"This sucks!" he complained, rustling the old, worn out newspaper in his large hands. "I can't believe he's making me find a job. I love him and all, but this is just embarrassing…"
"You know I can hear you, right?"
"Gck, dammit! Silence!" With a snap of his fingers, he forms an invisible soundproof bubble around him, keeping any noise he makes within this barrier.
"OI! IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT!"
With the cost of rent rising, it's been getting harder and harder for Trafalgar Law to support himself and his roommate Donquixote "Corazon" Rocinante, an ex-marine who had recently resigned and returned home after spending ten years overseas. They have been living together for nine months, and there'd been nothing but joy and happiness going on between the two. Being separated for so long really made an impact on their relationship, which is why they take advantage of their free time to make up for the many lost years. They'd spend every waking moment having breakfast with each other, going out for coffee, taking long walks along the coast, and even staying up some nights just talking about life. Law tends to have a lot of free time because he works night shifts at the major hospital at the end of their small town. His shifts vary, some nights he won't get called in at all while other times he'd be lucky to barely squeeze in a power nap during the day. He is an essential part to the hospital with him being a devil fruit eater, however it is surprising he doesn't get called in more often. The job does pay well, even if his schedule isn't consistent.
"Can't I just go out and break some people's bones so you can fix them up?" Cora suggested.
"Please don't do that," Law answered, "Unless they're ten feet tall and pink then be my guest."
Cora laughed. "Man, I never thought this day would come. You'd think after being with those men for so long, you'd get some better treatment here!"
"That's life for you, there are some shitty people out there," Law said, stirring his coffee and holding it, but never taking a sip out of it. "Tell you what, I'll help you out."
Cora's eyes glowed. "Really?"
"I'll look through some job listings, maybe talk to some of my associates. They might know some people." Law flipped through the paper and found a listing for a store clerk. "Hey, come take a look at this!"
Cora jumped down at the seat right next to Law, almost making him spill his coffee. "At the clothing store?"
"Yeah. It shouldn't be too hard. You just fold clothes all day and talk to people. Boring, but it's something."
Cora jumped right back up. "Perfect! I can practice my singing while I work!"
"You...sing?"
"U-uhh...no! I mean, to pass the time! Of course!"
"Mhmmmm…well! Let's go ahead and check it out then."
The two of them went out and started making their way to the shop. They lived at the top of Mt. Sensation, the tallest mountain around the area, named after the five senses because of its overall euphoric atmosphere; the sounds of crisp leaves, the touch of the cool gentle breeze, the smell of flowers and wood flooding in, the taste of clean air, and of course the lovely view of the little town they resided in. The town is so small, in fact, one could possibly walk across the main street in about half an hour.
"Is this the place?" Cora asked, looking up at the shiny sign.
"Yep, let's check it out."
The two walked in, looking around at the variety of clothes they had; dresses with all sorts of colors and sparkles, and suits that all seemed to look the same.
"Y'know, this place seemed a lot smaller from the outside," Cora observed.
A posh woman's voice was heard that echoed all around the room. "Yeah, we get that quite a lot!"
Startled, the two of them turned their heads to see where she was coming from. "H-hello?" Cora asked.
"Ah, how rude of me!" The woman walked up in front of them and introduced herself. "My name is Alvida, the most beautiful lady in town, and I am the owner of this wonderful shop!"
"The one that no one's in right now?" Law sarcastically commented. Cora nudged him to not.
"Tsh, a critic aren't you?" Alvida scoffed. "No matter! I, for one, take pride in setting the beauty standards of this whole town!"
"Yeah, you might want to move out," Law sassed again, Cora nudging harder this time.
"Well then, I-"
"I-I do apologize, Miss!" Cora immediately squealed, "what we're here for is your open position! I'm interested in applying."
Alvida stared at the both of them in disgust, but was shortly followed by a burst of hysterical laughter with ugly-sounding breaths in between. "Oh my, you crack me up!"
"So that means yes?" Cora asked excitedly.
"Hell no! My shop represents all that is beautiful! I need someone whose appearance resembles such beauty as mine, not some tall freak who doesn't know how to use make up!" Alvida's face started turning red with laughter, meanwhile Law's and Cora's were turning red with fuming anger.
Law started, "you know wha-"
Cora nudged angrily at Law, trying to hold back his own words.
"And you!" Alvida sneared at Law, "what is your style even supposed to be? An ugly yellow sweater with those jeans? Did you have the big guy do your makeup for you?" Law was growling so hard at this point, you could practically see steam blowing out his ears. "And that hat! That dumb hat...what are you? Some 10 year old?"
"You know what!" Cora slammed his hands on the glass counter, smashing it to bits and not caring about the tiny shards being imbedded in his hands. "You can call me what you want! Call me a clown! A freak! But you mess with Law and this clown will show you a thing or two!"
Alvida stepped back from the shattered glass. "Y-you're going to have to pay f-"
"I don't owe you shit!" Cora grabbed Law's hand and pulled him out the door with him. "Adieu, madame!"
They both friskly walked along the sidewalk, still distressed at the way she treated them. "Man, what a bitch," Law pouted.
"You know, I could've sworn I've seen her overseas a lot...but something about her appearance has changed. I can't quite put my finger on it."
"She's quite the bitch, that's for sure."
Cora nodded. "Hey, can I ask you something…?" Law looked up and saw Cora's face drenched in tears. "A-am I really a tall freak who can't use makeup?"
"No! No, not at all! Uhm...hm, though, that's got me thinking. First impressions are everything, so we're going to have to work on a few things."
"I'm a freak…"
"SHUT UP! You are not!"
They both headed home, and started talking about what makes a good impression on people along the way, and what makes a bad one. Perhaps it could involve his staggering tall appearance that can easily shadow over anyone. Maybe it could be his fashion sense, which consisted of a pink, heart-covered, button up shirt under a ridiculously fluffy black feather coat. It could involve his makeup, which all it was made up of was four blue spikes painted under his right eye, and overuse of lipstick which extended way passed his lips and well into his cheeks.
Law unlocked the door and they both walked in, Cora bumping his head against the door frame. "I'm surprised you haven't managed to put a hole there yet," Law mentioned, referring to the many times Cora's done this in the past.
Cora rubbed his head to try and relieve the pain, "So...impressions, yes?"
"Yes, right!" Law reached for his coffee, which still managed to be pretty hot, "Do you have anything that's, uhm, formal? Professional? Not plastered in hearts?"
"Well...I do have one thing!" Cora went in the closet and shut the door behind him. Law finally took a sip of his coffee as he waited. Moments later, he came back out wearing a marine uniform. Law choked. "Will this work?"
"You're! Applying for a job! Not trying to impress the damn queen!" Law coughed a couple more times, and cleared his throat, "but if that's all you have, I guess it'll work…" He slid his cup of coffee across the table for Cora to have, not wanting it anymore.
"I'm sure I'll impress tons of people with this! The marines aren't people you should mess with, ya know!" Cora took a swift drink from the cup Law passed over, immediately spitting it out in a fountain of burning pain.
Law couldn't help but to chuckle at the sight. "Yeah, sure…" He grabbed his newspaper and continued looking at the job openings when something caught his eye. Former marine ship looking for staff to work at restaurant's grand opening. No experience required. "Oi! Cora-san!" He looked up to find him rolling on the floor in a puddle of tears and regret. Law shook his head. "Oh, he's hopeless…."
—
The tall blond straightens out his collar from his marine coat and glances at the mirror, wiping off any dust and particles from his suit and white pants. His forehead drips with fear, but he pats it dry, closes his eyes, inhales through his nose and exhales out his mouth. He's ready for his date with the head chef. He turns to Law and shouts "OKAY!" with a smile engrossing the entire bottom half of his face, and raising his fingers to show off a peace sign.
"Too friendly!" Law shouts from across the room, throwing an empty can at his forehead. "You have to look serious and professional; you're not impressing a child here, you know."
"Hm." Corazon nods, turning around slowly with his head down. Law leans over trying to make out his face, worried he might've been a bit too hard on him.
He grunts. "Cora-san, I'm s-"
"SO HAPPY TO SEE YOUUU!" Cora-san exclaims in an even higher voice, now posing like a young schoolgirl.
"NOW YOU'RE JUST BEING SILLY!" Law blares out, tossing yet another can.
Corazon chuckles at his reaction and bids Law farewell, addressing him with full confidence and a steady voice. He walks out of the apartment, ducking as to not hit his head on the doorframe as he's done oh so many times. Law watches his exit and smirks with amuse at how much he's changed, yet he still managed to be the same Corazon he'd always been before joining the marines. He lights up a cigarette and wonders how it'll go.
He lights up a cigarette and wonders how it'll go. He was still thinking about that first experience at the clothes shop, how bitter she was and how distressed he was at the thought of someone being so damn judgemental. First impressions are everything; people will start judging you within the first three seconds of seeing you; your overall outlook is based on the first sentence you mutter out of your mouth. These thoughts seem to repeat nonstop in his head, but these are merely obstacles that he can just walk over. Nothing would stop him this time. He's ready for whatever the world's throwing at him.
The thoughts stop as he passes by a sign that reads,
GRAND OPENING
Baratie Land Restaurant
The best food overseas now being brought to land! You're next, air.
Cora couldn't help but sort of cringe at that last part, but was intrigued at the name. "Baratie...that name reminds me of someone...someone I always saw in the marines…" His eyes widened as the name shot across his memory. "Zeff! Of course! He's the owner of the Baratie Restaurant over in the East Blue. Mmmm...what brings him over here all of a sudden?" Zeff's restaurant was a once popular stop for pirates and marines alike; anyone was a customer if they were willing to pay. "It's weird, he seemed to pour his blood and soul into his only restaurant...heh, old geezer probably needs the money." His eyes wandered down to the bottom of the sign that read:
HELP WANTED!
Dishwashers, experienced cooks, and waiters needed. Walk-ins are welcome!
This was it. He's ready. He shoves the two western styled wooden doors open and walks in, scanning the restaurant and the staggering amount of people dining within. The land restaurant kept the same amount of diversity as the sea restaurant, and the popularity transferred over as well. Corazon was giddy at the sight, however it only took him but three seconds to realize that everyone had stopped dining…and turned in his general direction, just staring blankly. He froze, eyes bulging, and sweat dripping around his gaping mouth. He wasn't expecting such attention already, nobody even knew what his intentions were! They were just staring! His general sense of fear only sank further when he stared eye to eye with a certain man: a lanky blonde haired man wearing only an apron and a chef hat over what seemed to be a fancy ballroom suit. His appearance wasn't so intimidating much as his stance was. He was holding two different frying pans in each hand, a cigarette in between his teeth, and an empty gaze latched onto his eyes.
"Welcome. Please wait to be seated," he calmly but eerily announced, flicking both pans and launching two grilled fish fillets into the air. "The name's Sanji, and I'll be your host for today." The fish fillets flew high into the air, nearly hitting the ceiling and spinning at incredible speeds. "Unless, judging by the way you were looking at our sign, you want to help host me." The fillets descended, and landed perfectly squared and centered each on two different customers' plates. "Lunch is served."
Corazon's jaw was still hanging out, his cigarette somehow keeping in place the whole time, bewildered by his performance. S-so cool! How the hell am I supposed to impress someone like him? He closes his mouth, inhales through his nose, and proceeds marching towards him. The diners' eyes are still glued to the tall man dressed in all white, approaching the head chef who appeared as a dwarf in comparison. Corazon lends his arm out to offer a handshake.
"My name i-" the moment he started talking, his cigarette dropped from his mouth and landed on his sleeve, immediately bursting in flames. "AHH, SHIT SHIT!" He furiously patted the flame on his arm with his other hand, but doing that only caused the other sleeve to catch fire. He dropped to the ground and rolled around back and forth, screaming and shouting explicit words and phrases. Sanji just stood there with a blank look on his face. After a few seconds he grabbed a customer's pitcher of water and splashed the contents over the screaming clown, putting out the flames.
Corazon stopped rolling around but just laid there, trying to recover from what just happened. He hadn't even been there for two minutes and he already managed to embarrass himself. He's never going to get the job at this rate. He for sure wasn't even going to get an interview. He shouldn't have kept that cigarette in his mouth. Why oh why did-
Sanji just laughed. "A funny man," he commented, wiping a tear from his uncovered eye, "get back on your feet." Sanji helped the burnt Cora up, brushing some of the dust and marks off of his suit. "I admire you. You look like someone who doesn't take shit from anyone. Come on back, let's get you an interview started." With that said, Corazon's eyes sparked up, his smile came back, and his face had regained its shine even despite being covered in char and ash. This was his moment. His time to shine. Sanji walked him into his office and sat him down. He looked over some paperwork and started asking his questions. "First thing's first, what is your n-ghh?!" Sanji looked up and jumped back at Corazon's expression: a wide open smile engrossing half of his entire face and squinting his eyes, and holding his two fingers up into a peace symbol. "T-TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY DAMMIT!"
—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The noise startled a sleeping Law, dropping him from his cozy chair down to the rough carpeted floor. He rubbed the pain on his face and walked towards the door. He unlocked the door only to be welcomed by it swinging right in his face and knocking him back to the floor.
"LAW! LAW! LAW!" An excited Corazon shouted giddily as he expelled himself in the room. "YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!"
"…that I'm going to kick your ass the first chance I get?" Law grumbled, still rubbing the second dose of pain on his face.
"NO! I GOT THE JOB!" Corazon picked Law up from the floor and squeezed him in his arms as tight as he could barely handle. "He says he'll start me off with minimum wage, but he'll keep increasing it the more I work!"
Law struggled to get a breath in, "Th-that's gr….great…." Corazon releases his grip, letting gravity take Law back down to the floor for a third time. "A…are you sure you'll be able to go through with it?"
Corazon nodded. "He says he'll start me off really easy!" He fixed his stance and stood proudly. "I will be the dishwasher!"
"PFFFFF…..more like a slave worker."
"Well, i-it's something! Plus he's willing to move me up as time passes by. And I promise you I'll whip up some delicious food using that knowledge!"
"Tch, looking forward to it. Just don't set the place on fire. You remember the 'toast incident' don't you?"
Corazon stared silently for two seconds. "…this is the reason you and I are never allowed to handle a loaf of bread ever again."
"Agreed." Law lit up a cigarette and deeply inhaled before calmly exhaling the smoke out. "So when do you start?" Law handed the cigarette over to Cora.
"Tomorrow! He told me to just come in with normal clothes, and he'll lend me a uniform." Cora inhaled and puffed the smoke from his mouth, immediately catching himself on fire.
"...at this rate, I hope he has more than one."
Cora sniffed the air and noticed his coat ablazing yet again, and proceeded to extinguish himself by dropping to the floor and rolling around. Law was proud of him. Not only was he able to nail that interview, he made such a great impression and got hired on the spot. Coming fresh out of the marines, it's hard to find people that treat him with the respect and honor he was given; he's treated just like everyone else is, maybe even worse because of how much disdain some people have for the marines. Despite all this, he still made it. He didn't give up after being put down numerous times. The hardest part was done. Now Cora's going to need to build up his motivation and determination in order to push himself to impress Sanji. It's all up to him now.
Good luck, Cora-san…..