*ahhhh sorry uvu it totally sucks hahhahahaaa I was half asleep writing it!*

The day started out awful and went from bad to worse…Makino was being run ragged thanks to all the new customers that came in from a passing ship. That wasn't the problem though. The money that came with the customers was great! But their attitudes were not very appreciated.

Again, she was left alone to run the bar that night… She didn't have much help since they didn't get very much business in the first place. Every once in a blue moon they would geta large flow like this…and Makino had no time to leave and ask for help. ||She ignored tehe snide remarks of the pushy, lazy, dirty, rude men and kept up her smile. She always smiled even when she wanted to just sit down and cry. |The funny thing was these men weren't pirates. They were sailors hired by merchants to sail their ships. The pirates she knew had ten times the manners this lot had. Oh how she missed them…

"Ello Love…"

It was almost as if she could still hear her captain Shanks soothing accented voice.

"Love?"

Funny…She could really hear it… Turning back to the bar with a freshly polished glass in hand she gasped and almost dropped it. "Captain Shanks!" She sounded a little too delighted which brought that ever-so-charming smile to the redheads lips. It sent Makino's heart fluttering and the blood rushed to her cheeks.

There he was…leaning against her bar casually. "Indeed it is Love. The one and only. Been a while hasn't it?"

"Yes it has." She nodded and glanced around. The rest of his crew began piling in and she waved to them. The other sailors grumbled about 'trouble being afoot' and got up to leave but not before dropping some change onto the table. Makino excused herself and went to pick up the money.

She gave a sigh…as she expected. They left no tips for her. Shaking her head she pushed the thoughts away and smiled to stay positive. Shanks was here! But she was so drained how could she stay chipper for the rest of the night…

She served Shanks and his crew with that smile plastered to her face. It wasn't that she was not happy to see them… she was ecstatic! But after the long day she had she wished to just sleep…

Makino chatted on and off with Shanks and some of the others but now she was staring off into nothing polishing another glass. Her eyes glazed over a bit. She was finally taking a bit of a break..or what she called a break. Since Shanks ordered a few kegs she just set it up on the bar so they could fill their own drinks which wasn't exactly allowed but they were the only ones in the bar and it was late.

"Love…? Are you alright? You look like you've had a pretty rough night. Don't lie to me now… I'll know if you are." Shanks gave her a playful smile.

"You caught me Captain. Can't hide anything from you." She gave a tired laugh. "It has been a rough night."

"Well then! I know just what to cheer you up with! A story!" He patted the seat next to him. "Come on…I know you've finished your night work hours ago…take a seat and relax."

She hesitated for only a moment before her shoulders slumped slightly and she gave a relaxed sigh sliding into the seat. It felt amazing to be off her feet. "Atta girl. Ok so…our last voyage started out smoothly…BUT!"

Makino listened to his tale as he told it in a very theatrical way throwing his hands out to the side in exaggeration and used them to help describe events like how huge the waves got or how he fought off a dozen enemy pirates at once. Makino was getting into the story as much as he was. Her eyes were wide in wonder just imagining it.

"…Then! I was backed into a corner! My sword long gone! But I never gave up! I only had a second to spare a thought… Spotting the old wooden chandelier above I lept onto a table, flew through the air to the rope holding the chandelier up and-"

"AND caught the chandelier rope crashing it down onto the enemies but also caught his pants as it fell ripping them completely off. So there our brave Captain was…hanging there showing the world his goods." Benn came out of nowhere finishing up the epic tale. "And he was stuck like that for a while too. True story." He grabbed Shanks half empty glass and finished it off.

"OI!" Shanks turned a little red but tried to play it off. "She didn't have to know that part…" He glanced to Makino who was covering her mouth with one hand squeezing her eyes shut. "Now look what you did Benny! You broke her!"

She couldn't hold it in any longer…" AHAHAHAHA!" She laughed and laughed hard, unable to stop it.

"Alright alright…laugh at my expense!" Shanks smiled. To be honest…he didn't mind one bit….

"F-Forgive me Captain Shanks! HAHAHAHA!"

"Ah…it's fine Love. Laugh it up." He didn't mind it one bit because when she truly laughed like this…it was the most beautiful sound in the world to him.