Ch 15 Vince joins the Strawhats

Sanji leans up against the railing, and Vince sits on top of the railing with the pirate sitting nearby. One level above, leaning against the railing is Luffy.

Vince: " Who's the guy in the hat?"

Luffy: " You sure got lucky!! That food saved you!!"

Luffy: " You darn near starved! Ha ha ha!"

Vince: " I..... don't know how that's funny?"

Luffy: " Hey, Mr. Cook!!! Mr. Waiter!!! Join us! We could use you guys on our crew!"

Sanji & Vince: " Huh?!!"

Luffy makes his way down to them and sits on the railing, next to Vince.

Sanji: " You're..... a pirate?" He asks Luffy.

Luffy: " Yeah."

Sanji: " Well, you'd best watch yourself around here. Cheff Zeff used to cook for a famous pirate."

Luffy: " That old man was a pirate?"

Vince: " Yeah, and from what I've heard, he was quite fierce some."

Vince: " And Baratie is the old man's treasure."

Sanji: " And the cooks who flock to him are all hot-blooded pirate types. For a place frequented by pirates, they're perfect for the job."

Vince: " You got that right; we get some dangerous customers in here."

Luffy: " Yeah, this place is a nuthouse."

Vince: " Eh.... you get used to it."

Sanji: " Some people come just to see the pirates and cooks go at it."

Vince: " Hey, don't forget about me, I love a good brawl. But I can't cook for the life of me."

Sanji: " You're telling me, you gave me food poisoning once."

Luffy: " Anyway, you guys should sail with me."

Vince: " Why not, I've thinking about leaving this place, so I can find my father."

Sanji: " Heh, you go ahead, Vince. But I'm going to have to decline. I've got a good reason for staying here."

Luffy: " No!!! I decline!!!"

Sanji: " What?"

Vince: " Huh?"

Sanji: " Decline what?"

Luffy: " I decline your.... declination!!! You're a good cook and you're joining my crew!!"

Vince: " Oh no..... my new captain's an idiot....."

Sanji: " Now, hold on..... listen to my reason."

Luffy: " What is it, then?"

Sanji: " None of your business."

Luffy: " You just told me to listen!!"

Sanji: " I mean, respect my wishes!!! I'll make a fillet outta you, you crap hat kid!!"

Luffy: " You make fun of this hat and I'll send you flying!!"

Pirate: " Sorry to butt in, but....."

Sanji & Luffy: " WHAT?!!"

Pirate: " I'm Gin, one of Krieg's pirates. If you're really a pirate, what's your prize?"

Luffy: " I'm after the Once Piece! I'm going to the Grand Line!!"

Vince: " ...What did I sign up for...."

Gin: " If you don't have a cook, you must not have much of a crew yet."

Luffy: " These guys make seven!!"

Sanji: " Don't count me!!!"

Gin: " You don't seem like a bad sort, so I'll give you a word of warning."

Gin: " Whatever you do... don't go to the Grand Line."

Vince: " I have a feeling we're going there no matter what anyone says."

Gin: " You're young. Don't rush to your doom. The seas are vast. The Grand Line is just one narrow route. There are plenty of safer waters to plunder."

Luffy: " Hmmm..... really? Do you know a lot about the Grand Line?"

Gin: " Not much..... hardly anything at all. But enough so it scares me!!"

Sanji: " You're rather chicken for one of Krieg's men."

Luffy: " Who's Krieg?"

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Later, after Gin explains who Krieg is to Luffy, he boards a small sailboat, ready to leave.

Gin: " Well..... Just thought I'd warn you."

Luffy: " I'm going to the Grand Line anyway."

Gin: " Ha ha..... Do what you want. How you throw your life away is your business."

Gin: " Sanji..... my thanks. You saved my life. That grub was fine."

Gin: " Can I come and eat again?"

Sanji: " Anytime."

Vince: " Just make sure you can pay next time and leave the gun on your ship."

Gin: " You got it."

Zeff: " Vince!!! There you are!!" He walks outside, a floor above and spots the empty plate of food.

Sanji: " Good luck, Gin."

Gin: " You're gonna catch hell now..... for giving me a free meal."

Sanji throws the plate overboard.

Sanji: " Free meal? Where's the proof?"

Sanji: " Stay out of trouble, Gin!" He yells as Gin sails away.

Zeff: " Sanji! Vince!! Get to work!!"

Vince: " Sorry Zeff, but I'm quitting. Gonna sail with this guy and look for my father. I hope you understand, boss."

Zeff: " If that's what you want.... I'm not gonna stop you." He begins to walk back inside, but turns to face Vince.

Zeff: " And why don't you order something before you leave, you'll be paying full price."

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Alex, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Vince sit around their table, chatting and eating.

Alex: So..... Luffy got you to join the crew?"

Vince: " I guess so, yeah. Name's Vince."

Alex: " I'm Alex. This is Zoro, Nami, and Usopp." He states, pointing to each one, respectively.

Vince: " So, just to clarify..... Luffy's the captain, right?"

Zoro: " Yep."

Alex: " He's surprisingly a good captain."

Luffy: " What do you mean by that?!"

Alex: " You know what I mean..."

Luffy: " No, really. What do you mean?"

Vince: " So, what's everyone's position on this crew?"

Luffy: " Alex is second in command, Zoro is our swordsman, Nami is our navigator, and Usopp is the sharpshooter! What can you do?"

Vince: " Uhhhh... I've got this 6th sense that warns me of incoming danger."

Luffy: " Then you can be our lookout!"

Sanji walks up to the crew, a derpy smile on his face.

Sanji: " O sea, how grateful I am for this day of days! O love! Smile upon me, for I cannot survive this pain." He states to Nami.

Vince: " Oh..... not this again....."

Sanji: " I would stoop to becoming a pirate, or even a devil, if only I could be with you. Such tragedy!! The obstacles between us are great!!"

Zeff: " Obstacles, Sanji?"

Sanji: " Argh! The crap-geezer!!"

Zeff: " Follow your heart, go be a pirate along with Vince. I don't need you here anymore."

Sanji: " What?!"

Sanji: " I'm the assistant chef here. What do you mean, I'm not needed?!"

Zeff: " You fight with the customers. You waste hours flaring your nostrils for women."

Zeff: " And you're a lousy cook. You're nothing but dead weight, Sanji. The other cooks don't much like you, either. So go be a pirate and get out of my restaurant."

Sanji: " Don't step over the line, old man!!!" He yells, grabbing Zeff by the collar of his shirt.

Vince: " This ought to be good."

Sanji: " You can insult me. But don't ever insult my cooking!! I'm staying right here! You have no say in the matter!"

Zeff: " Don't lay your hands on me, you underdone eggplant!!!" He yells, grabbing and throwing Sanji into the crew's table.

Alex: " Well, there goes my food."

Sanji: " Ouch....."

Zeff: " Hmph."

Sanji: " You can't kick me out!!! I'll cook here forever!!!"

Sanji: " Until you die!!!"

Zeff: " I won't die. I'll live another hundred years."

Vince: " Honestly, he probably will."

Sanji: " Gotta have the last word, eh?!"

Luffy: " Great! You got permission! Come be my cook!"

Sanji: " Never!!! You already got Vince to join you! Why do you need me?!"

Luffy: " I need a cook, and Vince can't cook. At least, that's what he said."

Ignoring Luffy, Sanji walks up behind Nami and sets a large glass full of fruit in front of her.

Sanji: " Forgive the commotion. A Fruit Macedoine, with my compliments. And Grand Marnier as a digestive, my princess."

Nami: " Ooooh, thank you."

Vince: " Holy hell, he's worse than usual."

Nami: " How gallant."

Sanji: " Not at all...."

Usopp: " Hey! Don't we get any?! That's discrimination! I'll sue!!"

Sanji: " I gave you tea, didn't I? You should be grateful, you mangy octopus!" He states, getting in Usopp's face.

Usopp: " You wanna fight? I'm not gonna take that from you!!! Get him, Alex!!"

Alex: " Fight your own battles."

Nami: " Mmm, delicious."

Usopp: " You haven't even cleared my plate!"

Sanji: " There are still mushrooms on it. Eat them!"

Usopp: " I don't like mushrooms! I ate a poison mushroom once when I was a kid!"

Alex: " I feel like he just made that up....."

Sanji: " Well those aren't poisonous, so eat every last bite, long nose!!!"

Nami: " Oh, please don't fight over me!"

Sanji: " As you wish."

Usopp: " Who's fighting over you?!"

Nami: " Uh, chef dear?" She asks, grabbing the lovestruck Sanji's face.

Sanji: " Yes, my sweet?"

Nami: " This gourmet fare is a tad pricey."

Alex: " Nami's playing this guy like a fiddle."

Sanji: " For you, it's free!!"

Nami: " Hooray!! My hero!!!" She hugs Sanji.

Sanji looks back towards the others.

Sanji: " Pay up, you bums!!"

Usopp: " What?!"

Vince: " Just use my last pay to cover it."

Sanji walks away in a lovestruck daze.

Zoro: " Did you bewitch him?!"

Nami: " You five better watch out." She winks at the guys.

Vince: " It's nothing Nami did, Sanji's always like that around women." He states as Sanji flirts with two women who walk in, proving his point.

The crew decides to stay there for a few days to relax, little do they know, that's the last thing they're going to be able to do.