about to rip off but when she turned, she saw that Luffy had already made his way over and crashed landed as Mihawk side-stepped and that Johnny and Yosaku were already halfway towards him by then. 

Zeff gave her a small smile. “Don’t worry so much. The brat’s strong.” 

Mihawk turned to see that Straw-hat's head was stuck in the wood of the wrecked galleon and that his butt was directed at him. He wanted to be surprised but somehow it just made him think of Shanks. “Are you that young warriors comrade? I’m impressed with you for not interfering.”, He said as kindly as he could. When Straw-hat managed to free himself, Mihawk just crossed his arms. His face was blank but he felt the beginnings of a smile on his face. “There’s no nothing to be upset about. Your friend will live.” 

Sanri eyes turned to Zoro once more, as did Luffy’s, when Zoro’s pained groans could be heard as he was being taken to Usopp for help. 

Mihawk raised his voice towards Zoro’s direction. “It’s still far too early for you to die.” It got everyone’s attention. “My name is Hawk-Eye Mihawk! You are strong, but there is much for you to learn. No matter how many years it takes, I will hold this title as the greatest in the world and wait for you! Until that day, you must hone your skills! Then, seek me out Roronoa Zoro!” He then turned to Straw-hat. “You, what is your goal?” 

Luffy stared at him confidently. “To be the king!” 

Mihawk could no longer hide his grin. “Your ambitions are even loftier than your friend’s. That’s quite a task.” 

“Yeah, well, you just let ME worry about that.” Luffy stated before sticking his tongue out at Mihawk. Mihawk turned his head as he nodded at Zeff with a smirk getting one i returned it though much to his surprise. 

“He’s alive! He was just unconscious!”, Usopp cried where he took care of Zoro on Johnny’s and Yosaku’s ship. Both bounty hunters weeping for Zoro to say something. 

When he awoke. Zoro raised his sword to the sky, even as he coughed through the pain. “Luffy. Can you hear me?” 

“Yeah!” 

Zoro panted as the pain took over him more but he refused to drop his sword. “I’m sorry for disappointing you. I know that you need nothing less than the greatest swordsman in the world.” Luffy stared at Zoro’s sword upset Zoro thought that way. “I’ve let you down. Please forgive me. I solemnly swear, from this moment forward, that I will never loss again! Until the day comes when I defeat him and take his title.” Tears were streaming down Zoro’s face. Mihawk could hear it in his voice and all it did was make him smirk in joy at finally finding a worthy challenger. “I will never, never be defeated! Is that okay, KING OF THE PIRATES?!” 

Luffy after Zoro’s declaration could only grin wide and chuckle. “Yup!” Zoro then promptly pasted out again as the pain became too much.  

“You’re a good team. Make sure to take care of Sanri. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure Zeff will use his other favour to have me hunt you down and bring him your heads and I’d rather not do that.”, Mihawk said as he turned to leave. “I do hope to see you again someday.” 

Zeff stood impressed. He spoke softly but clearly for all to hear as it seems even Mihawk had decided the Straw-hats were good. And not just for Sanri. “Not just anyone can earn the regard of Hawk-Eye Mihawk.” 

Don Krieg huffed as he saw Mihawk make to leave without even wanting to fight him. He made his way to confront the man. “Hey Hawk-Eye! I was under the impression that you had come here to take my life. Weren't you here to kill Don Krieg, ruler of the East-Blue.” Krieg folded his arms as he postured. 

Mihawk was not as impressed with him as he was with the Straw-hats. “The thought had crossed my mind, but I’ve had enough fun for today and I’m no longer needed here unless Zeff wants to use his last favour.” 

“Nope. Saving that shit for a rainy day!”, Zeff replied with a smirk. 

Mihawk narrowed his eyes in irritation but let it go as he continued his address to Don Krieg. “Right. Well, I’m going home to get some rest.” 

Krieg cracked his neck with a foul smile. “I don’t care if you’ve had enough. I haven’t even gotten started.” Krieg ignored his mens’ unease and worries as he took out his weapons. “Now it’s time to die!” 

Mihawk grabbed his sword with a sigh. “He just won’t learn, will he?” Shiftily he used it to redirect the explosion, making sure it didn’t land anyway near the Baratie to avoid owing Zeff anymore favours that he would hold on to until the day he died, before escaping.  

Krieg looked annoyed at the empty spot as he thought the Warlord was insulting him. 

Luffy made his way back over to the Baratie to avoid the blast by using his Devil Fruit powers. He then turned to Usopp on the boat. “Usopp! Go on head! I’ll leave Nami to you.” 

“Roger that! Don’t you worry about a thing! Zoro and I are going to get her right back! And make sure you get that cook to join our crew!” Usopp smiled brightly as he threw his hand back. “And then, on the Going Merry, the five of us’ll set sail to the Grand-Line!” He then threw Luffy’s hat which had fallen off his head as he escaped the blast from Don Krieg to Mihawk.  

Luffy stretched his rubber arm up into the air to catch it with a grin. “Yeah! Let’s do it!” Sanri watched Zeff who didn’t even try to fight the Straw-hats' on her joining their crew. She watched as Luffy put his hat back on and faced the approaching Don Krieg Pirate that were preparing to take the ship. “Hey, Pops, can I stop doing these chores and have Sanri join my crew if I get those pirates out of here?” 

Sanri watched with surprise as Zeff smirked and closed his eyes. “Suit yourself.” 

“You’ve got to be joking right?”, Sanri asked. 

“I am. If he stays to work off his debt, there’s no telling how much more of my restaurant he could screw up if he stuck around.”, Zeff said clearly as he stepped away from Sanri and ignored her complaints for a moment as he stared down Luffy. “So, kid, you said you were going to be King of the Pirates? Were you serious?” 

“Well, yeah, of course! I’m definitely going to be King of the Pirates someday.” Luffy said easily. 

Zeff smirked. “Heh, I’ve seen a whole lot of pirates in my day but you’re the first to state your desire so clearly and without any doubt. It reminds me of Sanri and the All-Blue.” 

Luffy eyes brightened. “She told me that, back in the day, you were a pretty awesome pirate yourself. So did you want to be King of the Pirates, too?” 

Zeff looked to Luffy with sad eyes. “Hmm... I do my best to forget about the past. I’m Sanri’s father and the owner of Baratie, that’s quite enough for me.” Sanri ears reddened as he sent her a loving and proud smile. 

Sanri rolled her lollypop in her mouth as she turned her back on Luffy and Zeff to address the other cooks. “This restaurant... will be a battlefield.” Her eyes flicked to Patty and Carne. “You two, go to the Mackerel. It has a canon you can fire. It’s pretty self-explanatory on how to use.” She then looked at another cook. “Go to the control room and open up the fins.” 

The chef was shocked. “What? No! That’s a bad idea! If we do that, we’ll be giving the enemy a foothold!” 

Sanri sucked her lolly once before smiling softly, making the cook blush at her beauty as she pet the side of the restaurant. “And that’s just fine. We got to do whatever it takes to keep those guys out of this place. If they destroy the inside, my old man will be complaining forever.” 

Zeff pinched his lips in annoyed. “Says the brat that was whiney when I got the inside remodelled last year.” 

Sanri pouted. “Don’t call me whiney! It had sentimental value.” She turned back to the chef. “Now go.” She then saw one of the men travelling with the Straw-hat crew sitting on the side, obviously staying behind to act as a guide for Luffy. “And you, Yosaku right?” Yosaku nodded. He also blushed as his nose began to bleed but she didn’t notice that. “Go inside and stay out of the fight. You’ll just be a hindrance as you are. Your skivvy is better but not fixed. Eat an orange or something. I’ll make you something better afterwards.” 

Luffy seemed to already fighting the pirates as he shot himself over, knocking many of Don Krieg’s crew into the water. Don Krieg was angry and growled his frustration with his crew. Some of the cooks were amazed at Luffy’s abilities.  

“It is hard to believe that the Grand-Line is crawling with people just like him.” Sanri said as she watched Luffy fight. 

Zeff nudged her arm. “Sanri... pay special attention to how this one fights. Don’t take your eyes off your future captain for a moment until this fight is over. Is that clear?” 

Sanri bit down on her lolly stick in her shock. 

Luffy hugged a fallen mast. “So, let me get this straight? You’re attacking the restaurant that gave you food? I got no choice but to beat some manners into you!” 

Kreig just laughed out loud. “So, you want to fight on the water, where there’s no place to stand huh? A bold move for someone like you. The Devil Fruit has taken your ability to swim hasn’t it... Chore-boy?” Kreig knew Straw-hat was dumb but not this dumb. 

Luffy just shrugged. “Yeah, but now I’m stretchy.” Then Luffy heard something. Luffy looked over at the Baratie ship making noise, as did Don Krieg with interested. Luffy saw what was happening and just chuckled in delight. “Whoa! That’s so cool!” 

Sanri watched as the fins locked into place. It would give her enough time to get into position before the fight began. 

She stood with her hands in her pockets as her lolly stick stuck out the corner of her mouth, calm and collected, as she stared down the enemy climbing onto the fins. “My cooks and I will never give up defending this place.” She then let her eyes rest on Don Krieg with nothing but hatred in her eyes. “Prepare to die.” 

Don Krieg had a slimy smile on his face. “I see. Good plan, bringing up all that extra decking, genius. Now we don’t have to take the fight inside. I’d hate to damage my future ship. And make no mistake it will be mine! And I’ll have good fun with you too!” 

Sanri smiled with fake innocence as she stated him down coldly. “Like hell. But thank you, I am smart. My dad throws a fuss when I get blood on the floors.” 

One cook stepped forward. “We will never let you take our restaurant or hurt Miss Sanri!” The fish head on the boat then removed itself as Patty and Carne managed to get it working and prepared to attack. 

“That’s right! We mean business!”, Patty said as he paddled. 

“We’re battle cooks now!”, Carne confirmed as he hard paddled too. 

“Set sail, Mackerel Head One, the Baratie secret weapon!” 

“So, if you want to live run away. I’d suggest running away now!” 

They both appeared pretty out of shape as they were breathing heavy from exertion.  

Don Krieg was so confused. “What is that thing?” 

Luffy however watched with stars in his eyes. “That this is so cool!” But then the two cooks fired the canons at the ship and caused the mast Luffy was holding onto to move. “Those guys are going to sink me too!” He held on tightly even as he could hear the other chefs cheering them on. He still offered them congratulations when they hit their mark on the wreaked galleon were most of the enemy pirates were standing. 

However, when they fired on Don Krieg, it did little to faze him. He grabbed onto the canon, stopping it in place. He shook with badly concealed rage, eyes crazy. “I am Don Krieg... The man who will rule the oceans!” Luffy’s complaints on his statement feel on ears deafen by fury at the lack of respect the lowly cooks were showing him. “I don’t have time for these stupid games! Get out of here!” Don Krieg then picked the Mackerel One out of the water and threw it straight at the restaurant. 

Sanri barely had enough time to think about how stupid men were as if the Baratie was destroyed all of them would be stranded at sea. She jumped into the air and kicked the Mackerel, slowing down its momentum until it stopped and plummeted into the deck. She landed effortlessly in a crouch. Luffy was proud of his future cook and so were the chefs’.  

Well, most. Patty and Carne were unhappy with the landing. 

“Wow, she’s got legs of steel!”, said an enemy pirate as heart formed in his eyes and his nose began to bleed. He wasn’t the only one either. It went over Sanri’s head but the other cooks’ eyes darked darkened in fury, hands clenching around their weapons.  

“Very impressive.”, Don Krieg frowned, unsure of his ability to capture the girl for his own enjoyment. He may just have to kill her with the rest of them. He gave his signal for his men to start the attack. 

They climbed onto the deck quickly. 

It was a brawl. And the cooks appeared to be losing.  

Sanri stood and watched for a little without moving, figuring out the best strategy from here. Her cooks had done as she asked and pretend to lose as she assessed who was the most dangerous opponents. She was right. There was barely a handful actually capable of fighting without shaking. She’d have to give it to them that their acting skills were good as they sprouted on about being on a different league but she was well aware of the subtler signs of exhaustion from starvation they couldn’t hide. 

“Let it be known to all that this garish boat already belongs to the great and powerful Krieg Pirates!”, Don Krieg stated arrogantly. 

Sanri fumed. “Garish?! I'm gonna enjoy busting your balls and kicking your teeth in, you prick!” She was practically feral were she stood grinning with bared teeth. “You and your cronies will never set foot in our restaurant!” Zeff agreed with her. 

Patty and Carne took up arms as they addressed the other cooks. “You know what? I’ve been a cook all my life! I’ve worked at a lot of restaurants and gotten fired from them all for scuffling and living hard!”, Patty said face hard. 

“Then after years of wandering we finally found a home here!”, Carne continued. Both thought back to the day when they burst through the door of the restaurant to find Zeff teaching little Sanri how to cook a stir fry with a loving look directed at her in encouragement. They also remembered how Zeff quickly went into attack mode as he kicked their asses before either of them could explain why they were there. It was little Sanri that pulled on Zeff’s moustache to get him to stop and listen to them as she saw the ad they took off the wall. They also remembered all the good times they had after: Zeff telling them off; them fighting each other; them fighting others. 

“We like fighting AND cooking, so this is the perfect place for us!” 

“That’s right! There’s no other place like this!” 

Sanri gave the signal for them to start fighting for real, her feral look not leaving her face for a second. “You hear that? That’s true fighting spirit!” 

The cooks all gave her equally vicious grins in return before turning back to fight. This time with her beside them as she kicked down one foe after another. She didn’t hold back as she knocked each one out as quickly as possible to get them out of the fight.  

Luffy watched on as Sanri dominated the makeshift battlefield. He’d have to tell Zoro all about it when they caught up with him. She was easily of equal strength to him. He was surprised as Patty and Carne flew back hurt.  

Sanri was as well as she turned to the newcomer, assessing his power level to be higher than the rest since he was able to swim in the heavy armour. He had a gaunt face still but was more a natural feature of his face. The man looked bored though and a little tired. “Just what do you think you guys are doing?” Sanri walked towards him confidently as she could tell that the others would have a hard time beating him. The smug man laughed at her as she approached to fight him. “A woman? You will hardly be a challenge. So, let’s do this. But before we begin, it’s only fair I give you a warning.” Sanri’s eyebrow twitched as her temper grew for the man. “I am Pearl, the Invincible Shield!”  

Don Krieg’s crew seemed to think Pearl was strong as well as they seemed to relax when he arrived. 

“Patty! Carne! Are you boys’ okay?”, Zeff called out from where he stood protectively in front of the restaurant doors. 

Pearl gave them an ugly grin. “I’d say that pair is far from okay. Those two just experienced my Pearl surprise, one of my signature punches, you bubbling pathetic idiot!” 

Sanri’s eyes darkened in fury. She then saw one of the pirates try to take Patty’s chefs’ knife out of his hand. The force of her kick sent the man off the boat and into the ocean with a few of his crew.  

The knife flew high into the air as she looked over Patty’s injuries with her building rage that was about to explode out of her. When the knife fell once more, she caught it with practiced ease that came from handling kitchen knives her whole life. 

“I knew there was a reason I liked her right off the bat.”, Luffy muttered to himself. “She knows how to kick some serious butt.” 

Sanri’s eyes held nothing but disgust as she shook with her contained fury. Her voice didn’t raise above a whisper. “A kitchen knife is a cooks’ soul. How dare you filthy bastards try to desecrate one with your grubby little hands.” Sanri heard how Patty called for her. She looked at him with kind eyes as she handed his knife back to him. “Just stay down, Patty, I’ll handle it. Here, hold onto this.”, she spoke softly. Patty took it with grateful look but her eyes were already refocused on the enemy. “I’m going to teach these bozos a lesson.”  

Sanri saw out of the corer of her eye as her cooks shuddered in fear and stepped back, knowing she was close to breaking point.  

The pirates didn’t know that though as they charged on forward with no idea of how outmatched they were.  

Sanri was brutal in her attack.  

She went for the face, the throat, the leg and the balls mercilessly in her assault. And there was no way to call it anything else as they didn’t stand a chance. Her kicks caused small gusts of wind with their power. When she final took a moment to let them rest, she glared at each of her remaining targets. “I’m going to fillet every one of you bastards! No one hurts my cooks but my cooks!” 

Pearl just gave another laugh. “How very impudent of you to defeat them all using only your kicks. Am I supposed to be impressed by that?” 

Sanri bit down on her lolly stick as she lifted her leg to show her opponent the bottom of her foot. “I’m a cook, remember? I couldn’t do my job if I ruined my hands in battle, so I’ll be taking you down with my feet.” 

“Is that so?” Pearl had a look of false sympathy on his face. “I think not. I’m invincible you see. I’ve won all 61 of my battles, completely and totally unscathed.” Pearl was smug. “It’s quite remarkable, really. No-one has ever shed a single drop of my blood in battle. No-one. Now do you realise my power?” Pearl bashed the disks connect to his hand in emphasise. “I may be a gentleman, girly, but I’m not gentle. Got it?” 

Sanri was getting annoyed by the theatrics of the Krieg pirates. Did they think this type of thing would work on a chef? Every dish she made was the equivalent to a complex dance. Their attempt of scaring her into submission were misguided at best, moronic at worst. She was honestly more concerned about Luffy, who, being distracted by Pearl’s antics, was hit by Don Krieg’s long range mase and heading straight for them. 

“Even battleship cannons don’t work on me. I come out of any attack unharmed!”, Pearl’s smug expression was wiped off his face as Luffy hit the back of his head before landing just off to Sanri’s side. She could see a spot of red under Pearls nose from the hit. 

Luffy just dusted himself off as he got back to his feet. “Boy, that could have been really bad. Good thing I didn’t fall into the ocean.” Sanri just smiled softly at Luffy’s, or as Zeff put it her future captain’s, antics. 

Pearl, on the other hand, was having a meltdown as he saw his own blood on his hands. something that had apparently happened before from the reactions of his crewmates. They were frantically calling out to him to calm the big lug down, telling them that they know it wasn’t a battle wound but just a nosebleed. Even Don Krieg tried to calm him down. However, it did nothing. “These people aren’t just mean, there dangerous!” His voice was shacky from his distress. Pearl started to scream as he clanged his metal hand disks together. 

The noise was too loud. It was vibration in Sanri’s head. She raised her hands to cover her ears to dampen to noise. “Jeez! What is that guy’s problem?! What’s he even doing?!” 

“Danger! Danger! Danger!” The man then lit up in flames from his shield. Sanri couldn’t hear his crewmate’s talking to Luffy, Pearls clanging from before still rattled around her head. She could only hear Pearl as he shouted louder than his clanging before he sent out flaming projectiles at them. She barely managed to jump away in time to avoid being hit. Zeff put out the pearls heading for inside the restaurant thankfully, but the decking of the Baratie caught on fire, causing the even more noise as Don Krieg’s crew panicked as they caught on fire as well. Even Luffy’s butt caught on fire. Pearl’s face contorted into one of chilling madness. “Perish in my flames! With my shield and this inferno, I am invincible! ” 

Sanri took deep breathes as she tried to calm herself, focusing on the flames around her as it reminded her of the kitchen, trying to calm herself with them and put the noise out of mind. When she managed to calm herself down, she realised that the fire would burn the restaurant, destroying the only place she had called home. Her face, hidden by her hair, became stone with her determination. The noise became an afterthought as she spun around causing wind to form, blowing out the fire forming on the deck. Her right leg glowed from heat of the friction as it caught on fire. 

The cooks watched on in awe as she saved the ship from burning to the ground before she launched herself at Pearl. “I’m getting really fed up with this crews lies!” Her eyes held only damnation as she targeted Pearls chest. The man just smirked in confidence as he thought his armour would protect him. 

The smirk left him. 

Light enveloped him and blinded those around them as Sanri kicked Pearl’s chest. His armour shattered; he lost consciousness and he was launched straight for Don Krieg, who’s face expressed but one thing: holy shit! 

Luffy’s delightful laugh echoed in the air as he saw Don Krieg’s face as he caught Pearl’s unconscious body. “Sanri’s so pissed she’s on fire!” 

Sanri placed her burning leg down on a chard part of the deck. “Well, I’m a cook Luffy. I wouldn’t be much of one if I didn’t know how light a fire or two.” 

Luffy patted her shoulder though as he looked towards Don Krieg. “But don’t take all the fun. Remember my deal with your old man. I’ve got to help so leave the big guy to me from here on out.” Sanri was about to complain but then saw Luffy staring into her eyes with hidden rage. “Plus, no one threatens my friends. Especially not with rape.” 

Sanri eyes flicked over his face and smiled brightly at him before shaking her head. “Fine. I’ll leave him to you. But I’m still busting his balls and teeth in afterwards.” Her leg finally cooled off and she looked down before offhandedly telling Luffy, “Make sure to hit him extra hard for me. These were my comfiest trousers.” 

“Right! Don’t die!”, Luffy then darted back to fight Don Krieg, using his powers to push back the long range spiky mase Krieg sent their way in retaliation. 

Sanri turned back around and scanned her eyes over Don Krieg’s crew making each of them shiver. She cracked her neck and fixed her high ponytail before placing her hands back into her pockets, eyes sultry. “Who wants to have a taste of me, hmmm?” She tilted her head and blinked in confusion as more than half of Krieg’s crew suffered from catastrophic nosebleeds and the others that didn’t blushed a bright pink. “Mmm?... the heat must have got to them.” 

Zeff sighed annoyed. “Men. They never change.” 

Patty and Carne shook with rage as they saw the blood before leading the charge of the cooks on the rest of Don Krieg’s crew. “Come on men! Let’s kick these perverts’ asses!” 

“Yeah!” 

“For Miss Sanri!” 

Sanri smiled before going to join them, fighting like Zeff had taught her. 

Zeff watched on proud that his girl, that used to cry because she lost sight of him when shopping for supplies, thinking he had left her, abandoned her, had grown into such a capable young woman. He raised her well. Not bad for a gruff old ex-pirate.  

It was in his distracted revelry of his daughter’s growth that Ghin got the drop on him, pushing him to the ground, putting his foot on his back and placing a gun to his head. 

“Dad!”, Sanri called out in shock. All the cooks and pirates stopped to stare. 

“The battle ends right here.” Ghin’s eyes were unreadable. 

“Shoot him! Do it now! All we have to do is kill the geezer! Then the restaurant will be ours!”, Krieg called from where he was fighting off a wrathful Luffy. 

“I don’t care how much of a badass he used to be, now he’s just a cook.”, Ghin said to those on the deck but mostly towards Sanri. “I wouldn’t have to break a sweat having to kill this old fart.” Ghin then looked down, avoiding Sanri’s piercing gaze as sweat dripped down his face. “I’ll spare him but you have to leave. Please, don’t make this any harder, Sanri. Just leave. Don’t force me to kill both of you.” 

“Run away?” Sanri took the finished chewed up lolly stick out of her mouth before she pulled a new on out of her pocket, unwrapping it with lazy ease. She placed it in her mouth sucking on it three times before moving it to rest on her tongue with the stick in the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were a churring sea. “Not a chance!” Ghin gasped in shock. Sanri calmed her worry as she looked over Zeff before looking at him angrily. “Old man, you look dumber at gunpoint. What kind of example do you think you’re setting for all the other cooks, huh?” 

Zeff pouted annoyed because Ghin wouldn’t have gotten the jump on him normally. “I don’t need a lecture from a brat like you!” 

“Would you stop calling me names!? You’re the one that stated I’m an adult now, so shut up so I can save you!” Sanri’s temper simmered down as she saw Zeff’s face morph to something she couldn’t identify. But she couldn’t focus on that now. With eyes determined she looked at Ghin. “Ghin, I think you should really be pointing that gun at me.” 

“Sanri, why you? Why not just leave the restaurant? That way no-one gets hurt. Please!”  

Ghin made eye contact with her as she smiled sweetly at him. “That’s simple, Ghin, this restaurant is the first real home I ever had. Me and Zeff, we designed this thing together. Made the mackerel so we could go paddle out and fish, painted the restaurant blue since it was our favourite colour, I have a pear carved into a table in the dining room were Zeff made me practice reading and writing and mathematics and where I would colour in when he kicked me out of the kitchen because I was too young to really help properly.” Angry tears pricked the corners of her eyes. “And this place, it’s my dad’s life! It’s the most precious thing he has left! I won’t let anything else be taken away from him! Not when he’s the only reason you and your crew aren’t still starving to death! Because he saved me and I saved you and you brought all your friends here!” 

“Sanri...”, Zeff said gently. 

Sanri stared Ghin down. “So, you better point that gun at me, Ghin... because if you kill my dad... I’ll make sure not a single member on you crew will be able to hurt anyone ever again for the disrespect you’ve all shown here today!” She took a few deep breathes to calm herself. “And you’re not like Krieg, Ghin. I know you care about your crew. It was why you brought them here in the first place, so they could be helped.” 

After a long moment, Ghin lowered his gun. “You’re right, Sanri.” 

“What are you doing?! Just blow his head off right now! Or you’ll be betraying your captain and your ship!” Don Krieg stared at Ghin in anger but Luffy hit him to return his focus on him. 

Ghin dropped his gun before taking out his real weapons. “I know. I’m sorry, Don Krieg. But she’s right, they saved our lives. I can’t kill her. Not like this. She deserves to face death standing up. But I promise you,”, Ghin then turned to face Sanri face determined. “She’ll still die by my hand.” 

Don Krieg threw weapon after weapon at Luffy. “Great, now my Chief Commander has completely lost his marbles.” 

From the corner of her eye, she saw Patty and Carne taking care of Zeff letting her focus on fighting Ghin. “He’s their chief commander?” 

Patty replied to her question. “I guess. Be careful though. You’re tired from fighting and he’s not, plus you don’t know what he’s capable of.” 

Sanri smiled to herself. “Don’t worry about me. You two just focus on making sure my old man’s okay.” 

“Sanri. Look, I’m just following orders. I don’t want to ruin this ship but I think it’s too late for that.”, Ghin said with power. 

Sanri just smirked. “Maybe. But if you think you are going to get this restaurant without killing me, you’ve got another thing coming. And I’m pretty hard to kill.” 

“Sounds fair.” Ghin’s face held no emotion. “Then it will be an absolute pleasure to kill you... my good friend.” 

Sanri rolled her lolly in her mouth. “Gee, that’s comforting. Asshole.” Ghin face twitched at her name calling. 

Ghin spun one of his weapons, a long metal stick thing with a spherical ball at the end to cause bludgeoning damage. “I’m sorry, Sanri, but I can’t be defeated.” 

“Yeah, go ahead, tell yourself that. Whatever makes you sleep better at night.” Sanri stared him down as she prepared for his attack. 

When he did attack, she was surprised by his speed but she was faster. She waited until he was well within her guard and kicked his shoulder, redirecting the attack towards the deck as she handsprung out of the away. But Ghin was good as well as when she tried sweep kicking him, he jumped out of the way while simultaneously going in for a strike. She dodged though as she didn’t waste time fighting Pearl before, not posturing like men normally do and underestimating opponents as a result. She sent a kick at Ghin’s neck as his flip to dodge left him vulnerable. It didn’t quite hit as he used his weapon to block but it still did some damage as he hit the ground.  

Unfortunately, he managed to use his position to sweep her legs making her fall and making her crush the candy off the stick in her mouth from the surprise of the fall. He trapped her neck under one weapon as he prepared a finishing blow with the other. Sanri couldn’t understand his expression though. “I warned you, but you just wouldn’t listen, would you?” Ghin gives Sanri a smile. “It’s time for you to accept defeat.” Sanri watched Ghin as he prepared to smash her head in, spinning his weapon in his hand. He avoided looking her in the eyes while he did so though, it gave her time to come up with an idea. “Die!” 

As the weapon came down, she spit out her lolly stick, hitting Ghin in the head. It distracted him as she slipped into a handstand and kicked him in the head as hard as she could from the bad position.  

Ghin managed to swipe his weapon and catch her in her side, making her cough up a little blood from the hit before landing hard. He them fall down from the blow she gave him. 

Sanri managed to get up as it was the first time she was hit badly during the battle. She could still easily go a few more rounds. “Well, that wasn’t too bad ... Chief Commander. But you’ll find I can last a few more rounds than other girls.” She ran her tongue over her teeth to remove the blood from them. “Let me know when you’re really ready to go at it, big boy.” 

Ghin blushed at what she said and the rest of his crew that weren’t already unconscious from blood loss from her previous comment suffered from it now. Ghin was back on his feet. Ghin licked his lips removing the blood from his split lip he got from her kick. “Stop it! I’m not going to fall to seduction!” 

“I’m not trying to seduce you?”, Sanri said, genuinely confused at the accusation. Ghin attacked in a blushing violent rage as Sanri focused on dodging. She jumped, leaped, cartwheeled and handsprung out of each attack. “Uh, you’re really red Ghin. Do you need some help cooling off?” Ghin blushed deepened at the comment and it allowed for her to kick him into the sea. 

“Go, Miss Sanri!”, cried a cook. 

“You’re the best!”, cried another as they cheered for her. 

“Marry Me!” a younger cook cried getting his head smashed in by an older cook beside him. 

“Never mind him! Beat him up Miss Sanri!” 

Sanri crunched on her lolly remanets as she waited for Ghin to get out of the water. As he was climbing out, she spoke, never taking her eyes off Ghin. “You know I never understood why people think woman are weaker than men. Sure, our peak muscle mass is different but that means very little in the grand scheme of things. It averages out to about the same unless you’re an athlete. Otherwise, skill and smarts are just as important. Generally, men make the mistake of underestimating their opponents. Women, on the other hand, generally only fuck around and find out once in their life. They try their best to never do it again.” Ghin finally got to his feet. “It’s a shame for you that I did that when I was a little girl.” 

Ghin ran at her quickly, before she could make a move swinging his weapons. She kicked him in the stomach then under the chin. “You hit like a girl.” Ghin remains on his feet through even as she bounced away from him. 

“That’s not an insult.”, Sanri stated. “Why are you fighting me anyway? I can tell your heart isn’t in it. This isn’t you Ghin. Otherwise, you’d have not apologised for Krieg when he came in making demands. And you’d be trying to hit me with your full strength.”  

Ghin growled as he swung at her and she bounced back out of her reach again. “That’s not true!” 

“It’s not true that you didn’t apologise or it’s not true that this isn’t you or is it not true you’re pulling your punches?” Sanri asked as she kicked his weapons way again. “Because I’m pretty sure you’re lying to yourself.” She then bounced to the side and kicked him in the back. Sanri then landed close to where Luffy was thrown by one of Krieg’s attacks and offered him a hand up.  

The rubber man took it gratefully and asked if she was okay from the hit she took. She waved off the rubber man's concerns easily as she could barely even feel it anymore. They then heard a gasp from others around them and Luffy and Sanri turned to be greeted with the sight of Ghin crying. 

“I can’t... She’s right. I can’t obey your order.” Ghin looked at Sanri as he was got up onto his knees. “This woman saved my life. I can’t Don Krieg! I won’t do it!” 

Sanri’s eyes softened as she walked over to Ghin to comfort him even as Luffy stayed put in his surprise. 

“I can’t! I’m sorry captain!”, Ghin cried. 

Sanri petted his head and hugged his head to her stomach. Ghin clutched onto her through his wailing. “Shush. It’s okay. You’re okay.” 

“What did you say?!”, Don Krieg yelled in frustrated rage.  

“I won’t do want you want!”, Ghin cried. He thought of the kindness Sanri showed him, was continuing to show him now as she held him, petting his head to calm him. He leaned back as he wiped his teary face with his hands. “She treated me with such respect and decency and kindness. That’s why, I can’t bring myself to kill her.” Ghin looked at Don Krieg as he addressed him. “I’ve always been loyal to you. Up ‘til now, I’ve believed what we’ve done. I respect you and appreciate all you’ve given me. Trusting me as your Chief Commander was the honour of my life. Until this moment, I have obeyed every single order you have given me without ever questioning it. I can’t live with myself if I kill this woman. And I cannot break my oath.” Sanri pet Ghin head as he spoke to getting his attention and gave him a smile of encouragement which gave him courage. “Please, I beg you. Let me disobey just this one order! Please! Don Krieg, listen, can’t we just leave?” Ghin smiled tearfully at his captain. “They can keep the restaurant for themselves.” 

Don Krieg did not like Ghin’s response. His went wilder. “You little son of a bitch!” The tyrant captain’s finger joints cracked as he clenched his hands. “You think you can defy my orders and then tell me what to do?” Krieg scowled. “It’s pathetic. Morality, sympathy – weaknesses I never expected to see from you. You are not my Chief Commander anymore!” 

Sanri puffed up in rage as she saw the hurt look on Ghin’s face. “You bastard! You’re the only one still able to fight other than Ghin! The others all got nosebleeds from the heat of that idiot Pearl guy’s flames!” The chefs’ of the baratie just sweat dropped at her misunderstanding. “You’ve lost just accept it!” 

“I’ve not lost yet, girly! Pirates step aside.” He took off one of his shoulder protectors before holding it up towards the restaurant. 

Ghin’s eyes widened in horror. “No! Not the gas!” 

The enemy pirates that were waking up again shuddered in horror. “He’s going to use the MH5!” They quickly hurried to get their other crewmates up and put their gas masks on. When Sanri saw she called for Zeff and he rushed all the cooks inside to protect them. 

Even his own crew was pissed at Krieg’s choice to use the gas as they seemed to be on Ghin’s side in this at this point. 

Krieg was calm as he stared at them. “The only thing that matters in a battle is who ends up winning.” He grinned triumphantly. “Even if more have got to die. Poison gas is just a means to an end. Victory is all that decides what’s right and what’s wrong.” Luffy very much seemed to disagree as his frowned with bared teeth. “If you’re dead, nobody’s gonna hear you complain anyway. When you don’t hesitate to do unspeakable, horrible things ... That is true power!”  

Sanri was disgusted as she thought of the similarities Don Krieg had with Judge. “He’s insane. A fucking insane moron. Men never seize to amaze me.” 

Ghin reached for his mask with shaky hands. But Don Krieg was having none of it. “Might as well throw that gas mask away!” He looked at Ghin with disgust. “You’re no longer worthy to be a Krieg Pirate. Die!” 

Sanri gripped his hand to stop Ghin from throwing it away. She then addressed Don Krieg herself. “What worth is there in being a Krieg Pirate if their own captain kills them!?” She slipped her shoes off as she spoke. 

Her words seemed to strike a chord with the enemy. 

Luffy growled as he ran to attack. “I’m not going to let that happen you bastard!”  

While Luffy distracted Don Krieg Sanri turned to Ghin. “How long does the gas normally take to dissipate?” 

“Maybe 5 minutes. Why?” 

“Okay, I hold it for that long underwater at least. That way it won’t get in my eyes”, Sanri said with confidence. As she dragged him to the water's edge. “Hold my head under just in case.” 

Luffy was forced back once more. He wiped his mouth of blood. “Ghin! You don’t have to listen to that blowhard, because I’m going to kick his ass!” 

Ghin however was not having it. “No! My captain cannot be defeated.” His face convinced what he was saying was true. “Don Krieg is the strongest man alive and I respect his punishment.” 

“Ghin stop talking your making yourself out to be an idiot.” Sanri said harshly. “First off Mihawk was way stronger than Don Krieg and he doesn’t have any devil fruit powers. Zeff told me so. Hell, I’m pretty sure Zoro is stronger than Krieg and he follows Luffy. As for his punishment, he’s telling you to die? A man like that isn’t worth listening too. So, snap out of it now!” 

“I deserve it. Obeying my emotions meant disobeying my captain. If I were in his position, then I would have done the same thing. And now death is the only honour I have left.” He then threw his mask away into the sea. 

“Men! All morons I swear!” She shook him by his jacket. 

Don Krieg smirk was vicious. “So, you’ve remembered your place.” He then frowned. “But it’s much too late for that. Now you and the bitch will die together.” He then fired the gas canister.  

Luffy panicked and looked around. He then saw two enemy pirates and thanked them before throwing them towards Sanri and Ghin. “Sanri, Ghin, catch!” 

They did with ease. Sanri had already put hers on when she noticed Luffy panicking to find another mask for himself. Then Ghin, moron extraordinaire, threw his mask towards him before the gas exploded. 

So, since she already had her mask on and she’d not have time to fight Ghin and get in the water, she did the only thing she could do. Swift kick to the back of Ghin’s knees he feel to the ground.  

She grabbed the back of his head. “Big breath.” She shoved his head underwater.  

Sanri felt him struggle against her but she refused to budge as the gas enveloped the air. In her head she started counting since people generally die within 7 minutes from oxygen deprivation. If Ghin could hold his breathe for a couple mins before blacking out or his heart stopping, they’d be able to bring him back with some extra air and the defibrillator. 

Ghin stopped struggling and fell limp in her hold but she still held his head underwater until she was sure the gas had gone. She ripped off her mask and throw it away as she pulled Ghin onto the deck and started CPR. 

“What happened to Ghin?”, Luffy asked with worry in his tone. 

Sanri breathed air into his lungs before going back to chest compressions. “Moron had a death wish and gave you his mask! Fucking moron!” She breathed into his mouth again before continuing manually pumping Ghin’s heart. “Patty, Carne! Some help here would be nice!” The two cooks finally came out at the sight and went to get the defibrillator and the air pump. 

Luffy was going to help but he was stopped by Krieg’s cruel laugh. “What a fool! He’s going to pay for a plate of food with his life, even after you tried to save him. Maybe he’ll learn when he’s dead.” 

The cooks watched on with gritted teeth. “That bastard. First he orders Ghin to kill himself and then he mocks the poor guy.” 

“He should respect the fact that he followed his orders in the end, even if Miss Sanri helped him.”, another added. 

Ghin finally coughed up water as the defibrillator shocked his body back into functioning. His breathing was laboured as he hyperventilated in Sanri’s arms. Sanri eyes watered as she heard him speak. “Don... Don Krieg...” 

“Ghin... Don Krieg was not the right man for you to follow.” Her eyes hardened at his tyrant’s mocking laughter. 

“It figures that you feel for that pathetic scum.” 

“Scum?!" Sanri eyes flashed with her anger. 

“That’s right, sugar! Anyone who loses focus and betrays my ship is worthless to me. They’ll almost certainly do it again.” Krieg stated with smirk. 

“Let me guess, questioning you is considered betraying the ship?”, Sanri asked already knowing the answer. 

“You catch on quick. It’s an act of mercy to put him out of his misery and keep him from dishonouring himself in the future and endangering my crew. I’ll fix your mistake of saving him soon enough.” Don Krieg’s crew seemed to be as shocked at his actions as well as the rest of them. They never thought Krieg would try to kill Ghin. They felt some resentment grow at their captain’s careless actions. 

Sanri handed Ghin over to Carne and Patty. “Take him inside.” 

“No, upstairs. The air will be clear up there and will help him recover.” Zeff stated and the two cooks did as they were told as Sanri went to get comfort from Zeff. She let herself melt into her father’s secure hold, happy he was okay and that no one was seriously hurt. 

Luffy however was pissed as he stayed to deal with Don Krieg.  

Zeff patted Sanri’s arm to get her to watch the fight. “Remember what I told you. You should watch him fight.” 

Luffy ran at Don Krieg and even after he was hit with spiky needle projectiles he still didn’t stop. Even when Krieg wrapped himself in a protective spiked cape giving him no way to attack, Straw-hat kept running forward, rubber arm pulled back to attack. Luffy just punched Krieg in the face by hurting himself on the quills. 

Sanri like the rest of the cooks shivered at the thought of hurting their hands like that. She watched interested as Luffy pulled each of the needles out of him.  

“So, is it my funeral or yours? You can’t kill me with little spikes!” Luffy grabbed the final spike. “My funeral will take more than this! You’ll have to do better than that if you want to beat me.” Luffy lifted his head up high as he grinned at Don Krieg’s downed form. “Because I don’t think it’s time for me to die just yet.” 

Sanri watched on as she hugged Zeff. “I know one thing – he's nuts.” 

Zeff flicked his eyes to Sanri seeing her small smile at watching Luffy. “I’ve seen one or two like him before. Stubborn kids who’d rather die than have to turn away from a fight once it started.” 

“Is that some kinda gab old geezer?” Sanri asked only getting a grin in response before she turned back to the fight. “He’ll stay. That’s for sure.” 

“I’m glad he’s with us, cos’ guys like that are hell to fight.” Zeff’s eyes were bright as he watched on. “I don’t care if he wins or loses, I consider it a honour just to be able to watch him.” 

Don Krieg got up shakily before running at him with an exploding shield. “Go to hell!” 

Unfortunately for him Luffy used it to kick him in his shoulder, hooking him with his extended leg and forcing him to the ground. “You first!” 

Don Kreig’s own crew were starting to doubt him. It made him unpredictable as his ego was being shattered by a kid. He prepared his deadliest weapon. His battle spear. With a cry he swung his spear, causing a big explosion. 

Luffy still managed to dodge, hiding behind a broken mast. But Luffy wasn’t so lucky as Krieg made his spear explode causing the rubber man to fly away. He had to stretch his arms to catch himself to avoid touching the water. Luffy couldn’t get up from his knees as the blood loss started to affect him. 

“Maybe, I should help him.”, Sanri said to herself. 

“No. I know you. You might act tough but you fought too many people for you to not be tired. You’ll just get in his way. Plus, he told you he’d handle it.” Zeff reprimanded before returning to watch the fight. 

Luffy managed to get back onto his feet in time to avoid a blow from the explosive spear, jumping to dodge hit after hit. Luffy nearly feel into the sea to avoid a blow and Sanri tensed knowing she would have to save him if he fell in. She breathed a sigh of relief when he saved himself before clinging onto Don Krieg’s spear. Don Krieg caused an explosion, by hitting the ground, sending Luffy into the air. 

But Sanri frowned in confusion as Luffy’s face changed, like he had an epiphany about how to win. She however didn’t think it would mean blowing himself up as punched either side of the spearhead.   

“Luffy!”, She cried worried as Don Krieg smirked smugly.  

But Luffy got back up. Shakily and with much effort, but he got back to his feet. 

Don Krieg laugh was cruel. “I’m not done with you yet. If you hadn’t made me so mad, I would have killed you quickly.” 

“Damn it! There’s no way he can take much more of this. That’s spear’s way to powerful.”, Sanri said as her worry took over. 

“No. Your wrong.”, Zeff said with confidence making Sanri whip her eyes towards her father as he spoke. “Even with 100,000 more weapons, our Chore-boy can still bring him to his knees, because he does not know fear.” 

Sanri shook her head. “Luffy isn’t a psychopath.” 

Zeff smiled as his eyes watched Luffy fight. “Never said he was. He just has no fear.” Sanri’s confused eyes went back to the fight. Luffy was hit again but once again he got back to his feet. “Stand or fall, life or death, in a struggle for your very existence, you cannot have even the slightest bit of fear, or you will be lost.” 

“What do you mean?”, Sanri asked eyes still fixed on the fight as Zeff told her. 

“That kid out there...” The pair watched as Luffy attacked again and the spear exploded again. “When he’s fighting, he’s not afraid of anything!” Luffy rose from the rubble standing with a bright grin on his face. “Not even death!” Sanri watched on with eyes turning a sparkling blue as she seemed to understand what Zeff meant as Luffy got back up from another explosion. “Is it just instinct or all a plan? We’ll know soon if he lives.” Sanri heard Don Krieg’s battle cry before he attacked about but she was more focused on Luffy’s face as he’s grin never faltered once. The explosion rattled through the air but once the dust cleared Krieg’s spearhead could be seen shattering into a thousand pieces. “There’s no doubt that Krieg and his pirates are strong. But Chore-boy -” 

“Luffy.”, Sanri corrected. 

“But Luffy.”, Zeff emphasised, “has something they’ll never have. Krieg may have more pirates at his command than anyone else before him, he may have terrible weapons that cause mass destruction to everything in his path, but he will never have that kid’s heart.” 

Sanri could only giggle as Zeff was right. She’d seen it too. 

Luffy grin was almost mad as he stared Krieg down before Krieg lost his composure and attacked the rubber man again. Luffy used his stretchy limbs to avoid the attack by handing off a sail pole. Then when Don Krieg knocked over the mast aiming for the water, Luffy broke off the pole as he jumped and threw it at him, even if Krieg burned it to a crisp before it could hit him. While in the air Luffy attack him with more vigour. When he landed, he continued his assault but Don used what was left of his weapon to throw him away. 

Sanri eyes nearly rolled out of her head as Don Krieg seemed to continue with the dramatics as he jumped on top of the broken mast to give a speech about strength. Thankfully Luffy was already running to shut him up.  

When Luffy hit him and it resulted in another explosion Krieg laughed as he threw throw the air. Sanri saw as metal spheres fell into the water. And her eyes widened in panic. “It’s a trap! Get out!” The explosions made it hard to see Luffy and what was happening “Luffy!!!” 

Then she heard it. Arms came out of the smoke. “Gum-Gum Bazooka!!!”  

Krieg’s armour shattered after the final hit. 

But as Luffy and every began to celebrate the victory. Krieg released a net that engulfed Luffy. Krieg planned to have Luffy drown. 

She was going to help Luffy but Zeff placed a hand on her shoulder. “Not yet...” Krieg was laughing. “Not yet...” Luffy freed his arms from the net. “Not yet...” Luffy twisted his legs together and Sanri questioned who he could remain so calm. Luffy grabbed Krieg with his twisted feet and spun him around and around with the kinetic energy he built up in his legs before sending Krieg into the Baratie decking. It was only when Krieg landed that Zeff released her shoulder. “Now.” 

She ran and dove into the water and began to swim to where Luffy would land. When he hit the water, she quickly grabbed the net and pulled him up so his head was out of the water. Luffy seemed really unwell as the water sapped his strength. “So... tired.” 

“Shut up! You’ll be out in no time.” 

Some cooks helped her by taking Luffy out of her arms. She climbed out herself and made sure Luffy was okay – which he was, just sleepy from exhaustion – before putting her steel-toe boots on and making her way towards Don Krieg’s prone form. The cooks around her were celebrating the victory and the few conscious enemy pirates seemed to be wallowing in the defeat. 

Ghin watched on from the roof in amazement. He really thought Don Krieg was too strong to beat, that it was impossible. He started to make his way down to check on Don Krieg.  

They would be having a long discussion about the future of the Don Krieg pirates after this mess but he was still loyal to his captain to a degree. 

Ghin just managed to get downstairs to see Don Krieg’s unconscious form raise up to continue the fight.  

“No! I’m the strongest! I win! I’m the greatest! I’m the best! No-one defeats me!” Don Krieg was swinging wildly in the air and his crew cried out to wake him up but nothing worked. 

Then a leg connected to Krieg’s jaw, breaking and/or removing his teeth. 

“Shut the fuck up!”, Sanri screamed enraged as Krieg landed on his back. She then calmly walked the three steps it took to reach him once more before stomping her heel into the enemy captain’s groin repetitively, hard enough to shatter the wood of the decking under him. “First you threaten to take our home! You imply you want to rape me! Then you want my dad dead! All of that I can deal with. BUT NO-ONE CALLS THE SHIP I HELPED DESIGN GARISH! YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!” The men around them could only wince in sympathy as they knew they couldn’t beat her. And even if they could they didn’t want to go near her with her current mode of attack. 

Ghin rushed over and placed a hand on her shoulder making Sanri turn ferally towards him. “I think you’ve proven your point.” 

Sanri’s feral eyes shifted to that of confused innocence as she took in the sight of Don Krieg and the blood around his mouth and groin. “Oh! Well, I told him I’d bust his balls and kick his teeth in. I didn’t want to be accused of being a liar.” Her smile could melt butter.  

“You’re certainly not that.” Ghin assured as he made his way to pick Krieg up and throw him over his shoulder. He then addressed his crewmates. “We’ve lost. Let’s leave now, while we still have a ... shred?” Ghin eyes fell onto the blood dripping from Don Krieg’s groin and didn’t know if that was the right word. But it was the best he had. “...of dignity.” Ghin then turned to smile gratefully at Sanri as pick dusted his cheeks. “Thanks for everything, Sanri.” 

Sanri took out a lolly and became to suck on it. “Sure, now leave and don’t ever come back. I mean it this time.” 

Ghin’s smiled turned poignant. “Ah yeah. That’s probably for the best.” His eyes then shifted to where Luffy was snoring peacefully. “Hey, I know you don’t owe me any favours, but when the kid wakes up... Tell him I’ll see him on the Grand-Line.” 

Sanri tilted her head cutely in confusion. Ghin’s eyebrow twitched as his crew that had returned to consciousness suffered another nosebleed and returned to an unconscious state. “But...” 

Ghin placed his hand on her arm once more to get Sanri to look him in the eye. “Sanri, it’s would seem Don Krieg’s obsession with the Grand-Line has become mine as well.” When Ghin coughed, salt water still coating his lungs. Sanri placed her hand on his that was on her arm to give him comfort. “I know it's silly, but it’s my dream. And I feel free now. To live my life. Truly on my terms.” He then gave her a roguish grin. “I might even get Krieg here to change. I’ll no longer let my loyalty stop me from forging my own destiny.” Sanri could here Patty and Carne rushing over to help in some way but she couldn’t take her eyes off Ghin as his happy expression. “Once your heart is set and you pursue all your dreams with every last fibre of what you are, you will never again feel lost, or hopeless, or afraid. I learned all that from a brave chore-boy.” 

Sanri closed her eyes as a smile graced her face. “You’re making me less angry with my dad, you know? I don’t appreciate it.” She then turned to Patty and Carne. “Hey, you guys! Give him the boat we use to go grocery shopping!” 

“Come on! Are you serious?”, Patty asked. 

“Why do we have to give a perfectly good boat to a bunch of pirates?”, Carne complained. 

“And what’s going to happen to all our grocery shopping, Miss Sanri?”, Patty questioned. 

“Patty’s right! Let ‘em swim to where ever they’re goin’ to!” 

Sanri’s eyes glared at them, reminding them of the time when she was 12 and Zeff explained changing bodies to her. She didn’t come out of that conversation pleasant and the Baratie suffered for it until she calmed down. Patty and Carne could still feel were she’d kicked their spines. Even Zeff called it the void period of their life as a joke-not-joke. 

Sanri voice was deadly calm. “Go get that grocery ship, now.” 

Patty and Carne cried, scared for a repeat of those dark times. “Alright, fine!” “Don’t hurt us!” “We’ll get it!” 

“It’s going to sink!”, one pirate cried from the ship as they all piled on the boat. They looked like a small mountain when it was over. 

Ghin could only smile at his crewmates. Sanri was beside him. And Luffy was at their feet. 

“Why did I hesitate? What was I so worried about? When I think about it, I can’t help but feel stupid.”, Ghin asked himself. 

Luffy gave a loud snore in reply that had Sanri giggling.  

Ghin stepped onto the boat before turning back to Sanri. “Well then, we gratefully accept this boat.” She turned to Ghin, noticing he had lost his jacket, leaving him in just his skin tight t-shirt, which showed off his arm muscles. (Which was what he was going for.) Ghin grinned as she looked over his arms. “Am I right to assume there is no need to return it?” 

“It’s yours.”, Sanri replied closing her eyes to smile at him brightly. “Don’t ever come back here, not for anything. Not even to return this boat.” 

Zeff, Patty and Carne came up behind them, with the other cooks at their back.  

“She’s right! And don’t ever forget, this is the restaurant where the cooks fight! The Baratie!”, Patty said, earning a cheer from the cooks in agreement. 

Ghin’s eyes shifted back to Sanri as she turned to smile towards her family of cooks. “The cooks’ there sure mean business.” 

Just before he kicked the deck to get them sailing, he chanced a glance towards Zeff who, like Sanri was focused on the cooks. He smirked to himself, this was his only opportunity. 

Quickly he encircled Sanri’s waist and kissed her gently on the lips. “Thank you again.”, he whispered as he pulled back making Sanri turn a bright red in surprise.  

Zeff’s red face however was with rage and Ghin knew it was time they made their escape, kicking off the decking as hard as he could to help create as much distance as possible as quickly as possible. 

He could still here the man’s screams from a mile away. 

Sanri’s face was still red. “Ghin wasn’t a pervert. I know he wasn’t. Why did he kiss me?” 

Zeff fumed. “Dumbass idiot! Has the gaol to kiss my daughter after hitting her! And without her consent! I should have shoved my peg-leg up his ass when I had the chance!” 

Luffy woke up as he heard a boom from somewhere on the ship. He rubbed his hair as he spotted Sanri at the window, lolly in mouth, as she stares out into the sea. 

Hair... Luffy’s eyes widened horrified. “Ahh! My hat! Where’s my hat!?” 

Sanri turned to Luffy rolling her eyes. “Calm down, it’s right there.” She pointed at the hat on the nightstand. Luffy sighed in relief as he put it on. “Have a good nap?”, Sanri asked as she stared back towards the sea. 

Luffy looked around as if realising something. “Hey, those pirates-” 

“They’re gone, now. Mostly thanks of you but I'm sure I put the fear of a goddess into them. I did make Don Krieg unable to sire children after all.” Sanri smirked around her lolly stick as she spoke. 

“Really?”, Luffy asked wincing in sympathy for his fellow male, even if he did deserve it. 

“Oh, and Ghin asked me to tell you that he said, ‘See you on the Grand-Line.’”, Sanri turned her eyes towards Luffy to see his expression with a smile. 

“Huh? He did, did he? To you?”, Luffy asked. 

Sanri brow twitched, “No to you!” 

Luffy smiled at her as crossed his legs on the bed. “So, I guess I don’t have to do anymore lame-o chores since I got those pirates off your back, right?” 

Sanri sighed, “That’s the deal.” 

“Well actually the deal was no more chores and your dad would let you join my crew, so I was wondering-” 

“No, I’m not going to run off away with you to become a pirate. Zeff shouldn’t have said that. I should have the choice to go when I’m ready and maybe I wanted to remake the cook pirates? I didn’t, but I could have. He should have talked to me before going behind my back and arranging Mihawk to pick me up. Plus, I might be ready, fighting wise but what about my culinary skills? He always has some pointer to add or just says it’s good enough.” Sanri pulled her knees to her chest as she looked out to sea. “I want my dad to acknowledge those skills first.” 

Luffy let his hat cover his eyes as he frowned, “Okay then, I give up.”  

“That means you let go!” Sanri wrestled with her collar to stop it from choking her as Luffy’s hand had stretched out to grab it instinctively. With a sigh of relief, she fixed her top. “I can’t just leave. These bozos don’t know the first thing about how to run a restaurant. But still, I promised myself that one of these days, I’ll go to the Grand-Line.” Luffy saw how her face softened as she pictured whatever was in her mind.  

Luffy’s face brightened as he laughed with a grin going over to her and sitting beside her bouncing. “Well, let’s go right now!” 

Sanri face became melancholy. “It just isn’t the right time.” She let her head lull to the side so she could see Luffy without taking her eyes off the sea. “There is one place...” She smiled brightly at Luffy. “Remember when I talked about the All-Blue?” Luffy nodded. “Have you heard of it before?” 

“Nuh-uh.”, Luffy said. His grin turning to a soft smile as he watched Sanri expression become wonder-filled as she stared at the sea with a grin. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me! That sea is a miracle!”, Sanri’s eyes sparkled. “In the All-Blue, there are fish from the East, West, the North and the South Blues. That one stretch of ocean has it all!” Luffy eyes sparkled with her as she explained. “To us cooks, it’s a culinary dream come true. A place that fantastic has got to be on the Grand-Line somewhere, right? And Zeff always said that if the one piece was anywhere it would be in the All-Blue! I mean where else would the most legendary treasure be other than the most illusory sea!” 

“Whoa! Really?!” 

Unbeknownst to the two teenagers, Zeff listened in from above. He had heard everything. And Sanri truly sounded happy with Luffy, she did with all of his crew. 

And he was the reason she was holding herself back. 

Well, that just wouldn’t do. 

Sanri and the cooks had prepared a celebratory feast for their victory and Luffy was very happy to be allowed to indulge with them. The meat looked like the best he’d ever seen.  

Sanri sat next to Luffy as she got herself some food. She dug in with a smile as she watched Luffy appreciate each piece of food he put in his mouth. It was a constant mantra of, “So good, so good, so good!” 

Then Patty asked a soft question. “Who made the soup this morning?” 

Sanri smiled in his direction brightly. “Oh, I did! This stuff is pretty good, huh?! I did some research on better spice blends recently and tried it out after a bit of experimenting. What do you think?” 

Patty wiped his mouth. “It’s good... It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” 

Sanri face became blank as she didn’t understand. It was always a rule of thumb that the chefs’ all threw gabs at each other's cooking so none of them got a big head. “What?” 

Each chef chimed in with similar compliments. “It’s so well balanced.” “The texture is so smooth.” “The spices compliment every flavour of the ingredients.” 

Zeff then took a spoonful into his mouth. His eyes brimmed with tears as he spoke nothing but the truth. “It’s perfect.” Sanri eyes widened. She had never really seen Zeff cry over food. The only times he cried was when she was between 12 and 15 going through puberty... but they didn’t speak of that. Ever. “Your food’s been perfect for a long time now Sanri. I just lied cause I couldn’t bare thinking that you didn’t need me anymore.” 

Sanri rushed over to Zeff and threw herself into his warm embrace. “What are you on about, old man? Did you hit your head or something?” 

Zeff wiped his face as he pulled out of the hug to hold his daughter at arm's length. “No. It’s just all true. You’re not my little girl anymore, you’re your own woman. Strong, independent, self-reliant. And I know I shouldn’t have went behind your back and called Mihawk to take care of you but to me your still my little pear that I had to teach how to sail and how to cook and how to kick perverts away and who had night terrors so bad they had her climbing into my bed at night to have me chase them away.” Tears fell from his eyes and Sanri eyes watered at the sight of them. “And I want you to achieve all your dreams. And I want you to be happy and the straw-hats make you happy; they do. You smile so much with them and every single one is real. But I’m selfish. And it is selfish of me to want to keep you here, with me, safe. But that would make me like Germa and that bastard. And I don’t ever want be anything like them, I know.” Zeff looked into Sanri’s teary eyes. “I know we’ve never spoken about it not after... and I don’t want to hear it because if I do, I don’t think I could stop myself from going there to kick their asses but also tell them just how grateful I am that they were so horrible to you because if they weren’t, I wouldn’t have gotten my dearest treasure. You! I’ve never like children but you are so good and kind and gave me a reason to keep going! And you deserve to be free... even from me.” 

“Dad... You are my father. The only one I’ve ever had. You could-” Sanri hickuped over her sob. “You could never be like the person that made me.” Zeff pulled her back into his arms. All the cooks had big fat tears falling down their faces as they watched the emotional conversation. “I’ll always need you, old man. I could never forget about you!” 

Zeff smiled loving at her as he wiped her tears away. “So, will you go with Straw-hat? And find the All-Blue?” 

Luffy drank the soup from the bowl. “Aw. I can’t take her if she doesn’t wanna go, Boss Zeff. She’s been pretty clear she wants to stay and cook with all of you guys. She’ll have to ask me herself.” 

Sanri giggled wetly as she saw Luffy’s grin knowing the rubber man was teasing them now after all the asking he did to get her to join. 

“Luffy...Your dream... is pretty foolish. Then again, so’s mine. And now’s as good a time as any to start my quest. So...” She smiled at him as tears fell down her cheeks. “Do you think I could still join your crew as your cook?”  

Luffy’s hat covered his eyes as a face splitting grin took over it. “Yeah, of course!” The rubber man then wrapped his rubbery limps around her multiple times as he latched on with no intention of ever letting go. 

“More?”, asked a cook as he was filling a bag of supplies. 

“Yup! Going to need more meat!”, Luffy replied as he helped, a piece of ham sticking out his mouth as he talked. 

“Alright, well, how many days are you going to be out at sea?”, another questioned. 

“I don’t know.”, Luffy replied unhelpfully and the cooks’ sighed filling three more massive joints into the bags hoping it would be enough for them. Luffy might not have been on the ship long but he was their long enough for them to know how much the kid packed away. They didn’t want Miss Sanri to starve because he ate all the food. 

Zeff came up behind Luffy. “Kid?” 

Luffy turned to him, finishing his slice of ham. “Hey, Pops!” 

Logbook in hand, Zeff offered it to Luffy. “Would you like this? It’s my logbook, a detailed record of my one-year journey to the Grand-Line.” 

Luffy smiled as he shook his head. “No thanks.” 

Zeff grinned as he chuckled. “I knew it! It doesn’t matter anyway Sanri couldn’t stop asking question when she was growing up. Had me tell her tales to get her to sleep. She probably knows more about it than most on the Grand-Line do.”, Zeff said even as Luffy was asking for more marbled meat getting the cooks annoyed at him. 

Sanri finished packing her belongings. She even packed her burned trousers, hoping she could figure out how she could mend or alter them.  

She packed her copy of a picture with Zeff and her when they first opened the Baratie, Zeff holding her in his arms as he smiled at her. She on the other hand was pouting as he ruffled her hair. 

Memories flooded her mind as she remembered that day. Zeff telling her it was their new home and that they would feed anyone that came through their doors. 

Her eyes fell on her fishing pole that Zeff had taught her to use. She laughed as she remembered the time a massive tuna nearly pulled her into the sea and the old man holding her so she didn’t fly away as she reeled it in. He was so proud of her that day. 

She went down to the kitchens and remembered when Zeff properly started to teach her how to cook.  

He wasn’t a lax teacher by any means as she remembered him telling her off for peeling wrong and hurting herself, even if it didn’t leave a scar. He hit her on the head with his peg-leg almost constantly as she learned the culinary craft or if she dared to hurt her hands. And her first attempts at original recipes weren't always the best.

But he still ate everything.  

Even if he told her off for her experimental favour pairings at the beginning and hit her on the head with his stupidly large chef’s hat. 

She then went to sit in the dining hall finding the table with her little pear carved in as the memories of working there surfaced thinking about Zeff helping her with her education using fighting and cooking as a form of teaching sometimes when she couldn’t understand what he meant. He always showed how much he cared about her with everything, he did.  

Even his bedtime stories when she crawled into his bed to hide from the hazy memories of Germa. His tales of mermaids and fishmen. Of islands in the sky. Of sea kings and fish so big they made an island. Of delicacies that could improve your fighting ability. Each tale made the shadows flee her mind as Zeff showed her what unconditional love was and that she was deserving of it. 

She was going to miss him oh so terribly. 

“Whoa! This is a nice ship!”, Yosaku said as he helped load the food with Luffy as the cooks prepared to say their goodbyes. “Are you sure it’s okay to use her?” 

“Of course! It’s Miss Sanri’s ship. Zeff bought it for her to use to go to school and to port whenever she wanted.”, one chef stated. “She always went to do research on spices and dishes and dietary requirements for athletes, to models, to regular joes. She really knows how to pack everything you need into a meal, no matter who you are.”  

Luffy smiled. “Yeah! She’s amazing! I’m always hungry but she’s been able to make me feel full for the first time in years! It didn’t last long but it was nice while it lasted.” 

“Yeah, and her food tastes angelic.”, Yosaku blushed. “Not to mention her beauty. I think she’s prettier than even Boa Hancock.” 

Carne and Patty growled. “Sanri is prettier than Boa Hancock!”, Patty stated. “Your crew better not hurt her or the cooks of the Baratie will find you and butcher you!”, Carne added. “And that’s before we hand you over to Zeff for him to deal with you!” Patty finished off. 

Luffy was just confused. “Why would we hurt her? She’s a member of my crew?” Luffy rolled his eyes as they didn’t stop glaring. “Fine you have my word that she’ll be save with me.” 

“And your swordsman?”, Zeff stated as he came over. 

Luffy’s hat covered his eyes as he grinned. “Zoro’s eaten food off the ground before, Pops. After he starved for a whole week.” Zeff’s eyes widened at the fact. “I’m pretty sure I can safely say, Zoro only has her best interests at heart.” Luffy then lifted his hat to look Zeff in the eyes. “But I’ll make sure to pass on your memo.” 

Zeff smirked, “You do that. Can’t have him not fearing for his life. What if he thinks I’m some push over.” 

“Big Sis Sanri is coming.”, Yosaku warned making both Luffy and Zeff turn to see her carrying her belongings. 

She passed every cook as she did so, one by one they started to cry. 

Patty and Carne jumped and embraced her. “Hey!” 

“We’ll miss you, Miss Sanri!” “Don’t worry about Zeff. I’ll take care of everything as your replacement sous-chef!” “Carne what are you on about? I’ll be the next sous-chef!” “With the slop you serve? No chance!” 

“Shut up!”, Sanri cried as she kicked them off her and to the ground. “There won’t be a replacement sous-chef! You’re both too dumb for it, anyway!” 

“So, mean!”, they cried together. 

Sanri straightened her clothes as she handed her things to Luffy so he could put them on the boat.  

She faced Zeff. “You’ll remember that the dump at the nearest port takes our rubbish the second last day of the month?” 

“Yes.” 

“And that you’ve got to clean the toilets, multiple times, daily?” 

“Yes.” 

“And you’ll remember your medication?” 

“Yes.” 

“And to watch your cholesterol? It’s one of the biggest killers of men your age.” 

“Yes.” 

Zeff smiled warmly as she continued her fretting answering yes to every question. 

“Okay but are you sure you don’t need me to stay?” 

“Little pear, I’ll be fine. Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself? Okay?”, Zeff asked as his lip wabbled. 

Sanri matched his expression tears falling down her face. “Daddy!” She flew into his arms and Zeff wrapped his arms around her just as tightly as he once did on that barren rock all those years ago. “I’ll miss you!” 

Zeff cried as he held her tighter. Not being called that in such a long time. Even when she was young enough to still use it, she mostly preferred to use old man. “Me too, little pear, me too.” 

Sanri heard as all the other chefs wailed their own goodbyes, Patty and Carne the loudest as they held onto each other. 

She stepped out of the hug and wiped her eyes as a big smile graced her face, bigger than any Zeff had seen her wear in years as she stepped onto the boat. “Don’t you worry about me, Dad! I’ll find the All-Blue and when I have and Luffy is King of the Pirates, I’ll sail back here to take you and the Baratie there myself! Then you can be my sous-chef, old man! So don’t die before I get back!” 

Zeff cried as he sat on the edge of the deck as Luffy started to set sail. “Like hell I will! Plus, I’ll live to 150-years-old you know that!” 

Sanri giggled as she called back. “You better dad! What if I have kids one day!? They’ll need their granddad!” 

Zeff’s eyes watered over even more and he sobbed. “STRAW-HAT!!! YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR WORD!!! KEEP HER SAFE!” 

“Yeah, Pops! I will!”, Luffy chuckled. 

Zeff waited until their boat was completely out of sight before he got up and told the cooks to get back to work. He knew his daughter would be fine. She had enough faith in herself and that crew, and had no fear not even of death. She knew what waiting for death felt like after all. 

He knew she’d find the All-Blue. It was just a matter of when. 

Sanri stretched as she let out a sigh. She then wiped her face of the final remnants of her tears before she spun around and faced Luffy and Yosaku. 

Her smile was angelically bright as the sun made her eyes sparkle. “Right! First save Nami then off to Paradise!” 

At Luffy’s confused face. She explained. “It’s what the first half of the Grand-Line's called, Paradise!” 

“Whoa! Really? I can’t wait!”, Luffy stated. 

Sanri giggled happily at his enthusiasm. 

But then she blinked. 

“What’s wrong with Yosaku? Does he have sea sickness or is it his scurvy acting up?” 

“Don’t know? He just had a nosebleed.”, Luffy stated confused too. 

Both pirates stared on in confusion at the bounty hunter's unconscious form until they got bored. 

Sanri turned to Luffy with interest. “So, Luffy, tell me all about our crew.”