“Where can you find pleasure, search the world for treasure
Learn science technology?
Where can you begin to make your dreams all come true
On the land, or on the sea?
Where can you learn to fly, play in sports and skin dive
Study oceanography?
Sign up for the big band, or sit in the grandstand
When your team and others meet~
In the Navy!
Yes, you can sail the seven seas.
In the Navy!
Yes, you can put your mind at ease.
In the Navy! In the Navy!”
…
By the time the Howler Monkey Minks started chanting in unison “We want you! We want you! We want you as a new recruit!” Bill was about to jump into the ocean to escape the racket and regretted for the hundredth time that he had ever taught them anything.
But there was nothing he could do about it, before, they sang some native Mink folk music which were absolutely horrid to his ears and that’s when he taught them the sea shanties that he knew.
Then, after hearing them sing ‘The Drunken Sailor’ and ‘The Worst Old Ship’ ten thousand times in a row because the monkeys found those songs hilarious, Bill caught them some other songs and ‘In the Navy’ instantly replaced those shanties as their favorite – so much so that they had begun making their own versions.
Even Yoko and the human teenagers were in on it, Rapanui and Roule had started playing some makeshift instruments created by Akisu while Carrot performed some solo that was neither in the song or fit the tempo since all she did was sing about vegetables…
But they were all having a good time, singing and fishing, while also effectively sailing the ship and scanning the horizon for threats.
Passing through the Red Line and into the New World, Ain and Zephyr had long begun to stuff their ears with cotton, and Bill was in his office reviewing the new technologies submitted by various research teams on New Haven while simultaneously still working to continue to gather support for the Neo Marine cause.
The Wapometal in particular held numerous practical uses, especially since it was almost flame proof once it was cold treated, its only slight weakness was that it was only about as tough as steel.
Still, once molded into a form and cooled down, with enough force put on it the metal could be dented or become twisted in almost any direction before snapping back into its original shape without even a mark to show for it, making it a super practical building material that would be almost completely resistant to things like earthquakes... or having a ship dented in by cannon fire, only for it to automatically retake its original form.
With the forges on New Haven able to produce seastone alloys, the metallurgy teams were working day and night to reproduce their own stable Wapometal alloy which would first be put to use on the Iron Wardens, and then on the massive floating fortress that they dubbed [The Arc].
Studying various composites for the shape-memory metal, days passed, and the Frontier Run sailed quickly across the New World with only three incidents occurring – two of which being handled by Yoko and Ain before either Zephyr or Bill had to act, when serpent-like Sea Kings tried to directly dive unto the deck of the ship, only to quickly be turned into sashimi.
The third incident was not as simple.
Sailing in a direct line to Dressrosa Kingdom, they saw a convoy of Marine warships in the distance and were directly ordered by none other than Admiral Fujitora to take a wide detour around the island of [Punk Hazard] due to some operation being conducted by Headquarters.
As for why they were routed away, Bill couldn’t say and truthfully didn’t think much of it. After all the New World was well known for its troubles, and with everything else he had going on, it wasn’t his intention to interject in anything that wasn’t his own business.
So, listening to the command they sailed around for an additional week – which was quite far considering how fast the Frontier Run was – until they reached a medium sized island which was commanded by one of Zephyr’s old students, a Vice Admiral named [Prodi].
According to Zephyr, their goal for coming here was simply due to the fact that they were in the area and may as well resupply for the final stretch of the voyage to Dressrosa Kingdom - which was barely week or so away.
Gliding effortlessly over the waves and into the port at Base G-F, the Frontier Run was just small enough to dock at the small docks nearest to the island.
As usual, when docking at an unfamiliar port it was Marine regulation to have those sailors who were not actively controlling the ship to stand in line and at the ready, where the ships officers be the first to walk down the ramp and greet whichever official met them.
This process happened at every single port and besides the Marine Officers or dock officials who came out to meet the captain of the ship docking, the rest of the men there, be it rank-and-file Marines or dock workers, were generally the most non-descript bunch of men that could be found nearby.
So, it was surprising to Bill when he stepped down the ramp and looked behind the older Vice Admiral to see that nearly every single Marine behind him was either bruised or cut in some fashion.
One Marine, a big fella standing almost 8 foot in height, had a mouth so swollen that Bill wouldn’t have been surprised if the man had just lost a bunch of teeth!
Looking down at Vice Admiral Prodi, due to the man’s height and nothing else, Bill spoke before Zephyr which clearly confused the old Vice Admiral, but the veteran only showed it for a split second before resuming his professional posture.
Handing over his Commission, Bill spoke all the same: “You’ll find everything in order, Vice Admiral. As we indicated before, we’re only here to resupply provisions and give our crew a chance to stretch their legs. We’ll be gone in a couple of days.”
Dressrosa Kingdom was about a week’s sail away from Base G-F, but the Grand Line had to the potential to be perilous and naturally they would restock whenever able.
Giving a glance at Bill’s Commission, Prodi handed it back while nodding: “Make yourself at home Vice Admiral Ox, having another Officer of your rank is welcome around these parts… and besides-”
Now Prodi looked at and addressed Zephyr.
“… having Sensei here can only do good for our garrison, treat them as your own men, you have my full confidence to discipline them as you see fit!”
This statement was very rare given that most Marine Bases, like pirate crews, tended to form close bounds. A captain could discipline his crew, but that didn’t mean anyone else could.
Answering Prodi, Zephyr commented on what Bill was getting ready to ask, saying that it ‘looked like he was disciplining his men enough already’, which got a quick rejection when the Vice Admiral responded: “No, Sir. These whelps couldn’t help but pick a fight with a new transfer of ours, a teenage boy Captain of all things.
Well, I figure it’ll teach them not to judge every book by its cover… anyways-” the Vice Admiral grimaced “-let’s not talk about that here.”
Then, turning back to Bill, Prodi gave a salute and said: “Welcome to Fron Island, Vice Admiral Ox. You’re welcome to follow me to my office. We can speak there and have some refreshments; I understand it’s been a long journey for you all.”
Indicating that he would, Bill nodded to Zephyr, and together they walked away with Prodi – leaving Ain and the logistics crew mates to oversee the actual work.
With the three men leaving, Ain got to work and before long Yoko, Carrot, Rapanui, and Adelle left the ship to go explore the base.
All between the ages of 17 and 19, Yoko was the youngest and shortest of the group – though none of them had outwardly outstanding physiques, with Rapanui being the tallest at age 19, and at just 6 feet.
Still, standing at just 5’3”, Yoko’s Coat of Justice had a Captain insignia on its sleeve, and without Bill there for her to defer to she promptly turned into the headstrong yet personable leader that she had always been as they began to explore.
Carrot, leading the group of four was practically bouncing up and down saying: “Finally dry land! I wonder what the Marines here are like?”
Behind her, walking in the middle of the group, Yoko brushed her auburn hair to the side and spoke while smiling: “I don’t know, but a base so close to Big Mom’s territory must have some good things!”
“Yeah, an actual Marine Base in the New World, I can’t wait to see their training equipment!” chimed in Rapanui, who was then followed by Adelle, who said she wanted to go meet the base’s medical staff.
For Marines across the world, but especially for those younger Marines with less life experience, the New World was a place seen as one part dangerous and one part mystical. It was a place where only the strong gathered and where strong Marines were forged counteract those evil powers.
This was even for Carrot who was born on the Island of Zou, given that she had spent half her life away from Zunesha; and for Yoko who had been to the New World before, but only for a very short period of time.
Headquarters spread this belief in its internal propaganda which acted in part as a self-serving recruitment tactic and in another way acted to bolster the morale of Marines who were often placed in the most dangerous situations imaginable.
After all, the Pirate Emperors were monsters, but, as the propaganda went, hadn’t the Marines locked those monsters in the New World by their own valiant efforts?
Walking and talking, the group of four turned some heads – especially Yoko with her Captain’s insignia, as they made their way around the battlements and then eventually to the canteen, led by Carrot’s nose.
“Fresh! Green!! Salad!!! Oh!!!!” shouted the Rabbit Mink, salivating and trying to run off – only to get caught by Rapanui who, putting a hand on her head, told her that they should stick together before she’d got lost.
About to fervently deny the accusation, from a table not far from the entrance, a boy with a red mohawk cut her off with a laugh that was more a sneer and loudly said: “Yeah! Don’t go get lost now, bunny girl!”
Then turning to the two guys he was sitting with, the red-haired mohawk boy continued loudly, so loudly it practically silenced the entire lunchroom: “Heh, what kind of Marine would get in their own base? This is the problem I have with these weaklings; we came here to take down Big Mom, that’s what this entire base should be about!
But these fools who call themselves Marines are simply weak rabbits who’ll get lost trying to wipe their own a*s!”
Hearing the boy say this, completely uncalled for, Rapanui let go of Carrots head, frowning.
Carrot’s white-furred face started to turn red with anger as she started bouncing up and down.
Adelle’s lips curled into a sneer and claws formed on her fingers, just barely showing from her doctor’s coat.
And from behind the trio, Yoko burst forward with a fearsome look on her face.
Immediately she recognized the boy, and the boy recognized her, but ignoring that she shouted: “IF YOU WANT BEEF THEN BRING THE RUCKUSS! THE NIMBUS CREW AIN’T NOTHIN’ TO F*CK WITH!!”
I'll save next chapter for most images!
Vice Admiral Prodi
Always nice to see an update. Honestly would do Yoko some good if she can be put against Coby and find a rival. Though this chump is probably just going to inflate her ego after he gets crushed.
Thanks For The Chapter.