"...Marines at Headquarters certainly are a colorful bunch, aren't they?"
"This is Sigma, a Marine Apprentice," I said, introducing my striped companion. "And this is Lieutenant Belle-mère."
"Grrr."
"As if I'd just say, 'Nice to meet you'!" Belle-mère barked, stepping back. "It's a bear! It's striped and has long arms, but it's definitely a bear! You're telling me to fight something that terrifying!?"
She grabbed me by the collar and started shaking me back and forth. "Is there no one normal around here!?"
"Urgh... I thought it would be a good match," I managed to choke out. "Fine, fine! Would you prefer a five-year-old boy? He just joined, but I figured the gap in experience would be too wide..."
"A five-year-old!? Is there no one in between!?"
"Alright, alright! Sergeant! Step up!"
I called over my Sergeant, who specializes in close-quarters combat. Belle-mère seemed satisfied with that.
She returned to her starting position, clutching her long rifle. She held the stock in her right hand and the barrel in her left, fingers clear of the trigger.
The rifle itself was reinforced with metal—it was clearly designed to be used as a blunt weapon.
The Sergeant faced her, holding his folding tactical rod in his right hand and wearing a metal gauntlet on his left. He dropped into a low, stable stance.
"Ready... Begin!!"
The Sergeant moved first, closing the distance from a low angle and thrusting the pommel of his rod toward Belle-mère's chin.
She leaned back with feline grace, avoiding the blow, and transitioned into a back-handspring, her boot lashing out toward the Sergeant's jaw.
CLANG! A dull, metallic ring echoed as the Sergeant blocked the kick with his rod. She had metal plates in her soles. She landed from the flip and immediately lunged with the rifle like a spear.
The Sergeant parried with his gauntlet, but Belle-mère spun the rifle mid-grip, catching the barrel with both hands and swinging the heavy stock down in a massive overhead strike.
Is she really using a firearm like a mace? I realized the metal reinforcements weren't just for show—they protected the internal mechanisms while allowing her to treat the weapon like a heavy staff.
The Sergeant crossed his rod and gauntlet to catch the blow. From there, it was a fierce back-and-forth.
The Sergeant fought steadily, looking for openings to land a solid strike, while Belle-mère moved with incredible lightness. She treated the long rifle like a bo staff—thrusting, sweeping, and striking with fluid, rhythmic motions.
"What do you think, Lieutenant Pasqua?" I asked.
"She's something else, that girl," Pasqua replied, impressed.
"A Branch Lieutenant? There has to be a mistake."
Normally, there's a three-rank gap between Headquarters and the Branches. A Branch Captain is roughly equal to a Headquarters Lieutenant.
By that logic, a Branch Lieutenant should be around the level of a Chief Petty Officer. But my Sergeant, though a Headquarters NCO, had been trained to go toe-to-toe with Headquarters Lieutenants. And Belle-mère was holding her own.
"She's a diamond in the rough," Pasqua muttered.
I couldn't agree more. Her combat prowess was already far above the average Marine. If she were trained at Headquarters, she could likely reach the rank of Commander or even Captain.
"That's enough! Break!" I called out.
The match ended in a stalemate. I asked the Sergeant for his assessment.
"Honestly, sir, I underestimated her because of her rank," he admitted, wiping sweat from his brow. "She's incredibly difficult to pin down.
She flows away from the impact of your hits, making it feel like you're swinging at water. And that rifle... the way she switches grips and uses the centrifugal force makes her strikes surprisingly heavy.
If she starts using that thing as an actual gun during a fight, she'd be a nightmare to handle. She's definitely 'rank-squatting'."
I turned to her. "Lieutenant Belle-mère! How would you like to come to Headquarters?"
She stopped disassembling her rifle for maintenance and looked up, blinking. "Eh? Headquarters?"
"Yes. Piracy is surging, and we're short on talented officers. We need people like you."
"Mmm... It's a nice offer, but the Branch Chief has looked after me, and I like the East Blue..."
"How about a one-year training commission?" I countered. "We'll provide housing, a monthly stipend, and we'll even cover your food expenses."
"That's a lot of perks... Why go that far for me?"
"Because I see your potential. I guarantee you, Belle-mère—with the right training, you could easily reach the rank of Captain at Headquarters."
"Well... if you're going to be that persistent..."
"The pay at Headquarters is significantly higher than at a Branch, you know."
"Alright, I'm in!! I'll go get the Chief's permission for the transfer!"
She threw her rifle back together with practiced speed and bolted toward the office. Wait... is Nami's obsession with money actually a trait she inherited from Belle-mère?
The Golden Pirate
A few days later, after gathering intel from the various branches, we finally tracked down our target: Woonan the Golden Pirate.
Woonan currently held a bounty of 20 million berries. He led a massive fleet and was a legendary figure who stole gold from other pirates but never touched merchant ships or civilians. In fact, he was known to scatter his non-gold loot among the poor—a true "chivalrous thief."
When we met, he proved to be a reasonable man. I explained the pros and cons of the Sanctioned Pirate system. After a sincere discussion, he readily accepted the offer. I promised him that while it might take time to officially clear his bounty, I would immediately lower his priority for Marine pursuit.
As we sailed away from his flagship, the Gold Treasure, I looked back. The mountains of gold piled on his deck were a sight to behold. Under the moonlight and the glow of bonfires, the shimmering gold created a dreamlike, ethereal scene. Even Gin and Belle-mère stood there with their mouths agape in awe.
I wish Robin could have seen this...
Harvest of the East Blue
We returned Belle-mère to her branch so she could pack. Three days later, she boarded the Beatrice, and we set our course for Marineford.
This expedition had been incredibly fruitful:
Gin, the future combat commander of the Krieg Pirates, was now my subordinate.
I had established a connection with Pearl and his father, Aris. Even though Pearl ate the fruit, having him as a future ally was a win.
I'd met Shanks, confirmed Ace's birth, and mapped out the islands of the East Blue for future reference.
Woonan was now a Sanctioned Pirate.
And Belle-mère was coming to Headquarters, where I'd make sure she became strong enough to never fall to the likes of Arlong.
Then, I realized the date. It's nearly Robin's ninth birthday. I needed to send her something through Kahfu's network. What would she like?
Several Weeks Later: Ohara
"Oh, Robin-chan! Why are you running so fast?" a man asked. "And what's that monocle hanging from your neck?"
"It arrived this morning! A birthday present just for me!" Robin beamed, clutching the gift.
"Ho? And who sent it?"
"Ehehe... It's a secret! But it's from someone very important to me!"
"I see. Well, happy birthday, Robin-chan. Try not to trip while you're running."
"I won't! See you later, Mr. Lasky!!"
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