CHAPTER TWENTY
- Dining Like Royalty -
The fog crowded the Going Merry like a blanket, blinding them from seeing beyond the ship's rails. Only the sound of the large vessel breaking through the tender ocean waves was heard amongst the blur. It was a horror movie waiting to happen.
"How's the ship look?" Nami asked as she delicately guided the Going Merry through the hazy air.
Zoro glanced around, move focused on the cracked deck and splintered planks sprawled out across the ship. "Broken railing. Minor damage. Could've been a lot worse."
"It could've gone better too. I mean, that was terrible," Cheshire spoke up, sat with her back to a stable piece of railing. Her sharp nails combed absentmindedly through White Rabbit's fur as he curled up in her lap, soft purrs passing his lips as he slept soundly.
Usopp joined them, gazing out through the ocean as he tried to peer through the fog. "Can't see the Marines anywhere," he informed the group.
Nami rolled her eyes in response. "Cant see anything in this soup," she grumbled. "What we need is a place to lay low, wait out any reinforcements they send after us. But my charts are useless in this fog."
"What did Luffy say?" Zoro asked.
"He's on the bow. He hasn't said anything since we hightailed it," Usopp answered, his eyes wide as he searched for anything threatening through the ominous blanket.
"Well, somebody needs to talk to him," Nami paused for a moment before she added; "about this and the other thing."
The boys and Cheshire exchanged a short and awkward glance, Zoro shrugging. "What other thing?"
"Oh, gee, I wonder."
The three continued to stare at the navigator in confusion.
The orange haired girl continued to grow frustrated with her crew, clenching a hand around the steering. "The vice-admiral-of-the-Marines-is-my-grandfather thing."
"Oh, that." Usopp hummed, awkwardly cupping a hand over the back of his neck as he smiled nervously at Nami. "Yeah, I don't really know the guy that well."
"It isn't my place to say anything," Cheshire agreed with a firm nod, Zoro quickly adding his own comment: "doesn't seem like a big deal."
Nami's jaw clenched. She gestured to Zoro, her voice stern and demanding as she practically ordered him to speak to their supposed captain. "You're his first mate. Kind of seems like that falls under your job description, hmm?"
"Cheshire's known him for longer," Zoro childishly deflected.
The blond girl looked up, her blue eyes wide at the accusation. "I've known him for only like an hour longer then you," she remarked. "Plus, he obviously trusts you more."
Zoro grumbled to himself quietly, unable to argue with the obvious ego inflation. "Fine..." he mumbled. With how thick the fog was, as Zoro approached Luffy on the bow, the other three lost sigh of him. A minute passed before the swordsman returned, and he reported Luffy to be fine.
Nami huffed a sigh. "Did you even ask him?" she said dryly to the boy who didn't reply.
Luffy bounced to his feet, his silhouette recognisable amongst the thick fog. He held a finger up and sniffed the air. "Hey! You guys smell that?"
"What, the humidity?" Cheshire asked rhetorically, brushing a hand through her increasingly greasy hair.
The thick air refused to part as Luffy continued to sniff it, beginning to list the different scents flooding the fog: butter, soy sauce and meat. The last taste in the air brought Luffy's grin back.
"I can't smell anything?" Usopp said, spinning in a full circle in search of what Luffy meant. Behind him, Cheshire, Nami and Zoro stood together, watching their captain seemingly in disappointment.
The swordsman tucked his hands in his pocket, peering out into the fog in search of some source of the supposed smell. "Think he has brain damage?" he asked.
"I think that every day," Nami replied tiredly.
"Look, Luffy, playing follow the smell is fun and all-,"
"No, Luffy right!" White Rabbit interrupted Usopp, startling awake. He squirmed in Cheshire's arms, hopping out of her hug and dashing for the bow, leaning between the railing as his nose twitched. Closing his eyes, he continued to sniff the air with Luffy, yelling that he could smell garlic and chicken as well. "Full speed ahead!" The rabbit hopped happily, clapping his paws together with excitement.
With the combination of Luffy's abnormal abilities and White Rabbit's natural sense of smell, the crew sailed through the fog with their guide. Eventually, a dim light began to broke through the thick air, the gentle glow of a lantern brought amongst the haze.
"What is that?" Zoro pointed to the glow, watching it grow as a ship appeared in the horizon.
Cheshire squinted against the fog, reading out the ship's bright sign with a tilted head, "Baratie? What the hell is a Baratie?"
Luffy gasped, letting out a laugh as he watched the restaurant become closer and closer. The Going Merry finally broke the fog, giving the crew a clear view of the floating restaurant designed on top of a large fish. With its docks packed, Nami managed to steer the vessel towards the end, slowing it to a halt behind another large pirate ship.
The crew crowded around the edge of the ship, eyeing the large ship in confusion. The smells Luffy and White Rabbit had picked up on finally hit them, and Cheshire felt her stomach growl impatiently.
"Everyone's going to that fish ship?" Zoro observed.
"That smell. I think this place is a restaurant," Nami added, a smile finding its way onto her lips.
Luffy hopped up to the railing between the two, clutching the edge with tight fist as his face glowed with joy. "Then I know what we're gonna do next."
"Disguise the ship so the Marines can't find us?" Nami frowned when she didn't see a change to Luffy's expression, his eyes fully focused on the Baratie.
Usopp chimed in. "Sail back to Syrup Village where it's safe?" With his face shrouded in worry, Cheshire sympathetically patted the boy's back.
"Nah. Let's eat!" Luffy declared excitedly, dashing off the Going Merry in an instant.
"That fish better have a bar," Zoro mumbled, quickly following Luffy's lead as the other hesitated. White Rabbit was hot on his tail.
Cheshire spared a glance at an increasingly irritated Nami. "Do you think we should be worried that his decision can easily be swayed if food is added to the equation?" she addressed with her crooked mouth trying to fall into a frown. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, suppressing a wince at the growl it let out.
Nami only sighed.
Changing into more appropriate attire, the group made their way to the floating restaurant. Cheshire and Nami shared a wardrobe of clothes, most of which Kaya had been kind enough to give them before they departed. The blonde girl wore a long sleeved sweater, rubbing her arms uncomfortably at the itching stitching but enjoying how it reached just before her knees, legs covered in a pair of black jeans. She very much enjoyed the lengths of the clothes.
If it weren't for the fish man waiting at the reception and the pirates lining the many tables inside, the Baratie's interior could've been mistaken for an actual restaurant. The tender waves of the sea showed little effect as they crashed against the side of the giant fish vessel, the smell that filled the inside drowning out the powerful scent of the ocean.
Luffy lunged for the balcony, curious eyes wandering over the lobby as the host eyed him cautiously. He turned to the group, smiling kindly. "Welcome to Baratie. How can I help you?"
"Hi! Where do we eat?" Luffy asked eagerly.
The host tilted his head, maintaining a smile. "Do you have a reservation, sir?"
Luffy blinked. "Do we need one?"
"We're very full today. I could put you on the waiting list." The fish man glanced down at the reservation book laid out in front of him, peeling back the delicate pages before he looked back up. "It's three weeks out."
As Usopp tried to bribe the host, stating how Luffy was to be the King of the Pirates, Cheshire let her eyes continue to take in the interior. It was beautiful, the crowds excellent evidence of how good the food must be. Her admiration halted suddenly however as she glanced down stairs, her eyes darkening with fear as she watched another blonde girl quietly enjoy a meal.
"Shit..." Cheshire whispered, instinctively ducking behind Zoro.
The swordsman spared a confused look at the girl, following her eye line. "The Duchess?" he recognised, his suspicion confirmed as Cheshire slowly nodded.
Duchess Diana sat alone at table eight, enjoying a freshly made meal and a glass of red wine with her legs propped up on the chair opposite her. A bandage was wrapped around her calf, a jagged scar drawn down the side of her arm. With her blonde hair pulled back into a messy bun, her familiar gaze found its way to watch the ruckus at the entrance. Cheshire once again ducked behind Zoro's shoulder.
Nami managed to convince the host to give them a table as she pulled out a wad of cash. The fish man smirked, leading them down stairs and to a free table, one where Cheshire knew it was impossible to hide. She sank in her seat as the rest of the group made themselves comfortable, Zoro struggling slightly as his swords caught on anything and everything.
Diana was still watching them, a trident sat threateningly over her table. Green eyes that always seemed to sparkle caught the tired gaze of the Cheshire Cat. A smirk fell onto the Duchess' face, and she held up her glass silently with a soft nod of acknowledgement to her old friend.
Cheshire felt the tension in her shoulders ease.
The host laid out a collection of menus. "Here are your menus. Your waiter will be with your shortly."
"What do you think they serve here?" White Rabbit wondered out loud. He patted his paws impatiently on the table top, shifting in his seat like a toddler waiting for dessert. As Cheshire reached for a menu, the rabbit hopped onto her leg, leaning forward to look at the meals for offer. "Oh, it all looks so good!"
The masked girl couldn't help but let her eyes wander back to Diana. She watched the other blonde continue to dig into her meal, chewing silently as she fell back into thought no longer paying attention to Cheshire's new crew.
One thing was certain, Diana looked exhausted. She lacked the radiance that Cheshire once admired about her, she looked beaten up and the sight of her skinny body and visibly scarred arms made the masked girl feel ill.
What did he do to you, Diana?
Pulling her from her thoughts, Cheshire glanced at a pair of pirates beginning to scream at each other. The argument ensued from one of them sitting in the other's seat, becoming quite across pretty quickly. The doors to the Baratie's kitchen came crashing open, letting a blonde man march through as he pulled on a suit jacket. He collected a bowl of bread rolls before he approached the pair.
"Now, now, gentlemen. You know the rules here? We don't waste food, and there is no fighting at Baratie." The waiter held a kind smile, his voice thick with some type of accent. Though he tried to defuse the situation with words, the pirates refused to listen, one drawing a weapon which resulted in the suited man acting quickly. He performed a collection of well aimed kicks to each pirate, never once getting his hands dirty or loosing the plate of bread.
Luffy grinned. "Good fighter," he observed with a glance to his crew, eyes glowing with the same look he held when he met each of them. The one that said he was pondering over whether they'd fit in with the crew.
Collecting the plate of rolls, the waiter let out a sigh. "No cause for alarm, folks. Please enjoy your meals," he called out to the disturbed crowds. He passed Diana, a smirk growing upon his face as she held her empty glass out expectingly. He took it with a grin, speaking quietly to her with a compliment that resulted in Diana blushing.
Cheshire's brows furrowed, and she met Diana's eyes again, watching her giggle at the sight of the confusion.
"Hi, welcome to our shitty restaurant where the only thing worse than the ambience is the food," the waiter greeted the crew, placing the plate of bread in the centre of the table, holding Diana's empty glass by his side. Luffy promptly stole the plate of bread. "My name is Sanji. What can I get for you?" The blonde man spoke quickly, his eyes flushed with annoyance and the smirk he held when facing Diana long gone.
"One of everything, please!" Luffy insisted, mouth already full of bread.
"Any drinks? One of our signature cocktails to help you choke down your meal?" Sanji remarked dryly, his eyes narrowed at Luffy's eagerness.
"Giving us the hard sell, huh?" Nami interjected, unimpressed by the waiter's tone and forceful delivery of his greeting.
Sanji didn't share Nami's blunt tone when he turned to her. His eyes lit up, and the smirk he had shown Diana returned at the mere sight of the orange haired girl. "Apologies, madam, I didn't see you there. Would you care for an apéritif to start?" He spoke more professionally now, delivering a lift of drinks in a much more pleasing way rather then the blunt tone he held to Luffy. "We have several rare Micqueot vintages in stock. Or perhaps you'd like a glass of Umeshu?" Sanji's mouth stretched into a grin when he winked at the unimpressed girl. "You know, something sweet for someone sweet."
"Something wrong with your eye?" Nami replied.
"Just blinded by your beauty."
Cheshire choked out a laugh, one that she'd severely regret as Sanji's gaze met hers. His eyes stayed lit up with admiration, his grin returning as he proceeded to now speak to Cheshire like she was the only girl in the world, "and for you ma'am? I would expect someone as breathtaking as you to dine at a much more extravagant resort with the likes of royalty. But I'd be happy to attempt to make your stay at Baratie just as enjoyable in return for how much brighter you've made my day with your beauty."
Cheshire sank in her seat, cheeks flushing red. Beside her, White Rabbit cackled. He leant back, kicking his feet as he laughed and pointed at the masked girl's red face, her blue eyes wide in embarrassment.
Zoro cleared his throat, speaking over the White Rabbit. "Waiter, can I get a beer and something for my friends?" His hands were tight around his folded arms, jaw clenching as Sanji's gaze refused to move from Cheshire.
"Two beers!" Usopp added. "I usually have three, but-,"
"And a milk!" Luffy chimed in, still busy stuffing his face with the freshly baked bread.
"I'll have whatever she's having," Cheshire said, pointing to Diana, who was watching the group closely. The Duchess' brows were knitted together in thought, chin resting on her open palm as she observed the group. "With a straw," the masked girl quickly added to Sanji, who's smile never faltered. Diana always had a good drinking pallet, and Cheshire just hoped she maintained it over the past year.
"Of course. Three beers, a red wine and a milk," Sanji listed, before his grin was thrown Nami's way. "And, uh, for madam?"
"Water."
"Still, sparkling, mineral? With ice or without? Cubed or crushed?"
"Regular water in a regular glass. Thanks."
Sanji continued to smirk at the girl, winking at Cheshire as he turned to leave. "Right away," he promised, taking Diana's wine glass with him.
Zoro was quick to call him back. "Hey, waiter." Sanji glanced back, a frown falling to his lips at the interruption to him being able to engage with Diana. His eyes narrowed towards the swordsman. Zoro nodded to White Rabbit, who sat quietly and waited patiently between him and Cheshire. "You forgot the rabbit."
Sanji grew irritated, but he kept a calm composure as he returned to the group, glancing at the Rabbit in confusion. "And for the rabbit?" he asked slowly.
A few moments passed as White Rabbit scanned the drink menu, patting a paw to his snout in thought. "Apple juice!" he exclaimed, his voice making Sanji's brows furrow. Not everyone was accustomed to a talking animal just yet.
"Of course," the waiter gritted out. "Three beers, a glass of red wine, a milk, a water and an apple juice. Right away."