Steel Heart

Ch 83 - A Kick in the Head

"Here you go, sir," the jewelry clerk said as he walked out from the storage room and held out a clump of ore, "I didn't think we'd have it but I guess I was wrong. You are a very lucky man, indeed."

"I...er...what?" Sanji asked as he scratched the back of his head and looked around him, "What am I doing in a jewelry store?"

The clerk blinked at him. "Didn't you say you came in here to get an ore for your girlfriend?"

"Huh?" Sanji almost choked on his cigarette and he glared at the clerk, "I don't have a girlfriend and am devastatingly single. Are you trying to make fun of me?!"

"No! Not at all, sir!" the clerk hastily said. He scratched the back of his own head and a perplexed look came over his face, "But...you said..."

His words drifted off as Sanji stormed out of his shop but then the clerk called out after him. "Ah! You forgot your glass of water, sir!"

Sanji turned to look at the glass and he picked it up. "Yeah...I got this...but...I don't remember why..."

He frowned and shook his head. I must have breathed in some type of weird gas at Punk Hazard. I'll get Chopper to look at me when I get back on the Sunny. Wait...why am I here and not on the Sunny?

He stepped out of the store, still with the curious glass of water in his hand, just as a familiar shade of green flashed past the cook's nose.

"Oy! Morimo, what the hell are you doing?" Sanji called out, "Aren't you supposed to be with Luffy and them?"

"Aren't you supposed to be with..." Zoro started to shout back but then he paused, "Wait. Why are you here by yourself? Are you shopping for jewelry? Oy! Stop slacking off! You should be back at the Sunny."

"I know that! Don't accuse me of slacking off!" Sanji thundered, "When you're the one running around getting lost for no good reason."

"Ah! I don't have time to argue with you. I need to get my sword back," Zoro seethed as he ran off.

"Oh no, you don't!" Sanji shouted, chasing after him, "You're going to end up getting lost. And what do you mean getting your sword back?"

"The fairies stole my sword!"

"That makes no sense! And why not just let it go? You can afford to lose one or two of your katanas."

"Idiot! No, I can't!" Zoro shouted back at Sanji just as they ran through the town square.

Sanji skidded to a halt and he stared off into the distance.

"What? Did you find my sword?" Zoro demanded, noticing the cook's lack of movement.

"No..." Sanji murmured. He had spotted an exquisite woman on the stage facing the town square. She had a rose in her hair and a rose placed between her lips, "I think I found a fairy."

"Huh?!"

Sanji ignored the swordsman and he walked towards the stage. A guitar began to strum furiously and the woman started to dance. She stomped her feet, clapped her hands, and gracefully whipped her dress with every turn that she made. It was mesmerizing and no one in the audience made a sound as she performed.

When she was done, she was glistening in sweat. She took a breath and then pulled out the rose from her lips. She tossed it at Sanji, who caught it with one hand.

"She's beautiful!" Sanji cooed as he brought the rose to his nose.

"Did you know that men in this country get stabbed?" Zoro warned from behind him and then Zoro scratched his chin, "And...why do I get the feeling that if you go down this road, a stabbing is the least of your worries?"