Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece or any of the characters.

Warning: Rushness; Grammar; OOCness; Yaoi; Lemon; swearing; repetitiveness (I'm a repetitive person) and anything you notice that isn't on this list but is on this list. I will also not take responsibility for any problems the readers have experienced. Eg. Puking rainbows.

Not promising perfectness, if you expect it. You know where the back button is. Sorry.

IMPORTANT! REPLY TO REVIEWS

Shizuka Taiyou: Zoro seems to always feel like an idiot xD I'm glad they finally confessed, they were driving me insane D:
The blonde Hero? hmm, he looked similar to Sanji. Although, the reincarnation would have been a really
good idea. But nope.

Pingo1387: Mannn, I'm glad you love this story xD

Well in anycase. Hello everyone! So sorry it's been like...months now. I got bored, and was losing interested.
But, who is still with me?

Chapter 18: Yuudai

The straw hat crew arrived at the town, the bundle of remains hidden from view in Sanji's arms. They equally stood beside one another unsure of where they would go, no one had any clue of where the hero had been buried. They stared at the statue, hoping that maybe the statue would give them a clue as to where it would be but alas, no answers were given.

Robin was moment's away from asking a near by villager if they knew where the grave of the hero could be with the prepared answer of 'that they just wanted to pay their respects' if they villager was to ask why. But she didn't get to ask, as Sanji began moving once more.

Sanji had felt a familiar presence, an energy surrounding him. An energy similar to when he fought the pirates alone on the ship on the night of the festival. He could feel that energy pulling at him, telling him where he had to go, leading him there by an invisible collar so he wouldn't get lost and for just a moment, he thought he could hear a quiet whisper.

The whisper was calling him, whispering in his ear to walk that way. If he told the crew this, they would think he was insane, but no, he was sure someone was calling him, saying that was where he had to go; pulling him in that direction like a magnet.

Everyone paused in their steps, looking at the many crosses in the field of beautiful flowers. Cherry blossoms floating with the wind. They looked at a tree on a hill where a man sat. He was fiddling with a cherry blossom in his hand, catching them as they floated down.

He slowly looked up at the crew, his blue eyes looking right at them. He looked right at Sanji, and smiled. The blonde man vanished, and he was suddenly standing at front of Sanji, standing a little taller than him as he looked down at the cook.

Everyone's eyes widened in shock, the man looked exactly like how Sanji had done on the festival, except his facial structure was older and his eyebrows weren't curly. His blonde hair was longer and his eyes were sharper.

"You…you're that young man who wore my uniform…" The blonde man spoke to Sanji. Sanji nodded slowly, he had indeed worn the man's uniform for the festival. Nami and Robins suggestion of course.
"You allowed me to travel to the dock because you had something of mine. Although, that night, you were in danger." The man frowned, remembering those pirates, he never liked pirates.

"You were there?" Sanji asked in surprise, how did he not know this.
"Yup, I was standing right beside you, influencing you to fight with your hands." The man laughed, "You have quite some knife skills."

The man chuckled brightly, you could say he had entered Sanji's body, just enough to give him energy to fight.

"So, you are…the hero, Yuudai?" Robin questioned, looking at him. The man nodded, smiling at her. "You all can see me too?" It must be because Sanji was around them.

Everyone nodded slowly. Mesmerised by the man.
Yuudai looked at the bundle in Sanji's arms, his smile faded. He felt a presence emitting from it. It felt familiar.
"Renee?" He asked, his brows knitting together and into a frown.

Yuudai had been waiting years, for so long he had wanted to see her, but never had he expected it to be like this. She was wrapped in a dress. A dress he recognised as something he had given to her years ago from his own home town, it was tattered and old.

Sanji nodded slowly. "I've brought her back to you…"
Yuudai looked at him. "For so long, I have waited for her…I thank you kindly." He bowed his head to Sanji to show how thankful he was.
"She had waited for you too…" Nami spoke, looking at him sadly, "Near the cliff of the dock, that's where she had died."
Yuudai looked at Nami, gulping. He really didn't want to ask this but he did anyway. "How did she die?"
"Pirates. The arch of the cliff collapsed and she drowned."
That arch...it was his fault, he had requested of her to met him there.
Yuudai's hand hovered over the bundle. "I…wasn't there to protect her…"

In the very least, if she had been in the village instead of there, he would have found her and protected her, even to his last breath. He clenched his fist, unable to touch the dress. He was so angry at himself.

"What happened to you?" Zoro spoke up. "Why did you never find the one you loved?" Zoro felt angry at the man, if it had been him, he would never have rested until he had found Sanji.

Yuudai, looked at Zoro. "I could never leave this area. I was buried here after the town was burned down years ago. I had saved it and the people, but I had been critically wounded by a pirate." They saw the flicker of pain in the man's eyes. "Stabbed in the back. I died soon after. I had stumbled around the village, calling for her…since then, I have waited here for her."

"She's here now." Robin spoke gently to him, receiving a smile back. Sanji followed Yuudai as he walked back up to the cherry blossom tree, where his cross stood. Sanji buried Renee's body beside Yuudai's grave beneath the cherry blossom tree.

"Renee…" Yuudai whispered, turning to see her standing beside him now.
"I'm sorry."
Renee reached out to him and hugged him. "It's okay, no one knew that that would happen."
"I should have protected you..." Yuudai spoke painfully.
"You protected the village and everyone else, and I am grateful for that." She smiled happily at him.
"I love you, Renee." Yuudai smiled back.
"I love you too, Yuudai."

The ghosts began to slowly vanish, fading slightly.

"Wait!" Sanji called, "Your meeting place, is that all blue!?" The ghosts, although slightly faded remained.
"It is one of many exits of all blue." Renee spoke. "Although, it could be an entrance too."

Sanji's eyes sparkled, all blue was in his reach.
"The main entrance is within the ocean. The stars are the map to guide you to it." Yuudai spoke, "I exited from that entrance and it was how I met Renee during my travels…"

And with that the ghosts faded away with the wind and the cherry blossoms and into the clear blue sky. Finally, they could be at peace, together once more.

The crew remained quiet for a few seconds, giving their respects to the deceased couple, before slowly picking a few flowers and placing it on their graves. They all smiled and breathed a sigh of relief that everything seemed to be over and it had finally gotten back to normal, just as quick as how it all started.

Now...what had that been about all blue? That was Sanji's dream wasn't it? They all looked at Sanji who seemed to still be paying his respects. They decided to leave him for now, he must be tired, heck they all were tired.

They all slowly walked away leaving Zoro and Sanji by the grave stone.
"I'll come back one last time tomorrow." Sanji whispered quietly. "To give Renee a cross as well..."
Zoro smiled, "They'd like that." Sanji was very thoughtful, even when they had already departed from their world.
"That entrance...did you want to go see it?" Zoro asked Sanji.

Sanji smiled, all blue was in his reach, it was right there. He really wanted to say yes but Yuudai's words echoed in his mind instead.
"What fun would it be, if I didn't find it myself?" His smile became a smirk, "I want to find the main entrance."
"Then, 'the stars are the map' was it?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah. I don't get it, but least now I know, my dreams are achievable."

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon Sanji?" Nami asked Sanji at the kitchen table. Everyone paused in their eating, they had all been discussing about, this 'entrance' to all blue.
"I want to find it myself, it makes more of an adventure that way."
"Hehe! Yeah!" Luffy shouted in agreement with Sanji. "That'll be far more fun that way!"
"And I'm sure our Navigator will find this star map!" Luffy shouted one more.

"I thought he said 'the stars are the map'.?" Ussop questioned.
"He did." Robin nodded.
"I'm not sure if I can, but I can try..." Nami thought.

Dinner was as lively as always, and they ate and fought like always. No exception between Sanji and Zoro who never ceased to fight. Nami and Robin themselves couldn't help but smile at Sanji's flirting with them.

Sanji left the kitchen tiredly, he had just checked the inventory ready for departure tomorrow noon. He quietly walked to the men's quarters to see everyone was asleep. He clambered in his own bed, he rolled around in discomfort for a while.

He rolled over once more and looked at Zoro who was sleeping comfortably in his own bed. He lifted up Zoro's covers and rolled in to them, lying beside the man.
"Cook? What are you doing?" Zoro mumbled, his arm slinging over Sanji's body to hug him closer to him.
"I'm cold." Sanji mumbled, he could feel the warmth radiating from the swordsman, it felt nice, similar to the time in the kitchen.

"I've learnt a few things from these few days…" Sanji chuckled lightly, his body vibrating against Zoro's.
"Did you now?" Zoro mumbled sleepily, he wanted to sleep but he decided to talk to the blonde.
"You can be caring…" Sanji started, "a bit hypocritical, possessive but kind."
Zoro frowned, his eyes still closed.
"And that, if I want something I just have to do it."
"And what is it you want?" Zoro mumbled once more.
"To sleep beside you."
"So you're not really cold, shitty cook."
"Not in the slightest."

"Hmm, well cook, you know what I want?" Zoro asked, a smirk on his face.
"What?" Sanji asked.
Zoro shifted his body and was now on top of Sanji, his arms either side of the blondes head. Zoro's face was inches from Sanji's.
"You."
He brought his lips down upon Sanji's in a feather light kiss. Pecking his lips before gently nipping at Sanji's lips, asking for more, Sanji slowly opened his lips, granting permission for Zoro to explore his mouth. Their tounge dancing in a slow, lazy, but tender kiss.

"Zoro…" Sanji breathed heavily with want.

"Please don't…" A mumur of voices whispered from around the room. Zoro chuckled, dumping himself back down and beside Sanji who was somewhat glaring daggers into the darkness. Obviously annoyed that they had been stopped.
He hugged Sanji in an attempt to comfort him before drifting off to sleep himself.

Sanji sighed, what was he suppose to do now…that kiss had excited him.
His eye brow twitched as he heard the sound of Zoro snoring.

'Bastard!'

Just a little more...