Smoker looked at the stern of the ship and sighed at what he saw. There were two of his best ensigns smoking cigars together.
Smoker was confused to see the pair still smoking. He had ordered the pair to do hard labor while smoking to show the pair that smoking was not good for them. (Smoker recognized the hypocrisy.) It was his hope that it would make them sick, and they would never smoke again, instead, it seemed to have had the opposite effect.
The next day, after he had ordered to work while smoking, when he saw the pair smoking again, he had been taken aback. His next plan was to stop them from smoking was to confiscate all their cigars, however, when he did a surprise room check on the pair, he could not find any. Smoker could not figure out where they were getting the cigars, not realizing they were from his own, near infinite stash.
The other problem Smoker had with the pair smoking together was that he had been training Tashigi since she had come onto the ship to be his second in command, and he needed her to be more willing to give orders to her crew mates, and a friendly relationship with Nami could make that harder. He sighed, exhaled smoke from his own pair of cigars, and walked away, trying to decide how to handle this situation.
Nami and Tashigi were enjoying the cigars and laughing together. Ever since Nami had stolen the cigars and she and Tashigi smoked them, they had become closer as friends. The other thing that had happened, which Smoker was missing was smoking the cigars helped Tashigi gain some confidence in herself and come out of her shell. The fact she took to smoking so easily still amazed Nami, who found herself struggling to keep up with the pace Tashigi smoked the cigars. If it wasn't for the fact that their supply was limited, Tashigi would likely smoke just as much as Smoker.
The pair finished off their cigars and went on back to work, meanwhile Smoker thought of a plan. It was a bit underhanded, but he knew Tashigi was special, and he needed her to be able to order around people, even her friends.
The next day, Smoker ordered both Nami and Tashigi to meet him in his office on the ship. The pair arrived a few minutes early and waited. Inside his office Smoker went through what he was going to do one final time before leaving his chair and walking to the door. He was pleased to see the pair had arrived early, happy to see some form of discipline was present in them.
"I am glad the two of you came." He said to the pair. "I need to talk to each of you separately though, Nami, may you please come in first?"
Nami looked over at Tashigi, a bit of worry in her eyes, and followed Smoker in. "I hope he didn't discover where I get the cigars from." Nami thought to herself, then rotated a pair of cigars she had in her pockets currently.
Smoker sat down in his chair while Nami stood at attention in front of the desk. Smoker again smiled, if the pair were this disciplined all the time, he would not have to do what he was about to do.
"Nami, please calm down." He said, then took the pair of cigars out of his mouth and blew the smoke towards Nami. While this would have bothered Nami previously, now that she herself smoked, it wasn't nothing more than a minor annoyance. "I have good news."
Nami's eyes lit up, Belly symbols forming over her eyes, was this it, was she finally going to get the raise she had wanted for so long. Smoker looked at Nami and chuckled to himself, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
"I am going to give you a promotion." He exclaimed, then laughed.
Nami's eyes blinked a few times till her normal eyes returned. She was still happy to hear this news. "A promotion?" She asked back.
"Yes, a promotion, from today forward, you are now a lieutenant." Smoker explained.
"A lieutenant?" Nami asked back, a bit shocked. She had skipped junior lieutenant entirely.
"Yes, a lieutenant, do not make me repeat myself Nami." Smoker answered back, a smile on his face. Then he smiled again, to give Nami the news she had wanted for so long. "And with this promotion, you will be getting that raise you have wanted for so long."
The Belly symbols in Nami's eyes returned. She was overjoyed about this news, so overjoyed she barely comprehended what Smoker said next.
"Now, with this promotion, you will have to follow a few new rules and regulations, with one in particular I want you to pay attention to." Smoker explained, Nami's eyes still full of Belly. "You will have to listen to your superiors. I am not kidding, I am sticking my neck out for you, so you'd better listen to them and not disobey."
Nami nodded her head, barely listening, but she knew what he meant, she would have to listen to those ranked above her more carefully, especially since she did not want to stop at lieutenant. She planned on making captain, or maybe even higher someday.
"That is all, may you please invite Tashigi into my office next, and please do not tell her what this is about." Smoker explained with a wink. Nami saw his motion, then winked back.
Nami then left the office, put on a false sad face and looked at Tashigi who was still waiting inside. She looked at her friend, and gave a weak smile, "your turn", Nami said, making her voice sound weak.
Tashigi was horrified now and gulped in her throat. She slowly walked into Smoker's office and closed the door behind her. Nami decided to wait outside and started to rotate the cigars in her pocket. When Tashigi was done, they would need to have a celebratory smoke.
Tashigi looked over and saw Smoker writing something at his desk. He looked up at Tashigi and a small, nearly unnoticeable smile went across his face. Due to Tashigi's fear she did not see it.
"Please", Smoker said, while motioning in front of his desk to where he wanted Tashigi to stand. Tashigi slowly walked over and stood at attention in front of the desk. Smoker admired how naturally Tashigi could get in position as well.
"So, I imagine you are wondering why I asked you here today." Smoker looked at Tashigi and saw the worry on her face.
"Yes-yes Smoker-san, I, yes." Tashigi said, stuttering.
Smoker then started to laugh, not being able to keep the charade going any longer. "Calm down Tashigi, I have good news." He explained, watching Tashigi's expression change to one of relief.
"I am giving you a promotion." He explained, a giant grin forming on his face. "I have been wanting to give this promotion to you for a while, and the higher ups finally gave me the okay to do it." Tashigi looked like she could cry. "Starting today, you will be my vice-captain."
"Vice-vice captain?" Tashigi asked, shocked. "Your second, second in command?"
"Yes, my vice-captain Tashigi." Smoker repeated, then exhaled some smoke from his cigars. Much like Nami, this didn't cause any reaction in Tashigi, her body having adjusted to cigar smoke.
Smoker then looked down at the cigar and smiled. "So, I know you have started smoking", Smoker explained, then pulled a cigar out of his pocket. He then offered the cigar to Tashigi.
"Here, have one on me, consider it a reward for becoming my vice-captain."
Tashigi took the cigar greedily, she was being given a reward by Smoker and she could not have been happier. She took the cigar then realized she did not have a lighter on her. It was Nami who had the lighter the pair used. She looked down in embarrassment and Smoker laughed.
"Do you need something?" He asked, then pulled out a lighter and lit the flame. He walked over to Tashigi and lit the cigar that was in Tashigi's mouth.
"Thank you Smoker-san." Tashigi said, her cheeks turning red. Smoker laughed at this image and then coughed to clear his throat and start the next part of his plan.
"So, now that you are my vice-captain, you are going to be in charge of all members of the crew, besides me." He explained while Tashigi took a drag of her cigar. "That includes Nami." He said and allowed that to settle in the air.
Tashigi thought for a moment, while she took another drag of the cigar.
Smoker then sat back down and stared at Tashigi. "Take for example the fact I just lit your cigar. I should not have done that, if anything you should be lighting mine, since you rank lower than me." Smoker exhaled some smoke, something Tashigi did right afterwards. "So, remember that when you are with Nami, or other lower ranked marines."
"That is all I had to tell you, dismissed." Smoker ordered. Tashigi bowed to Smoker then, cigar still in her mouth walked out to see Nami waiting for her.
Nami was surprised to see Tashigi smoking a cigar, and seemingly deep in thought.
"Congrats on making lieutenant with me." Nami said, walking over to hug her friend.
"Lieutenant?" Tashigi asked staring at Nami. "He didn't make me lieutenant, he made me vice-captain."
Nami then took her arm off of her and looked at her. "Should, should I salute you now?" Nami recalled what Smoker had told her, that she was going to need to show her superiors more respect now that she had moved up in rank. She was not expecting that to include Tashigi, and that made the relationship between her and Tashigi feel a bit awkward.
Tashigi looked at her friend and sighed, letting the cigar smoke escape from the side of her mouth. "I don't know, I will have to think about it." Tashigi answered back.
Tashigi walked away, cigar smoke flowing behind her, Nami left staring at the back of her friend, who now outranked her on the ship.