Ameliorate ✦ One Piece

36

"It's... uh... Well..."

Akira groaned out at Sanji's attempts at sugarcoating. "Well maybe it wouldn't be crap if I could actually see what I'm doing." She grumbled in displeasure, using the back of her hand to wipe at her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek, making Sanji and all the others laugh in amusement.

"Let me." He said, one hand taking the knife from her grasp while with the other he gently stirred her towards one of the chairs nearby. "You just take a seat and I'll make you whatever you want." He said, Akira's little adventure into attempting to cook cut short by the betrayal of one simple onion.

"I officially hate onions." She announced in a firm tone, making everyone around her laugh again as Nami handed her a tissue to wipe her eyes.

"Maybe it's for the best." Usopp offered with a smile. "Wouldn't want to end up poisoned."

"I might not poison you, but I will smack you with a pan." She threatened warningly, pretending to already reach for one which Sanji had set out for the meal he was preparing, and forcing Usopp to scurry away from her and hide behind Zoro.

"Guys!" The sharpshooter was quickly saved by the loud voice of their captain as he rushed into the kitchen, all eyes turning to him curiously as he walked up to the table. "Check it out." He waved a rolled-up piece of paper through the air before setting it down and spreading it over the wooden surface.

Standing up from her chair, Akira made her way back over, looking down and quickly realizing what it was that he'd brought. "Hey, look! I'm famous!" Usopp's declaration though had her looking over at the boy with confused eyes.

"What are you on about? That's Luffy's wanted poster." Sanji pointed out the obvious as they all stared down at the picture of their captain displaying a wide and happy smile. Certainly unlike any other pirate wanted poster that was for sure.

"Not just Luffy." Usopp said in a pointed tone, his finger directing them towards a small blip of something behind Luffy that Akira only then recognized as the back of Usopp's head and not just another rock as she'd first thought it to be. "Sorry guys, maybe if you work a little harder, you'll get a bounty too."

"It isn't your bounty. It's Luffy's." Akira pointed out.

"That doesn't count." Sanji added on with a nod at her words.

"It's okay to be jealous." Usopp tutted at the two of them. "Feel what you need to feel." Rising her hands into the air, Akira gave up and let him have at it. It didn't really matter too much whose bounty it was anyways. It would mean the same thing if it were any one of them.

And Zoro was the one who pointed out exactly what it meant. "This is gonna make things much harder." He said in a stiff tone. "With that price on your head, every bounty hunter in the East Blue will be gunning for you."

"Not just Luffy, they're gonna be gunning for all of us." Nami corrected.

"Then it's a good thing we're not staying in the East Blue." Luffy said with a thrill in his voice. "We're going to the Grand Line."

"Yeah, I'm sure they don't have bounty hunters there." Akira said in a sarcastic tone, sharing a look with Nami as the both of them knew that was a very incorrect assumption. But still, it did nothing to deter their captain. Not that it was her intention anyways. The Grand Line was their next stop, and Akira was more than ready for it.

They only had a few things left to do before they could set sail towards it.

Perfectly timed, a loud thump from the deck above their heads had all of their eyes turning up towards the sound as if they'd be able to see through the wood. "What was that?" Nami questioned in a concerned voice, momentarily missing the knowing smiles which passed among the rest of the crew.