"You've never had a taco before?" Mayando asked as the steam from the grill rose toward the kitchen ceiling.
"Spider Miles barely had any food in general, let alone meat," Sakazuki said as he looked off through the window pensively.
"Damn, that sucks," Mayando said with a nod as he stirred the beef around the pan. "You seem like you've had a lot to deal with for a while."
"I just do what I have to do. As long as my family is safe, then I don't care what happens to me," he responded as he continued to stare off into the distance.
"Well, they're safe with my cousins on Fishman Island. Surface dwellers aren't common down there, but Konagi will make it work. He lost a bet to me a few years back and owes me this at the very least," Mayando said as he dropped the beef into the hard shells he had prepared next to the stove.
"I appreciate that more than you can know, Mayando," Sakazuki said as the fishman navigator approached him with a plate.
"Rocks told me to do it, I was going to save that favor for when I get into severe gambling debt. I'm sure that phase is coming for me sooner or later," Mayando said sarcastically as he thrust the plate into Sakazuki's hand. "Even if you were doing something noble, a kid doesn't need to have the weight of his family's lives on his mind everyday. You should take the time with our crew to live a little, and a taco is a great way to start that," he said with a smile as he returned to the stove to fetch his own plate.
Sakazuki looked down as he inhaled the delicious smell of the seasoned meat, and he could feel his mouth begin to water involuntarily. However, just as he went to take his first bite, the sound of cannon fire broke the peaceful scene like a mirror shattering upon hitting the floor. The pair put down their food and bolted up the steps, emerging on the deck just in time to see a cannonball just barely miss the coastline.
Mayando and Sakazuki looked toward the source of the cannon fire, though the midday fog made it difficult to make out any details. However, their vision cleared almost instantly as what could only be described as a forceful pulse from the bow of the lead ship blew away every bit of the fog. Standing at the bow of the ship stood a towering human man, his hands in front of him as if he was saying a prayer. The thick material of the clothing beneath his armor was clearly well made for the winter weather, and the variety of floral designs on the armor stood out in contrast to the pitch black armor that they were painted on.
"Who is that?" Sakazuki said as the ships continued to approach the coast.
"Based on those ships they aren't part of the World Government, but they look too organized to be pirates. I'll flip the ship around to the port on the other side of the island-" Mayando began to say before the continued sound of cannon fire drowned out his words.
"Mayando, everyone down there is going to die, they're not even trying to avoid the civilian areas," Sakazuki said as his eyes widened and he involuntarily clenched his fist.
"I mean, it's awful, but we can't get ourselves involved in everything, Sakazuki. If they are associated with the World Government, then we could draw a lot of attention to Rocks that I know he doesn't want. Even if they aren't though, whatever that guy who's leading them did to clear the skies is using some intense Haki," Mayando said cautiously, though even he couldn't help but wince at the chorus of high pitched screams that followed the latest cannon fire.
"I…I just-" Sakazuki said before the cry of what sounded like a newborn baby broke through the brief moment of silence. "No, I don't care. Tell Rocks to kick me out of the crew if he has to Mayando," Sakazuki said as he leaped of the ship's starboard bow and landed on the dock.
"Sakazuki, stop!" Mayando shouted in vain as his newest crew mate immediately took off toward the now burning town. With a sigh of frustration, Mayando followed suit and leaped down onto the dock, following Sakazuki as the trio of approaching ships came within a few hundred feet of the shoreline.