Grand Line Kaigun'in
A One Piece Fan Fiction
By Sacred Sakura

Conceptualized/Written: 11/22-23/2006
Published: 11/27/2006

Rating: T
Genre: Action-Adventure/General/Angst?
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, its characters, concepts, settings, or anything else its author—Oda Eiichiro—has ever conceived or owned. This is simply a work of fiction that I have written just for fun—and to supplement as a sort of precursor to another work of mine, Calm Tempest. However, any and all characters, settings, and the like appearing in this work—that are not currently under the copyright of One Piece, Toei Animation, or Shounen Jump as of the date of this fiction's publication—are my property; only and I are allowed to take advantage of the publishing rights this work is subject under. Please keep these things in mind as you read Grand Line Kaigun'in.

Dedication: To Mr. K., who assigned vocab homework, thereby inadvertently leading to the publication of this fic, which I have been wanting—though very much lacking in motivation and inspiration—to write for quite some time. Thanks a bunch!

A/N: I'm so glad I finally got to write this! (Especially considering the fact that I currently have writer's block with Calm Tempest...) Please R&R!

Training Day One: Proving the Self

"Do not fall under any illusory thoughts, suppositions, presumptions, or anything of the sort before, during, and after your training as a Grand Line marine. There will be no fun and games. These next six weeks will comprise of suffering, torturous training, constant hunger, despair—and possibly—most likely—death."

The burly man pacing before them ceased his staccato circling of the ragged and motley recruits clumped in utter disorganization. A strict brunet crew cut accented the sharp hazel eyes that glared at them menacingly, displaying the degree of his implacable disapproval.

"There is no room for weakness in the Marines. Therefore, any and all of you who do not 'feel up to' such extreme training should leave now. Anyone? Anyone at all? This is your last chance! Deserters will not be countenanced or even tolerated!"

The varied assemblage—a melting pot of all peoples, ages, genders, inclinations, and backgrounds—peered curiously at one another, wondering who had been idiot enough to have come all this way—hundreds of thousands of miles, for some—simply to call it quits.

No one moved from where they stood.

"Good. Hopefully the fact that none of you are leaving now is a sign that you won't be leaving ever for the next six weeks—at the very least." The burly man hefted a monstrous knapsack from the pile of canvas bags behind him and chucked one toward a recruit to his far left. "Here. This is Part One of your training."

He continued to toss the heavy loads to each and every one of the enlisters—causing some to keel over from the enormous weight, while a few others managed to heft the bags without too much trouble. "Your task: Survive the next five days here while making your way to the training base on the other side of this island." He pointed to a mountain to the west—the highest on the island. "It doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you reach the base. Now—go!!!"

The largely—but not entirely—disgruntled recruits began making their way through the underbrush of the island. Some took to the forest; others—the majority—decided to take the beach. And a select few chose the most difficult and grueling route of all—straight up the steep mountain itself.

'I'm not one to adjudicate,' the burly man thought to himself, observing those who took the most intimidating course, 'but it looks like things here at the base are going to get more interesting than it's been in years.'

A green-eyed brunette strode over toward a lone figure traversing the first level of the peak, her long ponytail swishing back and forth from her eagerness.

"Hello, there!" she greeted her fellow recruit.

Ignoring her, the dark-haired person began to scale the first rocky outcropping.

"S-sugoi." The girl remained at the foot of the mountain, mesmerized, as she marveled at his dexterity on the cliffs.

"Hey, Sei'i." The voice—obviously from a male—snapped the girl out of her daze.

She turned, wary. No one here was from East Blue, so who…?

"Want to scale this thing with me?" A thin blond smiled gently as he shouldered his substantially full knapsack. "I can make it easier for you by carrying your stuff. All you need to do is keep me company."

The brunette stared. "Wataridori?"

The blond sweatdropped. "It's Watari. Sei'i, we've been friends for—what? Eight years?—and you still haven't gotten my name right."

"Sorry. But then—what are you doing here? Last I checked, you wanted oh so much to become a pirate and find the legendary One Piece. What's with the career move?"

Watari smiled wryly as he adjusted the thin glasses on his nose. "Let's just say I sorted out my priorities. But anyway,"—he raised an eyebrow— "are you coming with me or not?"

"W-well," Sei'i began, hesitant, "actually, I was planning on doing this alone—without any help."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure!" she snapped. "I don't need anyone's help expediting my excursion through this island! I may be a girl, but I am fully capable of taking care of myself!"

"Whoa, whoa." Watari held his hands up in an "I'm harmless" gesture. "That was a bit much, don't you think? I wasn't implying that you weren't capable of—"

"Gratuitous? Perhaps. But not unreasonable." Sei'i crossed her arms angrily and looked away. "All my life, everyone's told me, 'A girl is delicate,' 'You shouldn't be roughing it with the boys; you'll get hurt,' 'A woman's place is in the home, not out in the woods fighting with guys.' I've heard it all, but I most definitely don't believe a single word of it."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to set you off like that." Watari ran his fingers through his hair uncertainly. "Um…but…you sure you don't want to accompany me—just for the sake of catching up? It's been five years, after all."

Sei'i looked at her childhood friend helplessly. "Sorry, but I have to do this myself." She turned away and began to scale the mountain.

Watari pulled his glasses off as he sadly gazed upon the retreating figure that was his friend—and the reason why he was ordered to come here of all places. Shaking his head, he swiveled by the heel and made for the beach.

As Sei'i clambered up the rock-strewn rise, the great weight of her knapsack hampered her progress. 'Stupid Watari… Of course I can handle this kind of hardcore training…. Who does he think he is? He's only a guy, for crying out loud…. The only thing that separates that weakling from me is gender, and even that is meaningless….'

So intent in her thoughts was she that her hold on a jutting stone, not as solid as first assumed, slipped. Frozen with shock, she fell without attempting to regain a hold on the mountain.

'So this is it then,' her mind sighed with resignation. 'I'm going to die without being able to prove myself.'

She plummeted—until a hand caught her by the shirt.

"Fool."

So? What do you think?

:D