Life and Trials of a Former Assassin

Chapter 1

4 YEARS EARLIER...

Sanji had just turned nineteen. It had been a wonderful party at the Baratie but then he received a summons from his father. It was simply a card with the Vinsmoke crest. When he was nine Zeff had reluctantly saved him from the Vinsmoke mansion. He and Zeff grew closer and when his biological family came looking for him Zeff tried to hide him. They moved constantly trying to stay ahead of them but always failing. They even went completely off the grid, living in a small house in the woods but it didn't stop someone from showing up on the porch.

A truce was made when Sanji was requested he would do the family's bidding but always would return home to Zeff. He said no to a job once and they cut off part of Zeff's leg. He never said no again.

Sanji had been raised by the Vinsmokes to kill. He had been taught multiple languages, ways to blend into a crowd, multiple weapons, various fighting styles and the multitude of ways to dispatch a human. Zeff and later the employees of the Baratie taught him what love was, what family was, how to find his passion in life and to preserve what is precious to him.

It had been ten years and he was being called by the Vinsmokes less and less though each job more dangerous than the last. This last job he left the day after the party, found out the details and immediately set to the task.

Now he stood in front of his father in the library of the large mansion. His father sat like a king on a throne in front of the massive fireplace. He sat in a large high backed plush chair with a glass of wine eyeing his son.

Sanji only feared his father and brothers. It was a deep seated childhood fear. Death no longer scared him but they did. Yet he stood there back straight and head held high.

"You're a disappointment. Do you know that?" His father asked.

"So you tell me. I don't know why. I have always completed every task you gave me." Sanji replied.

His father shook his head. "It is your lack of understanding your faults that baffles me." He took a sip of wine. "I thought you would have died in the explosion."

Sanji nodded. He thought he would die in that explosion too. He had to blow up a rival's warehouse full of fake medication. It turned out the bomb he had been given had a shorter timer than he was told. He failed to check it before going in but he wouldn't make that mistake twice.

"I don't want you around anymore." His father explained. Sanji nodded. He knew this day would come. The day he wouldn't come home. He moved off the expensive rug and knelt on the tile he wanted to make the cleanup easier for the staff.. "What are you doing? You're still my son."

Sanji raised his head and stood. Huh he won't kill me. So the man has some morals. "So does that mean I'm done serving you and can return home?"

His father stood and placed his glass down. He stepped up in front of Sanji and slowly wrapped his hand around his son's neck squeezing slightly. "Yes. But I want to be clear. I don't even want to see you or hear about you again. You are going to live a quiet life. If you fail to do that then you will be brought back and broken."

Sanji nodded and left the room. On his way out his brothers gave him a farewell beating. The pain couldn't diminish his happiness.

2 YEARS LATER....

Zoro walked down the road constantly having to grab Luffy by the shirt collar to get him back on track. Before they left Zoro had checked his GPS in the car. Their destination was only supposed to be a 15 minute walk but it turned out to be closer to 30 minutes. Between Luffy stopping to gape in all the storefronts and the streets of Chicago moving it took longer for him. He didn't really want to spend his Saturday corralling Luffy around food. He thought it was a good thing they had plans for later.