Chapter 111 - Gathering

Misha and Haku went off towards the shopping district while Soren and Ace went towards Shakky's Bar. When they got to the bar doors an old man with White slicked back hair and beard that had lines cut into the beard, he had a scar that went through his right eye but was lucky enough to keep his sight, he wore circle framed glasses with a strand of his White hair hanging over the left side of his glasses. The man wore a White cape with Green interior that covered over his Tan long sleeve button up shirt, he wore Dark Red pants that were cut at the shin showing his hairy legs. He wore an old pair of sandals and had a big mug of booze in his hand, he held the booze like it was natural to always have a drink in hand, and Soren thought there was never a time this old man didn't have a drink in hand. The man who just came out of the bar as Soren and Ace were going to enter was none other than Rayleigh, he looked towards both Soren and Ace before giving them a smile and speaking.

[Welcome!... Come in, come in… I was expecting you I just didn't know when you would show up]: rayleigh

Soren and Ace walked into Shakky's bar followed by Rayleigh who pointed towards 2 of the bar stools and had them sit down. As they took their seats, Shakuyaku came up to them from behind the bar table while wiping out a mug and asked.

[Can I get you guys anything? It will be on the house just this once]: shakuyaku (shakky)

Soren turned Shakky down on her offer, the same couldn't be said for Ace. Ace started ordering food like it he was at an all you can eat buffet, it was also at this point Shakky felt regret for offering free food and drink, she looked over to Rayleigh as if to ask if it will still be free, Rayleigh just nodded his head and she went to go prepare the food. Soren was stunned to see how much food Ace ordered and thought to himself for a minute.

'Damn!... And I thought I had a big appetite… This makes me wonder who the real Saiyan is between us': soren

As Ace looked over to see the way Soren was looking at him he swallowed his saliva from thinking about the food and spoke.

[Pops has always taught us to never turn down free food when offered, even if your not hungry at the moment. And if you are offered free food, to take em for all they got and bring the leftovers back to the crew]: ace

Rayleigh's face went from a happy smile to a face filled with dread as he didn't really hear of what Ace ordered and just nodded to Shakky not fully thinking about the consequences. Soren then spoke up and stated what both him and Rayleigh were thinking when they heard Ace's words.

[Wow, Whitebeard has no sense of restrictions when it comes to free stuff… A true Pirate]: soren

Ace just started to laugh at Soren's words, it was also at this point that the food started to arrive and Ace began to chow down. Soren then turned to Rayleigh and saw his depressed face before he opened the shop and bought the best Liquor from the Anime World: Food Wars, Soren bought all different kinds of booze and Liquor, he then took them out of his Inventory by the case, Soren also had the System make the crates and bottles blank from brand names, the only thing written on the bottles were what kind of drink they were. Soren then took out a 200,000 berries and placed it on top of the crates that just appeared while shocking Rayleigh, Soren then started up the conversation that he knew Rayleigh wanted, that was the whole reason for inviting him and Ace in to eat and drink.

[This should cover the cost of his food… Now what did you want to talk about? I would also like to hurry, I need to be back at my ship in an hour]: soren

Rayleigh didn't hear Soren as he was interested in the boxes that appeared, he could smell the small hint of Alcohol on the boxes and started to explore, once he opened the top box and pulled out the bottle marked Whiskey while opening it and smelling the strong scent come from the bottle, Rayleigh then shouted.

[I knew it! My nose never fails me, this is good booze… But what is Whiskey?]: rayleigh

'What the hell!? Is he some kind of bloodhound or some shit!?': soren

Soren then watched as Rayleigh took a sip and then hugged the bottle like it was his long lost lover, Soren thought if he tried to separate Ray from the Whiskey bottle it would end with Soren's face planted deep into the floor, that is if Rayleigh could manage to rival Soren's strength. After Soren felt he gave Rayleigh enough time with his new found love he then gave a forced cough which broke Rayleigh out of his fantasy with the Whiskey bottle, it was also good timing too due to what Ray was about to do to the bottle next. ( ;-) )

[Hehe… Oh, *Cough Cough*... Yes, I wanted to talk to you for 2 reasons… First is why you were at Marineford they day Luffy and I were there. Second,What is your relationship with Luffy? Why are you with the "Dead" Ace?]: rayleigh

Soren thought for a bit on if he should tell him the reason why Ace is alive and not 6 feet into the ground with a hole through his chest, he also pondered if he should tell Rayleigh about his relationship between Ace and Luffy, but before Soren could decide Ace spoke up with a mouth full of food.

[Dash becaush Doren ish Luffy and I'sh Teasher]: ace

Soren wanted to slap Ace for just speaking but he wanted to slap him even more for talking with his mouth full of food, Soren suppressed his anger and stuck to shouting at Ace.

[Shut up and finish eating before you speak!... Look! You even got chewed up food on my favorite coat!... Looks like someone will be training with Haku for another month]: soren

When Ace heard Soren say "Training with Haku" he felt all the blood drain from his face, he quickly swallowed the remaining food in his mouth and shouted.

[Oh please! Anything but that!… I think he wants to eat me. Please don't make me train with him, I won't talk with my mouth full EVER again!]: ace

Ace's pleas fell on deaf ears, and as Rayleigh saw their confrontation with each other he felt that Soren was a good teacher. The stories Rayleigh heard from Luffy over the time they spent together about this teacher named Soren made Rayleigh curious, Rayleigh then picked up another bottle of Whiskey and popped it open while pouring himself a glass.

[Hahaha… Good! Luffy has a great Teacher, and a true brother, but Luffy is not here at the moment… He should be here in a few days though]: rayleigh

When Ace heard Rayleigh he felt happy because he didn't know when Luffy would show up, all he knew was that Luffy will appear on this Island. It was also at this point the bar doors opened with 2 people walking in wearing Black cloaks with a hood covering their faces, one was a man with 3 swords at his waist, the other was a female with one sword that gave off a heavenly glow while it sat in its sheath, one could feel that if it was drawn it would cut everything even the heaven's. Soren sat facing Shakky who was cleaning out a mug while looking at the 2 who just entered, Soren already knew who the 2 who just entered were but felt that the female was off from how he remembers. Ace looked towards the 2 who just opened the door with a piece of meat in his mouth while both of his hands were occupied holding chunks of meat, he was about to speak but quickly caught himself as he remembered that he still had food in his mouth and in the end he still stayed quiet. The 2 who just entered started walking up to the bar and stood never to Soren without looking his way, Soren only gave a small glance over at the two but quickly went back to looking at nothing.

[Welcome you two, you guys are the first ones here… Congrats! Sit down and I'll make you something to eat]: shakky

As Shakky went off into the kitchen to make some food from what's left of the food supplies the two sat down and started to talk to each other.

[See!... I told you we would beat the others Zoro, but if we went the way you were trying to go we might not have made it at all]: karin

[...Hmph… We would have made it either way… And stop making fun of my bad sense of direction, it's not my fault that sea monster looked like it was pointing the way to Sabaody for us]: zoro

[You idiot! He was pointing the way back to his nesting spot so he could eat us and feed his offspring, don't just start trusting random monsters for directions]: karin

[Whatever!... I would have handled it just fine, if he had tried to eat you I would have ended its life right there]: zoro

[Awww… That's why I love you… You may be a muscle brained fool who can't tell his left from his right, but you are my muscle brained fool]: karin

Karin then grabbed Zoro's right hand with both of her hands, she then got up on her tippy toes and gave Zoro a peck on the cheek. Zoro's face flushed Red and he spoke in a stuttered tone towards Karin.

[I-I t-thought I t-told you not i-in p-p-public!]: zoro

Karin gave Zoro a glare before stomping her feet in anger, she then shouted at Zoro before running out of Shakky's Bar.

[I thought we got over your public affection problems! There's not even anyone here besides Rayleigh and Shakky!... I'm leaving!]: karin

Soren heard Karin and thought that it was weird that she didn't sense anyone other than Rayleigh and Shakky. Soren was one thing, as he was actively suppressing his Aura to the point they would only notice him if he spoke up, but Ace was different.

'Did Ace progress to that point in his Observation Haki that he could suppress his Aura from leaking?... If so, then he is 1 step away from seeing into the future': soren

Soren then looked over to Rayleigh and saw that he wasn't going to say anything as he was in fantasy land with the Whiskey again. Soren then looked over to Zoro and saw his Red face as he was in deep contemplation about how he truly felt when around Karin, Soren then decided to help by tapping Zoro's shoulder and speaking.

[Ya know… You should go get her before she gets into trouble messing with the wrong type of people… A beauty like that will surely pull the attention of a Celestial Dragon]: soren

When Zoro felt the hand placed on his shoulder but felt no Aura or presence he quickly turned to face a possible attacker, but as he saw the face and heard the speech of the one who touched him he relaxed as he spoke in an upbeat spirit.

[Soren!... Wait… Soren?... How are you here?... I thought you said you would be back in a year? After a year there was no word from you, we thought something bad happened to you, where have you been?]: zoro

[There's time for that later… For now, go get your girlfriend and come back here]: soren

Zoro's face started to turn an even darker Red as he heard the words "Girlfriend" come out of Soren's mouth, he then left Shakky's Bar to go search for Karin, it was also at this point that Shakky came out from the back with food in hand, seeing that Zoro and Karin left she got mad that she made food for nothing, Soren then spoke up and took Shakky's attention.

[I'll take their food if they aren't here to enjoy it]: soren

Shakky then gave a sigh before placing the food in front of Soren and Soren decided to dig in while Shakky went over to Rayleigh and confiscated all the booze to restock their bar.