Present || Vinsmoke Sanji (ONE PIECE) ||

VIII

Zoro lost, and he got dragged on Usopp's boat going after Nami. Me, Luffy, and another pirate hunter stayed. Don Krieg is causing a ruckus, I didn't want Luffy and Sanji to fight alone, even though the two of them were enough to defeat them. But the less injured they are the better. And then the fight began.

Sanji vs. Gin

Luffy vs. Don Krieg

Me vs. Pearl

Me dealing with Pearl wasn't a nice choice, because my cards won't work on him, I doubt my daggers would work either unless I cut right through his neck. It won't be easy getting near him. He was big, meaning he would have a disadvantage of speed, but his attacks would cover a large area. If I ran straight to him, I could be injured by his bigass metal arm. I zoomed, two daggers in hand. Surprisingly, he dodged it, but it still cut his neck. It seems like he's mad about bleeding, I didn't know how he spread the fire, but I was caught inside. It doesn't matter, the cloak will protect me from getting burned, but I can't get out either, since he was guarding the fire. I have to end this quick.

x x x

I was the first to finish my fight. There wasn't much to it, the only problem was his hard shield. I got slammed a few times but I was okay, maybe a broken rib but that's no problem. His head and neck was his weak point and he didn't guard it properly, that's why he lost. I looked over, it seems like Luffy's having trouble getting to Krieg, while a bloody Sanji was pinned down by Gin. I walked over to where everyone's standing.

"Are you not gonna help them out?" Old geezer questioned me

"We have to get stronger on our own. No one should be depending on help." I shook my head "That's what I think."

"But you guys are a team aren't you? You've always worked alone and rejected any help coming your way. Don't you think that you should start accepting people?" He looked at me, I paused

"So you know who I am already huh.."

"I'm not as stupid as that brat."

I remained silent. Maybe the old geezer's right. If we're a team, then we should work together and help each other out. At the same time, I heard a smash, it seems like Gin can't kill Sanji. His weapon was smashed on the ground.

"It seems like you have betrayed me." Krieg started, is this where he's gonna release the poisonous gas? I looked at his crew, they were jumping inside the ocean. With Luffy's two hands, he can grab two masks, so I have to grab two more, or someone's gonna die. I thought, and as the crew got their masks out, I dashed towards two of them and grabbed their masks. At the same time, Luffy grabbed two of them as well and threw them to Sanji and Gin, I threw one to Luffy, and now all four of us have masks on. The gas released. But Gin threw his mask away.

x x x

"I deserved it." He gasped for air, "I deserved to die. I betrayed my captain."

I grabbed his collar and lifted his upper body up from Sanji's arms. "You don't think that way." I glared, "You can't just think that way. You can't just give up your life like that when there are people by your side, fighting with you. If you deserved to die, we would've not given that damn mask to you. Do you hear me?!"

Dying, was such a sensitive topic to me. I didn't want anyone to think that they deserve to die, no matter if they're good or evil.

"Oi, don't grab him like that he's gonna die-" One of the chefs called out

"Oops," I said as I dropped him midair.

"THAT MADE IT WORSE." They shouted as I scratched my cheek.

Looks like Sanji's fight is over too. They lifted Gin carefully and moved him onto the rooftop, a chef with round sunglasses and a weird-looking buffy chef went to take care of him. Luffy's fight with Krieg has gotten serious. I didn't stand outside and watch the fight like everyone else did, instead, I sat inside the restaurant and looked up at the ceiling. I thought about my mother, "Maybe I deserved it... maybe God just didn't love me as much. Everything was destinated since the start of this universe, and no one can change it..." No, she didn't deserve it, she was the nicest person that existed in my life. How could she deserve that? Tears flowed down my cheeks unconsciously. I want to see her again... but it's not possible anymore is it? I wonder if she's with me in this world, I wonder if she's still looking over me as a star in the sky, I wonder...

x x x

The fight was over, I sighed, we were all injured. Sanji and I both had broken bones and a few exterior injuries, Luffy was burnt pretty badly with a few major exterior injuries. He didn't have any broken bones though, so that's good I guess.

I was on the upper balcony when I saw Luffy and Sanji talking. Luffy was asking him to join, but he said that he wanted to be with the old geezer, and he's also waiting for a certain girl to visit. HmM, i WoNdEr WhO-

"Stupid black lungs..." I mumbled.

"Say, do you know about the All Blue?" Sanji asked Luffy

I stared at him. I've always admired the sparkles in his eyes and that huge smile of his when he talks about his dream. It was something I wished for but never had. I smiled, as I watched him. He's grown so much since the last time I saw him, maybe I do care about that kid I took care of after all.

"Why are you here?" Unbalanced footsteps approached, I knew it was the old geezer. "Eavesdropping?"

"Nah, I was here before they started talking," I said as he stood by my side.

"Sunset sure if beautiful huh?" We looked out to the horizon as a breeze blew by.

"Indeed."

"Why did you not tell him that you were the girl he's waiting for?"

"I... I don't know. Maybe he'll be mad" I chuckled

"About what?"

"You know, how I lied to him about my name, and how I forgot about him until today."

"I think instead of getting mad, he'll cry in our arms again. Just like before."

I laughed, "Is he still the bratty kid like he was?"

"Of course, he never changed." Old geezer looked at me, "you should smile more, he always loved it when you smile."

"Tsk, I'll never smile for that kid. But I'm surprised that you still remembered how we were before."

He chuckled, "None of us had forgotten."

"Old geezer, didn't you think it was weird for me to always keep my hood on? And how I was still wearing the same cloak from years before?"

"I was never curious about you. I know you had your own reasons, and I know that you have a secret that no one knows about."

"Mm, you're wise."

"Tsk, I've lived so much longer than you two brats."

"True."