One Piece: Shanks' Little Jasmine

Chapter 49 The Evening Banquet

“Zeff is acting strange today. Never mind, Moko-chan, where do you live? Tina will take you home.”

Although Tina was puzzled by Zephyr's unusual behavior, she didn't think too much about it. She figured her teacher must have her own reasons, and she just needed to follow in her footsteps.

"Thank you, Tina-chan."

Moko's eyes were curved, and her smile was sweet and adorable, like a delicate porcelain doll, constantly striking Tina's heart. Tina was so cute that she felt like little flowers were blooming all over her body, and she stopped thinking about Zephyr's strangeness.

"Moko-chan, you're so cute! Tina loves you!"

Tina reached out and hugged Moko again, nuzzling her face against Moko's. Moko didn't resist, letting Tina hug her like a doll. Smoker stood aside, looking somewhat helpless, seemingly unable to do anything about Tina's behavior.

The villa area was very quiet, and there were hardly any people to be seen along the way. Tina and Smoker were naval officers with official positions, and they were now living on the outskirts of the villa area. They did not have to live in the dormitory like ordinary naval officers. The villas they lived in were for four people, but each of them lived on a separate floor. The rooms were fully furnished and the conditions were quite good, so they did not feel cramped.

Moko lives in the center of the villa area, living in a villa all by herself. Her treatment is almost the same as that of a general, which is why Moko initially felt that the accommodation was too unique and luxurious.

(Garp: My precious granddaughter wants to live in the best she can get, and it's just a mere villa. ?〃???〃?)

Garp knew that Moko wasn't the type to show off, so he didn't choose a super large villa, but rather a smaller one in the central area. It was much smaller than the general's luxurious villa, but it was more than enough for Moko to live in alone.

Moreover, the villa has a large courtyard where Moko can plant her favorite flowers and plants. Knowing that Moko likes to stay in the garden, Garp specially built a large swing in the garden. Looking around, it is not much different from the garden in Golpo Mountain, which Moko is very happy about.

The three of them soon arrived at the villa. The openwork arched gate was entwined with jasmine vines. After a winter of rest, the jasmine had bloomed early this year. The fist-sized jasmine blossoms stretched their soft forms in the wind, like feathers falling on the heart. The somewhat restless heart unconsciously calmed down. The faint fragrance of flowers and grass in the air was refreshing and made people want to stay.

"Pfft!"

As soon as Moko opened the courtyard gate, Mika rushed out. In order to prevent the Navy from discovering Mika's ability to change size, Moko had always kept Mika at the size of a doll. Mika was also small now. Moko easily caught the rushing Mika and smiled as she reached out to brush the petals off Mika's head.

It wasn't convenient to bring Mika to the naval conference, so Moko let Mika stay at the villa and play by herself. She looked like she had just woken up from a nap in the flower bushes.

"Moko-chan, what's this? It's so cute!"

Tina peeked out from behind Moko, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the tiny Mihua. Moko generously placed Mihua in Tina's arms and explained softly.

"It's called Mihua, and it's part of my family."

"Mihua, what a cute name, just as cute as Moko-chan."

Tina hugged Mihua tightly and wouldn't let go. The fluffy texture of Mihua is something that even the three little ones in the family can't resist.

Moko chuckled as she watched this scene and led Tina into the villa. However, Smoker at the door remained motionless. Moko turned back to look at Smoker with a puzzled expression, her eyes crinkling.

"Come in, I've prepared some snacks and tea. You can also stay for dinner tonight."

"Forget it, I still have..."

Before Smoker could finish speaking, Tina used one hand to pull Smoker over.

"Tina hates people who dawdle. You don't have anything to do this afternoon, so don't try to fool Tina."

Tina puffed out her cheeks and stared at Smoker with a warning look, as if she would tie him up on the spot if he refused. Smoker's forehead twitched, and he felt sweat pouring down his face. He sighed helplessly and nodded.

"Yay! (σ≧?≦)σ, Moko-chan, snacks, snacks!"

Moko's invitation was sincere, not just a polite gesture. Tina realized this and didn't say anything to refuse. Besides, she really wanted to be good friends with the cute little thing in front of her. Heaven knows how much of a surprise and temptation it was to have a sweet and soft little cutie when she was stuck in a base full of smelly men every day.

"I made egg yolk pastries today, they go perfectly with tea." Mo Ke smiled and pushed open the door to enter.

"Egg yolk pastry, looks so delicious (???)."

The two walked in talking, with Smoker following closely behind. Once inside the villa, he became incredibly stiff, like a wooden puppet. He sat upright on the sofa, looking more like he was there for a meeting than a guest.

Smoker had been to girls' rooms before, like Tina's room quite often, always carrying big bags and small bags, all of which were things Tina had bought. But this was the first time he had been to any of the other girls' rooms, especially this girl, whom he had just met and wasn't exactly familiar with.

Perhaps girls can become familiar with each other in a short time. Tina was not as reserved as Smoker. She sat on the sofa and played with Mika. After a while, Moko brought out tea and snacks. When she looked up and saw such a contrasting scene, she couldn't help but find it a little funny.

"Give it a try. It might taste a little different from the snacks you get outside. I wonder if you'll like it?"

Mo Ke placed the egg yolk pastry and flower tea on the table in front of the two of them. Immediately, the sweet aroma of the pastry and the fragrance of the tea filled the air. Tina picked up the egg yolk pastry, took a bite, and her eyes lit up with happiness.

Smoker hesitated for a moment, then nodded his thanks after seeing Moko's expectant look before picking up the egg yolk pastry. As a dessert, the egg yolk pastry wasn't very sweet, but rather a sweet and savory flavor, which was acceptable even for people who didn't particularly like sweet things. It was also the first time Smoker had ever tasted a sweet and savory dessert, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.

Seeing this, Moko knew it suited her taste. She looked away and continued chatting with Tina. When Smoker looked up at Moko again, Moko and Tina were discussing how to make egg yolk pastries. Sunlight streamed through the window and fell on Moko and Tina, casting a hazy golden veil over the two beautiful girls, making them look like a dream. Smoker's heart inexplicably calmed down.

The three of them played around for a while, and then it got dark. Mo Ke didn't know exactly how many people would come that night, but given her grandfather's love of lively gatherings, she figured there would be quite a few.

This was actually a kind of New Year's celebration. Garp didn't return to Mount Gorpo because of work, so Moko thought she would spend the New Year with Garp at Marine Headquarters. Since it's New Year's, it's always better to have more people around, so Garp invited a few friends to dinner early on. Tsuru hadn't planned to come back for the meeting, but Garp called her back. The way she invited people to dinner everywhere gave off a very extravagant vibe, like she was spending money to treat everyone.

Seeing that Moko was preparing dinner, Tina and Smoker didn't just sit by and watch; they rolled up their sleeves and helped out.

Smoker was quick and efficient, while Tina was less so, clearly not very active in the kitchen. After Tina broke an egg again, Smoker rubbed his temples, picked her up like a chick, and carried her to the living room sofa. He then tucked Mihua, who was lounging on the sofa sunbathing like a cat pancake, into Tina's arms.

(Mihua: (′▽｀)Slumped~)

After finishing everything, Smoker returned to the kitchen, seemingly saying nothing, yet also as if he had said everything. Moko turned her head away to hide the smile that she couldn't conceal, but her trembling shoulders clearly showed that she was smiling.

Tina scratched her cheek sheepishly. She knew she had made things worse than helpful. There was nothing she could do; she didn't usually cook for herself, and the only time she did was when Smoker did it. It wasn't her fault ( °u° ).

Dinner mainly consists of hot pot with various soup bases. Everyone can adjust the dipping sauce according to their own taste. The side dishes are also easy to prepare, so there's no need to worry about not having enough. Moko only needs to prepare some home-style stir-fries to go with it, which is not too troublesome to make.

Moko, seeing that it was almost time, started preparing a home-style stir-fry. Smoker took over the remaining task of chopping the side dishes. Tina, holding Mihua, stood at the kitchen door, her eyes fixed on the steaming wok. She looked just like the little gluttons in the house. Moko, feeling both helpless and amused, filled a small plate with sweet and sour pork and handed it to Tina.

Tina's eyes lit up with surprise. She quickly placed the rice puffs on her head, took the plate, and started eating. The pork tenderloin was sweet and sour, which suited her taste perfectly. Tina nodded vigorously because it was so delicious. Smoker, who was standing to the side, caught a glimpse of Tina's expression out of the corner of his eye and smiled.

As the sun sets, stars twinkle in the distance, and the ethereal sea mist, bathed in the golden afterglow, spreads across the ocean, leaving behind strings of shimmering starlight.

The voices outside the door grew louder as they approached, becoming a cacophony of noise. The door opened, and the three in the kitchen turned to look at the entrance. Garp led a group of people in, including Sengoku, Tsuru, and Zephyr, who had been invited, as well as the three newly appointed generals. The group looked strange; they seemed more like they were there for a meeting than for a meal.

Tina and Smoker immediately stood up straight and saluted respectfully, while Sengoku waved his hand dismissively, his voice gentle.

"Today is like an annual party, so there's no need to be so formal. Just relax."

"Yes!" x2

"What~"

The sheep at her feet echoed her, shook its head, and walked to the kitchen with practiced ease. However, it stopped at the kitchen door and stared at Moko with its cute little eyes. Moko chuckled and took out some candy flower pastries, put them in the sheep's special little bowl, and then placed them in front of the sheep.

"Have some snacks first, meow meow."

"What~"

When Moko was at headquarters, Meimei would often come to Moko's villa on her own. At first, it really startled Moko, but over time she got used to it. She would even make some snacks for Meimei from time to time. It could be said that Meimei came more often than Garp. For this reason, Moko specially prepared a special little bowl for Meimei so that it would be convenient to feed Meimei delicious food.

(Warring States: I knew there would be days when I couldn't find my sheep. So it's just leaving me to enjoy life alone dT-Tb)

The group sat around a round table. Since they were all quite familiar with each other, they weren't too reserved and chatted and laughed. With Smoker and Tina's help, the dishes were served quickly.

Moko took off her apron and hung it aside. When she turned around, she saw Garp's expectant eyes. Moko was too embarrassed to refuse. She sighed helplessly and nodded. Garp happily opened the cabinet next to him and dragged out a large wooden box.

The fruit wines in the box were neatly arranged. Because they were specially supplied to Moko, there were no labels on the bottles. When the cork was opened, the aroma of the wine filled the air, mixed with a faint fruity scent. Kuzan, having tasted it once before, seemed a little calmer than the others, but he still stared intently at the wines in the wooden box, clearly also craving them.

"Tonight we're drinking until we drop, hahaha!"

Garp held up the bottle and laughed heartily. Sengoku let Garp have his way and, unusually, didn't object. As everyone's glasses were filled, their belated old age began.

With Karp enlivening the atmosphere, the banquet was far from dull. The food suited everyone's tastes, as did the wine. Zephyr and Kuzan seemed to prefer the same sweet wine, while Borsalino and Sakazuki drank stronger wines, though clearly not to their desired strength.

Tsuru and Tina like sweet plum wine. Smoker, like Garp and Sengoku, doesn't seem to care much about the alcohol content of alcohol, but he probably prefers sake.

After observing everyone's tastes, Moke had a general understanding of their preferences. Seeing that the main meal was almost ready, Moke got up and went into the kitchen to prepare honey water to help them sober up. Although the saying goes "no one leaves until they're drunk," Moke couldn't actually let them get drunk. Even though she wasn't going to work tomorrow, these people still had to go to work, and Moke didn't want to be the one to get her bosses drunk.

"By the way, He, didn't you say you were going to catch someone? Did you catch them?"

Karp took a crispy egg yolk pastry, popped it into his mouth, and looked at the crane, asking a question.

Just then, Moko came out carrying a cup of honey water and placed one in front of each person. He smiled and thanked Moko, took a sip of the honey water, took a breath, and shook his head regretfully.

"When I got there, that guy had already run away, but we caught quite a few of his accomplices. I heard he's been plotting something lately..."

As she said this, Tsuru glanced at Sengoku for a moment, but quickly looked away. Although Sengoku had been drinking, he still caught Tsuru's gaze and picked up his honey water to hide the thoughtful look in his eyes.

Sakazuki remained silent as usual, drinking his wine without participating in the conversation, while Borsalino seemed very interested in the egg yolk pastry, eating it with great relish.

Kuzan and Zephyr didn't say much either. They drank their wine and ate their snacks leisurely. None of the other pre-selected generals spoke, and Smoker and Tina were even less likely to speak. For a moment, the table fell into an eerie silence.

Moko wasn't very interested in the conversation. Unless it was about the people around her, she pretended not to hear it and focused on the two fluffy animals playing by the sofa with Tina.

After Meimei finished eating, she went over to Mihua. Whether it was a natural affinity between fluffy creatures or not, the two little ones seemed to get along well. However, Moko was quite curious about how they communicated, since they were of different species. Could they really understand each other's languages? Curious! (′?w?｀) !

(Meme: Meme, you're emotionally stable~)

Puffed rice: It tastes like grass, like grass!