"Ready for your first official patrol?" Tashigi was leading Weaver towards the garage, where Captain Smoker had called Squad One and Two for a pre-patrol meeting. Weaver was...nice! A little standoffish, and in need of some confidence, but Tashigi liked her! She worked hard whenever they did training, and refused to back down when losing. Weaver even managed to avoid a strike or two, not that Tashigi was going all out. That would be unfair, but Weaver seemed more confident afterwards!
"A little." Weaver replied nervously. She was wearing her grey uniform, with a standard Marine cap on her head, obviously looking out of place. They didn't want her to be confused for a criminal after all! Tashigi understood why she wore her mask too, they need to earn each other's trust.
Tashigi placed a hand on the taller yet younger girl's shoulder and smiled. "You'll be fine. Gunderson is an excellent Marine, just like you."
Weaver seemed to perk up a bit after that. Not long after, they arrived and walked up to the small group gathered around Captain Smoker.
"It seems that everyone is here now." Captain Smoker started speaking. Everyone stared straight at him. He stared back, smoking his two cigars casually. "Squad One led by Tashigi will take Protectorate route 1. Squad Two led by Gunderson will take route 2."
Tashigi and Gunderson nodded. Captain Smoker had given Gunderson the brevet rank of Staff Sergeant.
"Squad One will drop off Kazuki and Spencer near the Boardwalk to handle the Ward's normal patrol." The two Marines nodded.
"I will be on standby should any emergency arise." Captain Smoker made eye contact with every single Marine. Weaver seemed nervous under his gaze.
"One last thing before we depart." Tashigi gripped Shigure.
"Back home, many of our fellow Marines would preach to follow the rule of Absolute Justice…" Tashigi had told Weaver about the truth of their arrival. Keeping secrets from her would only alienate Weaver from them. She took it...surprisingly well.
"To eradicate all evil, by any means necessary. To fight evil, with evil for the greater good. Some even preached Thorough Justice, that evil must be burned down to its roots…" Captain Smoker made eye contact with Tashigi. It was true, many of their fellow Marines followed these interpretations.
"Some would even say that evil must be cleansed from the hearts of villains." Smoker paused and looked at Weaver. "Do you know what I say?"
Gunderson looked at Mifune who shrugged in confusement.
"I say...follow your own personal justice." Smoker said with conviction. "Follow the justice that's in your heart! FOLLOW THE JUSTICE THAT YOU CREATE." Kazuki had a tear running down his eye, with Weaver taking a deep breath.
Tashigi saw Captain Smoker's determined eyes soften slightly. "Stay safe out there and don't do anything stupid. Dismissed."
They all saluted. It was time to make Captain Smoker proud.
Shortly after dropping Kazuki and Spencer at the Boardwalk, Tashigi's squad followed their GPS to their patrol route. Mifune was driving the van, while Tashigi sat in the passenger seat. The other five sat in the back.
"Mind if I play some music?" Mifune asked. He kept begging since they left Marine HQ.
Tashigi sighed and nodded. "Fine, but not so loud. We need to be on guard."
"Yay!" He turned on the radio, and some song in a language Tashigi didn't know started playing. A tapping took Tashigi out of her thoughts. Private Seo had opened the tiny door that allowed those in the back to talk to the front.
"Mifune put something else on, your music is ass." Seo said dryly. Mifune bristled at that and simply turned up the volume.
Tashigi sighed and ignored them. This was going to be an extremely long patrol.
"Hey Master Chief, do you see that?" Mifune said pointing at something with one hand, with the other firmly on the wheel. Tashigi looked up, and saw a young girl being chased by some men dressed in black suits. Suspicious indeed. The young girl caught sight of them, and started running in their direction. That was...worrisome.
"Keep the engine running. I'll go and check it out." Tashigi quickly got out of the van and ran to the young girl, her sheathed Shigure in hand. She didn't notice the vans radio come to life as dhe got off.
"Please help me Miss!" The young girl said quickly as she slammed into Tashigi's legs with tears streaming down her face. Kneeling down, Tashigi patted the young girl on the head, keeping an eye on the men in black suits.
"Slow down. Who are they?" The young girl looked up at Tashigi, her face wet from tears.
"There's an 80 percent chance that if I go with them something bad will happen to me." What? Was she a parahuman?
The group of men got closer to them. Keeping her hand on shigure, Tashigi stood up, standing in front of the young girl.
"Please step away from Miss Alcott. Her family had contacted us that she ran away." The one standing in front said, his hand on his holster. Tashigi quickly glanced down at the girl who shook her head.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Tashigi replied firmly. These were kidnappers then. Their leader quickly pulled out his gun, but Tashigi was faster. Slicing his pistol in the same motion as she unsheathed Shigure, Tashigi placed the tip of Shigure at his throat. The men next to him pulled out their own guns, but simply pointed them at Tashigi.
The footsteps behind Tashigi told her that she wasn't alone. Private Seo finally decided to come help.
"Step away from the Master Chief." Private Seo said, pointing his gun at a kidnapper. The other Marines, except Mifune, had joined them. Their guns and cutlasses aimed at the suited men. Tashigi had to admit, they hid their nervousness well.
"95 percent chance that you'll win." Miss Alcott mumbled softly. Tashigi smiled softly. She liked those odds.
The Leader of the would-be kidnappers pressed a finger to the weird device in his ear, and quickly barked orders, telling his men to lower their weapons.
Tashigi glared at them as they ran away. Turning back to the young girl, Tashigi knelt again.
"I'm Tashigi. What's your name?" Tashigi gave her a comforting smile as Private Seo and the others formed a protective circle around them.
The little girl hugged her and whispered in Tashigi's ear. "I'm Dinah Alcott." Tashigi patted her head and picked her up.
"We'll take you someplace safe." They quickly walked back to the van, with Private Seo sitting in the front with Mifune so Tashigi could sit in the back with Dinah.
"Do you want us to take you home?" Tashigi asked, Dinah still holding onto her. She simply shook her head.
"96.73 percent chance that they'll get me."
"Police station?"
"99.88 percent chance they'll get me." Tashigi's eyes widened. Why were they after this sweet young girl?
"And if we take you to Marine HQ?"
"99 percent chance I'll be safe." She must be a parahuman. Tashigi nodded and opened the tiny door to the front.
"Take us to Marine HQ and contact Captain Smoker." Tashigi ordered. Seo handed her the radio as Mifune changed course.
"T-This is Weaver." Weaver's voice answered instead of Captain Smoker. What was going on here?
"Weaver, where's Captain Smoker?"
"The Undersiders are robbing the Brockton Bay Central Bank, Captain Smoker just went in."
This wasn't good. He must have left Weaver with the radio since her bugs allowed her to control the battlefield.
"Ok. Tell Captain Smoker we prevented an attempted kidnapping and are heading back to base." Weaver confirmed on her side and the connection suddenly went out. Tashigi looked at the other Marines and Dinah, who simply looked back at her.
"Step on the gas Mifune." Tashigi said calmly. She felt the van speed up.
"70 percent chance they'll try to attack your base." Dinah said softly. Tashigi cursed internally and called Marine HQ.
"Contact Quartermaster Shoko. I'm activating Siege Protocol: Loguetown. Be ready for our arrival."
"Bravo-Delta-Zoro."
Tashigi got a good look at the side mirror from her spot at the door.
A few unmarked cars were following them at a distance.
If they want to get Dinah, they'll have to step over Tashigi's cold dead body.
This is the justice that she would choose.