The wanted posters that arrived, post Wano, were the beginning of the end.
It was a shock, a surprising slap to the face, especially since he beat one of the two All Stars, with Zoro defeating the other.
Sanji told himself it didn’t matter. Told himself he’d passed one billion. Told himself that Jinbe already had a higher bounty to start. Told himself that it wouldn’t take long for him to be close to the top again.
When Robin surpassed him after Elbaph, he made her a cake. Welcomed her into the billionaire club. Ignored Zoro’s razzing that he was now fifth. The World Government learned the Straw Hats had only one ponyglyph left to read and, after their news-shaking exploits in Elbaph, wanted to silence Robin before that could happen, so Luffy would not become the Pirate King. Sanji pretended it didn’t sting, and that he didn’t hear Gaban’s words about conqueror’s haki in the back of his head as he served her a slice of cake.
Franky and Brook were a surprise. Sanji hadn’t even been there for it. The crew had disembarked at a busy island with Franky and Brook remaining on watch. The Sunny came under attack by the marines stationed on the island. Franky and Brook had defended the Sunny, and demolished half the portside base. The commander was the son of an admiral, who apparently complained to daddy about wanting revenge, and Franky and Brook now had a seven and nine million higher bounty than Sanji, respectively.
Sanji joked and smiled and clapped them both on the back. He kicked Zoro across the deck for his comment about unlucky number seven, and went on with his day.
Usopp’s bounty was deserved. He incapacitated a room full of celestial dragons and world nobles with his vines and pepper stars in full, defiant view. His bounty shot up near Zoro’s for it. He passed out and didn’t wake up for three days, babbling about the worst dream. When they told him it wasn’t a dream, he passed out again.
Sanji was now in the bottom three.
Nami was steadily creeping toward the billion mark, and he was sure she’d make it one day. Chopper had gone from the Straw Hat Pet to Monster Pet and was nearing the triple digits. “Which I don’t like at all,” he decried with a smile and dance.
Sanji’s bounty had gone up, too, but so had everyone else’s with each fight. The gulf between him and Zoro was three-quarters of a billion dollars now. He had ceased being a threat in the World Government’s eyes. His battles, while epic, paled in comparison. His body was near indestructible, but he lacked the power necessary to truly succeed. So in a way, he was stagnant, stuck at the same sthis pot as the Straw Hats climbed the bounty ladder together.
He wondered, some days when it was too quiet in the galley, some nights when he couldn’t sleep, if he was still the Vinsmoke failure. That despite everything, he hadn’t actually escaped. That his body modifications should have clued him in that he would never truly be free. Vinsmoke was still written across his wanted poster, after all.
He knew Luffy wanted him on the crew. Knew that he mattered to them. Knew that the recipes he’d learned on Momoiro were imperative for the Straw Hats to succeed. His value as a chef was more important than his value as a fighter. But still…
Sanji had always been competitive. His self-worth was tied to how he measured up to others. He didn’t want to be seen as weak – ever. He could thank Vinsmoke Judge for that. When Zoro slighted him, way back in Little Garden, it led to the first of innumerable challenges he’d flung at the swordsman, to prove that he wasn’t lacking. That he wasn’t inadequate. That he wasn’t that failure anymore.
He knew he shouldn’t be using bounties to determine his place. He knew it only eroded his pride. He knew that who he was as a person was more important than how he compared.
But whenever a new set of bounties were issued, hope flared in Sanji’s chest that this time, this time he’d be recognized. This time he’d be back at the top. This time he’d be seen as Zoro’s equal again.
It was that hope that was killing him.
And as he stood on the aft deck, overlooking the sea, he wondered how long it would take for him to drown.
He took a final drag on his cigarette, flicked the butt over the rail, and turned back to the galley.
The future Pirate King needed lunch.
End