Chapter 122 - A drink well earned.

"...You're kidding," Rayleigh muttered to no one in particular, his voice an amused murmur against the steady crash of waves. His gaze roamed the monstrous expanse of the ship docked before him, that being the gleaming Iron Whiskers.

Ryu, arms folded over his muscular chest, grinned like a Cheshire Cat (You know, the creepy furball from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland?). "Told you that she's big," he said, clearly enjoying Rayleigh's reaction.

"This job is worth a lot more than 10,000 Belly," Rayleigh said with a thoughtful expression, his eyebrows raised in playful accusation.

Perched on Ryu's shoulders, Yoruichi tossed her head back and laughed, her golden eyes sparkling. "And yet, you said that you'd do it for free," she reminded him, winking at Rayleigh's theatrical groan.

Rayleigh waved them off, chuckling. "Wahaha, true enough. Let me see what I'm gonna work with." With a curious glint in his eyes, he cracked his neck and made his way aboard the ship.

Rayleigh paced along the ship's massive length, his worn boots echoing on the weathered dock. His eyes, narrowed with amusement just a moment ago, were brimming with wonder, admiration, and a touch of fear. He ran a hand through his silver-white hair, tugging at the ends with an air of bewildered fascination.

Stopping to look at one of the gargantuan cannons, he couldn't help but let out a low whistle. "I wonder if this thing can reach the top of the red line. It would be one hell of a sight to see Marie Geois get flattened," Rayleigh murmured before chuckling softly. His fingertips brushed over the cat's maw design, feeling the intricate etchings.

Next, Rayleigh looked past the cannon, his eyes tracing the length of the towering obsidian masts that reached skyward. "Now, aren't you a sight?" he muttered to himself, his gaze caught between admiration and disbelief. He squinted upwards, as though trying to measure the height with his eyes alone. A tired chuckle escaped his lips as he realized just how hard it would be to coat the ship. "Didn't think I'd see the day where I need to pack a lunch just to scale some mast," he said, rubbing his neck, a grin tugging at his lips.

Moving on, he stopped at the ship's wheel, a blacksmithing marvel. "I don't think even the Jackson had something like this," he mused aloud, running his palm over the intricate carvings of intertwined iron cats.

Stepping back, Rayleigh appraised the ship once more, his hands on his hips, an enthusiastic smile on his lips. "This thing is a heart attack ready to happen, I love it," he mused, turning to face the sea, the wind rustling his silver hair.

"You could use a couple of drinks before starting on this, though. It's going to be a tough mission," Ryu commented with amusement.

"You offering?" Rayleigh shot back, a twinkle in his eye as a glutenous smile flashed on his face.

"Treat it as an additional fee for the job," Yoruichi retorted, her tone full of delight as she descended from Ryu's shoulders.

"Wahaha, I like the sound of that. Let's see if I can drink enough to get the actual price of the job," Rayleigh said with a challenging expression.

---

"Shakky!" Yoruichi called out as they made their way inside the bar, its door creaking in response. "Prepare your best liquor. Rayleigh's gonna try to drink enough for us to go bankrupt,"

"I wouldn't be so energetic if I was you, he might actually do it," Shakky commented from behind the counter, a small grin playing on her lips as she tapped her cigarette against the ashtray. Looking over at Rayleigh, she let out a good-natured chuckle. "I take it the ship was bigger than you thought?"

"You have no idea," Rayleigh replied, an exaggerated sigh escaping his lips. He slid onto a stool at the bar, his fingers tapping a rhythm on the aged wood.

Shakky let out a hearty laugh at that, shaking her head as she began to pour out drinks. "I see, then you'll need this," she said, sliding a bottle of rum across the counter towards him. "One of the best, and most expensive, bottles we own."

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow at the bottle, picking it up and inspecting it. "Didn't some idiot try to use this one to set our counter on fire last month?" he asked, seemingly recalling a fun memory.

"Yup," Shakky replied with a devilish grin, causing Rayleigh to groan dramatically.

"To a job well paid and a ship well coated!" Yoruichi declared, hoisting her drink high, the amber liquid catching the light.

Their glasses collided in a symphony of celebration, the trio breaking into hearty laughter as they began their night of merriment and camaraderie. It was a night to be remembered – full of ribbing jokes, hearty toasts, and tales as tall as the Iron Whiskers itself. The drinks flowed, the bar echoed with laughter, and Shakky's Rip-off Bar was, for one night, the heart of the world.

---

Three weeks later, Rayleigh strolled back into Shakky's Rip-off Bar, the door groaned in a familiar greeting. His usually lively eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but the victorious gleam within them was unmissable. He was dusty, his hands and clothes were stained with the lingering traces of hard work, yet his smile was wider than ever.

"Finally done with that beast?" Shakky asked without turning around, her tone rich with amusement. She was leaning over the counter, polishing a glass with a clean rag, a cigarette in her mouth.

"Done and done," Rayleigh confirmed, his voice thick with satisfaction. He slumped onto a barstool, stretching his legs with a groan. "Now, my dear Shakky, I need two things – a bath and a beer."

Shakky turned towards him, a triumphant smile playing on her lips. "I thought you'd never ask," she said, her eyes twinkling with pride. Shakky reached below the counter and pulled out a special bottle, its contents shimmering like liquid gold under the dim light. "For a job well done."

Rayleigh had just taken a gulp of his drink when Ryu and Yoruichi entered the bar. Yoruichi, her golden eyes dancing with mischief, leaned over the counter and said, "We brought lunch~ I never knew fishing was this fun."

"Fishing?" Rayleigh asked, placing his bottle down with a teasing glint in his eyes. "Something tells me that's an understatement, I wonder why?"

"I mean, technically speaking, it's the truth, " Ryu said. He had taken off his shoes and now had his feet propped up on a table. He was casually flipping a coin, the gold gleaming in the low bar light.

"Usually, when someone goes fishing, waking up half an island isn't something that happens though?" Shakky retorted from behind the counter, a smirk playing on her lips. She was slicing limes for the next round of drinks, her movements as sharp as her words.

"Hey, it's not our fault the Sea Kings are louder than Ryu's sneezes," Yoruichi shot back, causing Rayleigh to choke on his drink, laughter bubbling from his lips.

"Please, like you have any room to talk. Oh, and we did bring back dinner," Ryu added with a nonchalant shrug, pausing in his coin flipping to gesture toward the massive pile of meat outside the bar.

"Yeah, each time you bring enough to feed the whole damn island. I do make a buck from selling them, though," Shakky shrugged.

"Well, then maybe Rayleigh can fish Sea Kings instead of getting into gambling debts from now on?" Ryu smirked as Rayleigh let out an amused sigh.

"But since the ship's ready, we'll be taking our leave. Thanks for all the hard work, Rayleigh," Ryu said, standing up.

Rayleigh waved a casual hand at them. "Ah, don't mention it. But just a word of advice, don't forget to respect the locals there. I know you're powerful, but that's Whitebeard territory." he advised with a twinkle in his eye.

"And don't forget to write," Shakky added, smirking from behind the counter.

Yoruichi laughed, throwing up a hand in a lazy salute. "Can't promise it'll be legible, but we'll give it a shot. Take care, you two."

As they exited the bar, Rayleigh and Shakky watched them go, a warm silence settling between them. Outside, the Iron Whiskers waited, the newly-coated ship gleaming under the sun.

As Ryu and Yoruichi sailed away, Shakky turned to Rayleigh, her expression thoughtful. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

Rayleigh chuckled, taking a sip from his bottle. "Those two? They'll be more than okay."

With that, they returned to their drinks, the conversation moving to other topics. But outside, the Iron Whiskers grew smaller and smaller before diving into the water, disappearing from sight.

As Ryu and Yoruichi disappeared beneath the sea, the sky bade them farewell, and the sea welcomed them with open arms. As the ship dove, the sunlight dimmed, replaced by a serene and captivating glow from the bioluminescent life below.

As they went deeper, Ryu and Yoruichi bore witness to a world alive with color. Schools of fish, shimmering like moving mosaics, darted about in perfect synchrony. Playful sea creatures traced their paths around the gigantic vessel, their fluorescent bodies swirling in a delicate dance of light. Massive coral structures, vibrant and pulsating with life, sprawled across the sea bed, a resplendent city in their own right.

Yoruichi was a vision of grace and delight, laughing with pure joy as she leaned over the bow, reaching out to skim her fingers along the cool surface of a passing ray. Her movements were fluid, alive with the exhilaration of the moment.

Time stretched and warped in their underwater journey. Every turn introduced a new spectacle, an octopus garden here, a jellyfish ballet there. They drifted past an ancient, gnarled sea turtle, its shell encrusted with sparkling jewels from the sea bed. Sea fans waved lazily in the current, their delicate filigree mirroring the dance of the seaweed on the ocean floor.

Finally, after a couple of hours of sailing, the two saw something in the distance.