Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

20

A Baratie was a restaurant, as the crew discovered once they pulled up to the docks of the enormous ship. And, with Luffy as their captain, the next step was entirely expected and predictable as soon as they knew what it was. Eating. The entire crew had made sure to change into more appropriate clothes before disembarking from the ship and making their way into the restaurant.

Standing at a small balcony at the entrance, one which overlooked the space in its entirety, Akira admired the decoration and the warm atmosphere of the place as smells of all kinds wafted through the air, serving as a reminder that it had been quite some time since their last meal.

"Welcome to Baratie. How can I help you?" The voice of a man standing at a small desk by the entrance, had everyone turning to him, Luffy jumping over to excitedly speak to the man.

"Hi! Where do we eat?" He questioned instantly, eager to get to the main part of being there.

"Do you have a reservation, sir?" The host asked politely.

"Do we need one?" Luffy asked curiously. Although, as she took another look around, noting the opulent clothing and attire of most patrons within the establishment, she was quickly beginning to gather that this most certainly was the kind of place where you did, in fact, need a reservation.

"We're very full today." The host explained in a hesitant tone, clearly starting to grow more dismissive as their importance declined by each passing moment. "I could put you on the waiting list." He offered. "It's three weeks out." But the offer didn't sound like much of a plausible one.

That was when Usopp took it upon himself to try and convince the man to find them a table as he stepped up next to Luffy. "Maybe you want to check your book again." He said confidently. "Wouldn't want to turn away the future King of the Pirates, would you?"

"Can we stop announcing ourselves as pirates wherever we go?" Akira muttered out in a quiet voice as she gave out a small sigh. Luckily, it seemed that it didn't matter what you were in this place.

"And who is that, sir?" The host asked, an amused smile clear on his face as he obviously had no intention of being swayed.

"Monkey D. Luffy." Usopp introduced their captain, hand pointing up to Luffy's smiling face before he turned back to the host. "Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"Well, in that case, we'll find a table." The sudden change had Akira's eyes jumping back to the man with a confused look in them while Luffy and Usopp happily celebrated it. "In three weeks." And that was more like it. It didn't matter what you were in this place, only if you had a reservation.

Or rather if you had money. "You'll have to excuse them. They're idiots." Nami said, stepping up to take the spot where Luffy and Usopp had been standing moments ago, the two still so caught up in their celebrations that they hadn't even realized there was nothing to be celebrating. At least until Nami pulled a stack of Berry out of her pocket and passed it into the host's hand.

"Of course." This time, his change of tune seemed more genuine compared to the last, and soon enough he was beginning to step away from his table. "Right this way, ma'am." He said, motioning for the group to follow after him as he began to lead them down the stairs and into the main area of the lavish restaurant.

As they walked along the main floor, it wasn't long before the host stopped at one of the empty booths, allowing them all to begin taking their seats. Luffy was the first to move in, sliding all across the half circle before he ended up on the other side of it entirely and for some reason, all of them followed suit, Akira being the first to go in after him while Usopp followed her.

Only Zoro tried to take the other end by moving to it like a normal person. However, the choice proved more difficult than he'd anticipated as his swords got in the way. "I'd be happy to check your swords for you, sir." The host offered upon seeing his struggle only to have Zoro shake his head dismissively.