Baratie's Baker

Chapter 1

As I enter the kitchen, I follow the Chef Zeff like a lost puppy. I look around, noticing most of these men are burlier than me. Zeff speaks.

"Patty. Where's the brat?" A tall man with a green buzzcut speaks in response.

"Sanji? I think he's fighting with a customer ag-"

The man, Patty, is cut off by a loud crash. Zeff motions for me to follow as we walk to the seating area.

A table is broken in half, a man on the floor. Wine drips off the table, pouring onto the man and the floor. A tall, formal looking blonde man stands above him. Zeff turns to me.

"Y/N, this is the sous-chef, Sanji. He'll be teaching you the way to survive in this restaurant."

Sanji turns to face us.

"Ay! Old man! Whose this?"

He motions at me. Intimidated and reverting to my days of etiquette learning, I bow. Zeff pulls my body, making me stand straight. He speaks.

"Sanji, this is Y/N. He's our new baker. And he's actually good. You're gonna teach him to survive around here."

"Why do I have to teach the baker? I cook. I don't bake."

"You'll be baking with him unless you get your ass to work and clean up your mess!"

Sanji lights a cigarette and walks off. I turn to Zeff.

"D-do I tend to any of the customer's wounds? Should I clean up the mess?"

"Usually that would be up to the customer and Sanji, but since he so maturely walked off, you're up."

I nod, sitting in front of the customer.

"Are you injured anywhere sir?"

He speaks.

"You... Are you a girl?? Or a boy? You're too cute to be a boy..."

"Wh- No, I am a boy!"

"No way! I would never be attracted to a boy."

"Seems like you're not injured..." I huff, beginning to clean up my mentor's mess. The wine smells strong, overwhelming my sensitive nose.

"Ugh.." I turn, to see Sanji standing behind me. His face contorts a little, yet the emotion is unreadable.

"Oh! Hello Sir I uh- I'm almost done!" My nerves feel like they're on fire, the overwhelming intimidation from the man and the even worse scent of the wine hurting my brain.

"Just throw out the table. Just drop it in the sea." The man from earlier, Patty says.

Sanji speaks in a sarcastic tone.

"Wooow, Patty being helpful or nice?? What a shocking turn of events. Didn't know you could do that."

"Won't dropping it in the sea be like... littering?" I ask a bit quietly, a little afraid of both of them.

"Where else are you supposed to put it?" Sanji responds.

"Uhm.. okay."

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I drag the table to the back, pushing it into the water. I watch it sink, holding onto the rails nervously. Zeff appears behind me out of nowhere.

"Can't swim?"

"No.. Not really. I um.. I ate a devil fruit. Or in more accurate terms, I was force fed a devil fruit. I don't like getting into the details. I ate the usagi usagi no mi. I can basically jump really high and I have good reflexes.. I'm pretty fast and agile. And I guess it made me cute? Like a rabbit? I don't know, but people have been calling me beautiful and cute since I ate it. Am I ranting? I'm ranting."

"Don't worry about it. Hey, we're about to close. Come bake something for the team to show off your skills. It's like a rite of passage."

He goes back inside. I stare at the water for a bit before going in. The dining area is already empty, the other chefs sitting at a few booths, waiting patiently.

I walk into the kitchen. Sanji sits in the corner, for supervising I guess.

I get my ingredients for a chocolate cake:

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups white granulated sugar
2 large eggs, (3 to make the cake fluffier)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

I preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and begin baking.

I mix together all my dry ingredients in one bowl, then put it through a sifter. I mix all my wet ingredients in a bowl.

I pour a little of the dry ingredients into the wet one while mixing, continuing until all of the ingredients are mixed together.

I pour the batter into a circular pan. I put the pan in the oven, and turn to get my ingredients for the frosting:

4 oz butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

I put all of the ingredients into a bowl, doubling it for decorations. I wait for the cake to finish baking, and put it in the fridge to chill. I prepare strawberries and piping bags.

I pull the cake out, frosting it evenly. I pipe small swirls onto the cake, rimming the top and bottom edges. I place strawberries on top, and in white frosting I write 'thank you.'

I clean up my mess, and enter the dining room with the large cake. The chefs cheer, Sanji following me out. Him not saying anything worries me.

I cut the cake, giving everyone a piece. I sit down next to Zeff. Sanji sits across from me. Everyone begins to eat. It goes completely silent.

Zeff turns to me.

"I knew I made the right choice hiring you."