Chapter Text
Sanji put his hands inside the pockets of his yellow-and-white striped yukata, finally finished with disassembling his soba stand.
The battle at Wano was finished, with the Ninja-Pirate-Mink-Samurai Alliance victorious. The resulting celebration spanned across the whole country, and Straw Hats and Wano residents alike partied for days and nights on end.
However, the Straw Hat’s journey was far from over, and they were gearing up to leave alongside the Heart and Kidd Pirates tomorrow. The alliance was set to dissolve when they disembark.
All that was left for Sanji was to use up the remaining materials, disassemble his soba stand, then hand out his food for free. His soba had become quite famous, and soon all his food had been taken care of.
As Sanji gave away his last bowl, he noticed a tall woman with dark, curly hair and striking red eyes. She had a tanned complexion, a stark difference from the normally pale residents of Wano, and donned lipstick that matched the color of her dark eyes.
Sanji’s eyes turned into hearts, and he was about to throw himself at her feet when a group of men approached her instead, leering towards her and aggressively puffing out their chests.
“Hey there, beautiful~” “Your appearance rivals Komurasaki!” “What’s your name?”
She eyed the group apathetically, then continued strolling at the leisurely pace she was previously walking at.
The group followed her, taking her silence as an invitation to step into her space.
Fires lit in Sanji’s eyes. “Hey!” he yelled, kicking the man closest to the woman, “How could you disrespect a lady like that?”
An awkward smile appeared on the woman’s face.
The other men floundered at the sight of their downed leader. They ultimately decided to run off, recognizing the famous Straw Hat member by his signature eyebrows.
“Blackleg Sanji.” The woman noted, looking him up and down.
Sanji swooned. “You know who I am, ma’am! Could I have the honor of knowing your name?” He simpered from a respectful distance, arms and legs turning into noodles from the attention.
The woman laughed, then coyly responded, “Perhaps later.” Her expression became more serious, and in turn made Sanji stand at attention. “I would like to meet your captain. I am hoping to borrow a ride from any of the three visiting pirate ships to the next island.” She spoke in a smooth, deep voice, not unlike Robin’s.
“Of course, Madam! Follow me ♥”
~ . ~ . ~
The mysterious woman sat across the Straw Hat captain and his Navigator, who had met the woman on Sanji’s request. Robin sat with a cup of coffee in the back as well, listening in to the conversation.
“Hello, my name is Estelle. My ship crashed when attempting to reach Wano, drowning my crew and forcing me to remain on this island for years, with no way out. With so many pirates finally in the land of Wano, I must request a ride off the island. I can find my way after I leave, but I cannot just let this opportunity pass me by.” She sobbed at the part of her crew’s deaths, making both Sanji and Robin melt with empathy at the woman’s distress- she must have been through a lot in the last few years.
Nami clicked her tongue sympathetically. “Were you able to collect any money while in Wano? We do charge a small fare for transport…”
The other woman straightened up and fished some berries from her pocket. “Would this do?”
Luffy looked like he swallowed a lemon, looking towards the woman, then to the sympathetic stares of his chef and archeologist. “I don’t know. Maybe you should try Traffy or Kidd instead. If they don’t take you first, then fine.”
Sanji hit him on the head with his leg. “Oi! How could you deny a lady like that?”
“You may stay, Estelle. No large fees, either, Nami. We agree to drop you at the next island.” Robin spoke up, agreeing with Sanji.
Nami and Luffy pouted as Estelle smiled at Robin in relief. “Thank you.”
“We set sail tomorrow. Would you like to stay for dinner, Estelle?” Sanji offered.
Her eyes lit up. “Yes! I would love to get to know everyone before we set sail.”
Estelle smiled to herself as Sanji finished up the rest of the meal he was preparing and set the table.