A tavern That's gone through previous ownership issues.. In the end, it's now owned by some large fat - yet scarily strong - guy named Frank. And the place now has a big plaque of rules up

The Rules

No Fighting
No Molesting The Service
You Break It, You Pay For It ('with your teeth' scribbled in on the side)
No Food Fighting
If You Can't Pay, Don't Order
If You Can't Sing, Don't
No Killing
No Dieing
No Stealing

And, um, it ends from there.

Tag entered the tavern behind Zako. The place felt different now, seedier. Not that it had ever been the most wholsome of places, but before the air had been cleaner. Now there seemed to be an undercurrent of.. leering.

With a shudder, Tag remembered once again that she was no longer dressed as a boy. Whether or not the leering was actually there, or a product of her imagination, it was just another sign that her life wasn't going to be the same anymore.

One change did help matters though. The bartender wasn't someone Tag recognized. He wouldnt recognize Tag as the boy that came in ordering ale.

"Small comforts.."

Tag sat down at the bar and grinned at the bartender.

"Get me somethin strong. And some milk for the lady," she added, gesturing at Zako.

Zako walked in with the girly pirate, taking a seat at the bar. He had his cheery smile on, but was wondering how Tag was going to get by with other pirates when they knew. The KrimsonKizu may be nice and accepting, but he knew of craploads of other pirate captains who considered women aboard sevierly bad luck. Of one crew whom threw a mutiny because they learned their captain was female. The open seas were harsh.

When Tag ordered milk for him, the bartender raised his eyebrows towards the pirate captain. Zake grinned and tapped the bar. "I need ale, Ale. Milk is for kids who can't get away from their mothers." He pointed to Tag for a moment before Bawling out laughing as the bartenter grunted, shook his head, and got some alcohal for the two.

Tag took a long deep drink from his cup and sighed.

Her cup. Not his, hers.

She sighed again. This was definately going to take some getting used to.

"Hey, Kizu.." she said after a moment. "Sorry 'bout bein an ass earlier."

"Hm?" the evil, twisted, vile, and cruel KrimsonKisu inquired, turning head to look towards Tag with his good eye... He let loose this grin like that of a shark. Of course, that all depends on who views him how.

Infact, sides for trying to accomplish a mildly wasted visade, Zako was basically his kind, naturally cheerful self. Albiet there seemed to be a pain tangled in his eye as well. Though he did try to hide it.

"AH, an ass.. That's right.." Zako laughed, "Don't worry, I've known many a pirate with cloudy days and rough seas." he reached out to ruffle up Tag's hair a bit. "Just wait til you hit the grandline and you'll know what I mean.."

"Hey," she said wih a smile."Friends then, right?"

The smile quickly turned into a glare.

"Though friends or not, if ya ever touch my hair again, I'll ram my fist down yer throat so hard ya'll pee out yer tonsels."

The pirate leaned back and muttered.

"Now where's my chicken. Ya owe me for ruining my scarf."

Zako bawled out laughing at her threat and was almost prompted to ruffle her hair again. But resisted with some effort. The place went quiet for a second.. before everyone in the pub resumed their regular chatting. Two pirates especially didnt' find Kisu's presence entertaining in the least.

But they didnt' matter. The pirate of the Zanfar grinned to Tag.. "we've always been friend.." before looking to the bartender hulk of buff.. "chicken then.. and.. um.." he waved the bartender to bend down and pointed to a handful of pirates in the back, one being Gil.."he'll pay for it"

The bartender gave a hard look to Zako while Zako winked.. And grunted thereafter, going to get and serve some chicken chunks to the two.

"By the way," Tag started after a pause, " That niece of yers. Ya know where she is? She still has one of my pistols, and I'd like it back."

Tag devoured a chicken piece n one bite, and looked at the other pirate, awating a response.

Zako took hs own chicken. Looked to be some thigh of one anyway. Knawing on it while staring ahead at the wine rack in thought. It was a while before he responded to Tag... "Hm.. what? Oh.. *pause*... Who?"

Another moment of silence. During this time the bartender went over to Gil and his group to hand them the bill. Gil read it, went, "NANI!??" then when the bartender poked in the direction of Zako, the firstmate glowered with an 'oh.... Damn'

The 'damn' is what triggered Zako's memory. "OH! You mean Kel!? HAHA!!" minor bawling laughter. "She's not my neice. She was a stolaway on my ship a long time ago, if you want the truth. Good with weapons. Weren't you dating before you became a woman? Ah, doesn't matter." he waved it off.

"She's either with the ship or in her shop. Just beware of those boobietraps and that cat" nodnod..

Tag was steaming.

"WE WERE NOT DATING YOU PERVERT! And for your infermation, I was always a girl. Not like I ate some funky gender swap fruit or somethin.."

Tag smiled again, suddenly in good spirits again.

"Ah, but soon it won't matter. My partner's coming with the grandline map an' we'll be famous and rich an respected an happy an ye'll still be suckin rocks to try an get the gold out of them."

A minor blinking fest ensued, followed by a gawking pirate captain.. "wait... No.. Wait.." he paused in sudden fascinating silence. Poking at Tag.. "You Have.. No.... You couldn't.."

Thereafter, Zako went into deep thought.. "I couldn't concieve it possible..."

Finally he bostered up the strength to be a skeptic.. "I thought you were a 1 pirate crew. How in the world do you safely fit 2 people on a small sloop like the one you have??"

"Eh, Johnny an' I go way back. We agreed to become pirates and find the One Piece together."

Tag downed another chicken wing, and whiped her mouth before continuing. "His pa's a cartographer of sorts, so he's got access to any map imaginable. His boat should be arrivin' in just a few days to drop him, then I'm offa this rock."

Tag smiled, her eyes laughing.

"Ah, but dont cha worry. I wont ferget you when I'm famous."

Now Zako was in controversy.. This was bluntly stated in.. "When why were you alone on a sloop in the middle of the ocean.. If you two are lovers, shouldn't you be on his ship?"

Further confusion escilated, but not before concern.. "You know you shouldnt' swallow the bones of the chicken... you need to chew the damn thing, Ta-Ack!"

A mug hit Zako in teh back of the head. This was thrown by a rather pissed Gil a ways off. His forehead rested all bruised up on the bar counter. Before the pirate realized he couldn't pick it back up. He struggled.. until finally ripping his head out of a self-made blade or three that were now implanted into the counter. Thereafter giving a 'whew'.. then panicking as blood started shooting form his forehead. "AACK" finding the nearest thing, a napkin, and slapping it on the wounds thereafter.

Tag was about to smack him across the head with her own mug, but Gil beat her to it. She smiled brightly and gave him a quick appreciative wave, then turned her suddenly glaring face back to Zako.

"Pervert." she muttered and heaved a long drawn out sigh before standing up.

""I should be goin now. Thanks fer the food."

"Yeah. sure... Right... I'LL KILL YOU BASTARDS!" He started with talking to Tag, then shook a fist at Gil and his group.

The group thereafter replied, "sure you will, right, and be without chew for your ship.." in a few scattered comments... Gil thereafter adds, "And thanks for the chicken" Which, in a strange turn of events, was served to them by the bartender that thereafter gave Zako a bill...

Zako glanced down at it. wincing, as he still held a bloody napkin over his forehead.. and gritting teeth.. "Shit, I can't pay for this.."

Then his attention sparked back to Tag.
"Sure again, Have fun. Feel free to drop by my ship anytime. Partying, fun, all that" He gave a grin.. which was obvious either staged, or a sign that he was a massachistic bastard what with the gashes in his forehead and all.

For a moment, Tag was worried about all the bleeding the man was doing. But his crew was there, so he was obviously in good hands.

"Right then." The pirate gave one last cheerfull wave to the guys in the back, and left the tavern.

*Kai walked into the bar. It had been awhile since he'd had a drink and a drink sounded mighty good right about now. He took a swig of rum and it stung a little on its way down.*

*This was Tag's fault. Stupid girl. She was kind of cute though. He needed to forget about her and the rum was a good way of doing that. Then to find a ship. He wanted to go back to being a real pirate again.*

Zako stumbled into the place. Either roughed up by some crowd of ruthless bandits or Extremely hung over. He trudged over to the bar and rose a hand to the bartender... "Drink"

The bartender looked at him. And gave him a glass of water. =P Which he looked at, then drank.

Otherwise, his head was pounding. It ached horrible. What was he drinking last night? Who roughed him up? He couldn't remember. It was so long since he did something that fun... After all, drinking this much was supposed to be fun, right? Ah, but now his head was killing him, he felt tired, and he knows that he got a bigger beer belly somewhere in there.

*Kai looked over at the man who came into the bar. Oh, it was that Zuko... Zaki... something like that. He wasn't one to remember names.*

Hi, what're ye doin' here getting water t' drink? Ye should try some o' this rum, it's good. Water doesn' have enough alcohol in it.

AH, The KrimsonKizu flintched, talking. That was the last thing he wanted to have right now. His ears practically exploded at Kai's voice. And instead of immediately responding, Zako rubbed his temples. A migrane was going to accompany the hangover soon.

Quietly, he eventually replied, "um... not now. already had too much..." Clearly in absolute pain and an ugly mood. Though, was still trying to be nice.

What in the world did he Do last night? And where was his crew? If he did something this dumb, he Must've been with his crew. Those bastards. Doing things til he gets a deadly hangover then not tell me what they did afterwards. He could be missing out on something he already did. Now he's stuck here with a kid at the bar, and the kid wouldn't shut up.

"What's it to... m... nevermind." He concluded, looking at the water with rings under his eyes and a 5'o'clock shadow covering his gotee.

Suit yerself. Ye must not have t' many troubles if yer not drinking. Me, I'm probably in all sorts o' trouble. I was forced t' join the Marines an' then I escaped after destroying half the base. *Kai said with a slight smile.*

An' the few women I know hate me. So I'm in all sorts o' trouble an' I need more rum. *He said after looking at his empty glass.*

Tag entered the tavern, sat down at the counter and slammed her fist on the table. She slouched over in a matter that conveyed absolute annoyance with everything and glared as if the glare would get her service. After looking pointedly at the bartenders back for a bit she finally tuged his sleave.

"Hey, ah need chicken n' ale."

The bartender looked at her, then glanced at a sign on a support beam beside him, then went back to what he was doing.

Tag followed his gaze to the sign, which had the words "We extend tabs to all" burnt into it, and the additional words "except that lying annoying debt-dodging brat TAG" scrawled in paint under it (with the name 'Tag' emphasized slightly more than she thought was necessary).

"Oh common, I'll pay, ah just need a bit of time."

He hurumphed and payed her no more notice.

Zako looked through peered eyes at the colorful dizzying swirls that make up Kai the pirate. The Loud ear-popping voice sure sounded familiar too. Something about knives and someone not on his crew... Hmmm... Ah, his head hurt, knives... now THAT sounds familiar.

Next comes someone else that's vaguely familiar. Who sat two seats down from him and complained with the bartender. Ah, complaining. Ah, his head. His Head! Was like a banshee of 6 were screaming into it and there was this giant ringing bell inside on the side. Like his own power was stabbing him from the insides. Luckily, though, the latter wasn't the case.

There was only one thing he could do to stop his own suffering. Mumbling to Kai and thumbing to Tag, "She's a woman. Buy her a drink. That'll solve all your problems..."

*Kai looked back to where Zako had motioned to. He only saw the back of the girl's head.* Ye know, I think I'll d' that.

Oi, bartender. *Kai motioned for the man to come over and he did with an annoyed grumble.* I'll buy her a drink. Just tell her it's from me, alright?

*The bartender got some ale and brought it over to Tag.* The gentleman over at there bought this for you. *He then left, grumbling that he wished the pirate had paid for the girl's tab as well.*

Tag looked at the drink in surprise, then glanced down the bar to see who was there. A smile crossed her face and she walked over to Zako, drink in hand.

"Zako, I gotta thank ya. Thought I'd die of thirst."

She sat down and looked him over.

Eh, he don't look to good. I wonder what's up..

"Hey, you alright?"

Ah shit, the plan backfired. Now people are talking to him more. And he'll probably get yelled at too. That's the last thing he needs, getting yelled at... His head was ready to split, it was.

Well, the girl knew him. But didn't everyone? He was famous one way or another for some reason. Maybe it was his good looks... Or maybe he was just that good of a pirate. Who knows, the mere thought of why this girl knew him made his brain scramble for cover from the hangover's rage.

He tried to smile, which looked sad and comforting at hte same time. Still having no clue who's around him. Just that he was in a bar with water. "Just drank too much, I guess.." Hand suddenly went to head at a new brand of pain... Ow... "I must've done some serious partying last night or... Something."

*Kai looked over and finally recognized the girl who he'd gotten the drink for. Well... maybe she wouldn't be so mad at him now. Oh, she was coming over to him....*

*His heart then sank as she sat next to Zako and thanked him for the drink. The bartender had betrayed him!*

*Leaning over towards Zako and Tag he said rather loudly.* I bought ye the drink.

Tag looked in the diretion of the new voice, and her eyes slanted a litte bit.

"You?"
She stared soulfully into her drink as if struggling with an important decision. Finally she looked back at Kai.

"Buy me some chicken too and you're forgiven."

Zako winced when Kai spoke RIGHT next to his ear drums, practically through his bleeding skull. He let out a small whimper and went around putting head on bar counter with arms over it. Specially after what Tag just said.. It was going to get loud in here, he knew it. Why now? For the first time, Zako was beginning to wish his mother were present to hug him. This was worse than getting shot.

Chicken, t'?! D' I look like I'm made o' money?! Yer lucky I even got ye a drink an' speaking o' which, a thank ye wouldn' be out o' place right about now!

*Kai didn't look mad exactly, mostly he got that look he often gets when he's just being a stubborn idiot. And why did she have to mention chicken? His stomach now grumbled at him for food.*

Tag shrugged her sholders and sighed,almost as if she was sad about what she was about to be forced into doing. "Suit yerself."

She took a swig and set the cup on the bar. Tag gave Zako a long hard look. After a pause, she said, "So Zako, remember how ya said I was like a little sister to ya? Guess what Kai was doing earlier."

Zako looked through his arms at the glass of water as Mr Bartender refilled it for him. Oh beautiful water. So clean and... wait... no... was that a dirty glass? Ah well, nothing like a few particals of food for vitamins.

He took the glass of water and drank more of it. Just as Kai lost it. The water shot forewards and, instead of filling his mouth, covered his face. Breathing in suddenly at the coldness of the water, not to mention the pain of Kai's voice, the water somehow found it's way down the wrong path in his throat as well as up his nose. And he therefore began caughing madly.

The bartender watched with a muttered, "that should wake youz up"

Once able to breath again (and hyperventilating in the process), tag leaned over to him and said something. "What?" he replied, not hearing her completely, but hey... It was the replied question she was probably wanting him to ask regardlessly.

I wasn' doin' anything earlier! Ye dun know what yer talking about, but I'll get ye yer damn chicken 'cus I'm such a nice guy. *He then ordered a large plate of chicken from the bartender which he had ever intention of picking off a few pieces of while Tag wasn't looking.*

"Oh, thank you Kai, what a nice gesture," Tag said, flashing a victorious smile his way.

"Ack, I hate it when this happens. Ya know, I completely forgot what I was sayin'. Ah well."

Tag was in a consiterably better mood thanwhen she'd first walked in. For one thing, she'd finally discovered something useful about being female. Free food.

Free food was always a good thing.

"So, what ave ya been up to recently, my good friend?"

*Kai got up and moved over to the other side of Tag. It would be easier to snitch some chicken...er... listen to her from there.*

Not t' much. I've been having some rum an' wandering around town. I've been thinking about joining a new pirate crew, but I haven' found any I like well enough. *The bartender brought him another glass of rum finally and Kai drank up.*

The chicken arrived and tag salivated. It looked as if they had brought her the entire bird, all cut and fried and served to her liking. With a look of pure happyness she took a piece and began eating it greedily.

"Ya seem ta have a bit of a boring life, if ya ask me," she said between bites.. "Not that mine is much better at the moment."

When it came to chicken, Tag was a fast eater and she had already moved on to her second piece.

Well... it's boring right now. Wasn' all that boring very long ago. At the moment, I think I'd rather it be boring. Means I dun have t' fight against any Marines 'r anyone else.

*Kai wanted a piece of that chicken. He pointed over to the poor Zako.* So, he's like yer bro now, is he? *If she looked over to him, he was going to take that oppertunity to steal a piece of chicken.*

"who, Zako?" Tag asked innocently, then broke into another grin. "Nah, the poor guy's just to piss drunk to argue. An' I wanted chicken. Also," she said, still looking at Zako, but guarding the chicken with her other hand. "If you so much as touch one of my breasts, yer dead." She was of course talking about the chicken, but she wanted to see him squirm if the other patrons overheard.

*He was about to yell at her for tricking him into getting her some chicken, but then she made the comment about her breasts and he blushed brightly as a few in the tavern looked over at the bar.*

I wasn' goin' t' touch yer breasts, dun say things like that so loud. *Kai whispered.* An' I was just goin' t' have a piece of the chicken I bought. Ye can't possibly eat all o' that anyway.

Tag was about to make another comment, when something out the window caught her eye. In a moment all thought of chicken was gone, and she emitted a girlish shriek of glee that was entirely out of character for her.

A moment later she was standing and laughing. "They're here!" She laughed again and gave Kai a quick hug. "Have all the chicken you want, they're here!"

She quickly left the tavern and ran to the shipyards.