Chapter 5

"All ashore, who's going ashore." Sen called up the gangplank. "You have all of today and tomorrow to rest and restock and set the log pose, but you'll probably have to leave by tomorrow night. If you need more time, I might be able to talk to someone, but I doubt it."

"I don't suppose you have any idea where Luffy went?" Nami looked in the general direction of where she last saw his trail of dust.

"He said he was hungry. This place is huge, and at the rate he was running, he could be in one of at least 20 restaurants by now. What does he like to eat?"

"Whatever's not nailed down." Sanji rolled his eye.

"But if it's got meat in it, he won't even bother to chew." Chopper sighed.

"Well, the first restaurant that has lots of steak and stuff is only 3 blocks from here. I haven't eaten in almost a whole day, and I guess I could make do with some chicken. Come on." She waved them over.

It was a quick walk to the restaurant she had in mind, and she was a good guesser, because right in the window, was Luffy, with a shish-kebab in one hand and an empty skewer in the other. There was an entire pile of shish-kebabs still needing to be polished off. As soon as they entered the establishment, everything stopped. The pirate crew thought nothing of it, seeing as how they were warned beforehand. They grabbed the table next to Luffy and gave him the evil eye for a few seconds. He didn't notice. Zoro conked him on the head and made him nearly choke.

"You can't keep running off, Luffy!" Zoro leaned in. "There's something about these people I don't like..."

"You don't like anybody, Zoro..." Usopp picked up the menu and turned it over a couple of times. "...What the hell? This menu's in some weird language."

"Yeah! So I just guessed and I got these things! They're great!" Luffy managed to stick an entire skewer in his mouth and pulled it back out minus the food.

Sen grabbed the menu. "... Um... This one's broken. There's a lot of food here so you can just eat whatever you normally do and they'll make it. And where's the waiter?"

"Lll-llady Sen...?" A tall boy with short brown hair in a waiter costume appeared suddenly and clumsily as if he'd just been pushed.

Sen growled under her breath and addressed him calmly. "You get hundreds of travelers every day, and just why is today any different? You guys can go ahead and order. Get me a fried chicken and a couple of pints, will ya? I'll be right back." She slowly got up and walked out of the restaurant. As soon as she was out of earshot, the waiter gave the crew a hard stare.

"What are you doing with her!?"

"Watch it, jerk." Chopper growled.

"And what's it to you, anyway?" Zoro stared right back.

The waiter took a step back and immediately changed his tone back to intimidated. "So.... What do you want today?"

Sen walked around the corner into an alley and clamped her hand over her mouth. She couldn't lose control... Not now...

'Stop acting like you can gain their friendship.'

"I didn't do anything wrong... and still... I'll prove them wrong."

She sat down on a box and looked up at the grey skies.

"What am I supposed to do...?"

'Let them see you. That you're not bad.'

"How stupid are you? I only have to keep control for a little while longer..."

'Control is what left you out in the middle of the ocean.'

"No, that was a bad sense of direction and a cruel alliance."

'You turn naïve, stupid, and WEAK.'

"No, not being able to show control is weak. You're going to get us fried at best."

'Show them what hypocrites they are...'

"By exposing myself as one first?"

'By making them see that there's far worse than being a monster.'

"I can't go after Vandis right now. He has them all in his pocket. You saw what he made me do..."

Sen felt a tear roll down her cheek and quickly bit herself in the hand to clear her mind, but it was too late. A small grey cloud had built up over her, and decided to pester her all the way back to the restaurant.