Zeff has never claimed to understand Sanji.

The boy is a puzzle of an eggplant, there is no other way to go about it. Zeff has known for as long as the Baratie has been his pride and joy, ever since watching the young blonde boy fly away from their deserted island and return an hour later with a boat.

There is something odd about Sanji. Something that goes beyond the family name he refuses to divulge and the strange techniques that allow him to walk on the air, among other things. It stretches to encompass his unnatural aptitude for cooking, further than the savant levels of affinity that he has shown with every martial art Zeff has felt the need to teach him.

The boy fights like he's been genetically engineered for that one purpose. He cooks with the intricate knowledge of all those who have managed to plate ambrosia. He knows things that should be beyond his grasp. He can push the Baratie around with his bare hands, for goodness sake.

Zeff doesn't care, not like the other cooks in the kitchen all fail to hide. He doesn't mind that Sanji has long since bypassed any of the skills that he still has left to teach him.

Sanji started out a little eggplant, and it didn't matter if he ended up being part of the crew that would one day find the One Piece, Sanji would die a little eggplant.

Yet despite the proclaimed apathy, Zeff can't help but wonder what has the teenager so excited.

The day begins as normal as any other when Zeff is informed by his sous chef that they should be expecting a rush of customers. Friends, as he refers to them, that he hasn't seen in quite a while and wishes to impress.

Friends usually implies females, but the small smile in place of a usual goofy grin on Sanji's face is enough to make Zeff shrug, roll up his sleeves, and rally the troops of culinary war. He trusts Sanji - if the boy says a surge will arrive at lunch, then a surge will arrive at lunch.

And isn't he so happy that he did?

Zeff just so happens to be looking out the window when it happens. He has taken five minutes for himself while the soup boils, sipping from a cup of tea and contemplating the skies. When a ship appears from the clouds, he doesn't react. When it slams down right beside the Baratie and weighs anchor, he merely raises an eyebrow.

When an assortment of freaks, a larger assortment of creeps, and maybe one or two psychopaths start making their way to the front door, Zeff elects to swallow what is in his mouth. He doesn't even move when he spots Nico Robin walking the pier, flanked by a fishman and a reindeer.

Really, it's the walking skeleton that makes him shoot an accusatory glance down at his cup.

The next fifteen or so minutes are absolutely hectic. Tables are rearranged to make more room, orders are placed, and the overall volume of the restaurant skyrockets as everyone settles in. Sanji is doing his teleportation trick that Zeff has only just started to get the hang of (after asking with absolutely no shame to be taught) to go between the kitchen and dining area, plates being distributed and conversations being held... somehow.

The skeleton causes a slight commotion with one of the female patrons, but Sanji goes out to talk to it (with actual words and not passive aggression followed by violence, Zeff never though the he'd see the day) and the Baratie is soon filled with beautiful violin music as an apology.

Things have only just started to settle down when an unassuming little caravel with a goat's head appears on the horizon. Despite the steaming tray of onigiri he is transporting, Zeff stops for a moment to do nothing but stare.

The caravel is soon joined by a Marine ship, and the single largest behemoth of a boat that Zeff has ever seen. None of them seem to be in that big a hurry.

The rush picks up once more, as it is wont to do, as they dock and people begin to disembark. Zeff refrains from wiping his eyes after seeing some of the faces among that crowd, but only just.

The Baratie is soon filled with both pirates and marines, so much so that older tables have been broken out of storage and the fins are extended in order to make enough room. Zeff has just finished delivering a stack of plates almost as tall as his hat when the front door opens once more, his attention inexplicably being drawn to it.

The first group coming through is a young couple in their late teens from the looks of it, followed closely by three young children. A quartet of sword wielders are next, three men of varying appearance and one girl with blue hair. After them comes two young women and one older, an ex-Marine if the way she is moving is any indication.

Zeff blinks, an action sufficient enough to remind him that he has no time to waste. He is almost back through the kitchen when the front door slams open yet again, and he turns around with what is almost exasperation at this point.

It takes him a moment, but Zeff is soon very glad that he's seen some shit in his lifetime.

Because otherwise he wouldn't know just how to react with who has walked through the door.

The first trio is barely worth a second glance. All young men, all equipped with hats, the one on the right... on fire. Right, Devil Fruit, so long as he stays away from the flammables it should be fine. No, what has Zeff's attention is trio of men following after them.

Two struggle somewhat to get through the door. The boy that's on fire rolls his eyes and opens the doorway (and the surrounding wall) a little further, and Zeff ponders for a moment how he's going to get Whitebeard to pay for damages.

Maybe he should appeal to Garp the Hero? After all, he just walked in too. If that fails, he could always ask assistance from the Revolutionary Dragon.

...The eggplant is going to be explaining some things very soon.

The rest of the day is too hectic to remember clearly. It is filled with going back and forth between the kitchen, preparing whatever can be left on its own while other tasks are fulfilled, and utterly refusing to question how their larder never seems to diminish to dangerous levels. Fights occasionally break out, only to be halted after a proclamation of, "FIST OF LOVE!"

It is with an armful of onions that Zeff finally spots Sanji in all the commotion. He looks right at home, shaking the hand of the World's Strongest Man while ignoring the hug he is receiving from the boy wearing a straw hat.

The smile on his face is bright. Happy.

Genuine.

No, Zeff has never claimed to understand Sanji. To do so would be a lie. There is too much below the surface, too many pieces of the puzzle he doesn't have access to.

But seeing him in his element, amongst the chaos with joy apparent in his entire body, Zeff feels like he is that one step closer.

...And then Don Krieg shows up. But he has such little impact on the proceedings that he doesn't deserve the breath wasted in mentioning his name.