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Chapter 595 - A Fancy Bottle

Cherry had a funny feeling about Sinking Boat Man.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, or why she had it.

He was definitely a pirate, or perhaps an ex-pirate. However, he could easily be mistaken by someone less observant than herself as a shifty, but otherwise law-abiding sailor.

He also had this bumbling drunk sort of air about him, and he certainly smelled the part. Cherry thought it was genuine, only that he played it up to a greater degree than was strictly true. A way to make others underestimate him, no doubt.

If he were actually as drunk as he seemed, he wouldn't have swiped the taxman's coin purse so easily.

Cherry decided to follow him in a more discreet manner. Try to see if he was up to something beyond stumbling wherever the wind blew him.

He pulled out an old compass and gave it a twist this way and that, as if to be sure it was pointing in the right direction.

Cherry knew that it wasn't. They were far enough above the Grand Line, or at least far enough away from it, that regular compasses were functioning here. That compass was certainly not pointing north.

Sinking Boat Man gave the compass a nod and marched along in the direction it pointed, swaying unsteadily as he went.

A superstition perhaps? Another thing to add to her growing profile of the man; he believed in lucky broken compasses.

Maybe it led him true this time, though, because it led him straight to a cheap, seedy looking bar tucked away on a side street. Or maybe he already knew about the bar and simply followed his memory. The rundown establishment apparently catered to folks just like him, judging by the other early birds inside.

"I'll take a bottle," he told the barkeep, placing some coins on the counter.

Cherry watched him for a little longer whilst keeping an eye on her surroundings. Nobody came to meet with him, and he seemed entirely absorbed with his newest acquisition.

Cherry dropped from the rafters like a spider, silent and unnoticed until she was right next to him.

Jack flicked his eyes to the door and the dirty window next to it.

He was pretty sure that he hadn't been followed. There wasn't anyone in the world who could tail Captain Sparrow Jack without his knowing. As he expected, no one stepped through the door nor did they pass within sight of the window. He allowed himself to relax as he had pretended to do before now.

Then he turned back to his bottle… where was his bottle?

"You really drink this stuff?" the woman asked, squinting in distaste at his bottle.

Jack snatched it back, not showing how unnerved he was. He raised it in toast and said, "Finest in the Cheribbean!"

Jack took a swig and suppressed a grimace.

"Uhuh," her eyes said she didn't believe him. "I suppose you won't want to give this one a try, then?"

She pulled the gaudiest liquor bottle he'd ever seen from her coat. The glass was crystal clear with intricate patterns, gleaming yellow filigree wrapped around it in a spiral.

"Is that real gold?" Jack asked, unable to help himself.

"Sure, but the glass isn't real glass," she said, smiling. "It's diamond. A single, enormous gemstone carved by master jewelers… to make a bottle to hold your booze in. Isn't that hilarious?"

"It is a funny joke, and also a lie if I've ever heard one," and Jack had heard many lies. He was still interested in the gold bits, though. Crystal glass wasn't cheap either.

The woman flicked a dagger up with her other hand, making him flinch. "Give it a try, then. Steel can scratch glass, but not diamond."

Now Jack was intrigued. That was also a very nice knife she had there. He'd keep it if he could manage it. "Alright, but if it scratches, then you're buying me a second bottle."

Her smile widened. He took that to mean they had a bet and accepted the blade. She set the gaudy bottle on the table and watched him closely.

Jack moved slowly at first, keeping one eye on her to make sure she didn't try something. Then he held the bottle still with one hand and used the dagger to dig at the clear part of the bottle, careful not to damage the filigree.

Nothing. Not even the slightest mark.

"Where did you get a beauty like this, then?" Jack asked her, now entirely entranced with the bottle that could probably buy an entire island by itself. A big one at that. He lipped his lips unconsciously.

"Where do you think? I took it off the hands of a rich loser," she admitted casually.

Jack managed to pry his eyes off of the large fortune in his hand and give her an appraising look. "A thief are you?"

"The best," she smirked and held up the taxman's- Jack's coin purse.

He snatched it back. "You ought to know better than to stick your sticky fingers in a fellow's pockets. Honor amongst thieves and all that."

"Of course! You won't find me putting any daggers in your back," she bared her teeth at him, sending a shiver down his spine. "I'll put in your front, all respectful like. Hypothetically, of course."

"Of course," Jack agreed, pretending she didn't just insinuate that she'd stab him. He offered his hand for a shake, the same one that had been holding the very nice dagger that was now in his pocket. "Captain Sparrow Jack."

"Harpin D. Cherry," She took the offer hand.

"Another D., eh?" Jack said. "I knew someone with that middle initial once, and I've heard of a few others. Do you know what it stands for?"

"My money's on 'Devil'," Cherry claimed. "So are you going to help me waste this overpriced brandy or not? At least I think it's brandy…"

Jack smiled.

The Straw Hat crew slowly trudged their way into the dining room for breakfast.

Once the sleep had started to leave their eyes and their thoughts became clearer, they noticed a conspicuous absence at the table.

"Hey, Mosshead! Where's Cherry-chan?" Sanji barked. He'd been too busy with breakfast to keep an eye on her, but Zoro had been outside until just now.

"She wandered off with some sleazy looking guy who docked a sunken boat," Zoro was too tired to rise to the bait and just answered the question.

"Why didn't you stop her!" Name accused.

"She's a grown ass woman who can take care of herself," Zoro grumbled.

"She's a grown ass woman who can stir up a shit storm faster than you can blink!" Nami shot back.

"Hmm," Robin hummed, her head leaning against one hand with her elbow propped up on the table. "I think she's day drinking? It should be fine."

"How is that fine?!" That's the opposite of fine, Robin!" Nami despaired.

"She doesn't get drunk unless she wants to. She knows better to do it now," Robin assuaged in a calming tone. "Besides, she has plans for today. She won't jeopardize them just to fool around. Especially not with blacksmithing involved."

Nami found it difficult to pick apart those points, which should make her feel better, but it didn't at all. She slumped in her seat. "If you say so…"

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