Chapter 99

Grandline, New World, Solaris island

After the duo had been invited to the party the both of them grabbed themselves a drink and some food and sat down in the soft sand while slowly warming up to the partying folks.

Soon laughter filled the beach once more. Men dancing in a drunken stupor, others gambling, singing or brawling with their comrades, their captain the worst of them all.

Thus the hours passed by in seemingly seconds until the sun began to sink in the horizon. While the partying crowd slowly began to calm down after drinking for such a long time, some simply to drunk to move any further, Robin had fallen asleep against Azuls c.h.e.s.t while sitting with her back leaning on him between his legs, feet burried in the soft and warm sand with a satisfied smile on her face.

Azul on the other hand was slowly slurping the rest of his beer, watching the nearly red sun set in the horizon, softly stroking Robins hair as if in a trance, now and then earning himself a soft purr from Robin as if she were a little kitten that cried for more attention making Azul occasionally chuckle in amus.e.m.e.nt.

While the last partying people began to fall asleep where they had been partying only minutes ago Azul heard slightly asymethric footsteps stumble through the soft sands of the beach of Solaris causing him to turn around. A second later with a thumping sound Shanks let himself fall into the warm beach next to the duo with a satisfied groan while slurping down his possibly last bear for the night but Azul had the suspicion that Shanks never really came down from his drunken height in the first place. That could explain his contatious laughter and want to keep the party going, no matter the circ.u.mstances. Though Azul had met the man only today so it was after all only a suspicion.

"What a party eh? hahahaha" Shanks asked Azul though said man thought it possible for the question to be of the rethorical nature and thus only hummed in answer.

"So tell me, what were you doing on my island in the first place?" Shanks asked another question, this time moving his gaze away from the setting sun onto the huge frame of Azul who took another swing of his nearly empty jug.

"It was the first island we came across when we entered the new world and simply decided to take a little vacation. Nothing more, nothing less." Azul answered with a nonchalant shrugg which earned him an amused chuckle from Shanks.

"You know, after I heard about the burning of Mary Geoise and the role you played in it I had thought you to be a little bit more...fierce I believe to be an ample description hahahaha" Shanks said while laughing softly and taking another swing of his beer afterwards followed by him swiping his mouth with his left arm.

"Fierce eh? I believe there is a time and a place for everything and as I just said, we are on vacation. Not to mention someone with your spirit should be more then capable to judge what dwells under the surface or have you drowned even your spirit in beer? Could be an exciting experience though..." Azul responded while muttering the last part in thought how that would feel if at all possible. Not that he would ever attempt it, after all it would be against everything his master had taught him.

"Bwahahahahaha, I've been drinking so long it would be a possibility I suppose hahahaha" Shanks responded between weezing bouts of laughter which ended with him wiping a lone tear from his eyes corner, still chuckling slightly.

"Anyway, I wanted to thank you for getting Luffy and his crew out of Impel Down. That boy is important to me and really didn't deserve that fate, not that anybody would honestly. No matter. If you ever need some help with anything just give me a call. I owe you that much at least for getting his clumsy a.s.s out of that hellhole hehehe" Shanks said, chuckling at the memory of little anchor while pulling out a small piece of paper with his transpondersnail number on it. As it was moving slightly towards Shanks Azul assumed it to be a vivre card making contacting the man that much easier.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Oh, before I forget it. We'll be receiving some more guests in a approximately 30 minutes, just so you know. Though I believe you know each other already." Azul said while tugging the vivre card into a pocket of his trousers.

Shanks meanwhile was a little confused as he eyed Azul, urging the man to elaborate with his eyes who in response only stretched his hand with the nearly empty jug in his hand towards the horizon where a ship had appeared not long into their conversation.

Judging by Shanks slightly widening eyes he indeed knew who that ship belonged to.

"The hell is Whitebeard doing here?" the man asked in a little bit of stupefaction at the weird situation they now found themselves in while Azul could only grin in amus.e.m.e.nt, Robin still purring under his administrations. Azul meanwhile had his eyes set on the ship that was coming closer by the minute, occasionally sipping his beer.

Yep, the Moby D.i.c.k had arrived and the fun was just about to begin. What a vacation indeed!