A feedback loop is when the outputs of a system are circled back and used as the inputs into the same system. So, for example, Nami is willing to listen and obey Tashigi because she was told that it would be a good thing to do. Tashigi meanwhile was told that it would be good to give orders and to make sure the people ranked below her knew it. Over time, these two women settled into these situations, Nami would obey every order Tashigi gave, and Tashigi, due to confidence gained from Nami obeying her, would give more orders, then Nami would obey them again feeling more comfortable just obeying orders, causing Tashigi to gain more confidence to give more orders. It is a cycle that feeds itself. So now, a few months after Nami was made Tashigi's assistant, we rejoin the pair.
"Nami, light my cigar." Tashigi was standing at the bow of the ship looking ahead to see if there was anything on the horizon in her view. There being none, she decided to take a break and have her favorite treat, a cigar.
"Yes Tashigi-san", Nami said, her voice more acquiescent than it had been before. Nami, who was standing to the side, behind her, slightly crouched, took her lighter out of her pocket and lit it. Tashigi looked down at Nami who raised the lighter to reach Tashigi's cigar and let it light. Tashigi took a few puffs and then Nami removed the lighter, then went back to attention.
"Thank you Nami, at ease." Tashigi said, then went back to looking ahead.
The last few months had been eye-opening for Tashigi. When Smoker had promoted her to vice-captain, she was worried that she would not be worthy of it, but thanks to Nami at her side, never questioning her, Tashigi gained the confidence needed to be a better Marine and leader. She now wore her glasses more often, no longer caring what she looked like with them on, and wore her Marine coat open, to allow her inner shirt to show. This was one of the few leniencies Smoker allowed to his crew, the ability to wear the Marine uniform as you wished. She also had her sword in its scabbard on her, as she always did now. The entire new-look Tashigi had grown into displayed her new power.
Nami meanwhile had gone in the opposite direction, she seemed much more accommodating to everyone. Over the few months, Tashigi had made Nami more subordinate, something that Smoker had tried and failed to do. Nami now, like Tashigi, wore glasses, something that she did not need all the time, but it made her feel closer to Tashigi. Nami also took to wearing the Marine's hat, something that showed she was a fully incorporated member of the Marines at this point. Finally, while Tashigi wore shoes with heels to make herself seem taller, Nami wore flat bottom shoes, to further accentuate the height difference between the pair. It was not a conscious decision by the pair, but one they each had come to separately.
Nami stood at ease next to Tashigi and smelled the cigar being smoked by Tashigi. Nami wished to have one, but attempted not to show this on her face, so as not to inconvenience Tashigi-san.
Tashigi's eyes darted to Nami, who's body language betrayed her. If it had been a normal person with Nami, they would not have been able to tell what Nami was thinking, but Tashigi had gained the ability to read subtle clues from Nami.
For example, Nami's eyes flashed every time a bit of smoke blow in front of her face. If it had been seen by someone less observant of Nami, if they could even see it, they would have seen it as a minuscule look of annoyance, but Tashigi, knowing that Nami had grown to love the cigars nearly as much as she had, knew it was a look of longing. The same could be said of a slight twitch of the nose, it meant she was trying to inhale just a small bit of secondhand smoke.
Not wanting her assistant to suffer any longer, Tashigi cleared her throat. "Nami, I give you permission to indulge in a cigar." Tashigi took one out of her pocket and handed it to Nami. While Nami still stole cigars that she could smoke when not with Tashigi (an amount of time that was becoming less and less by the day), if the pair were together Tashigi wanted to be the one to give Nami one, just as Smoker had given her one when she had received her promotion to vice-captain.
"Thank you Tashigi-san", Nami whispered, bowing and grabbing the cigar. Nami then took the lighter out of her pocket and lit it up and took a puff of her cigar.
Tashigi's style of smoking her cigars was close to Smoker's, grabbing the cigar with her hand in the shape of a C when taking it out and exhaling loudly and strongly, speaking roughly while doing it. Meanwhile, Nami's style had evolved into one more, stylish. She would hold the cigar, then slowly take it out and slowly exhale the smoke, making her look more elegant. The change in styles further showed their changing selves.
The pair smoked in quiet till Tashigi was done. She finished off the cigar then tossed it out to the sea. She walked by Nami and tapped Nami on the shoulder. "Nami, you do not need to be with me for the rest of the day, I have to talk to Smoker about something. So, instead, tell the men in the engine room that I will be having an inspection of the engines at nineteen hundred hours."
"Yes Tashigi-san", Nami answered, saluting with the cigar still in her mouth. She would have to finish the cigar soon and then tell her crew mates about the inspection.
Tashigi walked away and smiled. Nami was the perfect assistant, constantly doing exactly what Tashigi wanted and Tashigi wanted to reward her for it. Over the last few days Tashigi had started to work on Smoker to get him to give her something she wanted, and today, she was going to reveal what that was.
Smoker was working on schedules when he heard a knock on the door. "Come in", he said, barely looking up from the schedules. He then looked up for a second and saw Tashigi walk in. "Hello Tashigi, what is it?"
Tashigi walked to the position in front of Smoker's desk and started. "Smoker-san, I believe that I have been a competent vice-captain." She started, Smoker nodded his head and let her continue. "I also have not asked for anything since getting my promotion, well", Tashigi blushed for a moment, "besides the occasional cigar." Smoker chuckled and Tashigi continued. "So, Smoker-san, I believe I am in my right to request a promotion."
Smoker was confused for a moment, "I can't promote you anymore Tashigi, you are already my vice-captain, if I was to promote you anymore, you would have the same rank as me, something I could not do without HQ getting involved."
"No, putting aside whether that is a good idea Smoker-san, I did not mean for me, I meant for Nami." Tashigi finished.
"What has Nami done that makes you think she would be a good lieutenant commander?" Smoker asked Tashigi, his eyebrow raised.
"Well, Smoker-san, she has shown an ability to follow any order to the letter without any complaints or problems. In addition, I have started to order her to pass along my orders to the rest of the crew. I have been doing this to test her, and she has done an admirable job doing it. As an example, I am going to give the engine room the inspection you ordered me to do at nineteen hundred hours. I passed this along to Nami to tell them so they will be ready. I would have done it myself, but I felt this would be a better use of my time, since Nami could do it herself." Tashigi stared into Smoker's eyes, and he could tell she was serious.
'I don't know Tashigi, I just gave her a promotion a few months ago. If I do another one so soon, it might be seen as her rising up the ranks too much." Smoker answered back.
"Smoker-san, with respect, you moved me from ensign to vice-captain in one promotion, I am just requesting Nami to move up one rank after a few months that showed she was a capable lieutenant." Tashigi answered back.
"Tashigi, I have not seen much of this progression you are speaking of. Nami is almost always with you." Smoker then held up his hand to stop Tashigi from interrupting him, which he was sure she was about to do. "I know you made her your assistant, but that is almost another reason to say no, you are bias in favor of Nami."
Tashigi was quite mad at this point, she felt what she was asking of Smoker was not that big of a deal. She tried to calm herself, but was not able to. The next things she said came out more angry and forceful, less like the old Tashigi who was meek around Smoker, but the new one, who was strong around Nami.
"Smoker, she is ready." Tashigi did not use the san honorific, which Smoker did not notice because of how angry his normally calm and nice vice-captain was acting. "She has done everything asked of her over the last few months, and I made sure to put her through the ringer like you wanted me to do to my subordinates. Do you think I enjoy ordering around everyone?" Tashigi asked Smoker. While she had not enjoyed it when she started, she had started to enjoy it, something she did not want Smoker to know.
"So, she has done more than enough to earn a promotion. I think it would help the morale of the ship as well. Nami has become a well liked member of the crew, always helping people out with problems, and always being there for her crew mates. If I wasn't always there to make sure she took some breaks, she would work all the time." Tashigi did not realize that her orders were partially the reason Nami was like that now.
"Smoker, please give her the promotion." Tashigi finished, looking down at the sitting Smoker which made him feel slightly meek. Tashigi's eyes were fierce, ready to fight for her subordinate. The thought of that made Smoker question for a second if he would be as willing to fight for one of his the same ways. He ended up being the one to break eye contact and looked away, then down at the sheets with the schedules on them.
"You, you can't make a habit of this." Smoker said, still looking away. He sighed and looked up, Tashigi's eyes still as fierce as they had been.
"Thank you Smoker." Tashigi knew that Smoker had relented and then left the room.
She walked out and checked the time; it was only eighteen hundred hours. She would need to find Nami and give her the good news. Tashigi licked her lips, and then have Nami light up a cigar for her, in celebration.