“Fwooo…’ Breathe deep Sanji…Breathe deep…” Thought the blonde cook as his small boat rocked lightly on the waves. It was three, soon four, years after he had joined the Straw Hats and now he was back in the East Blue. Doing something that Sanji was sure he would end up regretting in the long run. He was going back. Back to the floating restaurant, back to the Baratie. Only for a quick visit, but going back all the same.

Looking down at a large sack, Sanji wondered what the crew of the Baratie would think of his “present.” “They’ll probably think I’m showing off.”
Inside the sack was an assortment of fish straight from the All Blue. Blood Red Troutfin, Prism Ekerris…the list was huge.
“Too huge.” Flashed through Sanji’s mind. The bag was bigger than he was.

Then he saw it. On the horizon was a rock formation that could easily be seen from the top floor of the Baratie.

It was then that Sanji began to sweat drop like mad.
“Chill Sanji, chill. All you’re doing is taking a sack of fish to the Baratie, dropping it off, maybe chatting for five seconds, then leaving. That’s all you’re doing.”
Breathing heavily, Sanji fought the urge to turn his boat around.

Upon reaching the rock, and seeing the Baratie, Sanji began freaking out even more.
“Maybe you don’t even have to go in. Just leave the fish with a note in front of the door and run like the devil’s after you. Well, if not the devil, the Crap Geezer.”
Now Sanji was fighting the urge to drown himself.

The Baratie was now directly in front of Sanji. Tying his boat down with rather shaky hands, Sanji hoisted the sack of fish onto his back, and began walking towards the front entrance.
Everything was the same. The paint, the sign, even the badly fixed rail where Sanji had once kicked Patty into the water headfirst, everything was the same.

Stepping up, Sanji took a deep breath, and pushed through the old swinging wooden doors. Immediately, all eyes fell to the rather familiar looking, blue and black clad blonde standing in the doorway. There was a resounding “thud” as the jaw of every cook there hit the floor.

---

“CHEF ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEFF!” A random cook shouted, pelting up the stairs.

Sanji winced. “Crap…”

The same cook shot back downstairs unaccompanied, ran over to Patty and whispered something in his ear. Nodding, Patty motioned to the rest of the cooks. Sanji saw with some astonishment that, at this, everyone simply went back to work as if nothing had happened, though some were twitching rather violently.

“Heh, looks like Patty’s the new Assistant Head. Ha, good for him.”

Scanning around to see that no one was looking, Sanji put his bag down, scribbled a note, and set it on top; that done, the man not so fondly known as “Ero-cook” casually walked out of the Baratie.

---

Upon reaching the foot of the stairs, Chef Zeff rounded the corner in time to see Sanji leaving. He was about to issue the order for someone to go after him, when he heard singing. Grinning, Zeff turned and went back upstairs, listening to the song.

Stepping up and out onto the top floor balcony, Zeff just caught Sanji, sailing out of sight, ringing out the last words with gusto. “Drink up, me hearties yo ho!”