Emi opened one eye as sleep finally released its grasp on her. She raised her head sleepily, blinking and smiling when she saw her papa sitting there beside her. He continued smoking a cigarette, the smoke billowing around his head. During the night, Sanji had transferred the toddler to her physical bed. It was better then sleeping in his lap.
"They're gone now. Luffy defeated Don Krieg" he said, and Emi smiled.
"Yay Luffy!" Emi said, smiling widely.
She struggled out of her blankets and toddled over to her papa. He stood up and picked up Emi, and the three year old rested her head against his shoulder. They walked out of her bedroom to the circular stairs, and the clang of pots reached her ears. It seemed like everything had returned to normal. Sanji placed her on the ground and she skipped to the kitchen, tummy growling.
"Patty! Patty! I'm hungry" she announced, running to the chef.
Patty grinned and lifted her up onto his shoulders.
"What would you like? I know you will love this food I made" he grinned, plating some food from a pot.
It looked like rice drenched in sauce, and Emi could feel her mouth watering. Patty then placed the plate on the table. The toddler gave a small excited 'oooh' and immediately dug in when the chef put her on a chair.
"Yummy!" Emi said with her mouth full, rice and sauce dotting her cheeks and chin.
"Swallow your food, squirt" she heard her jii-chan say.
She swallowed the mouthful and smiled widely at Zeff.
"Jii-chan! You okay!" Emi shouted happily, which caused the older man to scoff.
"Of course I am. You thought some wimpy pirates would take me down?" Zeff groused, causing the toddler to giggle.
"Emi don't eat that crappy chefs food, you'll get sick" she heard her papa say as he came up behind her.
She giggled as Patty and her papa went head to head over who's food was worst. A thought came to the three year old, and her smile vanished. Her beloved snail companion was forever gone, never to return. She would never talk to her companion, or show it the best hiding spots for hide-and-seek. Tears burned the back of her eyes, and she tried to rub them away but more kept coming. Small sobs shook her body as she mourned her snail companion.
"Emi? What's the matter" she heard Patty say as he laid a hand on her shoulder.
"M-my snail" she hiccuped out as more tears cascaded down her cheeks.
"What do you mean? It's right here" her papa said, causing the toddler to hesitantly look up.
Her eyes widened when her stuffed snail companion sat in front of her on the table. But...how could it be? She saw it being thrown in the ocean. She looked up at Sanji with confusion, which he smiled in return.
"I got it back" he said, and Emi threw her arms around her snail, crushing it to her chest.
"My snail" she giggled.
She was so happy she thought her chest would burst. Her beloved snail was back! Not only that, but her papa and jii-chan were here and no scary pirates.
"Oh! Papa! Where's Luffy" she said, glancing up from her snail.
He smiled and ruffled her silver hair.
"He's sleeping in another room. Come on, we'll go wait for him to wake up" he said, and Emi nodded.
She hopped down from the chair and followed after Sanji, clutching her snail in her hands. They walked to a smaller room, where she giggled at how loud Luffy snored. Her papa sat by the window while Emi sat on the ground by the bed, playing with her snail.
She was making her snail jump in the air when Luffy woke with a shout.
"MY HAT" he screamed, causing Emi to jump.
"Relax, it's right there" Sanji said, cigarette smoke swirling around his head.
"Oh" Luffy exhaled, fitting his hat onto his head.
Emi stood up and walked over to the bed, placing her snail on top of the covers.
"Luffy look! My snail!" she said excitedly, to which Luffy grinned.
"Hey it's back!" he said, grinning widely and Emi returned his grin.
"Uh huh! Papa got it for me" she said.
As the three went into the kitchen, Emi noticed something. Everyone was quiet...no one was fighting. The chefs gave Sanji dirty looks, some muttering under their breaths.
"Emi, go play out on deck" her jii-chan said in a serious voice.
Emi glanced up at him, then to her papa before hesitantly walking outside. She placed her snail on the ground and ran her hand through its plush material. She heard a slam and looked up, blinking in surprise when she saw her papa sitting against the door. Emi cocked her head in confusion; he looked sad. An idea came to the three year old, and she grabbed her snail before walking to Sanji. His head was resting in his arms, and she placed her snail on top of his head. His head shot up, throwing the snail to the side. Emi grabbed the snail and put it in Sanji's lap. He needed her snail so he could feel better. He turned his head towards the door and blew out a ring of smoke.
"I can hear you, you crappy chefs" he murmured.
Sanji then turned to the three year old, gazing in her purple eyes. They seemed so deep and clear as they gazed into his own. He placed a hand on top of her head, sighing briefly.
"I'm going away Emi. I don't know when I'll be back" he said, and her eyes widened.
"Is papa going on a trip?" Emi asked, causing the chef to smile.
"Something like that. I need you to look after the old fart for me and make sure no one tries to burn the Baratie down while I'm away. Can you do that?" Sanji said, and Emi nodded.
"Uh huh! I help!" Emi said, little shoulders set.
He smiled again and got up.
"I need to get ready. Make sure no one has messed up in the kitchen" Sanji said before turning and walking away.
Emi stood there for a moment before grabbing her snail and running to the kitchen. She would do as her papa asked and watch everyone. She stood in the doorway, watching everyone cooking. Her mind began to wander as time passed: where would her papa go? What would he see?
"Emi! Let's go squirt you're holding up everyone" she heard her jii-chan say, and she looked up to see the chefs in front of her.
He picked up the three year old and headed outside on deck, where everyone waited. Emi was giggling as she tried to balance her snail on Carne's head before her papa walked out. He just had a bag over his shoulder, and all the chefs were silent. When he reached Zeff and Emi, she reached her arms out to him. Sanji received the toddler and Emi threw her arms around his neck, squeezing with all her might.
"I miss you papa" she murmured as she pressed her nose to his suit.
She felt her papa pat her back before he put her down on the deck. He continued walking before joining Luffy, Usopp and their two friends on a smaller boat. As they began to sail off, Emi began waving her arms back and forth.
"Bye! Bye papa!" Emi shouted as all the chefs began crying.
She would miss him terribly, but she knew she would see her beloved papa again.
~~2 years later~~
Silver hair that was put in a ponytail bounced up and down as a five year old ran around the busy restaurant. Purple eyes were sparkled with mischief as the five year old ran up the circular stairs that led to the kitchen. Her feet clad in shoes slapped against the floor as tendrils of hair came out of her ponytail.
Emi expertly dodged the scurrying chefs who were busy filling orders. She wanted to see if Patty or Carne would play with her. A piece of paper stopped the five year old short, and she went to look at it. Her eyes grew wide, and her mouth opened in shock.
Her papa's face was on the paper.
"Papa..." Emi breathed, and turned when she heard the distinct walk of Zeff.
"Jii-chan, look! It's papa!" Emi said, showing Zeff the paper.
The older man took the paper from Emi and glanced at it.
"So it is" he rumbled before turning away.
"Emi don't you have better things to do then bother the chefs" her jii-chan said, and Emi grinned.
She turned around and skipped out to the top deck, hands clasped behind her back. Her papa went on his adventure for two years, and the five year old rested her chin against the railing. She missed him terribly.
A small smile graced her lips. She would see her papa again some day.