Queen of the Pirates

Search for the South Bird

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I toss another fritter into my mouth as the chaos around me ensues. Everyone is either eating their hearts out, dancing around without a care in the world, or both. Besides Zoro and Cricket who are getting their fill of alcohol in while they have a chance to relax. The small house of the Mont Balance residence is filled with joy and laughter that warms my heart.

"Akari, dance with us," Luffy whines as he plops down beside me.

I giggle, stretching out his cheek for a moment. "And why can't I just rest for a moment and get something to eat."

"That's no fun," he chuckles.

"Fine, I'll dance, but I get your hat!" I snatch his hat off his head as I pop up, rushing into the fray as he chases after me.

"This is good grog!" someone calls out.

"Eat up everyone!" Sanji smiles as he hold two platers above his head. "A course of mackerel is coming up!"

Masira falls to the ground as his mouth is steaming from eating something hot.

"Take that salvage monkey!" Usopp laughs. "Tabasco Bomb!"

"You long-nosed buffoon!" Masira pops back up and rushes at Usopp.

"Nice hat Akari," Zoro chuckles as I run past.

"That's Captain Akari for now," I chuckle as a stretchy Luffy arm grabs me and pulls me back to where he is eating the new course that Sanji has placed down for everyone.

"Captain, huh?" Luffy grins.

"I was joking," I pinch his arm a few times. "I could never be captain. That's a job fit for you."

"You're cute, dumpling." He turns to look at the food and starts stuffing his mouth. Every now and again offering me something to eat.

"Hey pretty lady, come sit near me," Cricket drunkenly grins.

"Keep your hands off Nami!" Sanji demands.

"You can really drink!" Shoujou pats Zoro on the back.

"I'm just getting started," Zoro says.

"Looks like we might need to start calling you straw hat Akari," Nami teases.

I giggle, "Oh no, that's reserved for Luffy. I'm sure that I'll get some cool epithet on my first wanted poster."

"Which hopefully is soon," Luffy mumbles through a mouthful of food as he takes his straw hat back.

Cricket stands up, walking over to where Robin has been sitting on the ground sipping tee and reading Noland's log book. "I saw the gold in the skull's right eye."

"Gold?" Nami brings her barrel stein up to take a few sips.

"That tear-blotted sentence is the last thing Noland ever wrote. It was on the day of his execution," he downs his bottle in a few seconds. "After all this time spent on Jaya, I'm still not sure what he means. The right eye of a skull? Was that a town's name or an omen of death? The remaining blank pages offer no explanation. That's why we dive!"

"Our dreams are at the bottom of the sea!" Shoujou exclaims.

"That's right!" Masira nods.

"We're gonna fly!" Luffy cheers.

"Yes, we are going to fly!" I excitedly wiggle in my seat.

It takes a few minutes to calm everyone down enough for Cricket to recite from memory a passage from Noland's log. Well, calm enough for us to hear the story, but the excitement is buzzing around the room.