I wasn't quite sure what to name this Fanfiction, so this is what I got. It was a story I've wanted to write for a long time but never got around to. I was always wondering what happened in Sanji's life from when he and Chef Zeff escaped that rock up until he left with Luffy. I found it fascinating, so I decided to write this Fanfiction about it. This is my first One Piece Fanfiction. I'd like reviews, please.

And attempt to enjoy. The entire thing is in Sanji's point of view.

Disclaimer: I only own the manga up to volume 21. Yup.

Chapter One: Escape

The sun came beating on my face as I lay on that cursed rock. The old geezer lay motionless next to me. I couldn't even tell if he was alive anymore. I hoped he was. Not after what he had done. I tried not to look at him, or what was left of his leg. I shuddered just thinking about it.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and recalled everything that had happened. Those pirates attacked us; a storm came along and washed that geezer and me on this barren rock. We argued and he went to the other side of the island. I ran out of food in about twenty days, despite my stretching it. Then I went to find the old geezer to kill him, only to find out he had eaten his own foot to save me. Why?

Because you shared the same dream as me. His words still rang in my ears. The All Blue. The ocean that supposedly had every fish in the entire world.

And then that old geezer had talked about making a restaurant in the middle of the ocean if he were ever to get off this rock alive. I had promised to help him. If we got off alive. But I don't thing we will. We're stranded on a barren rock in the middle of the ocean with no food. Now we're lying here, waiting to die. What a load of crap.

The All Blue. My eyes snapped open. I couldn't die now! I had to find that ocean, no matter what the costs. I was only ten years old. I couldn't die now.

I glanced at the old geezer lying next to me. He had his arms spread out and his eyes were closed, probably asleep. He looked so peaceful; you wouldn't think that he was a pirate. Zeff, a world famous pirate who survived the Grande Line. Reduced to this. Oh the irony.

How many days had we been stuck on this rock? I had lost count after fifty days. Were we ever to be rescued, or were we fated to die here, unknown to the world about our fates? We had enough water, sure. But I no longer had the strength to move to get it. All I could do was move my head, and even that took effort.

We had been there eighty days when finally, at long last, hope arrived. We could barely lift our heads to watch as a ship slowly moved towards us. It looked like the same one I saw that one stormy night. I couldn't believe they came back. What the heck took them so long?

"Hey look!" Someone on the ship called. "There are people on that rock!" A bunch of sailors crowded onto the deck to get a good look at us.

"Two of them! Just lying there!" Someone else said. The sailors hopped off and slowly approached us.

"They're still breathing!" one of them gasped with relief.

"About three months ago I heard someone shouting around here one stormy day," another sailor pointed out.

"What?" the first one asked, shocked. "Is that true?"

I didn't hear anymore of what was said because I fainted with relief. Or hunger. I couldn't tell which.

When I woke, I could feel the sway of a ship and a first I thought my entire hardship had been a dream and I was back on the Orbit. But then I realized how weak I was with hunger. It had not been a dream.

I slowly looked around and saw that I was in some sort of infirmary and the crap-geezer was nowhere in sight. Sitting next to my bed was a rather old looking gentleman (not as old as the geezer, mind you). I could tell that he was the captain of the ship.

I tried to sit up, but couldn't. "Where am I?" I asked in a weak, unused voice. He smiled warmly at me.

"You're on board the Indigo," he explained. "We found you on the brink of death on a barren rock."

Well I knew that. I bit back the words. "Where's the old geezer who was with me?" I asked instead.

"He's in the other room, sleeping soundly," the captain assured. "He looked like the living dead when we found you two. He's all right now that he's been fed. He's been asking for you since he woke, but we didn't want to wake you yet. You probably needed the sleep."

Needed the sleep? I was lying on a rock for three months with nothing to do but stare at the ocean! I didn't need sleep! I needed food.

The captain smiled at me again. "I'll have someone bring you some food," he told me. "You must be starving."

Starving. The biggest understatement I had ever heard in my entire young life. I would die soon if I didn't eat! It was a wonder I wasn't dead now! Something told me that I wasn't talking to the brightest man in the sea.

I tried not to glare as he left the room. He was, at least, a good man, trying to do the right thing. I should be grateful for that.

As soon as he left, I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position and carefully lifted my shirt. I wished I didn't. I was barely skin and bones now. I was wasting away. And I thought the old geezer was bad.

Crap. I wished they would hurry up. They didn't have to sugar coat it or anything. I was so desperate that I would eat anything at this point. Even mold.

As I thought, a few minutes later a large tray filled with grand, fancy food was brought in. Much to my annoyance, they had took much time attending to details and making it look presentable.

I ate it slowly and could feel my strength start to return. It was the most delicious food I had ever tasted. It was almost too much to bare. But I wasn't complaining.

It was gone too quickly in my opinion. I got out of bed as soon as I was finished. I was still wobbly on my feet, and the floor was cold, but other than that, I felt better. I knew it would take a while to fully recover, but that didn't matter right now.

I made my way across the room and slowly opened the door to peek outside. Nobody was around as I slipped into the room next door.

Sure enough, there was the crap-geezer laying in the bed. But he wasn't asleep. He was sitting up, staring at me as if he had been waiting for me.

"So you're awake, eh crap-kid?" He asked as I came over and sat down in the chair next to the bed. "It's about time."

"They wanted to make sure I got my sleep," I explained, rolling my eyes.

"You should be grateful, you eggplant," he growled at me. "We were going to die on that rock."

"Eggplant," I smirked, glaring slightly. "That's a new one. What happened to crap-kid?"

"You're still that too."

I growled and looked away. Then I turned back to him, curiosity, growing inside me. "What did you want me for anyways?" I asked him. He glanced at me, giving me one of those you're-not-much-but-you'll-have-to-do looks.

"I just wanted to make sure you were serious in your offer," he explained.

"Of course I'm serious," I replied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"We were half dead," he pointed out, staring at the ceiling. When I didn't respond, he continued. "All the treasure I had on that rock is here, over in that corner." He pointed to the direction. "That's what I'll use if I'm to start that ocean-going restaurant. You can do whatever you want. But I won't be responsible for you."

I thought for a moment. I wanted to pay the old man back for saving my life. And the only way to do that was if I stuck with him. I didn't relish the idea, but I knew I had no other choice.

"I'll come with you," I promised. He shrugged.

"Suite yourself," he replied in a tone that sounded as if he really couldn't care less. I glanced at the door.

"Did they come to do anything about your foot yet?" I asked him.

"I've had more important things to attend to," the former pirate snapped. "Like trying to stay alive long enough to eat something."

I glared at him. "Well excuse me for being concerned," I growled at him.

"Humph. I don't need you to worry about me," he flared. "I'm a grown man and I can take care of myself."

It suddenly occurred to me that I was agreeing to put up with this. I wanted to tell him that it might get infected if left untreated, but I knew he would yell at me again. So I didn't bother.

"How are we going to get off this ship?" I asked bitterly, glaring at the wall. He snickered at me.

"I figure we can get off at the next island we dock at," he told me. "Until then, we can just relax." He looked seriously at me for a moment. "Don't overexert yourself, kid. You haven't fully recovered."

"My name is Sanji," I told him, biting back an angry reply. He shrugged and didn't reply. I figured that meant he was done talking, so I got up and left the room, a little annoyed.

The next day I felt even better, now that I had eaten and slept in an actual bed. Nobody had come to see me since yesterday, with the exception of someone bringing me breakfast.

I didn't envy the idea of talking to the Crap-Geezer again, so instead I decided to explore the ship. It was rather easy to figure out the layout though. It was smaller than the Orbit.

Everyone on the ship seemed friendly enough. They mostly ignored me though. As long as I didn't get in anyone's way, I was fine. I seemed to be the only kid on board too. Not that I cared or anything.

I thought about what I had been through the past several months. I thought about the Crap-Geezer and the promise I made. Then I remembered the verbal abuse that I had to take just on that rock alone. Then there was the conversation from yesterday. I thought about what lay ahead with this man; the abuse I was going to take being with him.

I stopped walking and started wondering. Is this what I'm going to put up with for the rest of my life?

So there you go. I'm sorry if I bored you, but it's the first chapter and they are stuck on a boat. I don't know how they normally treat starvation so don't bug me about that. Don't worry, it will get more interesting once they get off the ship and out on their own.

Please Read and Review, or my shadow will find you. And believe me, you don't want my shadow to find you. He's really annoying. I mean really annoying.