Saro's Album

A Gift

A tiny soft hand patted the left cheek of the sleeping man.

"Mama wake up!", the child urged.

The yellow haired man turned on his side and opened his sparkling blue eyes to look at the visage of the child.

Sanji: (sleepy voice) "What is it Saro?"

Before the child could answer a green haired man entered the room completely dressed.

Zoro: "Let's go! Zeff called us over immediately!"

A confused Sanji sat up in bed, his hair dishevelled.

In less than twenty minutes the trio were seated on Zoro's bike and the engine started. Sanji was utterly confused for Zoro had not given him any clear explanation and no matter how many times Sanji called Zeff or the others at Baratie no one had picked up.

After fifteen minutes:

Sanji: (irritated) "Where are you going Stupid Marimo! This is not the direction of Baratie!"

Zoro: (confidently) "Don't worry I'm going in the right direction. Zeff told me to come to a different location."

Sanji: (angry) "And what is the address?"

Zoro: (overconfident) "I know the place. I have been there before so just relax!"

Sanji had been noticing a pink car travelling in front of them for a long time.

Two hours later:

The pink car suddenly came to a halt. Zoro barely managed to stop in time.

The car door flung open and a familiar face came out. A lady with yellow hair and wearing a dazzling pink dress came and stood with her arms crossed beside their bike.

The chibi's face brightened up.

Saro: (excited) "Aunt Rei!"

Rei: (irritated) "I can't do this anymore! When I'm driving right in front of you and you just have to follow how can you still get lost on your bike on an empty road! Besides, even after I find you out you again manage to lose your way!"

Sanji's mind had become totally blank with this sudden development after all the weird things that had been happening since that morning. He was slowly brought to his senses by a familiar smell of a women's perfume that he had been getting from Zoro for the last few couple of days.

Sanji: (confused) "W-Wait! Will someone please explain to me what is exactly going on?"

Rei: (calmly) "I'll explain everything to you later bro but right now thanks to a stupid gorilla we're running more than two hours late. Now you Mr. Gorilla will take Saro chan and get in the car! Sanji you take the bike."

The group once more started and reached their destination in less than ten minutes. It was a banquet hall.

The group entered the dark hall, Sanji leading. As soon as the doors opened the lights came on with a bang. Sanji entered to a lot of clapping, cheer and birthday wishes.

In a daze the cook looked all around him to see all his friends and family gathered: everyone from Baratie, Luffy, Ace, Law, Garp, Robin, Marco, Chopper, etc.

The cake was brought out and Sanji was handed the knife. Everyone gathered around the table. Zoro carrying an excited Saro on his shoulders stood beaming on his left while Zeff and Rei stood on Sanji's right.

Sanji was confused, he was surprised, he was happy! He was overwhelmed by a jumble of emotions that threatened to flow over the brim of his eyes.

The room exploded with the sound of clapping, cheers and whistles as Sanji cut the cake!