One Piece:
The Marine Rookie Arc
One Piece © Oda
Blizzard, Monkey D. Aika, and Raptor © Me
Summary- The Sanji Retrieval Team was headed to Whole Cake Island to rescue Sanji, but they've run out of food before they're even halfway there. However, their luck might've changed when they've found a Marine base, where they plan to steal food to resupply their rations...but first, they might have to deal with a rather overzealous rookie named Grount.
Ch. 1- A Hungry Front
When we last left our heroes, Luffy had left Zou with Nami, Chopper, Blizzard, Brook, Aika, Pedro, Pekoms, and Carrot, forming the Sanji Retrieval Team in order to take back their captured chef from Big Mom. However, without Sanji to cook for them, it was up to Aika to provide the crew their meals, and while her cooking was delicious, Sanji had forgotten to teach her about rationing, and because of all the praise she had been getting, she was not keeping a look out for the food supply, thus depleting it rather quickly.
Now, the hungry crew is in the middle of a crisis: they had nothing to eat.
Carrot limped into the storage room, trying to eat whatever scraps she could find, but Brook stopped her from licking up an oil stain on the floor.
"Don't lower yourself to this, Miss Carrot," the skeleton told her.
"But I'm so hungry~!" Carrot whined.
Meanwhile, Nami was seen putting an exhausted Aika to bed.
"You poor thing," Nami said. "Trying so hard to make sure we were eating enough."
"Big Sis Nami..." Aika muttered, sleepily.
"Shh," Nami hushed her, gently. "Go to sleep, now. You need your rest."
"...Okay," Aika replied before she sighed and fell asleep, causing Nami to smile before she kissed the younger D. Carrier on the forehead, then she turned and left quietly, closing the door behind her. However, the peaceful moment did not last long.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Nami gasped as she heard the familiar shriek of the ship's doctor.
"NAMI! HELP! HE'S DOING IT AGAIN!"
"Ugh!" Nami groaned. "You have GOT to be kidding me! That's the 4th time today!"
On that, she hurried outside to the deck, and almost instantly, Chopper ducked down behind her.
"DON'T LET HIM GET ME!" Chopper cried. "PLEASE!"
And what was Chopper running away from, one might ask? One very hungry Luffy...who practically looked like a mummy as he lumbered toward the navigator and doctor. The only thing that was stopping him was Blizzard, who had his fangs clamped down on the seat of Luffy's pants.
"Luffy, snap out of it!" Blizzard shouted. "That's Chopper you're trying to eat!"
"Meeeeeeeaaaat...!" Luffy moaned, like a zombie.
It was at that moment that Nami walked up to Luffy and gave him a harsh slap across the face, first from the left, then to the right, and at that moment, he returned to his usual complexion.
"N-Nami?" he asked in confusion.
"Luffy, you need to cut that out!" Nami shouted. "I know you're hungry, but for god's sake, stop trying to eat Chopper!"
"But Nami, I can't help it!" Luffy cried. "I'm STARVING!"
"I'm hungry, too, but you don't see me trying to eat him!" Nami argued. "Or Blizzard!"
"Hmm..." Luffy hummed thoughtfully as he glanced back at Blizzard, who glared at him.
"Don't you go getting any ideas," the wolf-dog warned.
Soon after, deep rumbling sounds filled the air, and everyone groaned as they put their hands (or paws and hooves) to their stomachs.
"I know Aika was only trying to help," Nami began, "but Sanji should've taught her about rationing things. We're in dire straits without food. At this rate, we might starve before we reach Sanji!"
"Where is Aika?" asked Luffy.
"I put her to bed for a nap," Nami said. "Poor thing. She's so exhausted and probably just as hungry as the rest of us."
"Aika was trying so hard to make sure we were all fed," said Chopper. "She didn't even think about her own well-being. She actually skipped eating, sometimes, to make sure we ate, too!"
"Now I feel awful," Luffy said, sadly. "While I was busy stuffing my face, my sweet sister hardly ate anything!"
"There's nothing we can do about it, now," Blizzard answered. "All we can do is hope we find an island where we can resupply, soon."
Meanwhile, up in the Crow's Nest, Pedro looked through the spyglass to spot any islands...and sure enough, there was one, dead ahead.
"Oh!" he gasped. "Hey, you-gara guys! There's an island, straight ahead!"
"EH?!" everyone questioned.
"You're kidding me!" Blizzard shouted.
"Wait!" Nami exclaimed as she brought out a sea chart. "I think I remember! Pekoms gave me this sea chart to Whole Cake Island, and I noticed a small island, not too far from our current location!"
"So, wait," Luffy began, "if it's an island...then that means...!"
"FOOD AT LAST!" he, Chopper, and Carrot cheered.
"It must be a sign from the heavens, praising my good work!" Nami exclaimed.
"Okay, you guys!" Luffy shouted. "Let's head to that island and get us some eats!"
"Yeah!" the group cheered.
"Hold it!" a voice shouted, and everyone to see that it was Pekoms, who was using a cane to walk. "You can't go to that island."
"Why not?" Luffy asked.
"Wait...Pekoms, is there something about that island that you know?" asked Nami, while Pedro jumped down from the Crow's Nest and joined them on the deck.
"...No pirate should ever go there," said Pekoms. "That island...is a Marine base."
Everyone gasped at this.
"A Marine base?!" Nami asked.
'Man,' Blizzard thought, 'good thing Aika's asleep, right now.'
XXX
A bit later, after the group hid the Sunny behind some cliffs, and Luffy, Nami, Chopper, Blizzard, Brook, and Carrot were about to board the Shark Submerge III, while Pedro and Pekoms remained behind to guard the ship.
"Please take care of the Sunny," Nami began, "and Aika, too."
"So you're really going, then?" asked Pekoms.
"We're only going to steal some food and then come right back," Nami replied.
"Even if you're with Straw Hat," Pekoms began, "don't let your guard down. That base is known for recruiting notorious hotheads from various units. It's an annoying frontline base that monitors Whole Cake Island. Don't underestimate them, or it might be the last thing you'll ever do."
"Got it," Nami nodded.
"Nami, let's go!" Luffy called.
"I'm coming!" Nami answered before she closed the hatch while Brook took the driver's seat, and soon, they were off towards the island. As they did, Luffy, momentarily blinded by his hunger, tried to eat Chopper again, but thankfully, Nami was there to snap him out of it. Soon after, the navigator looked through the periscope to get a closer look at the island.
"Security looks pretty tight," Nami said, "but I think we can manage it!" On that, she raised the periscope and turned to the rest of the group. "Okay, guys! Time to commence our operation!"
"Right!" they nodded.
'I still have a bad feeling about this,' thought Blizzard, 'but...for once, my hunger is stronger than my caution.'
XXX
Meanwhile, at the base, the Marines were out on patrol, making sure that no pirates attempted to sneak in. Plus, they were preparing for a new shipment of recruits. At the entrance gate, some higher-ranking Marines stood, waiting for an incoming battleship to approach. Among them was a stocky, rather old-looking man with gray hair, a thin mustache, and a goatee. He wears a gray suit with four buttons over a red button-down shirt, as well as gray pants and black shoes. He also wears a standard Marine cloak.
"Vice-Admiral Prodi," said a man in a brown suit and a spiky beard. "The new reserve forces should be arriving, shortly."
"Good," Prodi nodded...but then, he heard a loud scream coming from aboard the ship, and not long after, a large explosion occurred, much to his shock. "What the-?! What's going on?!"
As the smoke cleared, someone emerged and began to take out the soldiers aboard, left and right, his eyes glowing red with a fiery blood-lust. It was soon revealed to be a teenage boy of average height, about the same height as Luffy with his hair shaved into a buzz cut at the sides and a red Mohawk at the top. He had dark red eyes and a prominent scar on the left side of his lower jaw. His attire consisted of a black vest over a white shirt, red pants, beige boots, a tattered Marine cape, and for some reason, it looked like he had some sort of metal brace around his left arm.
His name...was "All-Hunt" Grount.
As Grount continued his rampage, he didn't seem to notice that three Marines were trying to get the jump on him from behind...until...
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~! A loud screech suddenly filled the air, and soon after, something darted down from the sky and headed towards the Marines...with a shiny, black beak. Soon after, the Marines screamed in pain as they were suddenly sliced by the creature, which flew up before landing on Grount's left shoulder. It was revealed to be a hawk with brown feathers, black markings around his golden yellow eyes, a crest of feathers on his head, and a blue bandanna that had the Marine insignia on it around his neck.
Grount chuckled as he gently scratched the bird's chin, causing him to let a pleasant coo.
"Thank you, Raptor," he told him.
"DIE!" a Marine shouted as he tried to rush Grount, but the boy glared before he grabbed him by the neck...and squeezed. The Marine gagged as he struggled to get away, but then, in a matter of only 3 seconds...he was unconscious. Then, he turned to the rest of the Marines, who all glared at him...yet seemed hesitant, too.
"You guys are all useless," Grount said. "Nothing but cowardly trash! I'll kick...all your asses."
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~! Raptor screeched, as if agreeing with his master, who flexed his left arm...and soon after, steam began to emerge from the metal brace.
"Surround him!" a Marine yelled. "Pile on top of him!"
Soon, they all began to charge at once, and at first, Grount didn't do anything...but then, he growled before he reeled his left arm back. Then, the brace seemed to bulge as more steam emerged from it, and Grount flinched, as if he were in pain...but then he roared before he punched down on the ship's deck, which sent the Marines flying! Then, Grount jumped off from the deck and landed on a cliff, right near Prodi and his bodyguards while Raptor still remained perched on his shoulder.
"You, rookie!" shouted Prodi. "That's enough!"
Grount glanced up at Prodi, who glared at him, and yet the boy only smirked.
"You're Vice-Admiral Prodi, right?" asked Grount. "Just the person I was looking for. Send these weaklings back to their old units!"
SKREEEEEEEEEEE~! Raptor cawed in agreement while Prodi growled at the two.
"You bastards!" he shouted. However, Grount only glared back at him with a smug grin grin.
It seemed that the Marines were going to have trouble with this one than with pirates.
TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 2...
I decided it would be faster and easier if I split this up into parts. I know, it sounds tedious, but I think it's better than nothing.
Review, please!