Hello readers! Thank you for the reviews, I didn't actually expect it to be cute, XD, but hey cute is good. So thank you everyone.
I won't update often, but I can guarantee that I won't abandon this or any story. I'm too loyal to my babies. (The stories, the stories are my, ah, never, nevermind.) The characters are all Oda's.
Enjoy!
It was breakfast time and Tashigi was glancing over the heads of the children, locating him, she huffed at Smoker. She would not let him forget she was mad at him.
How dare he make fun of me like that? Tashigi knew that Smoker was just being Smoker. He has always taunted and teased her, but this, this was beyond all that Tashigi could bare.
I'm so mad, I'll kick you when I get a chance, just wait Smoker-san. Just you...
"Oi. Why are you staring at the cook like that?"
"Wha..Ahhhhh!! Smoker-san! I said, you said...you..Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"Dumba...as a Marine you should be prepared for an ambush at any moment. Use your Haki, doofus."
Ah, yes, Smoker being Smoker."Hmph! We are fine. And you are so rude."
"Oh. Are you still mad about.."
"What do you think." Tashigi gave him a death glare that could have made any man's spine go limp, but this is Smoker we're talking about.
"I think I want some coffee."
"Eh, coffee? Do you want a cinnamon muffin with that or the.. wait no, I'm still mad at you." Shaking an accusatory finger at her Vice Admiral. The children giggled, because they had grown accustomed to the bickering and they also knew how much Tashigi enjoyed coffee and muffins in the morning. Smoker also knew this fact.
"Which muffin would go best with this coffee?" he lifted up his steaming cup of black coffee as he questioned Tashigi. His demeanor was that of an innocent man, which he was not.
Her eyes narrowed and the tension in the room would have risen if the kids weren't there. I will get you for that stunt in the morning, jerk.
"Any muffin will do fine with black coffee, sir."
Tempering herself Tashigi returned her focus to the children, they had just about finished their breakfast muffins and chocolate milk.
"Let's leave Vice Admiral Smoker to his breakfast, children, I have something special for you all today."
Tashigi spotted a tick mark reaction from Smoker. Yes, 1 point for me, but I'll get you good, later. Then we'll see who'll have the upper hand.
The children became exited, jumping up and down, smiling and clapping their hands, naturally they began asking questions.
"What is it?"
"A fun surprise."
"Cool, are you showing us how to fire the canons?!"
"Nope not happening."
"Will you show us how to climb the mast?"
"No. We've been over this Timmy."
"I know, we're playing a game!"
"Maybe later."
"Can we choose what we want to do later if we don't want to play a game?"
"Yes, of course."
"Can we be telling stories again?"
"Um..."
"We can finish the story from this last time, the one Smokey, err, Smoke man was helping us with."
"No!" Flippin Smoker. Tashigi had not remembered that the children were part of the incident. In her hastey reply she spooked the kids, leaving them wide eyed and nervous. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to yell, you can tell the stories, but no more pink and green okay? They have to be about...someone..else." That's when it struck her, the answer, how to get back at Smoker, it was clear. The children, they were the key.
"Haha hahaha hahahahaha."
Smoker-san won't know what hit him.
"Why are you laughing Miss Tash?"
Tashigi snapped out of her moment of mania, blushing like a contour make up tutorial. How embarrassing.
"Anyway, we are going to be painting today! Doesn't that sound fun?"
"Yeaahhh!!"
Smoker watched Tashigi and the children make their way to one of the larger rooms on the ship.
It was difficult to keep them all together due to the range in sizes, so the Marines tried to keep all the essentials in the cargo hold.
Painting today, huh? Not as interesting as ceramics, but Tashigi'll make up for it.
Chuckling at his own schemes Smoker faded into smoke and then disappeared.
Tashigi felt a chill in the air, then shrugging it off, she set up the painting area, which comprised of a large tarp laid flat on the ground, some paint buckets and brushes, clean water buckets and large crates to use as tables for snack time.
"Okay children, each one of you will get a paint brush, after I've finished giving you instructions, Timmy we've been over this, and then you will pick a spot in the tarp to paint. Simple plan, isn't it? But, you will have to work with the three primary colors, and the black and white I have here. If you want more colors, mix these together. Example: Red and blue will make purple, white and red make pink, got it?"
"Or how blue and yellow make green?"
A boy with a toothy smile chimed in.
Tashigi flinched. "Uh, yes, you are so smart, help the other children if they have any questions okay?"
"Yes ma'am."
After passing out all the brushes and arranging the children around the tarp Tashigi called a subordinate to stand guard while she grabbed some snacks.
Children, they have it so easy. Not a worry in the world. Well, for the most part. They do miss their families, their homes. I'll let them keep teasing me about the incident only because they need the distraction. But Smoker-san, he will not escape my wrath.
Flashback
The day after discussing with Vice Admiral Smoker about the story he had told the children, Tashigi awoke in need of alone time. She picked up Shigure and went to the training area. She really needed to cut something, but with the children around, it was hard for her to find time to spend with her precious sword.
She arranged a schedule with the G-5 to alternate the care of the children. Of course, she selected only the best candidates for this job. Still, she had the majority of hours with the children.
Time to herself was rare these past few weeks. Tashigi reached the training area after making a quit trip back to her own room for the cleaning and polishing equipment she had forgotten. She sat on a mat and began working on her blade, she relaxed and smiled to herself.
She's deep in thought already? She didn't even hear me call her name. Well, there is only one thing to do.
"Fight me, Marine girl!"
Smoker stepped in front of Tashigi ready for a sparing match. Tashigi quickly left her equipment on the ground beside her and gripped Shigure. She stood up and froze in mid swing.
It was a usual thing they did, spontaneous sparing matches, but he caught her off guard this morning.
"Wha...?"
"I said fight me, Marine girly."
He was standing there in a fight stance, with one cigar in his mouth and one in each hand, he then winked his left eye.
"I...said don't call me that. Erghh!"
Tashigi stormed out of the training room.
End of flashback