Chapter 81
(SOMEWHERE IN THE EAST BLUE)
Inside the captain's cabin of a stolen marine ship was a young man that both Ace and Luffy knew and loved dearly like a brother. Sabo was sitting behind a rather lavish and masterfully crafted mahogany table. He was busy writing in his journal, detailing his crew's adventure so far, when a knock was heard upon his door.
"Come in!" Sabo said, calling out to whoever it was knocking on his door that they were welcome to enter.
The door swung open. A young woman with light blue hair and a beautifully tattooed and tanned skin entered.
"What is it, Nojiko?" Sabo asked.
"Our dear arrogant chef is calling for you, Sabo!" Nojiko said with a small smile. "She said she found something."
"Really? What did she find?"
"She didn't tell me," Nojiko said with a sigh. "Honestly, she should trust me more! I'm the first mate here!"
"HAHAHAHA! Don't worry, Nojiko," Sabo said. "I'm sure Carmen will 'warm' up to you."
"...again with the puns?"
"Hey, I tried!"
"So? You coming?" Nojiko asked.
"Be right there," Sabo said, but Nojiko patiently waited. Sabo wrote one last sentence in his journal and closed it. "Let's go see what she has to show!"
Sabo walked out of his cabin and onto their ship's deck with Nojiko behind him. The first sight they saw was a fight. Of course, Sabo disapproved. But, not for the reasons one would think.
"Oi! Johnny! Yosaku! What the hell are you guys using swords for?" Sabo shouted, getting the attention of the two swordsmen he recruited.
"Ahh! Captain Sabo!"
Sabo walked to them and took their swords from them.
"Didn't I tell you? We're the Black Rod Pirates!" Sabo said before directly throwing the swords he took from Johnny and Yosaku out of the ship and into the sea. "We don't use swords!"
"Y-You were serious, Captain?"
"But those pipes can't do much damage!"
Johnny and Yosaku complained about Sabo's weapon of choice for them. What Sabo told them to use instead were normal metal pipes that can be bought virtually anywhere. By no means was it a weapon for fighting.
"That's why you have to get stronger!" Sabo said. "Once you're strong enough, you can beat all the toughest swordsmen even without any weapon!"
"Even Zoro-aniki?" Johnny and Yosaku both asked.
"Yeah, I'm sure of it!" Sabo said. "Still, I can't wait to meet this Zoro dude! HAHAHAHA! He seems interesting!"
"He's really strong, Captain!"
"But, of course, Captain is still stronger!"
"You sure we shouldn't try to find him?" Sabo asked.
"Don't bother, Captain," Johnny said. Yosaku quickly supported him.
"We'd have more chances to find him if we weren't trying to. Zoro-aniki is strong… but his sense of direction is… pitiful!"
"HAHAHAHA! Now I want to meet him even more!" Sabo said.
"Johnny! Yosaku! Come help me with this!" a sultry voice from above called out to them.
Sabo, Johnny, and Yosaku looked up to see their shipwright Gina clinging to the ropes near their sails.
"Yes, ma'am!" Johnny and Yosaku quickly competed by trying to reach Gina first.
"How are the adjustments coming along, Gina?" Sabo shouted.
"It's going well, Captain!" Gina said. "At this rate, we can proudly sail on this ship before the day is over!"
Since Gina was a shipwright, Sabo ordered her to make adjustments on the marine ship they stole from the 153rd Marine Branch in Shells Town. Sabo doesn't want to go around sailing in a stolen ship. He wanted the ship to truly be theirs.
"We shouldn't keep Carmen waiting, Sabo," Nojiko said. "You know how she gets-"
"Fiery?" Sabo finished Nojiko's sentence.
"...again with the puns?"
"HAHAHAHA! Fire puns are so easy! I can't just let it slide!"
Sabo and Nojiko walked to the ship's kitchen where Carmen and her two disciples Leo and Jose usually were. They were the ship's cooks, after all.
Sabo opened the door to the kitchen and entered followed by Nojiko. They were immediately assaulted with a pleasant smell that roused their hunger even though they just ate around two hours ago.
"Is that our lunch? Man, that smells good!" Sabo said.
"Why, thank you for the compliments, Captain!" Carmen said, turning her attention from the pan to Sabo. "Of course, Fiery Carmen puts her heart and soul into every meal she cooks!"
"Who talks about themself like that?" Nojiko muttered under her breath, still not used to their cook's quirkiness.
Sabo watched Carmen cook. Her skill as a chef was only complemented by the Devil Fruit he offered her as an invitation to join his crew. With her new power, she could cook even more effectively now. Of course, she also gained the ability to fight.
Fire spurted out of Carmen's hands. Sabo and Nojiko watched the flames jump around from stove to stove, adjusting its heat every single time.
"I knew it! That Devil Fruit really suits you!" Sabo said.
"It does!" Carmen said with a small bow to Sabo. "I can be a better cook now thanks to you, Captain! The Fiery-Fiery Fruit is perfect for one such as Fiery Carmen! Ohohoho!"
"You never told me where you found that Devil Fruit," Nojiko whispered to Sabo.
"Ohh, I stole it from a noble," Sabo said. "He won it in an auction, then I ambushed him on his way home."
"How devious!" Nojiko said, but she said it rather endearingly.
"Anyway, what did you call me for, Carmen?" Sabo asked.
"Ohh! That's right!" Carmen said. "Leo! Jose! It's time for the presentation!"
"Yes, Lady Carmen!"
Carmen's disciples put on theatrics. It was a short performance and it ended with a small red curtain being held between them.
"Behold! A treasure that has fallen right in my hands!" Carmen said. The moment she finished speaking, Leo and Jose flourished the red curtains in their hands to reveal what was hidden behind.
"Oooohhh!" Sabo awed at the treasure Carmen was talking about.
"Is that-?" Nojiko instinctively knew what it was.
"That is right! This here, Captain, is a Devil Fruit!" Carmen said, taking the Devil Fruit that was placed on a small purple silk pillow and offered it to Sabo.
"Where'd you find it?" Sabo took the Devil Fruit and observed it.
It was a round, pear-shaped fruit that tapers off towards the stem, resembling a loquat. Its golden-yellow peel features the overlapping swirl pattern typical of Devil Fruits while forming sharp, jagged outgrowths all over that vary in length, width, and direction, resembling sparks of electricity. Topping the fruit is a green, T-shaped stem that zigzags into a stylized lightning bolt, with one end pointed and the other flat.
"Alas, there is something Fiery Carmen knows not!" Carmen said. "It was mixed in the bag of groceries Leo and Jose bought!"
"We didn't buy it, Captain!" Leo said.
"It was in the bag of pears," Jose said.
"Nevertheless, tis a blessing!" Carmen said. "As gratitude for the wonderful gift you gave me, I offer that Devil Fruit to you, Captain!"
"Are you gonna eat it?" Nojiko asked Sabo. "We don't know what power it'll give you."
"Well… looking at its shape, it definitely gives some kind of lightning power. That's so cool!" Sabo said. "You wanna eat this, Nojiko?"
"No, I'm good," Nojiko said, instantly rejecting the Devil Fruit. "I love swimming. Especially after a tiring day."
"Aight, suit yourself," Sabo said before taking a bite of the Devil Fruit in his hands.
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A/N: SABO IS THE MC WOOOOOOOH!!! Damn comments irked me. Can't let some extras disrespect mah boi Sabo.