Luffy looked up at Felix with bright eyes.
"How did you do that?"
He struggled to get to his feet but was able to stand after a few seconds.
"It felt like all the haki in my body was gone."
Felix placed his finger over his lips.
"Trade secret."
Hancock turned to Caria who shook her head.
"I don't know how he does it either. All I know is he can neutralize conquerors."
"Come on, Old Guy! Tell me how you did it!"
Luffy pleaded like a kid who wanted to try a new toy.
"It's no use. I've been trying to get him to show me for years."
Jessie sprung to his feet.
"Only thing he'll say is, I'm the Destroyer of Ambition."
"What the hell? That sounds cool!"
"I know right? That's a sick nickname!"
"What else did he say?"
"Let me think...Oh! He also says he can do it because he's the one who punishes kings when the heavens cannot."
"Ohhh!"
Felix stood in silence as the two fanboy in front of him.
"Hahaha. Felix is troubled."
Tate laughed.
"He doesn't know how to react to being praised to his face like this."
"Really? To me, it seems like he's embarrassed about the stuff he said in the past. I mean, Destroyer of Ambition? That's painful just to repeat."
Astrid spoke with a slight smile.
"Astrid."
Luka called out to him and pointed in Felix's direction. Felix was glaring daggers at him. Luka patted Astrid on the shoulder.
"I hope you know you're screwed later."
"Tsk! Kelly, get me some liquor!"
"Drinking to numb the pain? Good idea."
Luka laughed until he was sent flying by a palm strike.
"Not gonna lie, he was just asking for it."
Frantz said.
"Now that you have calmed down...."
Felix picked up Luffy and Jessie like children and brought them back to the second. He threw Luffy at Hancock.
"I believe this is yours."
He then threw Jessie at Tate.
"That one's yours."
He looked at Hancock and Tate.
"Watch them. I'm off for the rest of the night."
He sat down around a table by himself. Kelly immediately brought him liquor and food.
"Good work, Boss."
She said while pouring wine into his glass. He showed a gentle smile and raised his glass.
"Let's party all night!"
The party returned to full swing. Despite, the disturbance earlier no one left the tavern. In fact, after news the mayor was paying came out more people came flooding in.
"Hahaha!"
Laughter exploded as Luffy and Jessie were dancing on tabletops. Caria had cut loose and was drinking with Hancock and Astrid.
"Why am I sitting with her?"
Astrid complained.
"Shut up and drink already."
Caria held him and forced beer down his throat.
"Cough! Cough! Stupid woman, are you trying to drown me?!"
"A fishman drowning to death would go down as top ten funniest deaths."
Caria laughed and slapped his back so hard he grimaced.
"Why do I feel like you're just using this as a chance to beat me up?"
"Because I am."
She forced more beer down his throat.
"You act stuck up all the time when we all know you're a big softie. It gets annoying."
"Hey, Hanson. Did you know? This guy used to cry a lot when he first got here. He used to follow behind me and Jessie like a duckling, because he was afraid of everybody else. Yet, he's acting tough now."
"Damn you, woman! I'm gonna-Ugh!"
"Shut up and drink more."
Caria laughed as she forced him to drink. Frantz watched with a satisfied smirk on his face.
"Woohoo!"
He turned his head and saw someone swinging on a chandelier.
"Oh no! Which idiot gave Luka alcohol?!"
He shouted. Luka started hanging off the chandelier upside down. His upper body stretched down and his head hit the ground.
"Pfft! Hahaha! You look like a silver slug, Luka!"
Jessie burst out laughing. Luka's arm stretched and slapped Jessie off the table.
"Hahaha!"
Luffy burst out laughing before getting slapped off the table too. Everyone started laughing.
"I think the celebrations are getting out of hand."
Frantz said. He turned to his left
"Don't you agree, Tate? Huh? Tate?"
"Chug! Chug! Chug!"
He stood up and looked at a corner of the tavern. There he saw a shirtless Tate racing to drink jugs of beer with other people. Men started tumbling over one after the other while he continued to drink. He slammed the mug on the table with a grin. He lifted his hand in the air.
"Tate! Tate! Tate!"
The crowd chanted his name.
"If I'm gonna pay for everything anyway, I might as well enjoy myself!"
He burst out laughing before drinking another mug of beer. Frantz watched him for a bit more and looked away when he saw him lifting women like barbells.
"Why hasn't he mentioned the kiss?!"
Hancock shouted while slamming her mug on the table. Her face was reddened and her eyes were spinning.
"I mean, it was our first kiss!"
"Wait, who kissed who?"
Astrid asked. His eyes were spinning in his head.
"Hanson kissed Lucia the other day."
Caria answered.
"My, you two have that kind of relationship?"
"Surprising right? I mean someone with her reputation and position dating someone like that."
Caria laughed.
"So that's your type?"
Astrid poured more beer down his throat.
"So what if it is? And what's with your sudden personality shift?"
Hancock asked.
"This is how he truly is. The tough and aloof character is just a front. That's why I got him drunk."
Caria laughed.
"Enough about me. I want all the details about your relationship. Like how long have you two been dating and whatnot."
Astrid said as he leaned closer.
"...We're not officially dating."
"You're not? I was certain you are."
Caria was visibly shocked.
"I mean we're destined to get married and have three kids called Lulu, Luhan, and Junior, but we're not officially a couple."
"Ma'am, what you're saying is not adding up somewhere."
Caria poured more beer down her throat.
"It sounds like you need to take things into your own hands, girl. Find out why you're not a couple yet."
Astrid had lost all semblance of his old self.
"I already know the reason and I'm content with that. I mean, we're destined to be together."
"Mhm...."
Astrid swirled the beer around in his mug.
"Sounds like he's playing you to me."
"Huh?"
"I mean he promises you a future but can't commit. It sounds like he has other girls in his head."
"Are you saying he's cheating?!"
"Possibly."
Hancock paled. Caria slapped the back of Astrid's head.
"Don't listen to him, Hanson. He's just drunk and doesn't know what he's talking about."
"Unlike you, I actually have romantic experience though."
Caria started choking Astrid.
"What did you say?! I dare you to say that again!"
"Yeah, strangle him, Caria!"
Frantz saw what was going on and started cheering.
"Choke that basta-!"
Frantz was floored by a mug to the head.
"Shut up, I'm trying to think!"
Hancock shouted.
"...What did I do?"
Frantz's tears stained the floors.
"Luffy, couldn't be playing me. I mean, we're soul mates...Right?"
"That's right."
Caria lifted Astrid off the ground and flung him downstairs.
"You two are made for each other. Everybody on this island can see that."
Caria patted Hancock's shoulder.
"Come on. Let's drink and not think about anything."
Meanwhile, Astrid who was thrown crashed into the table where Luffy and Jessie were having another eating contest.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"That's my precious food!"
The two shouted.
"Shut up! Screw your food! I was just thrown from the second floor!"
Astrid shouted back.
"Bastard, give me back my ribs!"
Jessie pounced on him.
"Screw your ribs!"
The two started wrestling and screaming. Luffy was about to jump in when he was grabbed from behind.
"Come console your woman."
Caria picked him up and leaped to the second floor. She forced him to sit with Hancock, who was a crying mess.
"I tried to make her drink away her sorrows, but it only made things worse, so I'm tagging you in."
Caria patted Luffy's back.
"See ya!"
Caria picked up Frantz and leaped down to the ground floor.
"Luffy..."
Hancock sobbed and held onto Luffy.
"Please stay by my side."
Luffy looked at her for a bit and started caressing her head.
"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
A smile slowly crawled on her face. Luffy saw this face and felt his chest tighten. He placed his hand over his chest with a confused expression. Hancock closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. Luffy looked at her sleeping face and remembered her kissing him. He placed his finger on his lips.
"Her lips were soft."
He smiled and started watching the others party the night away.