Well... it's probably fine.

Dragon smiled and sat back down.

Shanks laughed and wiped his mouth after the cheers. "That was a hell of a speech."

Dragon smiled, he seemed to be looking past everything and everyone in the room. "This world needs more people similar to those in this room. There aren't as many 'true marines' as there used to be. I just hope that my words today will remind the people in this room that they are walking the right path, and that they never fall into the wrong one."

Shanks laughed. "No need to get so serious. We're here to celebrate!" Shanks grabbed Dragon's drink and handed it back to him. "So drink up! You can't be the only sober one here!"

Dragon smirked as he took the drink from Shanks and brought it to his lips.

Alex laughed and put his arm around Shanks. "He's not the only sober one. The kids are still here."

Shanks looked at Alex for a moment before the two laughed together.

Shanks looked at one of the kids. "How old are you guys?"

"Like… 12" One of them replied.

Shanks and Alex looked back at each other.

Alex scratched the back of his neck in thought. "Well… it's probably fine."

Shanks laughed and handed the kids a drink.

The kids took a sip and all of them spit out their drinks all over Dragon.

Alex and Shanks's laughter erupted and they rested against each other for support.

Dragon looked down. "This is my favourite shirt…"

Alex slapped his knee. "Deja vu!"

Shanks laughed. "It's the exact same!"

Dragon sighed as the kids all looked up at him with fear in their eyes. He took off the soaked shirt before using his marine coat to cover himself up.

Alex and Shanks calmed down.

"You know what we gotta do next, right?" Shanks said.

Alex nodded. He pointed at one of the kids, it was the kid with the fake leg Alex made him. "I pick that one."

Shanks nodded and pointed to a different kid. "That little guy is mine."

The two laughed and grabbed their respective prospects.

"W-what?" The kid Alex picked asked in confusion.

Alex laughed. "How do you feel about a little competition? You just gotta drink more than that little kid."

The kid on Alex's shoulders blushed. "B-but I'm a girl. Girls can't drink as much as guys."

"You're a girl? Huh. I had no clue." Alex mumbled. Then he laughed. "Well, it doesn't matter, I picked you, so I have faith you can win!"

The little girl smiled. "En! I got this!"

Alex laughed. "What's your name?"

"Grace. Nice to meet you, Alex!" The girl said with a smile.

Alex froze for a moment before the corners of his lips arched into a smile. "Grace, huh. That's a great name."

Grace blushed. "Thanks."

Alex smiled and looked outside. You could barely see the faint outline of the horizon as the sunset had narrowly ended. "So, Grace. What do you think of sunsets?"

Grace smiled from ear to ear. "They're beautiful!"

Alex wiped his eye with the back of his hand. "Yeah. I agree, they're one of my favourite things in the world."

Alex grabbed another drink for Grace and looked over at Shanks, who had also finished talking to his prospect.

Alex pat Grace on the back. "You got this. Some wimpy boy that red haired loser picked, doesn't stand a chance against you!"

Grace smiled and brought the drink to her lips and her opponent did the same. The two kids' faces contorted.

"Gross." Grace said as she finished her drink.

Alex and Shanks laughed at the kids having their first drinks. Alex took a huge sip and nodded.

"Yup. It's pretty gross." He said.

Shanks laughed after finishing a drink. "Still tastes like shit to me."

The four laughed before continuing to drink. After a few more drinks. The two kids were pretty drunk.

Grace stood up and stumbled, falling over her own feet. Alex caught her and set her down beside him. She swayed before using Alex's shoulder to balance.

She reached her arms around his arm and hugged him. Then she sniffled. "H-hic. A-Alex~"

Alex giggled and looked down at her. "What?"

Tears welled up in Grace's eyes. "T-t-t-th-tank shoe!"

Alex smiled. "For what."

Grace hugged him again for a while before replying. "Y-y-y-ou s-saved me!"

The look in Alex's eyes changed as his smile became more serious and genuine. "Really?"

Grace nodded her head in an exaggerated manner. "R-really! Y-you saved me from the cold! Y-you'll never understand how much you saved me."

Alex laughed and finished his drink.

Grace started to measure distance with her hands. "L-like. Dis much!" She said as she spread her hands as far apart as she could.

Alex giggled and his thumb turned into a tape measure. "Here, use this."

Grace's eyes shone as she started pulling the tape as far as she could. She stopped at 17 feet and pointed at the tape. "This much! Exactly!" She exclaimed proudly.

Alex laughed and pointed at the 18 foot mark. "Not this much?"

She shook her little head, adamant that it was exactly 17 feet. "Only this much!"

Alex laughed and ruffled her hair. "Thank you. For telling me that. I'm happy that I helped you, because I know what it's like to be helped by someone like this."

Grace burped and shook her head. "N-no. Y-you don't! I-I am so happy! Y-you saved me more den enyone haz saved someone befour!"

Alex smiled genuinely. He felt real gratitude to the little girl in front of him who had told him this. Knowing that, he had helped this girl. Was a more fulfilling experience than anything he had been thought before.

Alex looked at the sky. "Is this why you helped me, Grace?"