Rick sailed two more years with Tsuru.

Once again they were in Sengoku’s office presenting their reports.

This time though, he wasn’t alone.

 

“Uncle nice!” yelled Rick when he saw Aokiji!

 

“Uncle nice? I thought I was uncle ice.” raised an eyebrow.

 

“Well yes you are, but you’re nice too and  in nice there is ice so…”

 

Aokiji laughed

 

“You have the worst naming sense ever kid.”

“Really? Uncle Buddha never complained.”

 

“Actually Rick…” started Sengoku, but couldn’t finish his sentence.

The look of betrayal on the young marine stopped him dead in his tracks.

 

“Ahem, actually Rick, if you don’t mind I would like to talk business first.”

 

Tsuru and Aokiji both thought:

 

““Nice save Sengoku.””

 

They all sat down in a corner of the office.

“Tsuru reported 6 months ago to me that she’ll give you a small number of marines to make and lead a team. Is that right?”

 

“Yes, sir. I’ve been leading a 3 marines team.”

“Tsuru was very vague about it, can you tell me more?”

 

Rick was astonished.

“Really?” He looked at Tsuru.

“That’s not like you to not report something like that bis sis, how so?”

“ When you were with Garp, Kaza was doing the reports, with me, I was doing it. I wanted you to learn how to do it and to see how you’ll fare without any guidance. So go on.”

 

He nodded.

 

“Sir, for the past six months I’ve been leading a three man team. We specialized in scouting, gathering information and ambush.

Each one of us depended on the other as each was clearly more proficient at one thing than the two others.

I specialized in the ambush part.

Once Morgan had gathered enough intel on the target, Chuck went scouting the area. Once he was done I planned how to ambush them based on their numbers, abilities and the terrain. If their number was too high for us, or their abilities unknown or too problematic or the terrain not favorable for an ambush, we called Vice-Admiral Tsuru for reinforcements.

For the past six months the team succeeded in eight missions in total. 5 of them were done alone. Zero failure.

The biggest target apprehended was a pirate named Two skulls for the two skulls he was wearing around his neck. His bounty was 25 million belly.”

 

Sengoku stayed silent. He was pondering something.

“Tsuru, Kuzan, what do you think?”

 

They both looked at each other and Kuzan nodded.

 

“Excellent report. Rick went straight to the point for every information he had to report on. It was short and concise. The only thing I would've done differently was to report first about the team success and then talk about how the team operated.”

 

It was Aokiji’s turn.

“Vice-admiral Tsuru is right. Rick when you do a report the first thing you must do is bring out the results. Everyday hundreds of reports come in, we can’t have the people reading them spend time reading everything to get the information they want.”

 

“Why make a full report then?” aske Rick.

Sengoku spoke up

“Because we still need the details. Having the results put first in the report allows the one reading to react fast. Can you imagine it? Hundreds of reports of a few pages everyday? If they had to read everything to get to know the results they would be  years behind the report of today.

 

There are two teams assigned to analyze the reports.

The first one, read the results and decide which once is important enough to read completely or not.

A report about Shiki? Straight to the second team that studies the report in detail.

A report about a two belly pirate crew terrorizing a village? Reading the how, when and where about it is not important.”

 

“So by putting the results of the mission first, the team in charge of the reports can more easily filter the information decreasing the reaction time if new orders need to be given immediately.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Well that makes sense.”

 

“Years and years of experience.”

 

Rick had a disappointed face.

 

“Don’t be disappointed Rick. My first report wasn’t nearly as good as yours.” Said Aokiji

 

“Really?” 

“Yes”

Tsuru spoke up

“Mine was too detailed. I wrote 15 pages just for a pirate crew kidnapping a noble. I got an earful … I’ll never forget it.”

 

“What about you uncle?”

 

Sengoku just smirked

“Who do you think invented this system ?”

“No way!”

“Yes way! As for Gar, his first report was something like that. “ I came, I saw the pirates, I beat them up.”

 

Rick laughed

“I’m surprised grandpa even wrote a report at all!”

That’s sprung hilarity to everyone present in the room.

 

~~~~~~

 

At the same time somewhere in the new World.

 

Achoo!!

 

“Someone is talking about you sir!”

“Nah, I must have caught a cold.”

“Impossible sir, idiots don’t get sick.”

“Oi! Kaza!”

 

~~~~~~

 

Back to Marineford.

 

“I have read the reports of your two teammate about you, Rick. I have to say I’m pleased.”

 

Rick was glad to hear this news…. For two seconds.

“They were correctly done.”

Aokiji burst out laughing and Tsuru had a little smile trying to contain her own. Sengoku had the biggest smirk Rick ever saw him having.

 

“Uncle!” he protested.

“What ? It’s true! That aside, they were both laudatory. Both of them stated that they wouldn’t have any problems if you were their direct superior. Tsuru anything to add?”

 

“No. You were outstanding Rick. Out of the five solo missions your team did, for two of them I thought you would have called reinforcements. Yet you analyzed the situation perfectly and did it on your own with your teammates.”

 

“A drastic difference to your very first mission”.

Rick remembered, he almost died back then.

 

“I swore to never repeat the mistakes I made that day.”

“Good thinking. Learning from your mistakes will help you stay alive. Now from the other business. Actually, that is why Kuzan is here. Starting from now, you will be under his command and act mainly on the Grand Line. Your first mission is to help the royalty of the kingdom of Alabasta. In the past two years, three attempts to kidnap the princess of the kingdom happened. All failed thanks to the royal guard.

They can protect the princess but they don’t have enough manpower to both guard her and track down the group after her. That’s where you come in.”

 

“I track them down, and arrest them then.”

“Yes, but you may have to also help keep the princess safe. As for why you’re now under Kuzan.”

 

“To gain a different perspective in leadership?”

“Yes.”

“Kuzan you should leave within the week, it is not quite an urgent matter, but still it’s royalty.”

Aokiji nodded.

“ Last thing on the agenda Rick. Tsuru is  giving you a recommendation for the rank of Ensign.”

Rick turned to Tsuru.

“Really?”

 

She nodded.

“Yes. The only thing you were lacking last time, your age aside, was experience in leadership. You proved to be a capable leader, so there is no reason to not recommend you.”

 

“Tsuru’s reports on you for the last three years will be sent to Borsalino. I’m optimistic about his answer.”

 

Rick smiled. He would be the youngest marine ever reaching that rank at the age of 13. Well not officially since for the marines corps Rick was 17. You couldn’t tell just by looking that he was in his early teens. He was around 1m83 ( 6 feet) with a good build. No one would believe he’s only 13.

Officially he tied with a previous marine. It was Kaza. She too was promoted to Ensign at 17. If it wasn’t proof enough of her competence, it took her only six years to reach the rank of Captain at 23 (5 rank above Ensign and only 3 ranks below Vice-Admiral) breaking the previous record too.

 

“By the way Garp will arrive in two days and now that the business talk is over let me make some more tea and discuss about anything but work.”

 

Sengoku stood up and went to make a new pot.

 

Rick, hearing that Garp will be back in two days, remembered that he had promised a date to Kaza the next time they met. He recalled how the last “walk” with her went.

‘Yeah, I'm not doing it. There’s no way I’m doing it.’

 

He leaned over Aokiji and whispered to him.

“Uncle nice, are you willing to mess with uncle buddha and Grandpa?”

Tsuru was close enough to hear and frowned.

Aokiji was silent, thinking about it.

“I’m listening.”

 

Rick told him the situation and how to do it.

The Vice-admiral laughed.

“I like it, let’s do it!”

 

Quickly they got up and sneaked outside the office without Sengoku noticing.

When the Fleet Admiral came back with a new fresh pot of tea, he was surprised that only Tsuru was left. He served her and himself then asked.

 

“Where did the two of them go?”

“They left for Alabasta already”

“Really, how concenscious of….”

Sengoku had realized what they did. His face paled.

 

They had doomed him.

 

Why? Because with Rick gone, no one will be able to stop Kaza’s insanity. She hadn’t seen Rick in three years, and from what Garp said she was at her limit. She needed her fix of Rick.

 

Sengoku’s face then turned red out of anger.

You could hear him scream Aokiji and Rick's names through the whole base.

 

The two of them were already leaving the HQ when they heard their names and had a laughing fit.

 

Tsuru had a little smile and just enjoyed her tea.

~~~~~~

 

On their journey to Alabasta they received terrible news.

Adventurer and former slave Fisher Tiger, a fisherman that escaped Mary Geoise a year ago, climbed the Red Line back and started a rebellion that freed all the slaves.

 

The celestial dragons secretly ordered to track and bring back every slave that escaped.

 

Every marine ship not in a top priority mission was to follow this order.

That’s included Rick’s.

 

Two months before the new year, they stopover a rather populated island. They did the job they were ordered to do and found some escapee.

 

Rick was walking down the street, vigilant when from the corner of his eyes he saw a familiar face. The girl looked younger than in his memories. She was around 15 or 16.

She was trying to be as discreet as she could. She was quite good.

Too bad for her Rick saw her.

 

“Hey! Miss!”

Without even turning back she started running.

He went after her.

She turned into a back alley that unfortunately didn't have any exit.

 

He approached her slowly. She formed a heart with her hands.

“Mero Mero Mellow!”

 

A pink aura in a shape of a heart shot from her hands and passed through Rick.

Time stop

 

The girl froze not believing that her power didn’t work.

Rick checked himself.

‘I’m surprised it didn’t work on me. I mean she’s cute. Well not Kaza level. Wait! Was I saved because I don't find her arousing at all compared to Kaza in all her glory? Nuh-hu. No way I’m acknowledging it. No way seeing Kaza’s naked body saved me from the Mero Mero no Mi.’

 

Rick had to play the part. After checking himself he checked behind him, then looked at Hancock.

He tilted his head on the side.

“Was it supposed to do something?”

 

She was terrified, her only way of protection didn’t work on the marine boy chasing her. She fell on her knees and started crying. She was caught and will be sent back to Mary Geoise to be a slave again.

 

‘Go for it Rick, time to bullshit your way into her heart. Don’t let her be wasted on Luffy’

 

“Miss, do you believe in fate?”

Hancock didn’t understand. Why was he talking about fate? Why wasn’t he handcuffing her?

 

“You see when I got on this island, I had a strange feeling. Like something was leading my steps. And it led me to you.”

 

‘That boy is deranged!’

 

Rick started to walk towards her.

“Please don’t send me back, don't send me back! Please!”

She was crying a river right now.

 

He finally was close to her. He raised his hands.

Hancock started shaking out of fear. Then she felt his hand on her head.

Rick started patting her and said:

“Don’t worry I won’t arrest you or report you. I won’t take your freedom away.”

 

She raised her head and looked at him. He had a sincere smile on his lips, and what he was doing felt good.

 

“Oi! Rick, did you catch one?”

“Nah”  answered Rick to the voice at the entrance of the alley.

“You’re sure? Let me check”

 

Hancock started trembling again.

Rick whispered to her.

“Don’t do anything, follow my lead and you’ll stay free, I promise”

 

She didn’t trust the boy, but she didn’t have any other choice and simply acquiesced.

 

The dubious marine was upon them.

“Girl show me your back.”

Hancock grabbed her clothes and she took a look at Rick who smiled and winked at her.

She turned around and showed her back still trembling.

 

“See? Nothing, I told you. What? Don’t trust me.”

“I do but she’s around your age and quite beautiful so I thought…”

“That I would let my emotions interfere with the job?” He glared at his colleague.”

“Yeah sorry, my bad. Anyway that wasn’t why I was searching for you. Vice-Admiral Aokiji said we were leaving.”

“Got it.”

 

The marine left.

 

Hancock had already put down her shirt.

She stopped crying.

“See, I kept my promise.”

 

She didn’t understand ? She couldn’t understand why that boy was helping her. How did the other marine not see her brand?

“Ho… How?”

“How did I hide your mark? Well.. like this.”

 

He made a sprout appear on the palm or his hand that soon bloomed into a finger.

 

She was surprised.

“See I can bloom wherever I want parts of my body. What I bloomed on your back was my skin. It covered everything.”

 

“Why did you help me?”

“Told you, fate led me to you.”

“There is no such thing as fate.”

“And yet, here I am.” he smiled.

 

He pulled her up on her feet.

“Here take this.”

Rick took out his wallet and gave it to her.

 

“There is enough in there for you to eat for a week and to buy three sets of clothes”

‘One set for each of you sisters’

“ Don’t buy second hand clothes, nobody will ever think you’re a former slave if you’re dressed well.”

 

She didn’t know what to say. She just nodded.

 

“Now, I have a few questions for you. Is your blood red? Are you crying when you’re in pain or sad? Are you angry or annoyed when something or someone bothers you? Are you scared when you think you’re in danger?”

 

‘What are those stupid questions for?’

“If the answer is yes for every single one of them, then you’re human. The mark on your back doesn’t define what you are, it’s just a mark, a memento of the horrible things you went through, nothing more.

And certainly not something that makes you less than a human.

You are human, never forget that.”

 

Hancock’s eyes open wide.

It was the first time since she became a slave that someone told her that she was human. That she was NOT a lesser being.

 

She was stunned and tears started to fall again.

 

For the third time he patted her head.

“Okay? Never forget it.”

She nodded violently.

 

“Time for me to go. Oh! Please, keep the power that I showed you a secret.”

 

She nodded again.

 

When Rick reached the alley’s entrance he stopped and turned back.

“One more thing.”

‘Oh god, he’s finally taking me in. Just like the celestials dragons! They make you feel hope and then once you do they crushed it’

 

“I’ve got the feeling… that you are fated to meet someone soon I’m acquainted with, he will bring you back home. He’s tall, has blond hair, round glasses, a vertical scar on his right eye and four black stripes for a beard. Please, tell him that “Old man, I hope you’re taking good care of my cap”. Thank you... By the way I also got the feeling that we’re fated to meet again. Until then, bye.”

 

He started walking again when Hancock’s voice unconsciously slipped out of her mouth.

“Please, your name!”

 

He looked at her one last time.

“Rick Wald.”

Then he left her alone.

 

‘Pirate Empress Boa Hancock? Checked! Now Vivi’s next!’

~~~~~~

 

One month later.

 

Hancock and her sisters, Sandersonia and Marigold were finally tracked down by the marines corps.

 

The bit of joy that Hancock was feeling since she was saved by Rick evaporated. They were cornered.

 

But luck was on her sides, the marine ship that was after her suddenly sank. Behind it a smaller ship was harboring a familiar flag. The flag of Amazon Lily, island of women.

 

They were saved. Aboard the small boat that saved them, was a man. She recalled the description of Rick’s acquaintance.

“Don’t worry girls, you’re safe now. We’ll bring you back to Amazon Lily.”

 

Hancock was dumbfounded, she couldn’t believe it. Everything Rick has said happened. Did fate really exist?

 

“Sir, a month ago someone saved me from the marines and helped me and my sisters to hide. He told me that when I meet someone that looks like you, to give you his message.”

“Oh? That’s interesting. Are you sure I’m the man he was talking about?”

“You fit his description perfectly sir.”

“I see. Truly curious. What’s the message?”

“He said, and I’m quoting here, sir. He said “ Old man, I hope you’re taking good care of my cap.””

 

Rayleigh was dumbfounded . He never expected to hear again from the kid he met back then in LogueTown when Roger was executed, not outside the newspaper anyway.

 

“How did he..”

“He said it was fate. 

“Fate?”

“Yes. That him meeting me was fate, and that I was fated to meet you.”

“Rick Wald… Truly an interesting guy.” thought Rayliegh.

‘Fate uh ? Maybe it’s real.’

 

Hancock was pensive too.

‘Like he said, I met his friend and he’s bringing me back home too. Then will I really see him again?’

 

She thought about it and was convinced.

 

Her heart started beating faster and faster and her face blushed.

‘Rick Wald... When will we meet again?