It took them two days to reach the closest HQ, given that the weather was fair. After going to the main desk Soma was given directions and told to wait in a room. They started walking in the building dressed in their uniform attire when they started to have a conversation.
"So Soma have you ever seen some actual cute marine women around here in HQ?" Ward asked hands in his pockets looking down at his spiky silver-haired buddy. "What are you talking about?" he answered drinking another bottle of water
"I mean have you seen a woman worth plowing around here?" He nearly spit out his water blushing "Really, are you really talking about this now?" "Why not, or are you tiring to hog all the pretty ones to yourself?" "How the hell can you be talking about this, you have Maya waiting for you back home" "Yup but if I asked, I bet she would agree to an open marriage"
"Ward?"
"Yes Soma?"
"What the fuck? And Maya wouldn't agree to that"
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm her friend"
Ward just laughed, put on a grin, and lowered his hat on his head to cover his face "You might be her friend Soma, but I've seen a side of her you'll never know" Soma looked at his friend with the most confused yet curious face, wondering what he meant by those words "What are you talking about, what do you mean. Maya share's everything with me" What about her didn't he know about?
Maya was like an open book with him, they trusted each other with everything...
"Oh in public she's really silent most of the time, but behind closed doors oh you wouldn't believe it. I love making her moan so loud where she can't speak the next day, and another plus she's subjective type, which means she does almost anything I ask"
Ok ALMOST everything.
"Ward this is not the time…place… I don't want to hear about my friends sexual preferences" Soma nearly yelled walking faster around the maze of halls, heading to the room he was told earlier to wait in. "Oh but you said you shared everything" Ward continued to laugh as he easily caught up to the boy with his long legs "Do you want to know what we did last time? It involved handcuffs" Ward whispered before leaving down another hall. Soma started to open the door looking in the direction where his friend left "FUCK OFF!"
"Excuse me?" He turned to the woman's voice and found himself face to face with Tashigi. Soma at that very moment wished there was a hole nearby so he could crawl into it. "No, no, no, I'm sorry miss, captain Tashigi, I was yelling at my friend. He was talking about something very personal" "It could not have been that personal if you were yelling in the halls about it. Now come in, Smoker-san the new recruit is here" "I heard"
When Soma heard that all he could do was wish he was anywhere but there at that exact moment. When he walked into the room he bowed and saluted the vice-admiral
"I apologize sir, my name is Soma. I am your new subordinate, I have the devil fruit power called Aqua Aqua, meaning I can control water" Smoker just let out another puff looking him in the eye "I know about that already, as long as you behave yourself when needed, and listen to orders, welcome aboard" Soma finally felt his nerves calm down from the near heart attack. "Ward better have a damn good reason for wanting to come with me. I wouldn't have been in this situation if not for him. What the hell is he doing?" he whispered to himself
Ward continued down the halls before he stopped in front of the records room seeing some old friends. "Why if it isn't Mr. Kill count" "Yo friendly fire!" two of the three marines waved to Ward. The third was a new recruit who was confused by the nicknames "What's with those names?" both men looked at him
"Oh right your new to this base. That guy's name is Ward, major ass hole. Whenever a team went on a mission with him, he'd come back the only one alive. Always taking risks the other soldiers weren't willing to"
"What they always over looked was that I got the job done. So what if some Marines died on the mission? When you join the Marines, you joined knowing your life is always on the line. Regardless that's why they dismissed me" Ward said with a smile, which scared the new cadet who then decided to run away down the hall.
The other two men laughed as they looked at their former Marine "So what are you doing here killer?" "Looking for a way to get reinstated again?" "Yeah you guys have anything for me?" Both men pulled some files out of their messenger bags, all the file envelopes labeled unsolved or top priority. "Well you might have a chance if you could help figure out some of these. I don't know what they expect us to do about some of them, I mean take this one for instance" The man said opening one labeled both unsolved and top priority
"There's barely any information in this thing, so it's got to be one of those stupid files that's top secret. They only let us have the little details that don't say anything about WHY the file is important" he opened the file "So unless we can figure out where the bodies of these chicks are, then there's not much we can do" Ward grabbed the file "Really, finding bodies? How hard can that…be..." he trailed off, and then quickly started to flip through the papers not caring what scattered to the floor
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm responsible for those, be careful with it" the man knelt to the ground picking up the discarded papers. Ward started to smile as he took the file, and started to walk down to another vice admirals office and knocking on the door. A man opened the door and the first thing anyone would notice about him, was the dog mask on his face.
"Who dares disturb the lair of the mighty admiral Garp!" The man laughed loudly as he picked his nose with his pinky. "Uhh…" Ward slowly looked behind Garp into the office, and saw the multitude of saké bottles upon the floor "Sir I have some important information for you?" "Oh, yes of course, why else would you be here. Come sit report away!" Garp led Ward into the office and sat behind his desk, which was also covered in sake bottles. Ward just stood befuddled not really expecting the confrontation to happen like this, but he handed over the file. He looked over papers and saw the pictures of three pretty women
"Oh finding me potential wives? Keep this up and I'll have you working under me!"
"Sir that's not why I'm calling your attention to this file"
"Then what, you're saying that I'm old? What you're saying that I couldn't possibly get any or all three of these women if I wanted to?"
"No sir that's not what I'm saying at all"
"Then what are you saying? That just because you're young and good-looking, you're saying that an old strong silver hair man like me couldn't get a woman?"
"No sir that's not what I'm saying at all sir"
Ward was holding his hands up in defense wondering how a man like him could so powerful, yet act like a child. That's when it occurred to him that Garp was drunk so he would have to alter his approach
"No greatest, mighty, good-looking admiral Garp. You can get all the women you ever wanted, in fact they would be throwing themselves at your feet if they could. However we know what complicated creatures they can be"
"ha ha ha flattery will get you nowhere…or was it everywhere? I forget, well anyways finish you're report"
Ward sighed before resuming "About the women in these files, it's a report about the need behind finding their bodies. However I know for a fact that two of them are actually alive and where they are right now. All I ask for in exchange is that I get reinstated and trained under an admiral" Garp opened his desk drawer looking for the matching the file containing the full report.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, how are we supposed find women who are supposed to be dead? Even if you did find them, that won't guarantee that you will get reinstated"
After finding and flipping through the full report, Garp's face went from being jolly drunk to dead serious "Are you 100% sure these women are in fact alive?"
Ward was surprised at how quickly his attitude changed
"Two of them sir yes, and where they are right now" Garp stood up and walked over to his den den mushi calling someone in the base
"Mobilize a ship for departure; we have the whereabouts of two high profile government defectives, possibly even a third. Consider them to be possibly armed and dangerous, but must be taken in alive. If their identities are confirmed they are to be transferred to Impel down immediately. I'll be there shortly for departure"
Placing the receiver down on the snail he walked past Ward, but made the notion for him to follow. As he did the questions began "How do you know these women?" "They live on one of the island chains I come from"
"Who are they to you?"
"I was set to marry their niece so aunt in law's, but they don't like me very much"
"Was?"
Ward gave a cocky smile "Well I don't think she will take to kindly to the fact that I'm getting her only family arrested, and from what I hear sent to the most dangerous prison known. So I think it's safe to say the marriage is off"
"If you were set to marry this woman why would you sell her family out? Why not keep it to yourself?"
"I'm a marine sir, if I found out I knew something this important, isn't it my duty to report it regardless of personal feelings on the matter?"
"Since you're a man isn't a man duty to protect his wife?"
"I am a marine first sir, besides she knows this. If she can't accept it then I won't have any regrets about it, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few"
"Well spoken, but uh did you come straight out of a how-to-be-a-marine manual?"
"No sir I'm just telling you the facts straight up"
"So what you actually mean is that you would just rather be a marine than a family man"
"Yes I would"
"So you will sellout her family just to be reinstated?"
"When you put it like that sir you make me sound heartless, but yes sir"
"That's exactly the reason you were dismissed in the first place, always putting your ambitions first. However if this information your giving us pans out to be true, then I will have no choice but to report it which would lead to your reinstatement"
"Thank you sir"
"Don't thank me; what we're going to do is breaking a family apart, so wipe that grin off your face"
Ward hadn't even noticed that he was donning a big smile until Garp said that. Quickly regaining his composure he continued after the man to the boat. "Where are these women located?"
"A chain of islands, they reside on the biggest one called Origin"
"Never heard of it"
"Not many people do. Though the island pieces are connected, the whole thing itself floats in the water letting it drift around the sea on a current"
"So in other words, unless you stumble upon it on accident, or are lead to its current location. It would be very hard to find the island correct"
"Yes"
"That explains how they have eluded us all these years" Garp walked on the deck and went straight for Smoker who was talking to both of his subordinates.
Soma saw Garp heading straight for them and gulped. Garp, the hero, was walking their way with Ward behind him. It took a couple of seconds, but it then it hit him. What was Ward doing with Garp?
"Smoker, here's the files get acquainted with them, I need to talk to the navigator about the location of the island we are heading to" He handed over the files and proceeded to the navigation room. The moment Garp was out of sight, Soma went straight up to Ward "What the hell? Why are you with Garp or here on this ship for the matter? We are about to embark to collect some high profile people headed to Impel down, you shouldn't be here"
"Actually breast milk I'm the reason your heading anywhere"
"I told you not to call me that! Wait what do you mean you're the reason?" Smoker had been listening while he read the files
"So that means you're the informant?"
"Yes that would be correct Smoker sir"
"Informant? Ward what the hell is going on?" He looked at Soma "It seems like there's more than meets the eye when it comes to our lovely mayor and her sister" "Devi and Mina? What do they have to do with this?"
He sighed
"Soma you are so dense, get it through your head" He said patting the top of the shorter mans skull hard "The people you're being sent to collect are Mayor Devi and bar tender Mina. Should I say top defective Government scientists Devi and Mina Ellesmere? I wonder what they did or know… has to be a pretty big secret to be sent straight to impel down"
Soma felt the blood drain from his body "You're kidding me right?" "Nope" "It's Devi and Mina, no way they are government scientists! I mean Devi barely comes out of her office, and Mina is always partying. This has to be a mix up of some kind" Ward walked past him waving his hand dismissing Soma's denial "You wish water boy, by the way deal with Maya for me when we get there eh?" he continued to walk into the navigators quarters.
It was a couple hours later while the boat was at sea that Tashigi looked for Soma. He had been wondering around the ship not only devastated, but looking like someone had just kicked a puppy
"Who are these people to you?" He was startled having been brought out of his moping state but answered
"They are aunts to my friend, and they felt like my own to. I mean they're not related to me, but since my parents passed away of old age, they just made me feel like I belonged"
"I see. I understand how painful this might be for you but it's not going to affect your judgment is it?"
Soma straightened himself up "No Mam not at all. We have a job to do, and I'll do it, but I have to admit now I see why they always had a little distrust for the government"
"Should we expect a fight from them?"
"No… knowing them, when we come they will go willingly"
"What makes you so sure?"
"Those are the kind of people they are, they wouldn't want to worry the others on the island. It's a peaceful place and they wouldn't want to stir up panic if they don't have to"
"I hope you're correct on your assumptions because we will be arriving in a few short moments"
The ship docked at the port, and all was still calm. It was just another beautiful day, people bustling around the trees ruffling in the breeze. Soma and Ward got off the boat and started to lead their superiors to the bar not too far off. The music was starting to get quiet as a mass amount of people emptied out of it, sloshed out of their minds.
Two fishermen started walking past Soma, not noticing him, having a conversation
"Ha ha ha that was great!"
"Yeah, I can't believe Mayor Devi is retiring, that woman loved her job"
"True but at the same time Mina would send her sister off in style. I mean come on, free drinks? That woman knows all the things a guy could want" "Oh and what's that my bestest buddy?"
"She can cook, parties with the best of us, and knows how to hold her liquor" "Not to mention supply it!" They both laughed walking out of ear shot
"Devi retiring, she would never do that"
"Then it seems like they knew we were coming"
The closer they got to the bar the louder they could her some slightly drunk but loud singing. Upon entering they found the two sisters singing their lungs out in harmony looking straight at each other.
"Pirates to left of me, Marines on my right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you
Yes, I'm stuck in the middle with you,
And I'm wondering what it is I should do
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face,
Losing control, and I'm all over the place
Pirates to left of me, Marines on my right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you"
Soma walked forward tentatively "Wow this wasn't the home coming I was expecting, but it's good to see you two" both sisters didn't even look at him
"Yeah good to see ya Soma, why don't ya and your buddies come in for a drink? I guess Ward can come in to" Devi perked her head up and looked to the group
"We don't plan on resisting or running away so you might as well"
"Well you just made my job all the easier. Who am I to deny a last request, fine I'll join"
Smoker stated
"That's the spirit Smoker, who knew that under that I'm all serious persona was a man that wanted to be with the ladies" Smoker ignored the comment and Soma sighed as they all took a seat. Mina poured drinks for all of them, but stopped in front of Ward. She poured him a drink while actually laughing
"What's so funny?" he asked as she started to laugh harder "Hey Devi ya know Maya isn't going to marry him after this so…" Devi started to smile as well
"Oh yeah where is glass eyes?" "Get this Soma, she met a singer while ya were gone; he invited her on his music tour. So we gave her the savings we have been keeping for her, and sent her on her merry way. It took forever to convince her, but we knew she wanted to go"
"You're lying, she would have contacted me first" Ward took a swig of his drink
"She tried, but we lied telling her we called ya, and that ya gave her best wishes"
"Yes in fact we told her that you said to take as long as she wants, and to not worry about coming home any time soon" Ward started to look angry
"Oh sis I think we made him angry"
"Well he's not in control of her actions for once so I'm not surprised"
"You two seem to be mouthy today"
Mina went to refill Garp's glass with the biggest grin on her face "Because it just hit us that we got nothing to lose, so today ya about to hear everything we always wanted to say to ya human piece of shit"
"Mina I'll let you go first" Garp and Smoker just listened in
"Oh good… Well ya a sleazy, maniacal, controlling, and self centered nasty piece of shit I have ever seen in my life. In all honesty if ya died ya would be doing all women kind a favor, all ya are is bad news in pretty wrapping.
No, that's not harsh enough forgive me, all ya are the very picture of what rotting flesh is. Brown on the outside and nothing but disgusting oozing infectious puss seeping out of the thing ya call a mouth. I finally figured out why Maya even loves ya.
That girl is inexperienced in life to know what kind of scum ya really are"
Throwing one of the glass mugs, it whizzed past his head and hit the wall shattering
"She devoted herself to being a great wife, going as far as sending letters promoting ya character in an attempt to get ya reinstated because it's what YA wanted. All I see ya do is treat her like an errand girl or maid" She paused "One of these days ya going to realize just how damn good ya had it, and I hope I'm there to see the look on ya face when ya do" Mina sighed
"Oh dear me that was the best feeling I ever had. Devi give it a shot, you will feel so much better"
She just glanced at Ward "Don't worry sister I can top you"
Giving him her full attention she started "You're nothing but a sexual deviant, who was on his way of becoming a woman beater if they weren't as compliant as Maya. I even had to go as far as to ask Mina to make sure she wasn't coming into work with bruises. I can still remember the day I came over thinking something was wrong when she wouldn't answer the phone.
You know she's chronically ill with muscle spasms of her own.
After busting down the door, I found was that she had been so worn out from your play time that her muscles were constantly contracting. That means she was in massive amounts of pain for, and untold amount of hours. She couldn't speak because her throat was both constricting her and sore.
I thought she was going to die that day, and then she wouldn't stay in the bed unless I promised to not tell you about the incident. She didn't want you to worry about her…" Closing her eyes a small tear came out.
"So if I could kill you right now I would have you on a dissecting table alive, body pumping with adrenaline so you could feel me hack off your dick, and fed it to a wild pack of dogs. Then have you watch as I peeled away your skin layer by layer until you reach the point where it was almost humanly impossible to keep you alive, pour sulfuric acid, and record your screams of pain so I could play it at night before I went to bed. Then let the dogs feast upon you while you were still alive.
Now I am not a violent person by nature, but when you're messing with family I will do what needs to be done. The sole thing that prevented me from doing that was seeing Maya with a broken heart, but all bets are off now" Devi finished, staring at Ward with a straight face.
"Wait Devi when the hell did that happen with the spasms?"
"I didn't tell you because if I did you would have killed him"
"Damn right I would have killed this son of a bitch" Both sisters continued to argue,
Smoker almost let the cigar fall out of his mouth, and Soma's face was a mixture of shocked and terrified. Garp just continued to laugh drunk, happy, and content. The sister's calmed down and Mina refilled Garp's glass again
"Now this is a man who can hold his liquor, where have ya been all my life?" she laughed taking a swig of her own beer.
"I have been all over the world to be where I am now, if I had met you earlier then I would have retired" He replied as Smoker downed his drink and looked at the women. "We have filled your request so it's time to stop this stalling and come with us" Mina sighed and Devi got up, standing side by side they asked "Please lead the way"
The group exited the bar with both the admirals taking the lead and Soma with Ward behind the twins. Soma couldn't look at Ward "I guess you really are popular with the ladies" Ward still had a smug smile on his face "Well the jokes on them, they still are heading for Impel down, while I'm a free man" With that the last couple of thoughts that went through his head were, how Ward got his nicknames, and how Maya was going to take the news.