Saving Me, Saving You | Sanji

Stupid Blond Hair

Now

"A bit early to be drinking, isn't it?"

The dark-haired woman in a deep red dress lifted her head, staring directly into the eyes of the bartender. He had a kind face, short brown hair, and a slight look of confusion on his face.

Took him long enough.

She'd been waiting a good fifteen minutes for someone to show up.

"You are open. Why else would you be behind the bar?" she asked the man, donning a freshly pressed suit coat with newly cleaned buttons. Whoever ran the place ran a very tight ship.

"Just about to open, madam," he replied, preparing the glasses and alcohol for what was most likely going to be a very busy evening. "May I ask what you are doing here so early? Most patrons to the restaurant won't be arriving for another hour at the very least."

"You see that giant ship all the way at the end of the dock?" she spun around in the bar stool, pointing to the white ship far off in the distance with the yellow and green flags waving in the breeze.

"Ah, yes," the man nodded. "You must be a guest on Mariana's Mercy. We are most fortunate to serve the passengers once every three months during the ship's cruise. Where are you headed, if you don't mind me asking. Every time the ship docks, a passenger tells me the ship is headed to a new location."

"All two hundred of us are headed to North Blue. Flevance to be exact."

"A lovely place," he smiled fondly, as if recalling old memories of his very own. "I am sure you will have a wonderful time. But that is quite the journey, especially from here. It's a week or two at least."

"Why do you think I'm sitting here right now hours before my dining reservation?" she asked. "We left port only five days ago, and I already needed some space."

"I see," the bartender turned his back to her momentarily, looking over his vast inventory before grabbing a dark bottle from the top shelf. "Here you are."

He placed a wine glass in front of her and filled it almost to the brim.

"Thank you," she smiled, taking in the delicious aroma. "You've no idea how long I've been waiting to have a good drink."

"Don't mention it," the man shook his head. "There's plenty more where this came from. I expect the Mercy does not depart until tomorrow, so you can drink to your heart's content."

"I like you," the woman giggled, taking a very liberal gulp of wine. "What's your name?"

"Kodie, ma'am."

"Pleasure to meet you, Kodie," she stuck out her hand. "I'm Reyna."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful woman," Kodie replied, shaking her hand.

"Do you flirt with all the women who come to the bar?"

"Only the pretty ones," he winked before getting back to preparing the bar for the evening rush.

Figures.

Reyna chuckled with a shake of the head. With drink in hand, the woman spun around, resting her back along the front of the bar. For the first time since the ship docked at Baratie, Reyna was able to take in the famed restaurant and its surroundings. Not the ideal location Reyna would have chosen. The middle of the ocean was bound to turn off a decent number of potential customers, but the view in itself was quite stunning.

In every direction, calm waters stretched as far as the eye could see. The clouds slowly rolled by and Reyna would bet her entire life's savings this ship had the best view of the sunrise in the morning and sunset in the evening.