The Gulls of Navarone
Chapter 1: Johnathan, Livingstone, Seagulls
Non-canon even by canon standards, inspired by the filler arc of G-8, fueled by a simple question that if Akainu really did train people would they end up in the correct path after all? He is but sooooo...extreemmme(says Kizaru).
But then again, who'd actually do as he says?
A blindingly hot summer day. The sun blazes and burns. In the middle of a humid jungle somewhere in the Grand Line hides a pristine white Hospital.
"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"
"Aye. You must be Captain Johnathan?"
The proffered hand was accepted in a vice grip.
'He sure is strong for a civilian surgeon.' So thought Captain Johnathan of the Marines.
It was a scene quite common to all of eternity - the radical civilian specialist so appreciated for all the work he puts in for the World Government. The Marine branch unit that asks for a consultation. And...the target usually turns up dead within an hour after the Marines set sail. It was always the branch CP setting those unsuspecting Marines up - cover-up orders came later.
Especially now in this age of revolutionaries, it was the best tactic they used to weed the turncoats, even potential ones.
This man was 'suspected' of being one.
A nice, pleasant man. Goes about smiling mildly. A proactive surgeon. Had saved several lives and wanted to save more and really felt about it, not just from a professional viewpoint. Well, apparently.
'Suspected'? No, a confirmed target.
He'd fallen out of favor ever since he made clear his support for the ridiculous idea of providing medical assistance to the non-WG citizens. To top it all he had openly treated and argued for the rights of a few slaves of the Tenryubito.
'The fool', thought Johnathan. He was surprised they hadn't killed him outright and this charade was still to be played out. And also a little peeved that his base was the one responding. The vice-admiral didn't need to have beaten around the bush while assigning the 'mission' - Jonathan was no fool. This was a known routine. And he had acted as the tactician in the last, yes, twelve actual battles.
As the doctor escorted Johnathan around, lecturing away, they passed several posters plastered across the white new walls. Procedures for injections. Smiling children and vaccine shots. Directions to the nearest ward. Contents of cabinets under them. Cross sections of the heart.
'One ought never, ev~ver wear one's heart on one's sle~eve.'
A droning singsong voice - Jonathan's enormous brows furrow with rising irritation.
'He doesn't actually wear his heart on his sleeve you k~noww. That's all an a~ctt', the nail-on-wall-scratchingly slow voice whispers in his head.
Borsalino had said so about Sakazuki. But then had Sakazuki a heart, to begin with? He chuckled a little despite himself.
Dave D Livingstone turned back a bit to look at him quizzically all the while asking if they should go to the cafeteria or his office next?
Oh, he wasn't listening.
Couldn't rather.
It was so hot today.
He wanted a drink. Said so.
"How about lemonade?"
"Sounds perfect."
Not...'Jessica never lets me have anything but...'
So, to the cafeteria, they headed.
All he really wanted, however, was to lie down somewhere and fall into a deep, comfy sleep. After a long, cold draught of anything unhealthy - even cola.
Looking in front of him he sees the man's back. The man is talking again. Non-stop. Looking ahead into a future he didn't have. Jonathan can just about discern where the doctor's heart should be along that sweat-drenched labcoat. He could hear it - loud and clear. Each beat so beckoning. An end to this elaborate, ridiculous play. How much would those damned cipher pols make this man suffer once they had him anyway...?
Wouldn't Sakazuki-san have killed him already?
Definitely. Considering his record and this ebullient man in front of him - he certainly would have.
Wouldn't he?
Yeah. He'd have asked the doctor to his face, "Are you a revolutionary?" and then not waiting for an answer...well, Sakazuki-san at this moment would be back on his own ship en route to Marineford and sake. Not more fruit juices and flower teas and...and liquid vegetable.
What a thought! He loved Jessica. He wasn't really running away. In fact, not just the base commander, even Sakazuki-san had ordered him here.
But just why had G8 been assigned anyhow!? They were an armed fortress - not some idling base that had too much free time. (How dare Kizaru!) Nonetheless...their orders were clear: engage and lure. No interference.
These 'popular' citizens were definitely the worst. They had to die "accidentally".
God! It was hot. And they'd started walking under the direct sun now...
The doctor was still droning on and on now about the benefit of sponsors.
He'd gather no useable intel like this.
Disclaimer: Any resemblances to humans or animals long past is purely coincidental. Even on the animator's behalf(I assume).
Note :
David Livingstone was asked the famous question by Henry Morton Stanley(originally named 'John' Rowland) and the picture of the latter for some reason brought to my mind Johnathan of G-8 when I first saw it.
I came up with the name of this chapter because my childhood love for Johnathan Livingstone Seagull(JLS), the freest gull...and as the name Johnathan that serves the Marines whose symbol be the gull...is exactly what it is. While reading the Wiki page I find to my astonishment that they really named the G-8 VA after JLS! In reality, I always believed the choice was based on something else (that was me ignoring the non-canon nature of the character I realize).
Well, Johnathan was named after Bach's Johnathan Livingstone Seagull(JLS) by his animator. And randomly assigned Akainu/Sakazuki as his mentor.
When Oda does draw Sakazuki, he takes Bunta Sugawara for his role model. Yakuza Papers aside, Trucker Yaro is a series dearly beloved of Oda. And Sugawara's character, Momojiro Hoshi, has for a sidekick former cop turned trucker named Johnathan whose former cop job landed him with a conflict with The Borsalino-2 (Kizaru's model).
