Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1

FLEET ADMIRAL—SENGOKU 'THE GOLDEN BUDDHA'

Decades after his death, the world still remained ensnared by the words of 'that man'—words spoken in between laughs, just before his execution—words which continued to inspire thousands of pirates to this day.

Gold Roger, the Pirate King. His words had set ablaze an age of piracy and, and the Marines had been trying to stem the tide of this rising age ever since.

For each marine they recruited, a dozen pirates sprang up across the sea, nefarious and evil men, each of whom tried to trace back the footsteps of the former King of the Pirates as they hungered after his treasure at the edge of the world.

The Marines had only one figure who could compare to the charisma of that man, the Hero of the Marines who had defeated Gold Roger and thousands of others besides him—Monkey D Garp.

Yet, as he grew old, tales of his exploits began to be forgotten, and the Marines saw themselves becoming increasingly unpopular as they continued to fail in their duties due to corruption, decadence, and inaptitude.

Sengoku was getting old now and could feel that the time for the next generation was here. Just as the Supernovas threatened to usurp the hegemony of the Four Emperors, it was time for the Marines to move on from the relics of the past, like Garp and himself.

It was a time for the Marines to find a new Hero, and one of the candidates for this role stood before him—a young Marine who had joined their institution after getting inspired by the Hero Garp, like a thousand others.

He had spent the initial few years serving under the Vice Admiral, who had taken him on as his second protege. Just like Aokiji, he had proven his mettle as he tore through the ranks and became the youngest Marine ever to achieve the rank of Captain.

"I do hope that you have learned your lesson," Sengoku warned, and the young captain stood straight, his wild, light green hair splattered everywhere, and his rather prominent canines protruded as he smiled.

"Yes," he answered, though much to his dismay, his next words indicated that he had in fact not learned the 'right' lesson.

"Next time, I will leave none alive to tattle on me," and Sengoku closed his eyes in resignation. After all, what had he expected? How could a recruit trained by Garp be normal?

"You are supposed to say that such a thing will never happen again," Sengoku admonished, but the green-haired captain did not reply and kept smiling.

"I thought that Marines were discouraged from lying to their commanding officers," he said, and a headache burst in his head as he clicked his tongue.

"Do you have any idea about the severity of the incident you caused?" Sengoku questioned, and he saw those eyes twitch as the captain refused to back down.

"Attacking a ship flying under the banner of one of the Shichibukai. What were you even thinking?" and even amongst the Shichibukai, he had chosen to go against the worst of the worst, Donquixote Doflamingo. A man who had deep connections to the World Government, who was now under their protection because of the Shichibukai program.

"You are lucky that Garp and Aokiji were there to vouch for you. Otherwise, you would have gotten more than just a slap on the wrist," and even then, the young man had missed out on two promotions and had spent the last year as a scrubber in one of the Marine Bases, as his punishment.

It hated him that the marines were forced to rely on scum like the Shichibukai to do their work, but this was the reality of their world. A world where Pirates ran amok while corruption and inaptitude continued to eat away at their dwindling might.

"I know that our options were limited," the captain finally opened his mouth, and this time he was being rather serious as he looked him dead in the eye, and spoke the brazen truth that even he knew in his heart.

"But that man has no right to be affiliated with the Marines," and he shared his sentiment and his rage. He held no sympathy for Donquixote Doflamingo as well, but he was well-connected and too powerful a foe to bring down currently.

As a Shichibukai, the Marines were supposed to turn a blind eye to his piracy and other shady enterprises, as long as he continued to deliver on his terms.

"I understand your sentiment, but that man is a Shichibukai. Garp and Aokiji may have been able to protect you this time, but there is a limit to their power," he warned, hoping that the young man would take this lesson to heart and temper himself.

Of all the new recruits, he was the most promising one after Kuzan himself. He was usually level-headed and had taken down quite a few pirates while saving many marines from their wrath.

He had earned his current rank protecting a Marine Base from the Supernova, Eustass Kid, while being an ensign, stationed there. The young man had a bright future in front of him, as long as he learned to temper himself.

"I see," he whispered, and then the young captain reached into his breast pocket, took out a folded piece of paper, and put it on his desk.

"What is this?" he asked, grabbing the folded paper.

"My resignation..." and Sengoku was still at those words, his head snapping towards the young captain. He had just been hoping to see him ascend through the ranks, but now this.

"...and an application to be a part of SWORD!"

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And sometime after the departure of the young captain, he found his office accosted by an old acquaintance, one who, much like Garp, refused to grow up at all and continued to add to his burdens.

"The boy asked to join SWORD?" she asked, and much like him, she had grown old as well. Tsurus was amongst the few people alive who had been active when Gold Roger had swept through the seas, becoming the King of Pirates.

"Yes," he said, rubbing his head as he tried to drown away that headache.

"Were you the one who mentioned it to the boy?" he asked, and Tsuru scoffed.

"I am not a fool," she rejected his insinuation, but SWORD was a secret known only to a select few. Yet that boy had somehow learned of it.

She smiled, though, almost with pride as she added.

"That one sure has a spine, though. Though perhaps that is to be expected. He is that Monkey's protege after all," and it seemed to him that just like the other things, he was now inheriting Garp's penchant for trouble as well.

"That he is," and like all the powerful marines, the boy had his own brand of justice, one unlike any preached by the current top brass.

"He is a unique one," he said, staring at his file and all his achievements. He was amongst the most unique marine captains currently serving, for he was not just a marine but was also the head of a rather thriving private business enterprise.

They were based in East Blue, though they were expanding as well. They operated some casinos, hotels, and a few other inane businesses, which, while strange, were not completely abnormal.

No, what was abnormal was how he used this enormous wealth. Sengoku had been active for quite a while and had earned his fair share of rewards, but the young man's wealth rivalled his own. Unlike others who would try to live lavish lifestyles, the boy used most of his wealth to free slaves.

He had a reputation for being cruel, and was given the nickname Bartolomeo the Cannibal for his habbit of being an active slave buyer. Rumors were that he feasted on his slaves, enjoying their meat and bones, but the truth was that most of these people would be freed from their shackles, and many of them now worked in his various establishments as they tried to rebuild a life.

"For a man who only wishes to simply 'shield' the weak, he is quite zealous about hunting pirates," and Tsuru nodded.

"He is right, though. Those so-called Shibukai are no saints. They are the worst of the worst. I do not know what was the government thinking joining hands with those scum," and if there was anyone who shared Bartolomeo's hate for Donquixote Doflamingo, it was Tsuru who had spent quite a few years chasing after the man, until she was forced to pull back because of the 'Shibukai' program.

"We had no choice," he said, and he hated himself for coming to the defence of those scum, but there was a reason they had initiated this program.

"We must stem the rise of this new age, lest it will swallow us all," and this new batch of pirates was something different. They were more driven, more dangerous, and were compounding their problems.

At the moment, the world was living on a knife's edge, with the Marines locked in a stalemate against the Four Emperors, but this new group of pirates intended to disrupt that balance. The Supernovas, that was the name given to these upstarts but he could see their potential.

They were young now, but give them a few years and he could see these upstarts becoming a problem, one that would upset the already established delicate balance of power in the seas. He sighed as he felt himself withering under the weight of all these problems.

And now, they had nearly lost one of their future cornerstones.

"Let us hope Garp is able to talk him out of this idiocy," and for all his faults, Garp cared much about his students and protege, and he had personally taken Bartolomeo under his wing.

Garp knew what it meant to be a part of SWORD, and hopefully, he would be able to dissuade the young Barto from this notion.

"Hmm, though, have you wondered if it was not Garp himself who told him about SWORD?" Tsuru questioned, and he felt a vein pop.

"If that is the case, then I will kill the bastard myself," he shouted, as Tsuru chuckled.

"Where is he, that old monkey?" and she was amongst the very few who could call the Hero of the Marines a monkey.

"I am not sure myself, but he told me that he was going towards East Blue," and that was where he had sent Barto to, to find Garp and bring him to Marineford.

"East Blue, huh," and it was the most unique Sea, for this was the calmest part of the seas, though it was also the place which had been the birthplace of the man who would go on to become the King of the Pirates.

"That is where it all began and ended," and indeed, this was where Roger's journey had begun and also come to an end.

"Well then, it is time for me to go?" and just as she was about to get up, Sengoku stopped her.

"Have you finished looking into that matter?" he asked, his tone growing grave and serious as Tsuru's smile vanished.

"You still suspect him to be a part of the Revolutionaries?" and it was not he who suspected so, but those above him.

His enterprise and its actions had raised eyebrows among those who stood above him, and Sengoku knew that even he himself could not shield the boy if he were truly a double agent.

In that regard, it would be mercy if he were to kill the boy with his own hands, rather than letting those above him make an example out of him.

The CP agents were conducting their own investigation, but to stay ahead of them, he had tasked Tsuru with looking into the boy's private enterprise. It was how he had learned about its inner workings, which on paper seemed legitimate.

"We are the Marines! We cannot let anyone who holds sympathy for those damned Revolutionaries within our ranks," he declared, as Tsuru looked him in the eye.

"Well, then there's no need for you to worry," she answered, and a wave of relief washed over him as soon as he heard those words.

"His business, while controversial, are all legitimate, and what he does with his slaves is also all above board," and that was good to hear.

"That is a relief," he whispered, his shoulders sagging as he looked at the few files on his desk, which contained reports about Marine corruption and illicit activities.

There had been recent reports that one of their captains, Morgan, had been involved in some shady business along with many others, who were preying on innocent villagers, allying themselves with pirates.

"Perhaps, I should ask him to look into it while he is there...."

0000

Chapter Text

Chapter 2

CAPTAIN BARTOLOMEO 'THE CANNIBAL'

Justice was a term thrown around rather loosely. Each person he had met had his own definition of this word, one which was embroidered into the cape of every marine.

Some used it as a shield for their own nefarious gains, others thought it to be the maintenance of the status quo. Everyone had their own definition, and those who did not were too insignificant and did not matter at all in this world.

If you wished to rise up in this world and survive, you needed to have a 'will' of your own, a character that set you apart from the common rabble. And though for a regular boy born in East Blue, his little island may be his entire world.

Bartolomeo was no ordinary boy. No, he was special, for even as a child, he had known of the treachery, complexity, and hidden powers that ruled over them all. And while he had thought that this knowledge and understanding would drive him into the path of Piracy, he had understood quickly that, good or not, a Pirate was a criminal.

And though there may be a few who differed from the norm, more often than not, Pirates were monsters, cruel monsters who cared nothing about people at all. They laughed as they plundered a family's entire fortune, smiled as they murdered people, and danced as they left islands upon islands in sheer devastation.

The Marines were only a little better, for their sheer size made corruption rampant. Apart from the areas surrounding the Marine Headquarters, many of the marine bases were embroiled in corruption, often joining hands with Pirates themselves as they exploited the people for their own personal gain.

And that was all in addition to their absolute servitude to the World Government and all its hidden arms, for the Marines acted as a front to one of the most nefarious institutions of the world.

This world was in need of change, someone who stood up for the people. Protected them from all those who would prey on them and exploit them, pirate, marine, or otherwise.

That was his goal, and for that purpose he had joined the Marines, for that was how he could protect the most number of people. Or at least that had been his hope, when he had joined, yet the corruption, the bureaucracy, and the hidden agendas embedded into the Organization continuously ate away at his ambition.

Yet he would fight. He would cling to his ideals, for that was the decision he had made.

"Where are we going, Captain Bartolomeo?" questioned the newest addition to his crew, and the girl had blonde hair, tied in a ponytail with bangs covering her forehead.

She was a sniper that had been added to his crew by the Fleet Commander, though the purpose of it remained lost on him.

"And who are you again?" he asked, much to the surprise of the young girl.

"I am ensign Hibari, captain Bartolomeo. I have been assigned to you by Vice Admiral Tsuru," and the name seemed somewhat familiar. Perhaps, if it had been years ago, he might still have remembered all the details, though now it was a hassle just keeping the major chunks of information in his head.

"So, you are my babysitter," and it was common for captains to have a lower-ranked officer attached to them, his own comrade. Smoker often complained about his own ensign.

He had thought himself spared the duty of caring for another soul, but it seems like he was wrong.

"No, sir. I am here to help you," she said, straightening up, but he could tell that she was growing nervous and for good reason. He had quite a reputation in the Marines, one caused by a few misunderstandings he was too lazy to correct.

"Well, welcome to the crew, Ensign Hibari, come and sit down," he said as he sat there on the deck, resting as they sailed towards their destination.

"Yes, sir," and she was a bit shy and reserved as she came and sat down in the chair beside him.

"So, Captain, may I know where we are heading?" she asked again as he closed his eyes, and answered.

"Didn't Vice Admiral Tsuru tell you where we are going?" he asked, and she shook her head.

"No, sir," and he sighed, cursing the old woman as he began.

"Well, we are going to East Blue Ensign Hibari to meet up with the crew of Vice Admiral Garp," and she recognised that name instantly as her eyes widened.

"We are going to meet, Garp-sama," and the Hero of Marines remained as popular as ever, and their organization seemed determined to milk that popularity to the last drop.

"Yes," and the intentions of the Fleet Admiral were clear to him, for he thought that Garp-sensei would be able to stop him from becoming a part of the SWORD.

But he was wrong. Bartolomeo had made up his mind. He had become a part of the Marines to help people, to save people, and he would remain a part of the Marines as long as the title aided him in doing that.

When this association became a burden for him, he would not hesitate to resign.

"Yes, though before that we are going to do a bit of a clean-up in East Blue, and meet with a few old friends," and it had been quite some time since he had met with Smoker, so it would be good to meet up with again and check in on his 'other businesses'

"Clean up?" she asked, having never heard the term before.

"Yes, we are going to be hunting Marines," he replied with a smile, though the answer seemed to come as a surprise to her.

"Marines?" she gasped, and Bartolomeo nodded.

"Yes," but she, like many other naive and idealistic people, believed the Marines to be a force of absolute good.

"But why would we attack the Marines, Captain? They are our allies," she asked, and she was young and might have just come out of the academy, so she lacked the proper exposure to the outside world.

Bartolomeo gazed at the girl, and he still remained conflicted about her being a part of his crew, though the truth was that until now, he had no actual crew of his own. He liked to act independently, but he was beginning to reach his upper limit and would soon need to gather a proper crew rather than the ragtag of marines he usually used.

"Do you want to know which people are most dangerous for the Marines?" he asked, and she gave the textbook answer.

"Pirates, Captain," he said, and shook his head.

While Pirates are an external enemy, their presence mostly aids the Marines, as people seek refuge and hope under our banner. No, the most harmful people to the image and motto of the Marines are none other than the Marines themselves...."

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0000

NOJIKO

There were times when Nojiko hated herself for being a useless sister and a useless daughter. It had been eight years since Arlong had killed their mother and overtaken their village, yet Nojiko still had not changed at all.

She was still the same useless girl as before, waiting to be saved by someone else. She had spent eight years watching her little sister toil through pain and suffering as she tried to gather that Million Beri so that she could buy off their village from that wretch Arlong.

The entire village knew of her plan, yet they held their tongues, putting as they put their faith in her younger sister's hands, for she was their only hope. Arlong and his crew had deep ties with the Marine Captain who oversaw the East Blue base.

And anytime they tried to reach out to Marine HQ, Arlong and his pirates would simply destroy any and every force sent their way.

And so they had no hope apart from Nami, her little sister, who continued to struggle for their sake. And they could do nothing else but survive, cling to life, and believe in her.

But as that wretched Marine Captain Nezumi and his men dug around at the hiding spot where Name had buried her money, she felt even that small glimmer of hope vanish.

"Arlong! That bastard!" she cursed in a whisper as she saw the Marine captain smirk when they came upon the hidden stash of cash.

"Now what do we have here?" he whispered as his men handed him a stack of cash.

"Let go! I said Let go of that!" Nami screamed from behind her, her chest heaving, indicating that she had run to the place.

"Nami," she gasped as her sister walked forward in a trance.

"As a marine captain, I must apprehend all this illegal money," and he smiled, as Genzo-san cut in.

"That money is not illegal. It has been earned by Nami so that she may buy back the village from Arlong! Do what you wretched marines are supposed to do!" Genzo cut in, much to Nami's surprise.

"You knew," her sister gasped as the village leader nodded.

"Of course we did," Genzo added, revealing the secret as Nami gasped.

"It was why we kept quiet and continued to suffer, for each and every one of us knew that you were suffering more than us. That you were carrying a burden much greater than us all," and he rubbed his head as he stepped forward, and pleaded to the Marine Captain.

"It is your job as Marines to stop scum like Pirates, yet you not only fail to do that, but you join hands with them and help them in their purpose," the Marine Captain said, and his demeanor shifted as he looked at Genzo and smirked.

"DO YOU HAVE NO SHAME!"

I don't know what you're talking about. We were just informed about an illegal stack of cash, and we just came here to investigate. And now that we have found it I have no choice but to confiscate it all," and Nami whose eyes had begun to water, looked up as she gripped her staff and walked forward.

"Get away from that," she whispered.

"You have no right to touch that," she screamed as she ran forward, staff in hand as she tried to attack the marines.

"You dare threaten a marine," and Nojiko stilled as she saw that Marine captain take out a pistol, and she was reminded of that scene from years ago, when Arlong had shot their mother.

Her body moved on its own, as she saw the Marine captain aim it at Namie as Nojiko pulled her back and put herself in between Nami and the pistol barrel.

"WATCH OUT!" she screamed, as she heard the pistol being fired from behind.

BOOOOM!

"Nojiko!" Nami screamed, finally out of her trance as she prepared herself for death.

SWISH! CLANG!

Yet neither came the pain, nor the death, and she glanced back in trepidation and saw a barrier separating them and the Marines.

"What the hell!" the marine captain screamed, and he fired again.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Yet none of the bullets managed to reach them, as the translucent barrier between them stopped them.

"WHAT IS THIS SORCERY!" he screamed, panicking as they all frowned, and a glimmer of hope began to bubble in her heart as a foreign voice cut through the air.

"Its not sorcery," and they all looked up at once, and there in the air was another person, looking down at them all, with a raised brow, his uniform much similar to the one worn by that wretched Marine Captain.

But their physiques were entirely different. He had green unruly hair, and his canines were long enough to protrude out of his mouth, yet the most striking thing about him was his age.

He seemed no older than Nami, yet if the medals on his shirt were anything to go by he held the rank of captain.

"Though that is all a question for later," and he seemed to be flying in the air, and lowered himself and landed in front of them, and the power and pressure emanating out him reminded Nojiko of Arlong himself.

"A marine," Genzo gasped as the Nezumi began to sweat.

"First of all, I would like to know why the hell is a Marine captain shooting their weapon at an unarmed civilian?" he asked, and suddenly a wave of pressure oozed out of him as Nojiko felt herself getting pushed down to her knees.

And she was not the only one, as she saw Nezumi and his crew had been unable to resist and were now on the ground, sweating and trembling as this new marine looked down at them.

"And who are you to question me?" Nezumi screamed as this new Marine stepped forward until he was right above him.

"Me! I thought I wouldn't need to introduce myself anymore, given my infamy," he asked, his hands still in his pockets, and she saw the words register as Nezumi paled.

"You are him! You are the Cannibal!" he gasped, and for the first time since he had intervened, the Marine captain broke into a smile.

"So, you have heard of me," he whispered.

"Indeed, I am Captain Bartolomeo from the Marines' Internal Division, and I believe I have asked you a question?" he said, and he put his foot down on the Neszumi's hand. The captain screamed as the sound of his bones breaking spread through the clearing.

"AGHHHH!" he screamed.

"Why the hell did you fire your gun at an innocent civilian?" he asked again, his voice thundering, as Nezumi screamed.

"Pirate! She is that Pirate girl's sister! I was just trying to seize her loot..." and the newcomer glanced towards the stack of cash, before he turned towards them, and Nojiko felt herself still as those eyes landed on them all.

"Is he telling the truth?"

"Are you really a pirate...."

0000

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

NAMI

Nami had only ever felt such fear in the presence of Arlong, but even then, she had only ever felt it when Arlong had been angry, yet this marine. He was different. The power emanating out of him was not like that killer, and dreadful aura that Arlong gave off.

No, it was different. More refined and controlled in a way.

"I think I asked you a question, girl?" the marine asked again, looking straight at her.

"Are you a pirate?" he asked, and she gulped down as both Genzo and Nojiko suddenly stepped forward and shielded her from the marine.

"Yes, she is," Nojiko replied as the new Marine captain raised a brow.

"But only because the marines here have joined hands with the Arlong Pirates," Genzo added.

"She only joined the pirate crew to protect us, to save enough gold so that she may buy back our freedom from the Arlong Pirates," Genzo added, as Nojiko finished.

"And if you intend to punish her for it, then you will first have to go through us," and she could hardly make sense of it, as she saw Nojiko and Genzo stand up for her, shield her from the Marine who was now rubbing his chin.

"Wait a second," suddenly his eyes widened, and the pressure pushing down on them suddenly vanished.

"You are Nami, right?" he suddenly asked, and the frown on his face was replaced by a subtle smile, as she blinked nervously.

"Yes, I am Nami," she replied, and he began to chuckle.

"Oh. I see, I see," he began, and he seemed genuinely happy on hearing her name for some reason.

"Do you know him, Nami?" whispered Nojiko, and she shook her head. She was not dumb. She would remember if she had met such a powerful marine in the past.

"She just admitted to being a pirate! You must arrest her," that rat-faced bastard screamed, but the new Marine captain, Captain Bartolomeo, had an expression.

"Shut up you scum!" and he drove the man's face into the ground, and Captain Nezumi screamed out in pain Bartolomeo pushed down his face.

"I think I have a pretty good idea about what is going on here," he whispered, before he pulled back his leg and kicked Nezumi into the gut, sending his body flying into a nearby tree.

"Incompetence, I can tolerate. Fear, I can understand," he whispered as he walked towards him.

"But greed and corruption. Those two things have no place in the Marines," and Nezumi squirmed as he tried to crawl away, but Bartolomeo pulled him by his neck and threw him towards them.

"Tie him up," he ordered as the once-feared Nezumi crawled to their feet.

"And leave Arlong and his men to me," and with that, he turned away until Nojiko called out.

"Just like that?" she asked, and the marine stopped and turned around to face them.

"Yes, just like that," he answered.

"You have my apologies for the corruption and incompetence of my fellow Marines, but our job is to protect the innocents, and it seems we have let you and your village down for years now," he said, and the cloak on his back moved because of the gust of wind; the words on it shone brighter than they had ever shown as he continued.

"But, there is no need to worry anymore, for I am here now. I promise you, by tonight Arlong and his crew will have answered for their crimes," and he again moved but this time it was her who spoke up.

"Wait!" and he sighed as he turned to face them.

"Just say what you have to at once," he spoke, as if he were talking about a simple brawl.

"Do you have any idea who Arlong is?" she questioned, for he was not a simple pirate. This marine commander may be strong, but he was alone, and Arlong had a whole crew behind him—a crew of Fishmen.

"He is a fishman, and he has a whole crew. You cannot beat him," she pleaded, for as happy as she was that a competent and honest Marine officer had come to help them, she did not wish to see them die.

"Is that so?" he asked, and suddenly she heard his name being called out from behind.

"NAMI! NAMI!" and she glanced back and saw Luffy rushing towards him with a few of his crewmates.

"Luffy, wait..." but the rubber man was already there, standing behind her as he stared at the new Marine Captain with a frown.

"You!" Luffy whispered in the most serious tone she had ever heard him use.

"What are you doing here?" The words surprised her, as Luffy seemed familiar with this captain.

"Long time no see, Luffy-kun," the Marine captain waved his hand at Luffy like an old friend, before continuing.

"We will catch up later. I need to go and take care of a few pests," and with that, he flew into the air and headed towards Arlong Park, the headquarters of Arlong Pirates.

"Huh!" Nojiko sighed as she turned towards Luffy.

"Do you know him, Luffy-kun?" she asked her captain, who nodded.

"Sort of," and that was enough for her as she ran towards him and shook him.

"Then you need to go and stop him! He plans to go against Arlong and his crew all by himself," she warned him, but Luffy was unmoved as he looked at her.

"There is no need for that," he replied, looking into her eyes.

"Arlong and his crew do not stand a chance against him at all," and he said that with sheer confidence.

"Why?" Nojiko questioned, and a fire sparked in Luffy's eyes as he answered with a smile.

"Because he is a person whose dream is as big and grand as mine," he announced, looking to the sky.

"And what is that dream?"

"He plans to be the Hero of Marines...."

0000

CAPTAIN BARTOLOMEO

This world was vast, comprising of over one hundred and seventy islands. As a marine, it was his responsibility to protect the people on all these islands, yet even for an organization as vast as the Marines, this task was nearly impossible.

The age of piracy set afoot by the words of Gol D Roger only added to the problem, yet the Marines themselves were no better. The once vaunted and respected organization had become a shell of itself, as it was reduced into a lapdog of the World Government.

And while before they were protectors, now most of the Marines were simply morally corrupt people who thought only of enriching themselves. Bartolomeo had seen firsthand the destruction and despair that piracy could bring to a small island.

And he was not the only one. In those darkest hours, when you have lost everything you hold dear, a person needs hope to cling to. An ideal to look up to.

Long ago, he had decided to be that hope, that ideal. He was going to change the Marines, and remove their parasitic relationship with the Hidden Hands that thought to control the world.

It was a suicide mission, one which put his life at great risk. But it was something that he had decided years ago, and he was not going to stop.

Arlong Park, the headquarters of the Arlong Pirates was a massive castle, build with red and white stone. It was beautiful, its architecture inspired by the Fishman Island, yet at this moment, Bartolomeo hated it more than ever.

For he knew that this was built using the blood, sweat, and tears of the people of this village. That its entire presence was a slap on the existence of the Marines.

"Hibari," he whispered to the Den Den mushi, as all of the Arlong Pirates gathered outside and gazed at him as he stood up in the sky, looking down at them.

"Yes, captain," his ensign replied from the other side.

"Is it done?" he asked.

"Yes, sir we have taken command of all the Marine forces in the area and have encircled the island. No Pirate will be allowed to escape," and that was good, a simple precaution, one that was quite unnecessary, but he had a reputation to maintain.

"Good," and with that, he put it down as the captain of this crew walked out. And even for Fishmen, Arlong was powerful. His nose was shaped like a sharp one, and his large body cut a daunting figure as he smiled.

"Are you so afraid of us that you refuse to come down and greet us?" and his crew laughed, as he continued to taunt him.

"But you are right to fear us, after all, we Fishmen are superior to your measly race," he said, and he laughed. Yet Barto lowered the transparent platform, keeping him in the air.

"No, I do not fear you weaklings," Barto replied as he landed on the ground, his hands still tucked in his pockets.

"Though I cannot say the same about your stench," and that shut up the laughter, for the Fishman, much like regular fish, had a characteristic smell, and the taunt made the man angry.

"You dare insult us, you puny human?" Arlong taunted, as Barto smiled and raised a brow.

"And you think yourself too important you damn fish," and he was angry. Arlong was proud, proud and naive, yet suddenly the rage vanished from his eyes as he began to laugh.

"HAHAHAH! You have courage, I will give you that human," he shouted, as his voice cut through the clearing.

"But you seem to lack even the basic ability to count," and he looked him in the eye.

"There are dozens of us, while you stand all alone," and he smirked.

"All your fellow marines are too scared to even approach my island," and he pointed at the ships maintaining the perimeter, as Bartolomeo.

"You see, they are not staying away because of fear. But because I do not wish to waste fuel on scum like you," and that seemed to be the final straw as Arlong snarled and commanded his men.

"Attack!" and more than two dozen men all rushed towards him, and he drew in a deep breath as he brought forward one of his hands, and crossed his index and middle finger, as a dome-shaped barrier was erected around him.

"SHINRA TENSEI!"

BOOOM

BOOOM

BOOOM

"AHHHHHA!" "HAAAA!" "GAHHHHH!"

And in the blink of an eye, the once-mighty Arlong Park was reduced to rubble as the barrier tore through the ground, and the pirates alike were thrown back, the whole area turning to rubble.

And he had not even moved an inch, as he stood there defiantly and watched the cloud of dust thin out, as he heard a man's coughs.

"GAKH! GUGH!" and a figure pushed himself out of the rubble, pushing away logs and stone, and it was none other than Arlong, who was now bleeding out of his mouth as he glared at him with fear and anger.

"You!" Arlong snarled, and he was not the only one who had managed to survive the attack, much to his surprise.

Two others rose besides him, an octopus-shaped Fishman and one more he could not categorise.

"You dare destroy my life's work," Arlong snarled as he stepped forward, as his two henchmen joined him.

"You puny human!" and he stood tall as he answered.

"If your life's work is built on the blood, sweat, and tears of innocent people, then I will destroy it a thousand times over," and Arlong scoffed.

"Innocent! You of all people should know that you humans are not innocent," he continued as his lips thinned.

"You despise my kind. Enslave them. I will do to you humans what you lot have done to my kind for years!" and with that, he aimed straight towards.

"SHARP ATTACK!" and he was fast, much faster than a human, yet as he was a few meters away from him, his body stopped as it collided with the barrier he had erected around him.

"AGHHH!" he screamed as his prized nose twisted, and his two henchmen tried to attack him again, yet their attacks were repelled again as he smiled.

"The barrier around me is indestructible," he replied and watched them all pale as Arlong nursed his prized nose.

"I could stand here all day and yet none of your attacks would be able to pierce it at all," and that was the power of his devil fruit, the Barrier-Barrier fruit, one perfect for his vision.

"Your grievances may be genuine, Arlong. But you are no hero. You took out your anger and rage on the weak and helpless. You have destroyed thousands of lives in your rage, and for that, you shall pay," and at that, he raised his hand, and this time the Barrier was not transparent but opaque, as they followed his fingers and looked to the sky.

"Grand..." he whispered as the massive barrier began to move at a blinding speed and rushed towards the ground.

"...Fall!"

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

BOOOM!

0000

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

NOJIKO

Nojiko stood at the edge of Arlong Park, the place which had been the source of despair for her village for more than eight years now. Yet now, the mighty palace built upon their suffering had been reduced to rubble in front of their eyes.

Arlong and his crew, symbols of fear and tyranny, all of them lay unconscious on the ground, defeated. No, not just defeated. Overpowered in a way she had not thought possible.

The entire crew had been decimated, and the object of their destruction simply stood there, not a speck of dust on his uniform, not a single bruise on his body. He was completely untouched.

"I cannot believe it," Genzo gasped from behind her, and they had gathered the entire village so that they may be able to help this marine in his endeavors, but it seemed as if he had no need of them at all.

"It is over," a voice from behind added.

"It is finally over," and soon enough, the knives, the rods, the shovels hit the ground as the people of Cocoyashi village began to cry.

Nojiko herself felt her eyes tear up as the stick in her arms fell to the ground. They all began to cry out in joy, regaining their lives which had been held hostage for so many years by Arlong and his crew.

"We are free! We are finally free!" and Nami, besides her, was also bawling like a child, and she hugged her little sister and remembered their mother, who had given her life to protect them.

"Yes, we are!" and in their joy, they missed how their Savior had come before them and was looking at them with a solemn expression.

No, not at them, but at the group of people standing in front of them—the Straw Hat Pirates.

"Luffy," he called out as tension filled the air.

"Bartolomeo," and the two of them looked each other in the eye. They had seen how he had just defeated Arlong and his crew. As good as the Straw Hat Pirates may be, they stood no chance against him.

But they had helped them. Had helped Nami, and had even tried to protect her, and so Nojiko, rose up as did Nami, and pushed themselves in between the two of them.

"The Straw Hat Pirates have committed no sin against us," she spoke, swallowing her saliva.

"I cannot let you harm them," she said, and it pained her that she was standing against the person who had just saved them. However, she owed Straw Hat and his friends a debt because of Nami, so she would protect them.

They would all protect them.

"You say they are innocents," he asked again as she gulped down, as others joined her as well.

"Yes, they are," she nodded and he nodded and rubbed his chin before he began to chuckle, much to her surprise, before he suddenly called out.

"Hey, Luffy!" he called out to the Straw Hat Captain.

"What kind of a lousy pirate are you that this lady here is calling you innocent," and this seemed to irritate the Captain, who began to push forward.

"Don't you dare insult me Barto! What lousy! You are lousy, you damn Marine!" and the Marine captain continued to laugh as the tension in the air vanished, as she realised that the two of them were quite familiar with one another.

"Just you wait! I am the man who is going to become the King of the Pirates!" Straw Hat declared, but she was not looking at Straw Hat.

No, she was looking at the Marine Captain, Bartolomeo, who was smiling as he gazed behind her at the Pirate captain, and she found his gaze familiar, for this was how Bell-mere gazed at her and Namie, how she gazed at Nami.

"We will see about that," he whispered before turning towards her and the rest of the villagers.

"You see, I have grown quite tired after fighting Arlong and his crew and have no power to fight anymore," and she smiled as she understood his intentions.

"And as far as I can tell, it is considered quite rude to start a fight during a celebration, is it not?" and she nodded.

"Indeed, it is considered quite a taboo!"

"It's time for a celebration!"

.

.

.

And so Arlong and his crew were tied up, and a feast was prepared. The chef from Straw Hat's crew joined the people in preparing for the feast, and for the first time in eight years a celebration was held in Cocoyashi Village.

The adults laughed, and the children danced around a fire as a feast was cooked and distributed. Foods that they had never tasted were served, as the Marine captain let them pillage Arlong Park of everything viable.

The gold and the money were all to be distributed equally.

Her assessment was correct, for the Straw Hat captain and Captain Bartolomeo seemed to know each other quite well. Even now, as she carried a tray of dishes towards the Marine Captain, he was busy talking and drinking ale with Luffy-san.

"So, you are really determined to go to the Grand Line, huh?" she heard him ask, and the Pirate nodded.

"Yeah. I have already gathered a very good crew, and soon enough I will head to the Grand Line and become the King of Pirates," and he did not say much as Nojiko intervened.

"Here," she said offering him the tray, and the Marine captain nodded and took the offered tray, as a cabbal of ladies 'oohed' and 'aahed' behind her

"Thank you," and with that he dived in, and just as he had taken a sip of the soup he smiled.

"This was made by your cook, right?" he asked, and Straw Hat nodded, smiling wildly.

"Yeah, Sanji is my cook," and the man nodded.

"Yeah, I thought so. This is Zeff's cooking," and she wondered who Zeff was as she plopped down beside him.

"So, you have a cook, sharp shooter, a first mate, and a navigator, and" and at that, he looked towards Nami as he mentioned the last position.

"Yeah," agreed Straw Hat, and she was paraphrasing now, for the pirate had stuffed his face with food.

"Then your crew is still incomplete. You need a doctor and a ship wright," and Straw Hat frowned.

"Why?" and he narrowed his eyes.

"Are you trying to stop me, just like Grandpa!" he suddenly jumped back cautiously as Barto, as he had asked to be called, shook his head.

"No, I am just telling you the truth. Grand Line is brutal," and his tone grew solemn as he said that.

"Without a doctor you lot will not last a month in that place," but the Straw Hat was not listening.

"I am telling you! You cannot stop me! I will become the King of Pi..." but the Marine's patience had run thin, as suddenly a block appeared above Straw Hat's head and fell down on him hard.

"AHHH!"

"Just listen to me, you idiot!" he raged a bit, and seeing them like this was like seeing two brothers fighting with one another.

"Who am I talking to?" he rubbed his head and turned his focus towards the food once more.

"A shame you got Nami though, I am also in need of a navigator," she heard him whisper, and decided to cut in.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because my ship lacks a navigator. I had to kick out the last one because he refused to listen to my orders," he answered, making her frown.

"And if you are on my ship, then you have to follow my orders," and that was reasonable.

"And what exactly were your orders?" she asked.

"Nothing too dangerous. I just wanted to ride up the Knock-Up Stream," and she had never heard of that.

"Knock-up Stream?" she asked, and he waved away her concerns.

"Don't worry about it. I will find one soon enough," and she remembered her lessons with Bell-mere, and though Nami may have been the more talented of the two of them, Nojiko was a capable enough Cartographer as well.

And with Nami set in her own way, perhaps it was time for her to find a new life as well.

And as she gazed at the Marine uniform, she remembered their mother and how she had worn a similar uniform.

"And what qualifications does a cartographer need to have?" she asked, and saw Nami perk up at her question as the Marine captain answered without any thought.

"Not much. Since I will be taking them on as 'private', they just need to be a capable enough Navigator. As for the rest, it's up to them if they want to join the Marines or not, but I could bring them up to speed on the rest of the stuff quite easily," and she nodded, putting the information in the back of her head. So, hours passed as they talked and enjoyed their newfound freedom.

Food and booze were aplenty, and soon enough, the entire village was drunk. Nojiko, though, had kept herself grounded, and though her head had begun to buzz, she was still much better than the rest of the villagers.

It was why she did not miss when the air shifted once more as Barto and the Straw Hats stood face to face once more.

"So, this is it then, Luffy?" she heard him whisper as the Straw Hat captain nodded.

"Yes, it is time for us to part ways," and the Marine captain nodded.

"Well, as a Marine officer, I cannot simply let a Pirate crew get away, especially not you. So, let me give you a parting gift..." and she saw him raise his hands, as suddenly a barrier emerged separating the villagers from the Straw Hats, as Bartolomeo's posture shifted.

"And show you just what it means to be on the Grand Line..." and in the blink of an eye, a thousand weapons formed behind him, and with a single wave of his hand rushed towards the Straw Hat pirates.

"RUN!" Luffy-san screamed, as the crew tried to run away, but they were too slow as he appeared in front of Luffy and corked his hand, and she saw his hand shift slightly, as if it gained shimmer before he punched Luffy in the face.

"Do you really think you're ready to conquer the Grand Line as you are?" he asked, and he was angry. Luffy-san was sent tumbling into the forest, and Snaji-san and Zoro tried to attack him from the sides, but he simply erected two barriers, stopping their attacks before using the very attack he had used against Arlong and his crew.

"Grand Fall!" and two massive barriers crushed the two of them into the ground, and just like Arlong and his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates had been defeated in all but a few seconds.

The Sharp Shooter continued to fire at him, but none of his attacks made through the barrier around him, as she saw him walk towards a battered Luffy-san.

"Tell me again Luffy! Do you really think you are ready to venture into the Grand Line?" he asked, and the power emanating out of him was enormous, and the pressure it felt such that it could crush her.

It took all her will power not to just pass out, as Luffy-san pushed himself off the ground.

"Yes! I will do it. I will become the King of Pirates," and for a second it was as if he smiled.

"Then show me what you and your crew are made of," and so fighting ensued, and she watched as the Straw Hats continued to fight against him. They attacked and attacked yet he simply battered away their attacks as if they were nothing and beat them up, forcing them to their knees before the cycle started again.

And in all that, the villagers behind her slept peacefully, as if oblivious to the battle raging in front of them, and just as the Dawn broke, the Straw Hats were on their last legs, their bodies battered and bruised, yet Bartolomeo stood as imperiously as ever, and asked once more.

"Are you still determined on heading to the Grand Line?" he asked, and Luffy-san was tired, hurt, and battered. He huffed as he pushed himself up from the ground, and his crew joined him as they stood tall once more.

"Yes, I will go to the Grand Line and beco..." but his body finally gave out, as he collapsed on the ground, along with his cook and first mate. The only people left standing were Nami and Usopp.

She saw him look down at the three of them before he sighed and eased up.

"That idiot," she heard him whisper before he turned towards Nami and the Sharp Shooter.

"The Marine forces will be landing on the island in an hour. Your ship is at the Southern Bay. Get out of here!" he said, and they nodded, carrying the two of them away. He sat down on a torn tree trunk and called out to her.

"You can come out now," she said, hoping he wouldn't notice her. But he had, and so she fully opened her eyes and walked out from where she was hiding.

"What was that?" she asked, and she realised that the way the villagers were sleeping was not normal, and that this whole thing was entirely planned by him.

"What do you think?" he asked.

"Is he Luffy-san your brother?" she asked, and he chuckled before he slowly nodded.

"Somewhat, but we are not related by blood. I just owe someone close to him quite a debt, so this was my way of paying it back," and that made some sense.

"And why didn't you catch him?"

"Because there is a difference between criminal and evil," he answered, looking her in the eye.

"And I prefer to hunt evil men. Pirate he may call himself, but Luffy is not evil. He is a criminal, but not evil and the day he is I will be the first person to bring him down," he declared, and that made some sense.

The world was not black and white. The marine captain, Nezumi was supposed to protect them, yet he had joined hands with Arlong and had betrayed thousands of his comrades, leading them all to their deaths.

"What did you do to the villagers?" she asked, growing a bit worried, for they had not woken up yet.

"Ohh, don't worry about them. I just spiked the booze a little. They will all wake up in a few hours," and that was what she had guessed, but that did not explain everything.

"But the fighting was very loud. Some should have woken up at least?" she asked rubbing her chin, and he smirked.

"You are smart, so I will leave it to you to figure out," and he stood up, and she saw him reaching for a transponder snail, as he called.

"Arlong and his men have been neutralised. I repeat, Arlong and his men have been neutralised. All units move in for clean up," he ordered, and she saw him turn before she called up.

"Wait!" and he stopped at her words.

"Yes," he asked with a raised brow.

"You said you were looking for a Navigator, right?" and he nodded.

"Yes."

"Then take me with you," she said, and saw his eyes widen.

"I may not be as good as my sister, Nami, but I am a capable cartographer." Our mother trained us together. She was a Marine herself, a captain much like you," and he raised a brow.

"Are you sure? Being a Marine is no safer than being a Pirate. You could lose your life at any time," he warned, and she knew that. But Namie had made her choice to become a Pirate.

So, she would follow in their mother's footsteps and become a Marine.

"Yes, I am sure," she declared, and he shrugged as he turned to face her, offering her his hand.

"Then welcome aboard, privateer Nojiko..."

0000

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

NAMI

It took Luffy and the rest half a day to wake up. Nami had sealed her fate the day she had joined Arlong Pirates, but Luffy was different. Unlike Arlong who radiated pain, and suffering being near Luffy gave her a sense of freedom, joy and security that she had never felt before.

He, alongside the rest of these idiots, was the first person apart from her family to believe in her and protect her. They planned to go against Arlong just for her, and would have done so if not for that Marine.

And the scenes from that night still affected her, as both she and Usopp carried those three idiots to the ship and escaped from Coccoyashi Village in a hurry. A thousand questions whirled in her head, but she had done as the Marine Captain had commanded her to do, and she still wondered why he had let Luffy and the rest of them go.

"What the hell was that?" Zoro woke up rubbing his face, and she smiled seeing him awake.

"My body feels as if it has been put through a pasta maker," and Sanji followed soon after, as she felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Zoro. Sanji," she called out, and the two buffoons turned towards her.

"What made you cry Nami-chan!" and seeing those perverted eyed from that damned blonde cook made her lose her temper.

"Shut up and rest!" She hit him on the head, and he began to weep as she looked towards Zoro, remembering that he was the oldest member of the crew.

"Zoro, do you remember what happened?" she asked, and his expression turned somber as he rubbed his head.

"Yeah, I do. I remember," and that was good for their crew lacked a doctor, and she had heard that often blows to the head could result in memory loss.

"I remember fighting against that monster and losing consciousness," and then he looked towards her.

"Then how are we on the ship?" he asked her, before turning towards their captain, who was still awake.

"Did he?" and she shook her head.

"No. Luffy was defeated sometime after you as well," she answered, as Zoro's eyes widened.

"Luffy was defeated!" and even that perverted cook was surprised.

"Then why aren't we in prison?" Zoro asked, and she had hoped that he would have an answer.

"I was hoping that you would have an answer," she said, looking towards Zoro.

"That Marine Captain, he let us all go. He had somehow moved our ship to a small bay at the South of the Island, and he told me of a deficiency in the Marine patrol, so that we could escape," she said, and she had been trembling in fear. Yet, he had smiled at her and told her and Usopp to run.

"Perhaps you know him?" Zoro shook his head.

"No. This was my first time seeing him as well," he answered as they all turned towards their captain, who had taken the brunt of the attacks.

"So that means he is related to Luffy somehow," added Sanji, having already lit a cigarette.

"Maybe, they were talking and laughing during the celebration before he suddenly attacked us," she pointed out, and now only he could answer their questions, and so they had to wait for a few more hours until their captain finally woke up.

The injuries while severe, were not life threatening and so as Sanji prepared them a small meal from the leftovers the villagers had put in the ship, they all sat around Luffy as she asked him about the Marine.

"Luffy, who was that?" she asked, and he paused his eating.

"Who?" he asked, and she threw her spoon at him as she shouted.

"That Marine, you idiot! WHO ELSE!" and he rubbed his forehead, where the spoon hit as he replied sulkily.

"You could ask nicely, you know?" he complained as he rubbed his head.

"And you could be a little more tactful!" she retorted angrily, as Zoro cut in.

"Still, who was that guy?" he had asked, and he had been rather serious ever since the fight. Luffy's smile vanished as well as he answered.

"Well, he is...." and Luffy was rubbing his chin, hmming, and a whole minute passed, and her patience ran out.

"ANSWER US! DAMN IT!" she threw her fork now, and it hit him in the forehead again.

"I am trying, I just don't know what to call him!" he complained, rubbing his forehead.

"A friend. Yeah, you can say that he is a friend," and all of them shook their head at his answer.

"Why the hell did you make us wait a minute for that?" Luffy rubbed his head as he chuckled.

"Still, how did you befriend a marine?" Sanji questioned.

"Well, he came to visit me with my grandpa once and offered me food," and she sighed.

What else should she have expected from this simpleton!

"What was a marine doing with your grandfather? And why would he let us go?" asked Sanji.

"Speaking of that, I heard him mention Zeff's name as well. How the hell did he know that as well?" Sanji continued rubbing his chin as Luffy laughed.

"Well, he let us go because we are not famous enough yet." Luffy's words shook them all, and he had stopped laughing.

"Barto only hunts two kinds of pirates. The evil ones and the famous ones," and that made some sense, for he had hunted Arlong and his crew, yet he had spared them, for Luffy was many things, but he was not evil.

"That is why I will become the King of Pirates so that he will have no choice but to hunt me," and she slapped him in the head.

"WHO THE HELL WANTS TO BE HUNTED BY THE MARINES!" Yet he continued laughing and busied his mouth with meat and the rest of the food, making it impossible to get any new answer from him.

"If he wasn't going to capture us, then why the hell would he attack us like that?" she whispered, and it was Zoro who answered her question.

"He was testing our resolve," he answered, and he still had not taken a sip of his wine until now.

"Resolve?"

"Yeah, he was warning us about the dangers that await us in the Grand Line...." and he was grinning as he looked up into the sky.

"And if we are going to be facing people like that there...."

"...then I am very excited to go to this Grand Line!"

0000

MONKEY D GARP

There was a reason that he had always turned down the promotion to becoming an Admiral, for that damned title came with a lot of chains and restrictions, and a Marine he may be, Garp still loved his freedom or better yet what little remained of it.

Being a Hero and the friend of the Fleet Admiral also gave him some cover, so when he had first heard the rumor that a up-jumped Pirate named Monkey D Luffy had come to East Blue, and brought down a Marine Captain called 'Axe-Hand-Morgan', he knew that his idiot grandson had made his choice.

And twice now, his own blood had turned on him, refusing to continue his legacy of being Marines as they turned their backs on the World Government, turning them into enemies.

And enemies they may be, he was still his idiot grandson, and so he took his crew and rushed towards Shells Town to take in the disgraced Marine and meet up with his grandson, only to find him gone.

The disgraced captain had tried to run away and had even involved one of the recruits in his little scheme, but the boy had shown his mettle in coming back to the ship, abandoning even his own father.

Koby and Helmeppo, huh. Brats as they were, they reminded him of his own youth and that bastard Sengoku, and so he decided to take them both under his wing after all his two previous apprentices were all grown up now.

Or so he had thought.

"What did you just say?" he screamed into the Den-Den Mushi as Sengoku told him about the actions of his second apprentice.

"The boy walked into my office and handed in his resignation and told me that he wants to be a part of SWORD," Sengoku replied as Garp felt his head burst in rage.

"That idiot! What the hell was he thinking?" and he began to wonder why it was that all his apprentices turned out to be crazy one way or another. Even his damned family was no different.

"You know better than most that there is nothing I can do but delay this. I have sent him your way so that you talk to him and knock some sense into his head," and there was no need to ask.

He was going to do more than that. He was going to kill that bastard and make sure that he never mentions that name again. And he had met the kid during one of his missions to this very sea, as he was coming back from meeting with his children.

A young, naive boy protecting a town against a Pirate Crew. The boy was strong and young, and he saw the pirates try to bribe him, offer him gold and riches, and so forth.

They even offered him a position in their crew, yet the boy held strong. He held strong for days, as he continued to use his Devil Fruit to erect a shield around the Town Hall so that he could protect all the people inside.

The boy had recognised him when he took down the pirates, and those up-starts had needed but one single attack from him. Then, later on, that green-haired boy had come chasing after him and had begged him to take him on as an apprentice.

And now that boy had become one of the youngest Marine Captains, and would have had an even higher rank if not for his shenanigans, for that idiot was not just a marine. He also ran a damned business on the side, based out of this very sea.

"And one more thing," Sengoku added, as Garp was imagining a hundred different ways of knocking some sense into that idiot.

"What?" he asked.

"He left him back at the base again," and his brows twitched as soon as he heard that, and the floor of his ship cracked because of his rage.

"His navigator!" and it seemed that fool was in need of quite a beating.

"Don't worry," he said to Sengoku as he cracked his knuckles, for he knew that boy better than most.

"If he is here in East Blue, I know just the place where I will find him," after all, he knew that he could not resist coming to that place.

"Good! Find him and knock some sense into that boy. He is to be the future of the Marines," and he nodded as he put down the Den Den Mushi.

"I will. I sure as hell will," he whispered as he tried to control himself, and then people wondered why his blood pressure was so out of control. With a family like this, who could blame him?

He stepped out of his room, onto the deck, and his crew stood ready, nervous, for they must have been able to sense his rage.

"Turn the ship around," he barked out gruffly.

"What about Axe-Hand Morgan? Are we going to let him go?" and he had forgotten about that.

"Leave him be. He is nothing but a small fry. We can deal with him later," he replied, turning towards his Rear Admiral.

"Set the course for Baratie," and he did not need to say a word more, for he already understood his intentions and moved towards the control room.

"Baratie? What is that?" he heard a few murmurs, and he smiled wildly as he cracked his knuckles.

"The favourite place of my damned apprentice?"

"What about the two new recruits? Are we going to bring them with us?" and after a second, he replied.

"Yeah. Bring them along. It would be good for them to see what becomes of idiots who do not listen to me...."

0000