Chapter 5: Chapter 5: The Baratie
Dissclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece.
Chapter 5:
The Baratie.
"So, this is the Baratie?" Sakura asked rhetorically. Gaping at the abstract design of the ship.
"I think it looks cool! And you definitely can't mistake or ignore it. Huh?"
Kakashi chuckled, "Well, Naruto. I guess there is some truth to your words."
"Hm. It looks a like a dork's playhouse. Can this place really be a restaurant?" Sasuke chimed in.
The floating-restaurant had two masts, with sails coloured shades of pale and medium yellow. A fish's head made-up the front, with an oversized rudder stylized as a caudal-fin. The rest of the ship was a single 3-storey building, painted green and encompassed by a narrow deck.
As they approached, Kakashi instructed Sasuke and Naruto to grab an oar, and began to row in close to the docks near a fish-head figurehead.
"Heh! Whatcha rowing up thera for?"
A large, oddly portioned figure called to them. The man had massive forearms, thin legs, and broad shoulders. Topped off by a buzz-cut, and a black, thin goatee. With two heart-tattoos on his left arm.
"Is there a problem?" Kakashi inquired, before Naruto could speak-up.
"If you wanna dock at the restaurant, row around the back. That's where the boats get tied off, not loiterin' at the front door. Come around and I'll meet you there."
Kakashi nodded, angling the rudder while the boys continued to row. Soon the figure met them at the spot, calling for a morning line. Once the ship was tied off, he spotted Sakura.
"Well hello there, little pint-sized lady. I'm Patty, a cook here at the Baratie." Dashing forth, the man knelt down, offering his hand.
"Please, accept my humble welcome to the Baratie you troublesome hoolegan. I am Patty, a cook in our fine establishment. I offer you a nice meal, and my help to step aboard, you little Dekosuke.[1]"
Sakura…was…perplexed and mad at the name. "What was that you called me!?" Brushing the hand aside, she clumsily jumped the gap, nearly falling over.
Once she was aboard, the man rushed to the door. "Please, step inside, you whiny little pre-teen. A table will be ready soon and-"
"Hey! Stop insulting Sakura-chan, big guy!" Naruto confronted him.
Immediately, the reception changed.
"What was that ya damn crook! I was being nice to a rare female customer! Are you a customer too!?" Patty confronted Naruto.
"Ummmmm. Actually…" Kakashi interjected. "We don't have much money to pay for a meal. We're here to-Hm?!"
At the words "no money" Patty was flying towards Kakashi. The Jonin nimbly dodged him, and the roundhouse punch that followed.
"Get out here, cheapskate! Our policy is to only serve paying customers here. So, if you can't pay, get back in ya boat and get gone!"
The man took another swing at Kakashi, while the Genin moved to help.
Until an odd interruption.
"Get outa my restaurant! Drunk-eyes!"
"Whoa!"
"Ummmmph-!"
Splash.
After the first shout, a haggard, drunken man came flying through the doors. Passing Sakura, missing Kakashi and Naruto, and hit Patty. Sasuke was surprised, and hit by the pair, launching all three for an unwelcome swim in the ocean.
"Sasuke!" "Sasuke!" the other Genin cried.
"Hey, Patty! Are you scaring away customers again?"
Through the doors, a beard man stepped outside. , old, rotund, and powerful. Wearing a cook's outfit and a ridiculously high chef's hat, his hard eyes locked on to Kakashi, while Sakura and Naruto helped Sasuke out of the water. Stroking a braided moustache with two bouncing points, the man swept his eyes out at his accidental victims.
"Huh. Sorry for the swim, little brat."
Naruto glared at the man. Before he froze and began to laugh out loud.
"Ghahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Wh-why do you have such a tall hat. Old man?"
The chef frowned, half-way to kicking some manners into the boy. But settled for a light bonk on Naruto's head, using that same hat. "You disrespectful brat! I'm the chef here, Zeff. So of course, I get a tall chef's hat! So, are you guys customers here, or looking for something else?"
Kakashi, who been watching silently, blinked at the name.
"As in Red-foot Zeff? The Pirate captain turned restaurateur?"
Zeff turned at the cool voice. "Who wants to know?" a menacing tone came in reply from him, eying the grey-haired stranger.
"Nobody looking for a fight. I'm a friend of Tarm. The four of us saved his village from a pirate crew a few days ago. He told us to come to you, since we have some questions about the Grand Line. Can you help us?"
Zeff scowled at the man. "I'm no pirate anymore. It's true, I sailed on the Grand Line once but-"
"Hey!" An orange blur yanked at the man's springy moustache.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Have you ever heard of a place called the Elemental Nations, or the Land of Fire! Come on, we're from there and you've gotta have heard about them! Ya Know!"
From there, things took a turn for strange. Patty climbed out of the sea, to begin yelling at his boss for the kick. Sakura, for once, didn't berate Naruto. She was silent, awiting for an answer, until Sasuke chose to remove his shirt to wring-out the sea-water, causing Sakura to grow hearts in her eyes at the view of him shirtless.
While Zeff and Kakashi traded some long, curious looks. Searching deeply, piercingly.
GGggggwwwwwwwrrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhhh.
Three hungry stomach's interrupted them. The Genin blushed, but that sealed the deal to Zeff.
"Hhhh. Kids must be hungry for just one stomach to whine that loudly. Come on in and grab a table."
"But chef! They said they don't have any money to pay with! It's tha customer policy. No money, no service." Patty complained.
"Shut it, Patty," came an order and a solid kick to the face towards the cook, sending him through the doors. "I've told ya before, if anyone comes here hungry, we will feed them no matter what. Set up a table for 'em, and get back to work!"
"Yes Chef!" Patty cried, scurrying inside. While the Ninja's gawked in surprise. Zeff shrugged it off, walking back inside his restaurant.
"AAAHHHHH! YOU'RE Leg!" Naruto cried in terror.
"You-you-you-you-you only have one leg! What happened! They're making you work here despite being crippled!? That's terrible! I've gotta teach the boss here a lesson!"
Rolling-up his sleeves, the boy strode forward to the doors.
Gthrump!
Until a wooden leg landed sharply on his head.
"Didn't anyone teach you some manners, little brat!? My leg has been like this for years! I own this restaurant and run it just fine with my peg-leg. Now shut it and get to a table to eat!"
"Huh? Food!?" His pledge forgotten, Naruto run ahead with a starving mood.
Several minutes later, Team 7 was enjoying several platers full of the restaurant's finest. The Genin dug in with gusto, while Kakashi eat more measuredly, before stepping away to the kitchen.
"So," a voice called to his left. Turning, the Jonin found Zeff waiting for him. "Whay do ya want to know anything about the Grand Line?"
The Jonin paused. Rehearsing the story he had made in his head, over the past few days.
"Well. A week ago, we met a Devil-Fruit user on our home Island called the Elemental Nations. Something happened, and he launched us to the East Blue. We landed on Tarm's Island and are looking for a way to get back home. However, our home has some isolationist policies. Nobody has ventured out from the Elemental Nations for over a century. We're pretty lost and are looking to head to the Grand Line to sail back there."
"Tarm mentioned that you travelled to the Grand Line before. And were one of the few to come out of that sea alive. Can you tell us what we're getting into along the way, and what we'll need to prepare to sail there?"
Zeff fixed the Jonin with a hard stare. Testing. Deliberating.
"You honestly expected us to believe that! Those devil-fruit stories are bound to be a-"
"Shut it, Carne." Zeff silenced the cook. "I've heard stories more outlandish than that one. Heck, I might even know who sent them here. And if it's the person I recall, then they're lucky to even be alive."
"So, do you have any names to go by? You and the kids?" He asked Kakashi.
"Hmmm. I'm Hatake Kakashi. The girl is named Haruno Sakura. While the boy with dark hair is called Uchiha Sasuke. I have a feeling the other boy would rather introduce himself." He replied, one eye closed in a clear smile.
Zeff frowned at the cryptic response. But shrugged it off and returned to his kitchen.
"Follow me, Kakashi. We'll talk in my office while the kids fill their stomachs. Sanji!"
"Yeah! What is it, geezer!" A blonde suave man replied. Catching Kakashi's attention as he faced the chef and effortlessly continued to sauté a pan filled with vegetables.
"Take care of the kids at table 16 in the dining room. They won't be any charge for their meal, got it, brat!"
Following Zeff, Kakashi was soon in a spacious bedroom. Where Zeff got straight to the point.
"All right. First off, Kakashi. Do ya mind telling me just who the heck you are? Never see clothes like the one's your carrying, and I know a fighter when I see one."
Kakashi's shock began to rise. "Well, you're right, I am something of a fighter. A ninja from the Elemental Nations, if that means anything."
"Ninja's!" Zeff shouted, with glee. "Really! Can you do some of those crazy tricks?"
The man dropped to his knees, his body trembling excitedly.
Kakashi was baffled. 'His smile is almost bigger than Naruto's.'
"Ummmm….Wait! You've heard about Ninja's? Shinobi?"
Zeff shook his head, then stood tall. Trying to regain some dignity after his childish slip-up.
"Heh. Only in passing. Most of them come from the country of Wano, and a few other places. Samurai come from there as well, some stories about these ninja talk about them disappearing, creating copies of themselves, throwing ninjas stars, or other things. Care to give a demonstration?"
Now, Kakashi remained passive, while his excitement was mounting. 'Those sound like chakra-skills! If Zeff recognizes some, then maybe Shinobi from our world have come here before!'
"Maybe. One rule we have are that a Ninja should never real their skills unless absolutely necessary. If a fight were to happen here, maybe you'll get the chance" the cool Hatake replied.
Zeff nodded, then fixed the ninja with searching eyes. "Fair enough."
The man began to study Kakashi, fwhile the Jonin gave nothing away.
"Just charting one ship to travel to the Grand Line is a deal no one in this Ocean would accept. You'll likely need a buy a ship to sail there, but unless you've got some strange powers yourself or you've been there for years, you'll need a bigger boat than one four people will be able to run. Signing up with the Marines if you just want to head somewhere wouldn't work either, since it might take decades to get enough authority to just sail around anywhere you wanna go."
"Finding someone willing to go to the Grand Line is gonna be tough. But, you ended-up in a decent place to do it. People come through my restaurant on their way to enter the Grand LIne often enough. If you stick around long enough, you'll probably find someone willing to take-on some extra crew before heading there, or to Logue Town."
Zeff stopped for a moment, giving Kakashi time to ponder. The Jonin poured over Zeff's suggestions.
'All of this is reasonable enough. Still, if we join an international military force or a regular pirate crew, they might not let us leave after learning about our ninja-arts. Plus, none of us would want to join a crew like the one Captain Sendou had, least of all Naruto. Still…"
Kakashi eyed the former-pirate across from him carefully. 'This Zeff was once a pirate here as well. So maybe we can find a more agreeable pirate crew.'
"I can't promise anything though," the chef interrupted his thoughts.
"There are some different options. Another one of them would be to head towards Loguetown. It's a city near Reverse-Mountain, where people enter the Grand Line. The last stop for anyone heading there, and you could certainly find a crew to join-up with. But, if you want to get back home to the Grand Line, your gonna need money to do it."
"Whether to buy fresh supplies, weapons or other gear for the trip. Or staying in a hotel in Louguetown until you find someone willing to take you. If you can't even pay for a meal here, then you're gonna find a lot of problems if you head anywhere else."
Zeff eyed Kakashi carefully. "I'm not a man to turn away some extra hands, so long as they're dedicated and can handle themselves. The lot of you could work here for a while to save up enough money, if you're willing to. Room and board is also free, since all of us live on this ship. What do ya say?"
Kakashi's eye narrowed, containing his surprise at the generous offer.
"You make some decent points, Chef Zeff. But I'm surprised you want to just hire us on right off the bat. You don't look desperate for some extra hands, so why do you want us to work here?"
The man shrugged. "Well for a start, your ninjas. All boys like ninjas, so the chance to work with one is not something I'll pass up.[2] Neither would anyone of the other men who work here."
"Otherwise. Guess you could say I have a heart of gold. Tarm is one of the few people I call a friend, so I that's only one reason. If you have been isolated for a long while, you probably don't know much about this part of the Sea, or a huge part of the Grand Line. That Sea is a deadline battleground. And if you just drag three teenaged kids into it unprepared, you'll probably end up killing them along the way. I'd rather not see some innocent lives snuffed out before they get a chance to live."
Kakashi nodded, rewarding Zeff with an eye-smile and a gentle wave.
"Ahhh. Well, thank you for the generosity. You do make some good points about how we'd rather find a ship to take us with no-strings attached. And each of us are able to fight."
"Otherwise, you do raise a good point that we'll need money to get anywhere in a hurry.
"Plus, staying here would let us save more in to long run instead of paying for rooms to sleep in if we stayed in a larger village. We could probably save the money to buy a ship, or to spend on fresh supplies from various islands on the Grand Line once we start to traverse it."
"So, what kind of jobs do you have In mind?" Kakashi resigned himself.
'Naruto and Sasuke not going to take this well. Back to D-rank jobs.
Zeff was impressed. Once the excited at the word 'ninja's' wore-off, he found Kakashi's plan a very prudent course.
"Hmmm. You're pretty smart to think in the long-term like that, Kakashi. Fine. I'll hire you as chore-boys and probably a hostess. Plus, you can save some extra money from your wages or tips that come in. But you better not cause any trouble or problems while you're at it! Plus, I want you to understand, this is no ordinary restaurant."
Zeff's voice grew low, heavy, more solemn than a funeral. "I built this restaurant for one thing. It doesn't really matter who someone is, or where they come from. If they come in here hungry, then we'll feed them 'till their stuffed. Do I make myself clear! Can you handle that rule!"
Kakashi cocked his head, curious. But not enough to press the matter. "Doesn't sound like a problem at all."
Stepping forward, the chef offered Kakashi his hand. Which the Jonin casually shook.
"Welcome to my ship."
0…...0
A week passed with Team 7 working at the Baratie. With a series of disappointments for everybody. None of the Genin were eager to become chore-boys or a hostess, reminded of the boring D-rank missions from back in Konoha. Yet Kakashi's more authoritative stance as a Sensei kept their complaints to a minimum, and everyone still did their jobs.
There was some excitement among the cooks, to finally work with a woman. But they were promptly dejected to learn that Sakura was only 12 years old. Although some made the mistake of muttering about a flat-chested shrimp in front of her. Sakura's response was the chuck a plate at their heads, leading to broken dishes and an angry Zeff. But, holding to his rules, the man refused to hit her at all.
Still, on their first morning at the restaurant, Sakura got into an argument with Zeff.
"Whadda mean I can't learn how to cook!? Are you sexist against girls!?"
The pinkette accused the traditional man.
'Cha! That is so unfair! Girls can cook even better than guys! If we learn how to, then Sasuke would love our food so much, he'll definitely ask us out for date! CHAA!' her Inner-persona cried out.
"I told you! I won't let a girl learn to cook in my kitchen. It's out of respect, not bias."
The man tried to explain before-
"Sakura-chan, quiet down. The head-chef has spoken, and you need to follow that. Only the sous chef can question his orders." Sanji called over.[3]
Zeff, in a rare moment, nodded in approval. "Hm. Looks like you're finally learning something, little brat. And for you, Sakura."
"I don't hire female chefs for a reason. How many times in a day do you see me kick some in here?"
Thinking back on it, the girl blinked in fear. "Ummmm. At least once an hour."
"Hm. Sounds about right. And that is my point."
Stomp…..
Just the tap from Zeff's wooden leg made all the staff tremor with fear.
"I teach people things through violence. I can't do that with a girl or a woman. A Man mustn't ever kick a woman, or harm them in any way. It's a common sense from back when dinosaurs were still around! That is the honour of manhood! To protect and respect the honour and dignity of a woman. No person in my kitchen can ever hit a woman."
That closed the matter, and Zeff walked off to his kitchen. Leaving Sakura perplex, and Naruto inspired.
Still, this admiration did not last forever.
"Come on! I thought we came here for adventures. Not more lame chores!" Naruto complained.
"Well, you did steal most of the food, Naruto. So, it's only fair for you to work hard and pay it back," Kakashi reasoned. The Jonin was lounging in a corner, reading his precious copy of Icha-icha Tactics.
"Well if that's the reason, why aren't you working too sensei? It's really unfair for Chef Zeff to give you a break, just because you loaned him one of those pervy books!"
Kakashi grinned at the memory.
"He is the head-chef. And why mope around so much? Your clones have been a giant hit here at the restaurant, haven't they?"
"Definitely!" Patty shouted with glee. "Naruto here is a dream come true!" the man praised, ruffling the boy's hair.
"All those clones cut down on the clean-up we have at night to fraction! You really are amazing kid!"
"For once, you're right about one thing Patty," a certain Sous chef replied. "But…"
BAMM!
The wall near Kakashi's head shook. With a long, Black leg stuck in the place where the Jonin's head was resting. Kakashi had dodged the kick, without losing his place in the book.
"Everyone in the kitchen has to be do work, one way or another! Start with the dishes, or get outa here, Kakashi!"
The Jonin sighed but took the cue. His time at work was largely over for the day, so he just wanted a quiet spot to read. Moving into the restaurant, he found Sakura pouring over books and finances, while Sasuke was cleaning the ceiling.
Seeing the Ninja's using various chakra-techniques certainly impressed many of the cooks. Aside from Naruto's Shadow-clones, Zeff was ecstatic to have a convenient way to clean his ceilings, and someone with Sakura's book-smarts. While he wouldn't let her anywhere near the kitchen, Sakura was pulling weight as a maitre-d and putting her classroom-skills to work balancing the books, and managing orders for food and new furniture.
Sasuke was less thrilled at the odds jobs than Naruto, but he found the repetitive tasks oddly comfortable. They gave him time to actually think clearly about Itachi, Kakashi, and his teammates for once. Looking back on how heavily he trained to awaken his Sharingan in the past, and always pushed other people away. Until protecting someone else proved to be the trigger to awaken his eyes.
Kakashi himself had lighter work in the evenings but was still very popular with Zeff. During their first days, the Jonin had an altercation with some difficult customers. A husband and wife refusing to leave and demanding their meal should be free. Zeff was at a loss over how to deal with the lady, while Kakashi quickly immobilized them without any problems or injuries. What really left Zeff impressed, was how Kakashi did it without harming a woman, breaking furniture or wasting any food.
After seeing his more delicate approach, the head-chef assigned him to act as a bouncer, keeping things quiet without any broken dishes or smashed furniture.
Which had already saved the Baratie hundreds of thousands of bellies.
Glancing at his Genin hard at work, Kakashi smiled. 'This kind of work really has been good for them. Something to focus on past their various personal troubles has lightened their moods, somewhat. Plus, these two seem to have taken my words about Naruto and Itachi to heart. Sakura hasn't done more than yell at him since our talk in the forest, but she still avoided him more, and approaches Sasuke only sparingly. While Sasuke did apologize, and that was a milestone. Yet he spends every moment away from work quiet and contemplating.'
'Maybe some fresh training exercises will help them.'
"Hey, Kakashi," Zeff called out to the Jonin.
"I just realized. I never did complement you a few days back. Taking care of that difficult woman who was a customer. I already know my policy about women, but managed to remove her without causing any harm to her." Zeff nodded, sharing a rare complement.
"Hey, maybe you should take some pointers from him, boss!" Patty cried from across the room.
"Yeah, all of us want to work with a woman. Especially a curvy, beautiful one with a body to die for." Carne chimed in. Before a wishful look crossed his face.
"A real woman. Getting all sweaty in the kitchen, letting an apron hug her curves and assets. Or bending down low to give us a nice view of -"
"Carne! Get you head Outa the gutter, and get back to work!"
Zeff promptly dealt with his perverted employee. Unfortunately, Naruto overheard.
Bursting through the doors, the blonde was excited and eager to show-off a certain, notorious skill.
"Oh, you want to see a woman! I can help with that! HEY EVERYONE!"
Kakashi and Sasuke soon felt a sinking-feeling. While Sakura was mortified.
'He Wouldn't!' 'I just cleaned to floors!' "Naruto don't you dare-"
"Sexy Jutsu!"
In a flash, there 'she' was. A Tall, beautiful, teenaged girl stood in the restaurant. Covered only by clouds, and nothing else. One hand planted on her hip, the other raised behind her head, showing off some perky, nude boobies, long sexy legs, and an irresistible pout.
Each of the cooks froze. Their eyes drinking in every angle of the naked figure; from her alluring bust, to a tight, sexy tush.
"Ghhaaaa!" "HOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" "WHOA!"
"NAKED! NAKED! NAKED LADY!"
The last shouts called everyone in the restaurant down for a look. Zeff himself was powerless to stop it, even getting a nose-bleed himself at the sight. While Sakura stomped forward, straight into Kakashi's outstretched arm. Who began to giggle perversely, while holding back the girl's feminine fury.
Until a geyser of blood erupted from the spectators.
Eventually, Naruto had to undo that jutsu, and there was hell to pay. Zeff was furious, his face sizzling red while standing in the centre of over half his cooks still blacked-out. While those few still awake refused to let him hurt Naruto, wanting to keep his pervy ninjutsu around.
"Ghhhh! You brat!" Zeff complained. "Fine. If you wanna act like rowdy teenagers in heat, then take it outside so my dining room doesn't' end-up covered with blood. But not tonight! Naruto's gonna clean all of this up, and disinfect every millimeter of my dining-room first!" Stomping a foot in a pool of blood, one of several dotting the floors.
While Naruto pouted, muttering about pervy, old men. Kakashi noticed Sakura and Sasuke still glaring at their teammate.
'The last time I left things alone with them, it…didn't turn out very well. They probably need a distraction.' The Jonin-sensei contemplated.
"Hey, Sakura, Sasuke."
"Yes, sensei?" "What?" they replied.
"Well, I just had a small thought. While Naruto's busying cleaning here, Why don't we go to the other side of the ship and do some new training.
"WHAAATT! Cool, sensei! Let's go!" Naruto cried, barrelling to the door; and promptly cut-off by Zeff.
"You ignorant, punk!" the chef snatched him off his feet, holding the boy up by his shirt. "You're not going anywhere until my dining-room is spotless. I you wanna do that 'sexy'-disgrace again, do it outside where things are easier to wash. Your teammates worked hard today, and they never pulled this kind of a stunt! No ninja training for you tonight!"
While Zeff berated Naruto, Kakashi and his students slipped out the door. "Alright. Now, I'm going to start you both on a very essential skill, now that we're living on the ocean. How to walk on water."
End.
[1]-Dekosuke=a mocking nickname for people with large heads. From the anime "Gurren Lagaan," and one I particularly fond of.
[2]-One Piece, Chapter Manga chapter 817, episode 769. Even the serious Trafalgar Law and Zoro were eager to meet a real ninja, and amazed at Raizo's skills. It's an inescapable fact, Ninjas are cool.
[3]-Sakura is 12 years old here, just on the cusp of puberty. She is way too young for Sanji to bother flirting with.
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