Food for a hundred men
The group, now expanded with members of the Straw Hat Pirates, enjoyed their meal at the Baratie. The service and quality of the food lived up to Ethel's expectations; the flavors and presentation were exceptional.
Suddenly, Luffy, the captain of the Straw Hats, approached the table with a curious expression.
—Who are these people? —Luffy asked, eyeing Ethel and Saga with interest.
Nami, visibly frustrated by Luffy's delay in leaving the kitchen, turned to him.
—Luffy, how much longer are you going to stay in the kitchen? —she said with an exasperated tone—. Don't worry, Ethel, he'll be out soon.
Luffy, with his characteristic carefree attitude, replied.
—Don't worry, I won't be much longer. —He then turned to Kaya—. Kaya! What a surprise to see you here! Thanks again for the ship. What brings you to this part of the world?
Kaya greeted him with a smile and then introduced her new companions.
—Let me introduce you to Ethel, the leader of our group. And this is Saga. I joined them to travel and learn more about my craft —she explained.
Luffy, always curious, asked:
—So, are you pirates?
Ethel, with a friendly smile, clarified:
—Not exactly. We're more like merchants. We'll be traveling from island to island to explore and sell goods.
Luffy, satisfied with the explanation, joined the table to share the meal. Sanji, noticing Nami and Kaya's presence, approached as well, trying to flirt with both. The atmosphere in the restaurant was lively and bustling, with people enjoying their meals and conversations.
Suddenly, the restaurant door burst open. A tall, slender man with dark skin entered with an imposing presence. The unexpected arrival drew everyone's attention, interrupting the usual buzz of the Baratie.
The dark-skinned man, looking on the verge of collapse, staggered to the center of the restaurant, his raspy voice barely audible.
—Food... —he murmured with difficulty, his body swaying.
A waiter, Patty, approached with an incredulous expression.
—What? You want food? —Patty asked, trying to understand the situation.
The man, visibly weak and desperate, raised a trembling pistol and pointed it at the waiters.
—Bring me food! —he demanded, with a palpable threat in his voice.
Patty and Carne, unfazed by the threat, moved forward with determination. Without another word, they pushed him out of the restaurant, which prompted spontaneous applause from the diners, who cheered for the brave cook's intervention.
Meanwhile, Sanji, observing the scene from his place at the table, quickly stood up. Heading to the kitchen, he began preparing a meal with the skill and speed that characterized him.
Ethel, watching the situation closely, picked up a plate from in front of him. It contained a delicious-looking mashed potato dish. Without wasting any time, he left through the restaurant door with the plate in hand, determined to help in any way he could.
Outside, Ethel encountered Gin, who was already devouring the meal Sanji had prepared with such care. The man sat on the ground, eating with great desperation. His ravenous appetite prevented him from chewing properly, making each bite seem like a race to satisfy his hunger.
Sanji, with a relaxed attitude, leaned against the railing, smoking a cigarette with a look of disdain on his face. The scene contrasted starkly with the chaos that had just unfolded in the restaurant.
Ethel approached them, the plate he had brought in hand. Observing Gin, who was already eating the food he had brought, he commented with a resigned tone:
—Seems like I brought this for nothing.
Gin, absorbed in his meal, barely glanced up at Ethel. His hunger seemed to consume all his attention, and he continued eating without pausing.
Sanji, still smoking, gave a casual glance.
—Looks like the poor guy was more desperate than I thought —Sanji said, with a mix of indifference and understanding.
Ethel, a bit frustrated, sat down on the railing next to Sanji, watching the scene with an air of resignation. At that moment, Luffy appeared and joined them, looking at Gin with curiosity and a hint of concern.
—How is it? The food here is great —Luffy said, eagerly eyeing the plate Ethel was holding.
Noticing the spark of enthusiasm in Luffy's eyes, Ethel handed him the plate with a smile.
—Here, you can have it —Ethel said kindly.
Luffy wasted no time and devoured the plate with his characteristic speed. Sanji watched in amazement as his food disappeared almost in the blink of an eye.
—Hahaha! You eat with an insatiable appetite —Ethel laughed.
Sanji, with a curious expression, murmured quietly, glancing at Gin:
—What happened to make the second-in-command of Krieg's pirates end up in such a sorry state?
Gin paused for a moment, his face paling as he recalled the terrible experience he had endured.
—We ran into something that destroyed our dream of sailing the Grand Line —Gin said, trembling with fear.
Sanji, with a serious look, commented:
—For you to end up like this, it must have been a truly terrifying monster.
Luffy, who had been listening attentively, grew even more interested upon hearing the mention of the Grand Line.
—We're going to the Grand Line too —Luffy declared with determination.
Gin, hearing Luffy's words, visibly tensed.
—Kid, you don't understand what you're saying. You have no idea what you're getting into —Gin warned with a mix of desperation and concern.
—Even if it costs me my life, I'll get there —Luffy said firmly.
Gin stared at him intently, his face filled with worry and resignation.
—I won't say it's impossible, but you will die —Gin declared before returning to his meal.
After Gin finished eating, Sanji handed him a small container so he could leave. Gin thanked him, got up with difficulty, and walked away, while the group returned to the restaurant.
Ethel, Luffy, and the others went back inside the Baratie, where the atmosphere remained cheerful and lively. Although the conversation had turned somewhat somber, the presence of the Straw Hats and the excellent service kept the mood high.
Sanji rejoined the table, his expression reflecting a mix of concern and determination from the conversation he had just overheard.
—Well, since things are calm now, how about we continue enjoying the food and make the most of this moment? —Sanji suggested, trying to return to the festive atmosphere.
Although the party at the Baratie didn't last long, the calm was shattered when Gin returned, this time accompanied by his captain and crew.
The group entered the restaurant in a similar fashion to Gin, demanding food with a demanding attitude. After eating and regaining their strength, Captain Don Krieg began making threats.
—I have my 100 men starving! I want you to prepare enough food for all of them now, or I'll kill everyone here! —he shouted threateningly.
Ethel, still sitting with a tranquil expression, addressed Gin.
—Helping one man only for him to come back and try to kill you. What a lack of honor, Gin —he said, looking disdainfully at the new threat.
Gin, embarrassed, lowered his head, almost touching the ground, but remained silent.
Don Krieg, furious, drew his weapons and fired several times in Ethel's direction, causing a great commotion in the restaurant. The bullets struck, destroying Ethel's table and chair, sending up a cloud of dust and debris.
Saga, instinctively positioning himself protectively next to Kaya, was aware that the bullets posed no danger to Ethel. The force of the shots was impressive, but it didn't seem to affect the young swordsman.
—This is what will happen if you oppose me. Now I'm in charge, and I want my food —Krieg roared, his voice full of fury.
Ethel, unperturbed, responded calmly.
—Such a bad temper. And such poor aim —he added, laughing as he surveyed the wreckage around him.
Krieg, astonished and enraged, looked at Ethel with disbelief. He couldn't believe the young man was still standing despite the gunfire. His gaze shifted to Zeff, the former pirate cook who had arrived with a large amount of food.
—Here you go —Zeff said, handing over the food with a mix of disdain and determination—. Now get out, you're not welcome here.