Steel Heart

Ch 104 - How to Accept An Invite

Wham!

With a harsh punch that caved in the entire door of the cook's locker, the mechanic freed it's contents up for the doctor and her to see.

After days at sea in brutal heat and without any food, thanks to the captain's atrocious attempt at cooking, they had managed to catch a large fish to placate the intense hunger each of them were experiencing. However, the fish just didn't look right to everyone. It was a purplish-pink fish with brownish-green splotches. It had sharp teeth and it was so big, it took up most of the main deck with its tail dangling over the side

That was why Nana and Chopper had to break into the cook's locker in order to retrieve any encyclopedias or cookbooks that would help identify what this fish was and, more importantly, if it was safe for them to eat.

Stacks of magazines with attractive women in various poses (some with clothing, some without) cascaded out of the opening, along with the door, which was swinging dangerously on only one hinge. The mechanic pulled the door away and started to rifle through the locker.

"What are all these?" Chopper asked, gingerly making his way to help Nana look without stepping on the cook's magazine collection.

"Kindling for our next bonfire," Nana said without stopping her search. She pulled out two books and handed one to Chopper. The one in her hand was a cookbook on seafood while the one she gave to the reindeer was an encyclopedia on fish, "Here. Start looking."

As she thumbed through the well-worn book, the mechanic could feel a tightness in her chest. The cook's presence was flying out of every page. Every page had notes and alternative ingredients added into it by the cook, not just regarding food preparation but also food preferences from the crew. There were splatters of dried up sauces and juices dotting around everywhere. There were a couple of page corners folded down with the recipes for food that Sanji only made during under special circumstances like celebrations or sickness prevention.

This was the type of books Sanji kept in his locker for safeguarding because it was precious to him. The ones that laid by her feet were nothing more than just trivial vices. The one she held in her hands...That was what was important.

"AH!" Chopper screeched and Nana looked up at him.

"What?"

Chopper ran out of the room with the opened book still in his possession. "Luffy! Everyone! Watch out for it's skin! The skin of that fish is extremely poison-!"

Before he could finish his sentence or before the mechanic could even get out of the room, they heard the captain exclaim, "The skin is so yummy! You gotta try it, Carrot!"

Both the mechanic and the reindeer collapsed to their feet out of sheer surprise. "That idiot," they moaned.

Chopper pushed himself to his feet and raced towards Luffy, who was holding a patch of the slimy skin in his hands and dangling it in front of Carrot's face. "Stop!" he screamed and pulled the Mink away from the stinking flesh, "The skin is extremely poisonous!"

Luffy tilted his head to the side while everyone took three steps back away from the fish. "Wha? Whoops. I ate it."

"Did anyone else?" Chopper demanded.

Nami shook her head. "Just Luffy."

Luffy grinned. "And I feel fine."

"That's good," Chopper sighed.

"Are you sure?" Nana asked as she walked over towards the hatch, where Pygmy's nose was poking out from under it. He was hiding from the battering rays of the sun, "Because Pygmy seems to be really scared of it. Luffy. Are you reallying feeling okay?...Chopper, maybe you misread?"