𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻.

nine.

009 ⎯⎯⎯ dinner party.

   I watch as Luffy and Usopp dig into appetizers, stuffing their faces. No wonder they get along so well, they're so alike.

   "Guys you gotta try this!"

   I chuckle, turning my eyes back to the expensive looking artifacts decorating the table I'm standing next to. I can feel Zoro's eyes on me. "Hm?"

   "You do that a lot more," he nods, "smile."

   I shrug, "I laugh when somethings funny."

   He shakes his head, "I see you, sometimes just watching Luffy and Nami fight. And you smile. You smile a lot when she hits him too."

   I snort.

   I don't know how he says everything with such a straight face.

   "That's so stupid," I sigh.

   "Introducing," I look to the top of the stairs, Klahadore and Kaya standing there, "Ms. Kaya."

   They start their descent down the stairs, the lamb-man hybrid meeting them halfway. Kaya takes his arm and he escorts her the rest of the way down. She stops briefly to say something to Nami before making her way to me and Zoro.

   "Zoro! Sora! You're matching how sweet," she gushes.

   I glance at Zoro, ew.

   "That dress looks amazing on you," she smiles sweetly, "the trimming really brings out the gold of your eyes."

   I give a curt nod and a fake smile, "thanks."

   Maybe this dress was the wrong choice.

   She walks away and Zoro stands, swirling his glass. I look him up and down, "going somewhere?"

   He places a hand on the small of my back, pushing past me, "me and krackula need to talk."

   For some reason, I flush. I quickly shake my head, my eyes narrowing as they follow his path towards the butler. "It's Klahadore. Idiot."

   After a moment we're all ushered into the dining room.

   I grimace as I watch Luffy scarf down his food. We've barely been seated here ten minutes and he's almost done with his plate.

   "Keep this coming," Zoro hands the empty wine bottle to the passing server.

   I glance at him, "really?"

   "It's the expensive stuff," he whispers back, "won't have another time to try it."

   I roll my eyes, taking a sip from my own wine glass. It does taste good, but a whole bottle? Really?

   I turn my eyes to the head of the table where Kaya is sitting. It seems like she's being lectured by Klahadore about her eating habits.

   One of the servers places a bowl in front of her of suspicious bright blue fluid. It's her birthday and she has to eat that?

   "Kaya, it's your birthday, you should be able to eat what you want," Nami speaks my thoughts.

   "Ms. Kaya's medical condition necessitates that I clearly monitor her dietary needs," Klahaadore quickly snaps.

   I grin, "must mean you also speak for her."

   "I'll take her fish!" Luffy raises his hand.

   Usopp gulps. He must notice the already tense atmosphere worsen. "Luffy, isn't there something you wanted to ask Kaya about?"

   "Oh, yes! Usopp told me that you own the whole shipyard."

   "Well, actually my parents founded the shipyard. Merry's been running the business since," her smile falters slightly, "well ever since they passed. But all of that's about to change. Tonight at midnight I will become the sole owner."

   Luffy grins, "well that's great! Because we want to buy a ship from you."

   "I see, Usopp mentioned that you're sailors."

   Here it comes.

   "Nope not sailors, we're pirates!"

   Usopp spits out his drink and Nami glares at Luffy. I sigh, taking another big gulp from my wine glass.

   "This oughta be good," Zoro follows my lead.

   "...Pirates?"

   "Yup! We haven't sailed together for very long, but! We have already defeated an evil clown, raided a marine base, and taken down a captain with an axe for a hand," Luffy tells her of our ventures, grinning from ear to ear.

   "These sound a lot like your adventures Usopp."

   "Yeah, yeah that's crazy," Usopp looks stressed.

   "Oh yeah!" Luffy stands, climbing onto the table, "we're just getting started!"

   I feel like a mother who failed in raising her brat.

   I down the rest of my glass, slumping in my seat as I watch the chaos unfold.

   "What are you doing?" Klahadore glares at him, "get down from there at once!"

   Luffy raises his glass, "being a pirate has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I'm finally making it a reality."

   He gets on one knee, getting uncomfortably close to Kaya, "we're heading out to the Grand Line, where even more adventures await us. And at the end of the journey, I'll find the ultimate treasure, The One Piece, and become...king of the pirates."

   Kaya looks unsettled, "you're... serious?"

   Luffy takes a sip of his drink before handing it to Klahadore and setting his hands on Kaya's shoulders. "Kaya, you have a beautiful ship out there. A caravel with a sheep figurehead. It spoke to me. That's the ship we need to follow all our dreams!"

   Oh god.

   "I promise you, we'll take care of it. Maintain it. Treat it like any other member of our crew, because a ship is also a home."

   "That will be quite enough!" Klahadore shouts, "I should have known Usopp would bring riffraff to our doorstep."

   "Klahadore it's okay-" Kaya pauses, breaking into a fit of coughing.

   "Now look at what you've done. You've upset Ms. Kaya. All of you, out of this house as once!"

   Looks to me more like we upset him.

   Kaya shakes her head, "no, it's late. Let them stay the night."

   "As you wish Ms. Kaya," Klahadore helps her stand, "but they are out first thing in the morning."

   The door slams behind them and Luffy grins.

   "That went pretty well. Don't you think?"