A Father's Betrayal

Chapter 8

The crew walk down a corridor of the main castle to a set of large iron doors. The blond froze in front of them, knowing the man that he built up so much hatred for that he never wanted to see his face again was just beyond this wall.

He could hear voices coming from the room.

"What the hell is taking your brother so long? I thought I told you boys to tell him fifteen minutes!"

"We did tell him, Dad," Niji replied.

"Yeah, not our fault that failure doesn't know how to listen," Yonji added.

"Sanji! Get your ass in here before I drag you in myself!" Ichiji hollered to the doors.

"Damn it," Sanji muttered before reach to push the doors open.

"Sanji. Welcome home, son," said a man with blond hair, who was sitting on a throne in the front of the room.

"Do not call me that!"

"You. Came. Back."

"You left me no choice. It was either come back or let my friends get hurt."

"We never said that," Niji interjected.

"You didn't have to. Now are you going to tell me what is so important... or unimportant... that you need 'a useless weakling' such as myself?" Sanji grawled.

"Well, at least he knows his place," Yonji laughed.

"Yonji! By nice to your brother!"

Sanji's head turned quickly in the direction of the new voice that had just entered the throne room and dining hall. Two girls were walking side by side. One had shoulder length, pink hair. The other girl had the same hair as the pink haired girl other than it being blond and much longer.

"What's the matter, Sanji? You look like you saw a ghost," the blond woman said before turned back to Yonji, "Yonji, don't ignore me."

"Yes, mother," he replied, in a pouty tone.

Sora smiled at the cook while walking over to him. Tears welled up in his visible eye.

"How's my little Prince?" She asked wiping away the tear before it had a chance to roll down Sanji's face. "Hmm?"

"M-mom? B-but... I-i... You... Grave... A-and..." Sanji's head was clouded with questions that just keep piling up one after another. It made it difficult for the cook to form complete sentences.

"I know. Your father and I didn't think I was going to survive, so he decided to tell you kids that I died. It was just another part of your training. I told him not to but you know how your father is," She said placing a hand on his face and Sanji leaned into her palm. "After your father told my you had died, I asked him to leave my headstone up even if I didn't die."

"W-why?" Sanji asked in a whisper.

"So I could always be with my little Prince," her voice cracked at the end. "I can't tell you how relieved I was to find out that it was just another lie. Now, tell me something... do you still like to cook?"

"Mm-hmm," he nodded.

"Sanji's the best cook in the world!" Luffy jumped throwing his hands in the air.

"I wouldn't go that far," Sanji replied.

"You won that contest for best cook in the East Blue," Nami said.

"I did that for the elephant blue finned tuna."

"Even the Marines love your cooking," Usopp said.

"Yeah, remember cooking for Smoky and his soldiers on Punk Hazard? And that time you and I disguised ourselves as Navi cooks and you got into a cooking dule with them and won!" Luffy added.

"And you can't forget that party we threw back at Water 7," Franky chimed in.

"Yeah well, I'm still not better than the old man... yet."

"Are you kidding me, Sanji! The past two years had to of made you a better cook than Zeff!" Luffy argued.

"I doubt that."

"Sense when are you so modest about your cooking skills, Cook...? Or do you prefer Prince Cook?"

"Shut up, stupid Merimo!"

"I don't see why everyone thinks so highly of your cooking. A dog can cook better than you!"

"If my cooking is so terrible, then you can just starver!"

"Really! Are you two seriously going to start this again?!" Nami said.

"Your swordsman must be really weak if Sanji can keep up with him!" Niji said as the two Straw Hats kicked and slashed at each other.

Luffy turned to the older brother, "Do not underestimate my friends! ...Aaaaagh! Sanji! Give me my hat before Zoro cuts it!"

Sanji stopped trying to kick Zoro and turned to his captain, "huh?"

"If you and Zoro are going to fight take my hat off!"

"Oh, I forgot I still had it on. Here," he said taking the straw hat off his head and handing it to Luffy.

"You can wear it, as long as Zoro doesn't cut it and you don't burn it."

"You say that like I need to use my strongest attacks against the stupid Moss Head."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Curly-brows?!"

All five of the Vinsmoke siblings turned to Zoro. None of them to thrilled with what the swordsman just said. "WATCH IT, MOSS HEAD!" they yelled.

Sanji turned to his younger brother, "You're one to talk, Yonji!"

"I'd rather have green hair than be a ditsy blond!"

"I'LL~!"

"SANJI!"

"WHAT?!" Sanji turned to Judge.

"So it's true, then?"

"What's true?"

"Straw Hat just said you have fire power."

"Oh yeah. I forgot to tell you, Dad. He tried using them against me," Niji said.

Judge turned back to Sanji, "Is this true?"

"What does it matter to you?" Sanji growled.

"We've heard rumors that the cook of the Straw Hat pirates has several attacks involving fire as well as having... abnormally fast healing..." Judge replied, walking to the cook.

"So what."

"Did you ever question... why... that is?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Are you really that clueless, Sanji?" He asked, taking a few more steps closer.

"Just spit it out already!"

"Have you ever wondered what you genetic enhancements were supposed to be?"

"I really could care less. I don't need science to make myself stronger."

"Fire... Your enhancements were fire."