Chapter 20

"I So these are the pirates I've heard so mucho about," the man said, stepping on the door and leaving a boot-shaped print in it. "They all look like idiots to me."

"Doesn't he have any idea who he's talking to?" Nami asked incredulously. "Shanks is one of the Four Emperors after all."

"Well, it is possible that Shanks might not have become an Emperor just yet," Robin said reasonably. "This happened over ten years ago after all…"

"Either way," Zoro said with a rather evil smirk. "But it looks like we're heading to a good show if we're lucky."

"How would we be lucky to watch people get killed?" Nami snapped at him.

The pirate crew didn't say anything as they kept a close watch on the bandits, still waiting to see what they would do. The group approached the bar, with Luffy watching as Makino walked forward to greet them. "Welcome. What can I do for you?" she asked. There was a hint of uneasiness in her tone, but she stood in front of him with a forced smile.

"We're bandits," the man smirked at her.

"Really?" Usopp asked sarcastically. "We hadn't notice."

"We're not here to destroy your bar. We just need about ten barrels of sake."

"That's no way to address a lady," Sanji snarled, hating anyone who threatened a woman.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that we're all out of sake at the moment," Makino answered him politely.

"Hmm?" the bandit asked, his eyebrows raised, "That's strange. These pirates seem to be enjoying themselves here. What are they drinking then? Water?"

"Those jerks," Sanji warned. "They better not do anything to her just because they don't have any drink for them."

"It's sake," Makino answered him, "But it's also the last of our stock."

"I have to say she's kinda growing on me too," Zoro smirked. "She's got a lot of guts."

Shanks looked up at them. "Oh sorry," he said to them all, "Looks like we went and drank the place dry. But if you want, there is still a bottle left that's unopened." Shanks then held up the bottle that Makino had just brought him. "If you want it, it's all yours."

The bandit's eyes suddenly darkened, as if he couldn't believe that Shanks would dare speak in front of him before he shattered the bottle, the drink splashing all over Shanks and the bar. Makino and Luffy gasped while the bandits all laughed at the sight of it; though the pirates didn't seem fazed by it at all as they turned to their captain—whose head was down with the hat shading his eyes so they couldn't see his face.

"What's with him?" Nami yelled out furiously. "I know that his crew drank all the sake, but that's no reason to act like a jerk!"

"What a waste of perfectly good sake," Zoro sighed tragically.

"Do you even know who you're talking to?" the bandit said coldly. "I am a bandit. I'm a wanted man who's worth eight million beli."

"Big deal," Sanji said, puffing a little on his cigarette. "We could take you out without breaking a sweat."

The bandit went on, "One bottle won't be nearly enough. Don't take me lightly."

It was quiet for a brief moment before Shanks looked up, "Now the floor's all wet. Sorry about that Makino."

"Is it just me, or does that sound like something Luffy would have said?" Franky asked, tilting his head.

Robin giggled. "It's not just you, Franky. I guess now we know where Luffy learned that from."

Shanks then knelt down and started picking up the shards of glass and asked, "Do you have a mop?"

"Though I doubt that Luffy would offer to help clean up," Nami added as Makino shook herself awake and went around from behind the bar. "O-Oh, no, it's fine, captain," she said at once, "I can manage it."

But as she stepped out, the mountain bandit drew his sword and slashed it along the bar, cutting a groove into the wood and sending everything on it crashing to the floor to make an even bigger mess.

"Well, if you enjoying cleaning," he sneered at Shanks, who was now leaned up against the bar, now soaked with sake. "Now there's more to clean." He put the sword back and said, "No point wasting our time here while there's no sake. Let's go, men!" he then called to his men and with that, the band of bandits turned and filed out of the tavern—all of them roaring with laughter.

"Later, cowards," the leader called over his shoulder with a sneer as he left. The Straw Hats were now looking over at Luffy who was shaking in his seat—but not from fear, rather with anger. The only sound left was coming from the remaining door swinging squeakily from its hinges.

Makino quickly kneeled down next to Shanks. "Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, using the towel in her hand to help clean him up. "Are you hurt anywhere, Captain?"

Shanks merely waved his hand at her. "I'm fine, it's no problem" he reassured her before he grinned. And as if he broke a curse, his crew broke out into loud, energetic laughter at their captain, with Shanks laughing louder than any of them.

"They really got you!" Yasopp yelled laughing. "That's funny!"

"You look pretty dumb on the floor there, Captain!" Lucky Roo laughed as well as Shanks kept laughing loud with Makino still there trying to clean him up.

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