Hi! I'm not dead! I won't take up too much of your time with an author's note, but I just wanna give a quick thank you to those who have reviewed so far! Feedback means a lot to me! I hope you enjoy this chapter; things are really starting to heat up! Next chapter should be out much quicker - I'm really excited to get into this next arc!

"Hmm…" Hazel hummed, catching the attention of her ever-growing crew.

"What is it?" Nami asked, taking her eyes off the horizon to glance at the older woman. It had been about 30 minutes since they'd left Syrup Village, the island now barely a speck in the distance, and celebrations were ready to erupt over their new vessel. The Going Merry cut through the water effortlessly, and Hazel couldn't blame them for the excitement; but…

"I hate to be the one to stop a party before it can begin, but three of us need baths. Now." Nami pulled a face, glancing over the three in question, then nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, yep, you do! Celebrating can wait!"

"Awww, c'mon Hazel! It's a real ship!" Luffy pouted, waves of stink rolling off of him. "I'm the captain, and I say celebration first!"

"Well, I'm the oldest, and I say bath first!"

"Seconded!" Nami raised her hand, glaring at the absolute goblin of a boy.

"You know, Luffy," Usopp began, sliding in close to Luffy conspiratorially. "If you let me be captain, you'll never have to take a bath again!" Bonk! "Ow!"

"Stop with the 'captain' thing, we already got one!" Hazel scolded him, then turned her attention back to the other two. "Bath. Now. You especially!" She jabbed a finger into Zoro's chest.

"Oi! I don't have to listen to you! Besides, I don't smell that bad," he glared down at her, and they stood there locked in a heated stare, the whole time Hazel contemplating the consequences of just pushing him into the sea. Nah, she'd probably be the one to have to go get him.

"I'm gonna count to three, and when I'm finished at least one of you better be in that bathroom scrubbing yourselves down, or so help me I'll make you both go at the same time!"

"Ha! I'd like to see you try!" Zoro snarked, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking down at her. Luffy mimicked his stance, crossing his arms with an indignant pout. Hazel merely leaned back, crossing her arms, and tapping her foot, staring defiantly at both boys.

"One," tap. Luffy gulped, but stood his ground. Zoro's expression remained unchanged.

"Two," tap tap. Zoro raised a brow, still unfazed. Luffy tensed, recalling his childhood with every tap of her foot; but still he stood defiant. Nami and Usopp began to tremble in the background, intimidated by the angry waves emanating from the violet-haired woman.

"Three," and without any further warning, Hazel grabbed both boys by the ear, ignoring their yelps as she dragged them through storage and threw them into the bathroom. She shut the door just in time as they banged their fists against it, struggling futilely to open the door as they yelled obscenities through it. "Usopp, dear," she called, ignoring the shouts behind her. "Would you be so kind as to draw up some water for them? I'd do it myself, but I'm a bit preoccupied."

Usopp nodded furiously, glad to be on her good side still, and ran to do as she asked. Nami walked up to her, helping to maneuver some barrels in front of the door as a sort of barrier. When they had three of the heavy objects situated in front of the bathroom, Hazel plopped herself on top of one, crossing her legs and acting as though nothing had even happened. "Thank you, Nami. I promise I'll clean myself up when they're done. Could I borrow some clothes for now?" The navigator merely nodded, not sure how to react to what she'd just witnessed; but then her eyes fell on the woman's shoulder, still red with blood from earlier that day, and she sighed.

"You should at least get your shoulder cleaned up! Come on," Nami grabbed Hazel's hand, gently pulling her up. "Those two will be fine without you standing over them; and if either of them break anything, I'll charge them each one million beli!" She yelled, and the door stopped shaking. "See?" She grinned, much to Hazel's amusement.

"Alright, alright...Oi! Zoro!" She called back through the door before leaving. "Do me a favor and make sure Luffy doesn't drown in there!"

"And...done!" Nami declared, tying the bandage tight so it wouldn't slip off. "That should hold for now, but come see me after your shower and I'll help make sure you have a fresh one."

"Thanks, Nami," Hazel smiled at the girl, pleased at how much better she felt. "Are you sure we have enough bandages for that, though? I feel like we're gonna go through a lot, and it feels a bit like a waste."

"We have plenty," Nami insisted, standing up from the bed to put the supplies away. The room was a modest size, with two small beds and a couch, with a desk against the wall. The room had originally been designed for Kaya, and it showed in the decorations; from the fancy bedspread she currently sat on, to the paintings of blue skies on the walls. The second bed was decidedly less fancy, Hazel noticed, and she suspected that had been added at the last minute. She didn't mind though, anything was better than that little dinghy they'd been living in. She couldn't wait to explore the rest of the ship.

"You ok?" She asked Nami, eyes landing on the girl still stood across the room. Her eyes were downcast, chewing on her lip with furrowed eyebrows. Nami waited a moment before answering, seeming to mull over her words. Hazel waited patiently, growing concerned at the girl's behavior. "Nami?"

"You got hurt…" Nami started, chewing her cheek and looking away; then she took a deep breath, steadying herself, and continued. "You got hurt pushing me out of the way. Why would you do that?" Hazel stared at her wide-eyed, unsure if she was angry or not.

"We're friends, aren't we?" Hazel asked, as though the answer was obvious. To her, at least, it was. Nami apparently hadn't thought so, as Hazel caught the way she clenched her fist; but before she could ask about it, there was a thumping from overhead.

"Oi! Hazel! We're clean!" Luffy yelled through the floorboards, halting any further conversation. Hazel could hear the grumbled threats of a certain swordsman, but ignored it in favor of grabbing the clothes she borrowed from Nami: a pair of shorts, and a pink tank top. She wasn't sure where she'd gotten so many sets of clothes, but was far too grateful they were similar sizes to question it too much.

"Thank you, Luffy!" Hazel called, grinning at the increased grumbling Zoro was directing her way, and she made her way back upstairs. She entered the storage room right as Zoro was leaving, and she sent him a winning smile despite his glare. "Oh, look at you! You're almost handsome under all that grime!" She teased, delighting at the blush that bloomed over Zoro's tanned face.

"You-!" He glared at her grinning face. "That moron got water everywhere, and he shot soap in my eye!" Good Lord, was he actually whining to her? If only she could record this moment for future blackmail.

"Aww, poor baby," Hazel cooed, enjoying the annoyed expression on his face. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me first, and I won't have to resort to desperate measures," she countered, knowing exactly how her brother could be in the bath. For a devil fruit user, he sure knew how to use water effectively. Instead of answering, Zoro wisely chose to ignore her, sauntering onto the deck to take a well-deserved nap, while Hazel just shook her head, and entered the bathroom.

"It's finished!" Came Luffy's yell as Hazel exited the bathroom some time later, running her hand through wet, purple curls, and feeling loads better than she had in days. Luffy held up a black piece of fabric, a rather crudely drawn skull wearing a familiar straw hat placed right in the middle. "Luffy's pirate flag! I already had the mark thought up!"

"It's ready?" Hazel asked, excitedly running to join the group. Her eyes widened when she saw the black flag, hand quickly covering the laugh that threatened to escape her at the crude drawing. On the one hand, she shared Luffy's pride at finally having their own flag; at finally seeing the jolly roger he'd decided on years ago made real. On the other hand…

"That's our mark?"

"This guy's a little low on design sense," Usopp muttered, jaw dropping open.

"Hmm...or maybe it's avant-garde?" Nami responded, palm on her chin.

"A pirate flag ought to inspire terror," Zoro said matter-of-factly. "And this is pretty scary."

"You guys are so mean," Hazel murmured, pouting. Luffy just looked over at them with a wide, hopeful grin.

"You like it? Huh?" Hazel smiled kindly at him.

"I love it, Luffy, but…" She struggled to tell him. Luckily, she didn't need to finish her sentence, as just at that moment Usopp spoke up.

"Your painting stinks, Luffy!" He said, ignoring Hazel's scolding gasp of his name. "Let me try!"

"Why would yours be any better?"

"I've drawn graffiti on walls for 50 years straight! When it comes to painting, I'm in a league all my own!"

"50 years, huh?" Hazel muttered under her breath, side-eyeing him.

"Awesome!" Luffy yelled, not catching her comment. "50 years?!"

"That means he's an old man now!" Zoro scolded.

"Not only that, he must have 5 or 6 grandkids by now!" Nami teased, much to Usopp's chagrin.

"That's awesome too!"

"Hey!"

It was very fortunate for him that Luffy was as easy going as he was, accepting Usopp's criticism with barely a pout as he handed over the flag-making supplies. The crew stood around, watching as Usopp worked quickly to create a new flag design. After about 20 minutes, the long-nosed boy stood, proudly showing off his work; there was one problem, however…

"That's not our mark!" Luffy, Zoro, and Hazel yelled, smacking Usopp in the back of the head. Another 20 minutes later, and they finally had a complete flag, with a much more polished version of Luffy's original design displayed proudly on the front.

"Good, I like it!" Nami exclaimed, pleased with Usopp's work. Hazel nodded her head approvingly, picking up the scrapped designs to clean up a bit.

"That's great!" Luffy said, proud of the new design. "Let's paint it on the sail too!" Usopp nodded, and after carefully navigating his way to the main sail with all his tools, quickly got to work painting a second jolly roger on the fabric. Hazel watched him from the deck, both admiring his work and making sure he didn't fall, but before she knew it, the sail was complete, and Usopp was back on solid ground. Er...ship deck.

"There, it's complete!" Luffy's shout filled the air. "Our pirate ship, the Going Merry, is ready!" Hazel flung an arm around her brother's shoulder, squeezing him in close as they both gazed up at the sail.

"We're really doin' it, Luff…" She said softly, matching his grin. They glanced over at their growing crew, all resting on deck after raising their jolly roger. "We should celebrate! Come on, let's look around for some food and drinks, hm?"

"Yeah!" Luffy yelled, and he followed behind her.

"I should probably take the kitchen so we'll actually have food to share with everyone," Hazel smirked at Luffy's pouting face. "Don't give me that look. You take a look in storage for anything we can use to turn this into a real party." At the word "party" Luffy's pout disappeared, replaced by a wide grin as he ran to the storage room. Hazel just chuckled, heading upstairs to the kitchen to look around.

The galley of the Going Merry was warm and inviting, though maybe a tad plain. The walls and floors matched the oakwood of the rest of the caravel, with the exception of the gray stone-brick kitchen area to the left of the door. In the middle of the room was a short pole, about waist-height, with a matching sheep figurehead at the top. From what Hazel could understand, this was the steering mechanism. She stepped around the dining table and benches to search through the fridge at the back of the room. They'd probably have to stop for more rations before too long (especially with Luffy's appetite), but for now it seemed well-stocked.

She had just loaded her arms with food when suddenly the ship began to shake, a loud BOOM! ringing in her ears. Setting everything carefully on the table, Hazel ran back out to the deck, her shock mirrored on the faces of Zoro, Nami, and Usopp. The four ran to the top deck, ready for whatever danger there may be, but found only Luffy standing there, a cannon pointed vaguely in the direction of a large rock.

"What are you firing at?!" Zoro yelled, reaching the deck first. Luffy appeared unperturbed by the outburst, continuing to stare calmly at the spot his cannonball had sunk.

"That rock. It's cannon practice," he said simply, causing Hazel's brow to twitch in annoyance.

"What happened to the party, Luffy? You were supposed to be looking for supplies!"

"That's how I found the cannonballs! I wanted to practice, but it doesn't shoot right," he whined while Hazel facepalmed.

"That's silly, let me try," Usopp said, walking up behind them to stand by the cannon. Hazel stood back, arms crossed, irked at the sudden change in plans. She really should've known better than to have Luffy help.

"Are you pouting?" Zoro murmured in her ear, causing her to jump.

"One more word and you're going in the ocean," she warned, glaring at him. The swordsman only smirked, deciding this was payback for making him shower with Luffy earlier, and the two turned back to "cannon practice".

"Hit that rock," Luffy ordered, pointing at the spot he'd originally tried to hit. It was a lone, tall rock, smack dab in the middle of the sea; the perfect target. Usopp put his hands on the cannon, maneuvering it into a different angle.

"Judging from your first shot…" the boy muttered, making a few last adjustments. "This should do it…"

BOOM! The rock exploded.

"Wow! You hit it on your first try!" "Wow! I hit it on my first try!" Luffy and Usopp exclaimed in unison, both impressed by the crumbling structure. Hazel's gray eyes widened at the considerably shorter rock, amazed at the boy's skill. Yasopp's son indeed…

"Wow, good shot, Usopp!" She told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. The boy quickly straightened, his voice putting on a rather haughty air as he bragged.

"See?! Didn't I tell you? I always hit what I aim at. If you're impressed, just call me 'Captain'." Hazel rolled her eyes, letting it slide this time. Let the kid brag a bit; she doubted any of them would've gotten that on the first shot.

"No, I'll call you our sniper!" Luffy declared, and though it wasn't the title Usopp wanted, Hazel could see he was still brimming with pride.

"Well then," She interrupted. "Why don't we celebrate our new ship, and our sniper with some lunch?"

"Ok, you can be captain...for now," Usopp said, sitting at the dining table with Nami and Luffy, sipping some tea. Zoro sat against the wall, not asleep but resting his head against the wood, while Hazel worked in the kitchen to make them some sandwiches. "But if you ever show cowardice, I'll take over in a heartbeat." She held back her snort; like that would ever happen.

"Fine with me," Luffy agreed, likely thinking the same thing. "I've been thinking! There's one position we need to fill before we reach the Grand Line!" Hazel smiled, piling plates with sandwiches.

"This galley has all the equipment," Nami pointed out, moving her book out of the way as Hazel placed a plate in front of her. "I'll do it, for a price."

"I can help out too, though I only really know the basics," Hazel said, putting another plate on the barrel next to Zoro's head.

"Good," he said, glancing up at her as she moved past. "That skill is essential for a long voyage."

"Then it's agreed," Luffy declared, leaning across the table, and nearly knocking Usopp's plate over. "A pirate ship must have...a musician!"

"Are you nuts?!"

"I thought you were going to say something smart for once!"

"This is piracy, not a pleasure cruise!"

"Pirates have to sing, don't they?" Luffy said, trying to win over his crewmates.

"Oh, Luffy…" Hazel shook her head, fond but still exasperated by her brother's one-track mind. "We can sing after we find someone who can cook more than five dishes, without draining us dry financially." She side-eyed the orange-haired navigator currently batting her eyelashes in her direction.

"COME OUT AND FIGHT, DOGS!" A voice shouted from outside. Usopp jumped so bad he dropped his tea cup, and it was only because Hazel had been standing right there that she'd managed to catch it before it shattered. No luck on the tea, though. She glared at the door, muscles tense and ready to fight. "I'LL MURDER THE LOT OF YOU!" Outside, they could hear the sounds of barrels being smashed, and Luffy ran out to see what was going on, Hazel hot on his heels.

"Hey! Who are you?!" Luffy yelled as they stepped outside. From what Hazel could see, there was only one enemy. The man glared up at them through his sunglasses (she assumed anyway, as she couldn't actually see his eyes), brandishing his sword as he responded.

"What's it to you who I am?!" He yelled, swiping his sword at Luffy's feet, tearing off the top of the deck's railing. Luffy leapt over the sword, landing on the main deck behind the man currently terrorizing their ship. Hazel jumped back, her back hitting the door as she avoided sword swipe at her gut. She could see Nami and Usopp pressing their noses to the glass, giving her a look that clearly meant "do you need help?" She shook her head, signalling for them to stay put, and turned her attention back to the man who'd shifted his focus onto Luffy. "I've claimed the bounty on the world's most infamous pirates. How dare you nobodies try to kill my partner?!" He swung the sword back once again, ready to strike out at the rubber-man.

"Partner?! Who? Where?" Luffy yelled, gearing up for the incoming attack. Hazel looked around for something to help fight him off with, but it wasn't needed. As the man lunged, Luffy jumped, grabbing a hold of the man's face. As he landed on his feet, he flipped the man over his head, shouting, "Sorry, but I can't let you wreck our ship!" He landed. The man went flying forward, slamming face-first against the side of the storage room. He slumped to the ground, blood dripping from his nose.

"A hair's breadth from death…" He murmured. Hazel made her way to the main deck, nudging at the man's prone form with her foot.

"How dramatic…" She mused, taking a better look at the guy now that he wasn't actively trying to kill them. He had close cropped, dark hair, and a rather large tattoo on his left cheek.

"What the heck was that all about?" Luffy asked, plopping down on the deck, catching his hat that had fallen off during the struggle. Hazel shrugged, glancing up as she heard the door to the galley open. Zoro poked his head over the missing railing, brow raising at the sight of the man who'd attacked them.

"Huh? Well, I'll be...it's Johnny!" Hazel looked at him in surprise.

"You know this clown?"

"Z-Zoro! My brother!" The man, Johnny, yelled as he got to his feet, the fight forgotten.

"What's going on?" Zoro asked, ignoring Hazel for now. "Where's Yosaku?"

"So...you know him, and there's two of them?" Hazel tried again, only to be met with a withering glare from the swordsman and his apparent friend. She huffed, glancing away to see Nami and Usopp still pressed to the galley window.

"That's just it!" Johnny turned back to Zoro. "Listen to me, Yosaku is…he's…" The man couldn't seem to finish his sentence, and when he realized this he turned around, running around to the side of the deck. The three followed him in confusion, surprised to see another small ship anchored next to them, presumably Johnny's. The man disappeared inside his ship, reappearing a moment later carrying another man, this one looking pale, bloody, sickly and near death. With Zoro's help, they lay the man across the main deck, and now joined by Nami and Usopp, listened to Johnny tell his tale.

"Dying?!"

"He was fit as a fiddle a few days ago…" Johnny explained, holding back tears over his partner's plight. "Then he went pale and started passing out! I don't know what's wrong! His teeth are falling out, and he's bleeding from old scars." Hazel placed a hand on her chin; those symptoms seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember why. "I didn't know what to do, so I went to get some rest and think on that rock. Then one of you shot a cannonball at me!" Luffy and Usopp looked up in shock, immediately bowing and apologizing.

"Forgive us!"

"That's history, forget it," Johnny told them, head in his hands and body shaking as he tried and failed to hold back his tears. "What good are apologies, anyway?!" Now Luffy and Usopp were crying with him. "Our reputation has grown. Pirates fear the names of Johnny and Yosaku. He's my trusted partner, we've hunted pirates together for years! My brother's gonna...is he gonna die?"

Hazel swallowed; she had to admit, it didn't look good for Yosaku. Even Zoro looked worried. She walked over, placing a hand gently on Johnny's shoulder, all forgiven between them for wrecking the ship. She'd react the same way if the roles were reversed. His body continued to shake with unshed tears, and she gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze; it only resulted in him crying harder, and so she did her best to provide comfort, rubbing circles into his shoulder with her thumb. It was all she knew how to do right now. If only she could figure out what was wrong with Yosaku…

"Don't be stupid!" Nami yelled suddenly, causing Hazel to look at her in shock, and the others to glare.

"What the hell, Nami?!" Zoro scolded, fists clenched and glaring daggers at the young woman.

"How dare you make light of my partner's death?!" Johnny yelled, shrugging off Hazel's hand as he grabbed his sword.

"Luffy! Usopp! There's some limes in the galley! Squeeze some and bring me the juice!" Nami ordered, ignoring the men who looked ready to cut her to pieces. Hazel, meanwhile, had an epiphany at the word "limes", and snapped her fingers in recognition.

"Oh, duh! Limes are in the fridge! The fridge!" She called out after her brother, feeling stupid for not realizing what it was sooner. "Nami, I'm so glad you're here…" she muttered, smiling at the younger woman. The navigator looked away, looking slightly uncomfortable, but Hazel figured that maybe she just wasn't that good with genuine praise, and let it go. The boys came back out a moment later, a mug of lime juice in Luffy's hands, and began forcing it down Yosaku's throat.

"Limes?" Johnny asked as Luffy yelled at his partner to drink.

"It's scurvy," Nami told him as Hazel nodded.

"With any luck, he should be fine in a few days," the older woman finished. "Sorry, I should've recognized it sooner."

"Really, sister?!" Johnny yelled, looking between the two women.

"Don't call me that," Nami scolded, though Hazel was unbothered. "A generation ago, scurvy was the bane of sailors, but it's simply caused by poor nutrition. Fruits and vegetables rot on long voyages…"

"This is why I still make you eat your fruits and veggies, Luffy," Hazel muttered to her brother, who was currently gazing at Nami with awe.

"Wow, you're like a doctor!"

"I always knew you were a brilliant woman," Usopp said proudly.

"These are basic things you should know if you expect to survive at sea, morons!"

At that moment, the previously corpse-like Yosaku jumped to his feet, dancing and cheering in circles with his partner. "Saved by lime juice!"

"Good job, brother!"

"You're not well enough to dance!" Nami scolded, but she was thoroughly ignored by the two men.

"Introduction time," Johnny said, suddenly stopping his dance. "I'm Johnny."

"And I'm Yosaku," said his partner, lighting a cigarette. "We're brother Zoro's old bounty hunting partners. Pleased to meet you!"

"Should you be smoking?" Hazel asked, surprised by the man's quick recovery. Maybe he just had that same stupid immune system Luffy did; that kid never got sick, and always recovered from injuries really quickly. Yosaku waved her off, taking a drag off the cigarette in response.

"I don't know how to thank all of you, I was sure I was a goner."

"I still can't believe it," Johnny spoke up, looking at their swordsman. "Pirate Hunter Zoro...is a pirate!"

"We love a bit of irony around here," Hazel joked, earning a look from Zoro. She just smiled, but it dropped quickly when Yosaku began to spit up blood.

"Yosaku!"

"Lie down and rest!" Zoro and Hazel both yelled at the man. Hazel walked over, grabbing Yosaku by the head, and forcing him to lie down. Yosaku collapsed on the deck, passing out instantly; a quick glance told everyone he was still ok, however, and the group dispersed a bit, leaving Johnny to look after his partner.

"Learn anything?" Nami asked, sitting on the stairs. Hazel sat beside her, legs stretched out, and leaned against the side of the ship.

"A long voyage on the high seas is fraught with hidden dangers," Zoro answered, sounding a bit like a schoolboy reciting a lesson.

"Those guys would be dead if we hadn't come along," Usopp mused. Hazel had to agree; they'd been extremely lucky that Luffy had decided on cannon practice instead of a party today. "We still need someone who can transform the ship's stores into something edible. A ship's cook."

"He's right, it's an absolute necessity!" Nami agreed.

"I also vote in favor of sea cook!" Hazel declared, raising her hand in the air. Luffy grinned, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"Ok! We'll look for a sea cook!" He agreed. That was easy. "What good is a ship without decent grub?"

"You saying my food ain't decent?" Hazel teased, no fire behind her words. Sure, she'd had to at least learn to cook some basic staples to provide for them as kids, but she was no chef.

"Brother! Brother!" Came a voice to their right, drawing attention from the crew's short meeting.

"Speak, Johnny," Zoro told him, and Hazel had to laugh a little at how much these men clearly respected him. That was a story she needed to hear sometime…

"If you need a cook, I know where to find one," Johnny began, a smile on his face now that his partner was (mostly) in the clear. "But whether he'll join up with you is another matter…"

"A sea restaurant?" The Straw Hats asked when he'd finished explaining.

"It's two or three days sailing from here, but be careful, it's near the Grand Line. Some rough customers frequent that place. Brother, they say even that Hawk-eye you were hunting goes there." That piqued Zoro's interest, and in turn Hazel's. She glanced over at him, noting the almost feral look in his eye at the mention of this "Hawk-eye". He was clearly excited about something, she just didn't know what. "I'll lead you there if you want!" Johnny said, walking past the swordsman. He was met with cheers by Luffy and Usopp, and Nami got up to adjust their course.

Hazel continued sitting there, watching the expression on Zoro's face. It was as though he was still processing what Johnny had said, like it hadn't sunk in yet. Who was this "Hawk-eye"?

"You seem excited," She piped up, not one to beat around the bush, and drawing him from his thoughts. He glanced at her, expression slightly more guarded than before. "'I followed a pirate I was after out to sea', that's what you said when we first met, right?" His eyes widened, and she winked at him. "I'm a writer, it's my job to remember things like that. Look, I'm not gonna pry into your business...just, be careful, ok?" With that she stood up, stretching, and headed back to the galley to finish her sandwich from earlier, leaving the grass-haired swordsman to stare after her.

That night, the newly christened Straw Hat Pirates finally celebrated their new vessel. Hazel and Nami worked together in the kitchen to whip up enough food to satisfy everyone (especially Luffy, who had hovered around them the entire time they worked), while Zoro raided the wine rack in the back of the room. Usopp and Luffy sat with arms laid across each other's shoulders, singing sea shanties loudly and off-key. They were joined by Johnny and Yosaku, who looked to be feeling much better after some rest, and who were currently grouped up with Zoro in the back of the room, reminiscing and catching up on each other's adventures.

"But why the 'Straw Hats'?" Usopp whined, once again trying to weasel his way into a more important role. Hazel set another plate in front of Luffy, not remotely phased as the boy inhaled what had once been about a pound of noodles. She had to hand it to the sniper, though; the boy was persistent. To answer his question, she simply pointed at her brother, specifically at the accessory resting on his head.

"Hat," She said simply, dead-eyed expression in place as she turned back to her cooking. If Usopp had a response, she didn't hear it, as she was immediately pulled into another conversation by Nami.

"Haven't we made enough? If we keep cooking, we won't have any food left!"

"Does he look like he's done eating?" Hazel laughed, pointing her wooden spoon behind her at Luffy. "Besides, we're getting a cook tomorrow, right? We'll be fine!"

"You're way too calm about this!" The navigator scolded, watching in horror as Luffy devoured yet another plate of food, belly expanding to impossible sizes to accommodate it all. "If you're not more careful about rationing your supplies, you could end up starving!"

"Relax, Nami," Hazel said, calmly handing her a much smaller plate of noodles than what she'd previously made. "One night of overindulgence never hurt anybody. Besides, our crew's expanding, we've got a ship and a jolly roger, we've already been in numerous dangerous situations and survived despite it all...we deserve to celebrate!" Despite her words, Hazel did reach over to turn off the stove, grabbing her own plate piled high with food as she led Nami over to the table. "And if it makes you feel any better," she whispered before sitting down. "I already stashed some non-perishables in a barrel downstairs, just in case."

"Oi, Hazel! Whatcha whispering about?"

"Nothing, Luffy!" With a conspiratorial wink to Nami, she sat down beside her brother, listening happily to the flow of conversation around her. If she closed her eyes, it was almost like being back in Party's Bar, all those years ago; singing sea shanties, drinking contests in the corner, and even-

"Hazel! Tell us a story!" Luffy shouted, and she opened her eyes with a small smile.

"Alright, alright," Hazel laughed. "Let's see here…"

And even that…

Hours later, when they'd finally had their fill of partying, Hazel put on her best "I'm-In-Charge Voice" and declared that it was now, officially, bedtime. She was only met with a few grumbles from the youngest of their members, the oldest among them having already passed out around the floor, but she received no argument as the boys made their way to their room. The only one who didn't seem tired was Zoro, though Hazel chalked that up to his 52 naps throughout the day, and after confirming that he'd keep watch over the anchored ship, she followed Nami into their room.

The navigator silently made her way to the nicer of the two beds, not even bothering to change into pajamas before collapsing onto the covers. Hazel meandered her way over to the less fancy bed, reaching underneath to pull out her pack before sitting down on the covers. She turned on the lamp beside her bed, thankful that it didn't flood the entire room with light and disturb the other girl, then pulled out her notebook to quickly jot down the day's events before she fell asleep.

"You can use the desk you know," came Nami's groggy voice from across the room. Hazel glanced up at the object in question, nestled neatly by the staircase, then shook her head.

"I'll be fine, I only need to write a few things down quick," she assured the navigator, before another thought struck her. "Speaking of which, we might wanna either look into a second writing desk, or set up a schedule for using that one. Since we both have a need for it, we'll need to find a way to share; and no, I'm not paying you when it's my turn," she joked, though Nami didn't laugh. Hazel turned her gaze to the orange-haired woman, currently facing away from her on the bed. Something about her behavior that day had struck Hazel as odd; it could all have been a coincidence, but she couldn't help but feel as though Nami didn't plan on being a permanent addition to the crew…

"I won't become a pirate! Let's just say we'll join forces...work together for a common goal!"

Sighing, Hazel finished scribbling out her last sentence, sliding the notebook and pencil onto the end table beside her. She clicked off the bedside lamp, snuggling under the warm covers, and tried to pretend she didn't feel a bit saddened at the thought that Nami might not stick around.

"Oi, quit squirming!"

"Make me!" Hazel pouted in response to Zoro's scolding. She was currently leaning up against him, trying and failing to put a sentence together, hence the squirming. Instead of words, small random doodles dotted the margins of her notebook, and she wondered if she'd have an easier time if she got up and ate something.

"Jeez, you're a terrible artist," Zoro told her, glancing at the notebook's contents over her shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to be writing?"

"It's all part of the process," she said, putting a mysterious air in her voice. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be training? Or something?" She felt him shrug against her.

"Nah, it's naptime." She turned to look at him, incredulous.

"Again? You've already napped twice today! It's not even lunchtime!" The swordsman just shrugged again. "How are you supposed to become the 'World's Greatest Swordsman' if you're sleeping all the time?"

"Hey, there's no problem that can't be solved with a good nap!" He said, smirk on his face as he settled back to close his eyes. Unfortunately for him, his response had caused the woman to whip around fully, looking at him with a mixture of mirth and curiosity.

"Well, what if you're in a situation where you can't nap?" He just pointed to the bundle of swords laying next to him.

"Swords."

"Oh yeah? Well...what if you can't use those either?" He just gave her a look that said "really?", to which she shrugged as if to say "go with it".

"Booze." At that she rolled her eyes, turning back to her notebook. Zoro closed his eyes again, figuring the conversation was done and over with, but he'd miscalculated just how badly the violet-haired woman wanted to procrastinate.

"OOF!" His eyes bugged out of his skull as Hazel suddenly leapt across his stomach, reaching out to grab his swords from his other side. He'd barely registered what she was doing when he reached out to stop her, but the woman was quick and had gotten the drop on him, and before he could take his weapons back she'd tossed them across the deck. "Dammit, woman!"

"Usopp, catch!" She yelled, laughter in her voice as the boy screamed. He caught them just in time, shock apparent on his face as he registered the angry look on the swordsman's face.

"Hazel?! Do you want me to get killed?!" He yelped again as Zoro glared at him, fury emanating from every inch of him.

"Hahaha! Run, Usopp!" Luffy yelled from the figurehead, thoroughly entertained like the chaos demon he was.

"Luffy, you're next!" Zoro yelled, finally pushing up from the floor; but before he could, Hazel wrapped her arms around both his legs, settling her head on his lap and fighting against every attempt he made to stand.

"Oh wow, you're right! Napping is great! Good thing I've got this nice pillow to lay on!" She cackled, hanging on tight even as he finally stood up, trying to inch his way over to Usopp who was still screaming and running for his life. "Whatcha gonna do, Swordsman?! You've got no booze, no swords, and you can't nap your way out of this one!" At that the swordsman paused, a dark look coming over his face as he smirked down at her. Dread clawed her gut at the scheming look in the man's eyes; eyes that were currently getting closer.

"OOF!" Hazel wheezed, the wind knocking out of her as Zoro's body rammed her against the deck. "Holy shit," she managed to get out, failing to catch her breath through the giggles still escaping her. "You're so fucking heavy!" She tried pushing him off, surprised to find even he was chuckling a bit at the situation. Score one for me! Then came another voice, much too close for comfort.

"DOGPILE!"

"LUFFY, NO!" SLAM! Both swordsman and record-keeper were crushed under their captain's weight, laughter turned to groans as the boy continued to shake in hysterics. Through watering eyes, Hazel could see Usopp tentatively approach, still clutching Zoro's swords in his arms.

"You guys are crazy…" he muttered, still looking terrified. Hazel tried to give him a smile, but found it a tad difficult underneath the weight of two men.

"Cut it out, you guys!" Nami yelled from the upper deck. "I can't concentrate on our course with all that racket!" Luffy finally crawled off his crewmates.

"Sorry, Nami!" He yelled, looking anything but. Finally free, Zoro stood up, holding a hand out for Hazel to pull herself up with. She took it, grateful, and dusted herself off as he took his swords back from Usopp. Lucky for both of them, it seemed the swordsman had no hard feelings; at least, not after seeing they were undamaged.

"Sorry, Nami!" Hazel called out, more sincere than her brother, and the younger woman just nodded, accepting the apology before turning back to her work. The chaos subsided, everyone went back to what they'd been doing, including Hazel. She still didn't have much in the way of sentences, but her brain felt a bit clearer after the distraction.

"Here we are! The sea restaurant!" Johnny yelled, crossing over to their ship about 20 minutes later. "Brother Zoro! Brother Luffy! Brother Usopp! Brother Nami! Sister Hazel!"

"Does he have to call me 'brother'?" Nami asked, annoyed.

"Well, you did say not to call you sister," Hazel reminded her, amusement clear in her voice. The girl just gave her a short glare, to which Hazel surrendered before joining the others on the upper deck.

A short distance away was a large, colorful vessel; a cross between a boat and a building, with a fish-shaped figurehead. "Baratie" was labeled along the side of the boat, along with the word "restaurant" at the top, leaving no question that this was where they'd meant to go.

"What do you think?"

"What a huge fish!" Luffy yelled, gazing at the restaurant with glee.

"Wow! It's cool!" Nami and Usopp both shouted, matching Luffy's grin. Hazel stood beside her brother, delighted at the sight of the restaurant. A restaurant on a boat - who would've thought?

As they approached the Baratie, the crew's attention was caught by another approaching ship, this one with a familiar white and blue pattern.

"Woah! A marine ship!" Hazel's eyes narrowed; it'd be best if they could avoid a fight for now, but the chances of that happening were pretty slim. "Where'd it come from?" Luffy asked, not sounding the least bit worried.

"I hope they don't blast us," came Usopp's shaky reply, and they all caught sight of the ship's cannon, pointed right in their direction.

"Hey, we're not pirates!" Johnny yelled, hiding behind the railing with Yosaku. Nice, you guys...weren't these guys supposed to be big, tough bounty hunters?

"Look!" Yosaku pointed towards the Marine ship. "Who's that guy?"

Standing on the deck of the ship was a man with bright, pink hair, wearing a gray pinstripe suit. It was hard to see his expression, but from what Hazel could tell, he seemed to be assessing them.

"I'm lieutenant Ironfist Fullbody," he called out to them after a moment, brandishing his fist. "Ironfist" was apparently meant literally, as he had bolts attached to his knuckles. That's...original, Hazel supposed. "Who's the captain? Speak your name!"

"Monkey D. Luffy!"

"I'm Usopp!" Hazel quickly shushed the sniper, who flinched at the sight of her disapproving glare.

"We just made our pirate flag yesterday!" Luffy continued.

"And I'm the one who drew it!" Usopp spoke up again, now ignoring Luffy's matching glare. Ok, so that was probably more info than the Marine lieutenant needed, but Hazel wasn't gonna say anything about it now.

"Yesterday?"

"What amateurs!"

"Hey!" Hazel scolded the two bounty hunters, stopping their laughter in its tracks. "These 'amateurs' saved your life yesterday," she reminded them coolly.

"O-of course, Sister Hazel!" The men quickly rectified.

"Hm, you two scalawags look familiar," Fullbody said, eyes on the two men. "You visit the government agencies a lot. You're those two-bit bounty hunters, Yosaku and Johnny. Captured by pirates, eh?"

"Yosaku, this guy may have just insulted us."

"Two-bit? He can't call us that, it's a matter of honor. Let's make Mr. Marine Fancy Pants revise his view of us." The bounty hunters pulled out their swords, attacking the man before Hazel could stop them. Two seconds later, they both were lying at her feet, faces swollen where they'd met the literal iron fist. "A hair's breadth from death…"

"Are you guys weak or what?" Luffy asked, glaring down at them.

"N-no. he's really tough," Yosaku insisted, while Johnny just repeated that he was a "hair's breadth from death".

"You're not recovered yet!" Hazel scolded the two idiots.

"What are you doing?" Zoro asked them, sounding exasperated with his old comrades.

"Fullbody!~ Quit picking on those sissies, and let's go!" Came a feminine voice from the Marines' ship, arms reaching out from behind a door to take the lieutenant's sleeve.

"Yes, my dear. It's your lucky day, pirates!" Ironfist called out to them, brandishing his knuckles. "It's my day off. I've come to dine. But beware, when we meet again, you're dead."

"What's this, Johnny?" Nami asked suddenly, kneeling by the man's head. When the two had fallen, a stack of papers had spilled out of both their coats, and were now laying on the deck surrounding them. The orange-haired navigator had one in her hands, giving it a thorough examination, though Hazel couldn't see what was on it.

"Ugh, wanted posters," Johnny answered, spitting blood from his mouth. "Pirates and bounties, Sister Nami." Nami seemed to tense up, sparking concern as Hazel watched her carefully. "An ugly business, I get a bounty for every one I kill." Johnny glanced up, apparently noticing the same tension Hazel had. "Something wrong?"

"Ahh! This is bad!" Usopp interrupted. Hazel turned her head so quick she got whiplash, but it was quickly forgotten at the sight before her. "They're shooting a cannon at us!"

"WHAT?!"

BOOM!"

"AH! They fired on us!" Usopp continued to yell.

"Luffy!" Hazel called out, but the boy was already way ahead of her.

"I'll handle it!" He climbed on top of the railing, sucking in a deep breath as the cannonball sailed toward them.

"Luffy, what the-?!"

"Gum Gum...BALLOON!" At the last minute, and to almost everyone's shock, Luffy's body expanded, catching the cannonball before it could hit their ship. "Here's your cannonball!" He yelled, sending it flying away. Only, rather than the Marine ship, the projectile went flying towards the restaurant instead.

"You returned it to the wrong place, idiot!"

In shock, Luffy fell backwards off the railing, landing on the deck with tears in his eyes. Everyone, pirate and Marine alike, stared at the brand new, smoking hole in the roof of the Baratie.

"Shit…"

"We got him, chef! He's the scoundrel!"

"I'm really sorry!" Luffy pleaded, being hoisted into the room by the back of his shirt. Hazel was right behind him, worry and annoyance etched on her face at her brother's treatment. Ok, so he'd destroyed part of the restaurant, did that really justify manhandling him?

The chefs had arrived on the Going Merry less than five minutes after the hole had been created, immediately yelling for the culprit. Luffy, the honest boy that he was, willingly confessed to the destruction, and since Ironfist had already disappeared inside, there was really no one else to pin the blame on anyway. As they dragged Luffy away, Hazel ran after them, hoping to be an advocate in his favor. By the look on the owner's face, though, she figured that probably wasn't going to happen.

The man was short, stocky, with a hat about half as tall as Hazel. Blood dripped down the side of his face, likely from the impact of the cannonball, and from his bed he was glaring at them from over his (rather impressive) mustache. But what really caught attention from the two siblings, was the complete lack of a right leg.

"AH! I blew off your foot?!" Luffy screamed, horrified. Hazel turned away in terror, thoughts going at a mile a minute. There was no way they could make up for something like that! Would he demand their supplies? Their ship? Their heads?!

"Oh, it was already like that…" Luffy said, pulling her from her thoughts. Oh. Duh. The guy already had a peg-leg, of course it was an old injury. "But you're hurt all over!"

"That's right, punk! Now, how do you plan to make it up to me?!" The old chef demanded.

"Uhh…"

"We don't have any money, sir…" Hazel answered, rather pathetically. She looked around at the damage. That was going to be a damn expensive repair.

"No beli, huh? Then you'll work off your debt," The man declared, leaning back against his mattress. Well, that seemed reasonable enough.

"Ok, I'll do it," Luffy agreed easily. The old man smirked.

"You'll work without pay for one year! Then we'll call it even."

"A whole year?!" The siblings shouted, indignant at the man's terms.

"Sir, is there any way to shorten that?" Hazel asked, trying to sound polite and respectful. Luffy had no such qualms.

"Give me a break. I'll work for one week!" Hazel felt like facepalming; of course the old man wouldn't go for that.

"Don't insult me, boy. Your witless bombardment damaged my establishment and injured me. One measly week of work won't do. You'll serve me for one full year, eh?"

"I won't!" Luffy argued, defiant. "I've already waited 10 years to be a pirate! I won't wait another whole year!" The rubber-man crossed his arms, pouting. "That's my last offer. I'll permit you to let me work it off in a week!"

"Dammit, Luffy! That's not how this works!"

"You don't decide, Eggplant-head!" The old man yelled out, suddenly catching Luffy by the side of the head with his peg-leg. "Chef's Special-Peg-Leg-Kick!" The boy went flying across the room, slamming into a dresser which only added to the mess of damage. Hazel stared at the old man incredulously; wasn't he just saying he was injured? "What I'll permit is for me to decide!"

"You must be feeling better," Luffy snarked, completely unharmed.

"Shut up!"

"Sir, please! Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Okay, kids. Since your time is so precious, I'll offer you a quick way out of this." Hazel brightened. They were getting somewhere! Then he brought out a knife. "Give me a leg. Leave one with me." The girl's hope turned to horror; this guy was nuts!

"I don't want to," Luffy said simply. "That's crazy, mister. I'm not Buggy the Clown."

"Argh! What you want doesn't matter, boy!" The old man leapt into the air, positioning himself above where Luffy still lay on the floor. "Chef drop!" He slammed into the boy, only to look up in fear a second later. He met Hazel's gaze. CRACK! Their eyes widened. Then, the floor fell through.

"AHHH!"

Hazel leapt back, just far enough to avoid falling with the two men to the floor below. She could hear shouting underneath her, though there was too much of it to make out what was being said, and she turned around to rush down the stairs. She knew Luffy would be ok, but she hated to think what this would mean for the debt they now owed.

Just as she was coming down the stairs, she heard a loud BANG! She paused on the steps, head whipping so fast in the direction of the gunshot that her purple curls smacked her in the face; her neck was starting to get sore. Just what the hell was going on around here?!

She finished descending the stairs to the main floor of the restaurant, eyes immediately finding Luffy in the middle of the floor. He was surrounded by four other people, one of them being the Marine they'd encountered earlier and who started this whole mess. He was lying on the floor near Luffy, looking rather worse for wear, but Hazel couldn't find it in her to feel any sympathy for him. The old chef was also there, and she assumed the other two were some of his employees; a tall man with a beard and a piece of rope tied around his shaved head, and a young blonde man in a suit, smoking a cigarette. They were all staring at the door, the same direction she'd heard the gunshot, and as she peered through the doorway she could only make out a dark figure standing behind a fallen Marine.

"Customer, party of one," she heard Rope Head say.

"He'd better not try to bust up my place," The old geezer responded; Hazel actually did feel a bit bad for him now. He was having a rough day.

"A pirate!" Luffy called out. The man ignored all of them, sauntering into the restaurant to fold into a seat at an empty table. He placed one foot on top of the tablecloth, commanding all the attention in the room.

"Bring me food," He said after a moment, breaking the tense silence. "Anything. This is a restaurant, ain't it?"

Rope Head went up to his table, a large smile on his face as he prepared to take his order. "Welcome, Squidface!" Hazel's eyes widened. Was he insulting him, or just stupid? Both?

"I'm only going to say this once more, so listen," The pirate said again, apparently unbothered. "I'm a customer. Bring me food!" Everyone waited with baited breath as the cook responded.

"Pardon me, mon-sewer," He said, with a horrendous fake accent. "But can you pay?"

"You take lead?" The pirate countered, pointing his gun straight at the cook's forehead. The cook wasn't taking that lightly, however.

"You don't got money?" Hazel jumped as the cook suddenly slammed his fist on the other man's head, breaking the chair beneath him to pieces. The restaurant patrons cheered, but the head chef seemed more annoyed about the broken furniture than anything else. "If you can't pay, you ain't a customer…" The man groaned pathetically from his spot on the floor, beginning to pick himself up.

"Yay, Patty! Finish that scum!" The other chefs cheered, while a strange gurgling sound came from the fallen pirate. "Hey, chef, his stomach's growling!"

"Idiot," The pirate shot back, light smile on his face. "That was a fart." Ew. "Just gimme a little food, eh?"

"You're no customer, so get lost!" Rope Head - er, Patty - fired back at him, screaming in his face as he continued to kick at the fallen man. "Customers are a restaurant's life's blood! I wouldn't give yesterday's rice to a penniless sea wolf like you!" The pirate finally seemed to pass out, and Hazel barely caught the Marine lieutenant walking out the door before Patty stood up straight. He did a strange little curtsy with his apron, smiling at the customers who'd been watching the whole thing. "Dear customers! Please! Enjoy your meals!" Then he picked up the pirate, walked over to a side door, and promptly discarded him on the outer deck.

Everyone seemed to disperse a bit then, the cooks going back to their kitchen and the customers back to their plates. Hazel heard the old chef snap at Luffy to clean up the broken furniture, before they too disappeared somewhere into the kitchen. She thought about going after them, maybe to argue with the old man about Luffy's sentence some more, but then thought better of it. Arguing the point further when he'd just had more of his restaurant destroyed would likely result in something worse for Luffy; as far as shortening his sentence, they'd figure something out later. As she made her way onto the main floor, movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention. The blonde man from earlier was leaving the kitchen, heading towards the door Patty had thrown the pirate out of earlier, and he was carrying a bowl of steaming food.

Interesting…

Before she could move further, Luffy ran right past her, practically knocking her over as he followed the cook out the door. Hazel let out a laugh as she steadied herself. "Destroying his restaurant, and stealing his employees on the same day, Luff? You're crazy…"

"So what you're saying is, we're stuck here for a while?"

Hazel picked at the food on her plate before answering, "As of right now? Yes. But give Luffy a few more days to wreak havoc and I'm sure they'll be begging us to take him back, debt or no debt."

"You seem pretty optimistic about that," Usopp said, skeptical. Hazel just shot him a sardonic smile.

"You think that guy is capable of doing chores? Please," she laughed. Usopp considered her words for a moment before agreeing. "Just be a little patient, and hope that he doesn't catch us eating while he's working."

"Why would that matter?"

"Hey!" Speak of the devil. Luffy stormed over to their table, pout plain on his face as he eyed their plates of food.

"Hi, Chore Boy!" Nami sang out, waving at him.

"So...you gotta work for a year," Usopp teased him, ignoring Hazel's eye-rolling.

"Can we change the ship's flag?" Zoro asked, snarky smirk on his face at the captain's glare.

"No, we're not changing the flag," Hazel scolded him, but with a smile on her face that showed she enjoyed the teasing Luffy was getting. "The name might have to go, however." She let out a laugh at Luffy's appalled glare.

"Argh! You guys! You're eating without me?!" The boy yelled, attention back on their empty plates. "I'm slaving away and you're eating out?! That's mean!"

"There's a lot I could say to that, Luffy, but I'm gonna let that one go," Hazel said quietly, thinking of all the times she'd basically said the same thing to him as a child. So many nights that she'd slaved away on dinner, just to find out he'd eaten at the bar. Not that it'd mattered in the end; the boy had always had an appetite.

"Quiet down, Luffy," a voice called from another table, and Hazel turned to see the blonde guy from earlier. "Are they your crew?"

"Eat this!" Luffy muttered, picking his nose and wiping it on Zoro's cup. Hazel bit her lip, fighting back the urge to both laugh and scold him. Nami and Usopp practically doubled over, barely even trying to conceal their laughter.

"Why shouldn't we enjoy a nice meal?" Zoro asked, seemingly unaware of what had happened to his drink. "The food's not bad here." He went to take a drink, and Hazel had to turn away, covering her mouth with her palm. "But I do feel bad for you…" Suddenly, the swordsman stood up, forcing the cup to Luffy's mouth and pouring it down his throat. "You drink it!"

At that, the rest of the crew lost control of their laughter. The restaurant rang out with loud bellows of laughter; even Hazel was in tears, wiping her eyes and clutching her sides as Luffy screamed and fell to the floor. "What did you do that for?"

"What did you do that for?!" Zoro countered, watching his captain writhe on the floor. Hazel tried to calm down and catch her breath, but every time she glanced at her brother she lost it once again. It'd been a while since she'd laughed quite this hard; she was sure she'd be sore from it later.

"Oh sea, how grateful I am for this day of days!~" The blonde cook suddenly appeared behind Luffy, practically floating off the ground as he continued shouting. "Oh love!~ Smile upon me for I cannot survive this pain!~" The sudden posturing shocked Hazel out of her laughter, shock and confusion running through her as the man approached Nami. "I would stoop to becoming a pirate, or even a devil, if only I could be with you!~"

What the fuck?

"Hey, Nami? Lemme know if you need me to beat this guy up for you, ok?" Hazel whispered in the younger woman's ear. Nami just shrugged, appearing wholly unimpressed by the whole thing.

"And you, my flower!~ Your beauty is as striking as the first rays of sunset over a storm-tossed sea! I would brave the waves alone if I could only gaze upon your magnificence forever!~ Such tragedy! The obstacles between us are great!~" Hazel blinked in surprise as the man turned his attention to her, taking her hand in his and gazing up at her from one knee. What was happening here?

"Obstacles, Sanji?"

"Damn geezer!" Sanji whipped around to glare at his boss, startled out of his reverie. Hazel just continued to blink, confused at the interaction she'd just had and unsure how to process it. Nami didn't seem to be bothered by the young man's apparent affections, but when she glanced at the boys, Hazel could see that they at least seemed annoyed. Well, if they wanna switch places, they can go right ahead...

"Follow your heart. Go be a pirate," the old man said suddenly, and Hazel turned her attention back to the two sea cooks. "I don't need you here anymore."

"What?! You damn geezer, I'm the Sous Chef here. What do you mean I'm not needed?"

"You fight with the customers. You waste hours flaring your nostrils for the women. And you're a lousy cook. You're nothing but dead weight, Sanji. The other cooks don't like you much, either." Ouch. This was beginning to feel a bit awkward; but like a lion descending on its prey, it was impossible to look away from. "So go be a pirate and get out of my restaurant."

"Don't step over the line, old man!" Sanji snapped, storming over to grab the chef by the collar. "You can insult me, but don't you dare insult my cooking! I'm staying right here! You have no say in the matter!"

"Don't lay your hands on me, you overgrown eggplant!" The owner yelled, flipping the younger man into their table. Both table and Sanji went flying, the Straw Hats having just managed to save their plates before they were destroyed.

"You can't kick me out!" Sanji yelled, standing up from the wreckage. "I'll cook here forever! Until you die!"

"I won't die," Owner said, walking away from the man. "I'll live another hundred years."

"Gotta have the last word, eh?"

"Great!" Luffy said once the old man had left. "You got permission! Come be my cook!"

"Never!"

"Luffy…" Hazel said, yanking the boy back by his shirt. "Read the room."

Sanji stood up, brushing himself off, then quickly picked up the table he'd plowed into and righted it in front of Nami and Hazel. "Forgive the commotion," he said, placing a large glass bowl of what looked like fruit in front of both of them, along with glasses that he quickly began filling with whine. Where he'd gotten all that, Hazel couldn't begin to guess. "A fruit macédoine, with my compliments. And Grand Marnier as a digestive, my angels."

"Ooh, thank you!" Nami cooed, thoroughly enjoying the special treatment. Hazel, however, felt uncomfortable.

"Umm, thank you, but it's really not necessary," She said, but was spoken over by Nami, who seemed determined not to give up his attention.

"Hey! Don't we get any?" Usopp whined, pointing to him and Zoro. "That's discrimination! I'll sue!"

"I gave you tea, didn't I? You should be grateful, you mangy octopus!" Sanji immediately dropped the airy tone as he turned to the sniper, scowl on his face as he puffed smoke in his direction.

"You wanna fight? I'm not gonna take that from you! Get him, Zoro!"

"Get him yourself," The swordsman responded, ignoring the two arguing behind him as he eyed the wine in Hazel's glass. She smiled, pushing it towards him silently, and he happily drank it up.

"Here, Usopp, I'm not all that hungry. You can have mine," Hazel offered, nudging the bowl of fruit in the boy's direction. Usopp continued to dog the chef, more annoyed over the principal of it all than anything else, and so she gave the food to Luffy instead.

"You haven't even cleared my plate!" Sanji glanced at the almost clear dish.

"There's mushrooms on it, eat them!"

"I don't like mushrooms!" Usopp insisted, pressing his long nose against the other man's. "I ate a poison mushroom once when I was a kid!" That actually was one of the more believable things Hazel had heard from the boy.

"Well those aren't poisonous, so eat every bite, Long-Nose!"

"Oh, please don't fight over me!" Nami interrupted before it could escalate further. Hazel raised a brow in her direction; who was fighting over her?

"As you wish!~"

"Who's fighting over you?!" Well, at least it worked.

"Um, by the way…" Nami continued, looking demure and batting her lashes at the poor guy. "This gourmet fare is a tad pricey."

"For you, it's free!~" Sanji declared, over the moon as the girl wrapped her arms around him in thanks. He turned to the boys once again, dropping the lovey eyes as soon as he did. "Pay up, bums."

"WHAT?!"

"Ah! Actually, uh, Sir, all this food was for me," Hazel piped up, hoping she sounded as shy and feminine as Nami had. She felt a bit foolish, especially as the cook turned his gaze onto her.

"Ah, my love is so generous to her loutish companions!~ Of course, your meal is free as well, my dear!~" And he floated away, ignoring the glares he was receiving from Usopp and Zoro.

"Did you bewitch him?" The grass-haired man asked, annoyed at the interaction.

"You three better watch out, too!~" Nami teased, winking in his direction. Hazel just shook her head, glad that was over. She wasn't good at this kind of stuff. They watched as the cook enthusiastically greeted another group of ladies, showing that his attitude wasn't just reserved for them.

"What a ladies man…" Usopp muttered, receiving nods from the rest of the crew.

"Enough goofing off, Chore Boy!" Sanji suddenly yelled, smashing his foot onto Luffy's head, splashing tea all over the boy's face. He gripped him by the collar, lifting him out of his chair as they stormed away from the group. "Offer hot towels to our customers."

"Okay…" Came Luffy's pitiful response, as he was dragged away. Poor kid…

Two days later, the Straw Hats (minus Luffy) were relaxing on the Going Merry, passing the time while they waited for their captain's sentence to end, when out of the mist appeared a grand, battered vessel. The ship was easily twice the size of the Baratie, and could swallow the Merry whole if it had the means to do so.

The Krieg Pirates had arrived.

Hazel hadn't known it at the time, but she'd later learned from Luffy the events that had transpired with Sanji and the starving man, Gin. Whether it was retaliation for Patty's ill-treatment of his crewmate, or a response to Sanji's kindness in feeding him, this encounter would likely only lead to trouble. Hazel watched as the ship made a beeline for the restaurant, eyes narrowed and hands gripped around the railing.

"Woah! This is bad!" Usopp shouted, fear clear in his voice. "Let's get outta here!"

"Brother, set sail! We don't wanna die!" The bounty hunter duo voted from beneath their blankets on deck.

"We can't just leave Luffy," Hazel told them, cutting any talk of fleeing. The pirate ship docked on the other side of the restaurant, shielding their view of the crew. After a moment, shouts could be heard inside, but Hazel refrained from jumping in. She had no way of knowing how many people they'd be going up against. Glancing up, her eyes met Zoro's, and an unspoken agreement passed between them: for now, it was best to wait.

Restaurant-goers began pouring out of the Baratie, loading up on a nearby boat used for transportation to the restaurant. It was now being turned into a refugee ship, as the customers ran from what was clearly brewing to be a large-scale fight. The restaurant was mostly silent, save for a few shouts here and there, and Hazel figured they must be discussing something.

BOOM! An explosion suddenly rocketed through the front doorway. Hazel's vision was blocked by the bulk of the Baratie, but despite the loud explosion, she doubted it'd taken care of whoever it was meant to. Things were never that easy. The shouts soon resumed, followed by a barrage of gunfire.

Hazel made to leap onto the deck, but she was stopped by a tan hand on her wrist. Sharp gray eyes shot up, questioning Zoro without words about why he was stopping her. He tilted his head back towards Nami, standing tense against the wall of the galley as she listened to events unfold. Understanding clicked in Hazel's mind, and although she was annoyed at staying behind, it made sense. Yosaku had barely recovered from scurvy, and both bounty hunters were still recovering from their attempted attack on Ironfist Fullbody the other day. If any of the Krieg Pirates tried to go for the Merry, they were basically sitting ducks.

"You get to have all the fun," she huffed at him, drawing a smirk from the swordsman before he and Usopp ran for the restaurant. They snuck in through the back, disappearing into the ship, and Hazel tried to focus her attention on the people she was meant to babysit.

The shouts from inside were still distracting, though she thankfully heard no more gunfire. She kept her eyes trained mostly on the large ship looming beyond the Baratie, ready for the first sign of danger. The ship was heavily damaged, though by what she didn't know; but there was no way of knowing the state of those who sailed her.

Then things grew silent, still, and an eerie feeling crept up Hazel's neck. It was as though the entire sea was waiting for something to happen...but what?

She turned away for now; stressing herself over what was about to happen wouldn't do anyone any good. She could see Nami across the deck, appearing to be in deep concentration as she stared at something in her hand. Not one to pry into other people's business (much), Hazel decided to venture into the kitchen for a snack. Some water and some food should help settle her anxiety. As she was searching the fridge for something simple, she heard what sounded like a splash just outside. Raising a brow, Hazel made her way back onto the deck, carefully climbing the stairs to where she'd last seen the others.

"I'm a thief that only targets pirates. I'll take this ship." Nami was standing at the rail, speaking to the ocean. Her words sent a spark of dread through Hazel's gut, and she paused for a second on the stairs before running up the rest of them, nearly tripping in her haste. "I never said that I became a member. I just joined forces with them. That's all." DammitDammitDammitDammit- "I only spent a short time with Luffy and the others, but I had lots of fun. Tell them that if we're linked by fate, we'll meet again." The girl turned around, waving to who could only have been Johnny and Yosaku.

Gray eyes met brown, a certain deadness behind the navigator's eyes that Hazel had never seen before. The older woman shifted her stance, blocking the stairs, and the way to the whipstaff. Nami's eyes narrowed, a flash of something sparking behind the dead-eyed stare, then she reached for her leg, extending her bo staff. Hazel's teeth clenched, forcing the nausea of betrayal away for the time being. "You wanna run that one by me again?" She spat, causing the younger girl to flinch slightly.

"I don't like repeating myself, but I'm taking your ship; by force if necessary!"

"Oh, it will be necessary," Hazel countered, ducking a swipe from the orange-haired girl. "Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends!"

"We were never friends, we were business partners! I said from the beginning, 'I'd never be a pirate'!" Nami struck out again, this time for Hazel's feet in an effort to knock her off balance. The record-keeper leapt over the weapon, kicking off from the ground to rush at the navigator. As her leg struck out, Nami blocked the attack with her staff, gritting her teeth as she held off the stronger woman. With an impressive show of force, she pushed the older woman back, immediately swinging her staff in an effort to knock her over. Hazel was quick, steadying herself and blocking every blow Nami threw at her; she'd have hellish bruises on her arms later, but it was the best she could do short of all out attacking her.

"I don't want to fight you, Nami," Hazel told her in an even voice. "Whatever it is that's bothering you, we can help!" At that, Nami's eyes narrowed, a strange mixture of fury and fear rising behind them as she swung back, baring her teeth.

"There's nothing I need your help with! Now back! Off!" And she swung, powered on by her rage. Hazel reached up to block the blow, but was surprised by the strength behind it, and her attempt was thwarted.

SMACK!

Hazel's vision blurred as the bo staff met her temple. She felt herself double over, clutching her head as she fought the urge to throw up. The ringing in her ears made it difficult to tell what was happening around her. She looked up, squinting in an effort to lessen the blur, and could vaguely make out the tentative orange figure before her head erupted in pain once again. This time there was no fighting it, and as she succumbed to the darkness, she felt the sensation of flying; or was it falling?

"SISTER HAZEL!"