A new chapter! Hope you like it!

To Pretend Not to See

Summary: As Marine officials, they were duty bound to capture those who opposed the government. But sometimes, looking the other way is the right thing to do.

"This is insanity! First the rebellion at Aoyama, then the revolution at Stellia, and now Furan!" The stressed Fleet Admiral paused for a moment to clutch his head before resuming his frenzied pacing. "There has been so much going on, we barely have time to cope, let alone deploy the necessary troops. This is all the Revolutionary Army's fault! With all these conquests, Dragon's basically declaring war against the World Government… – and why the #%* are you two so calm!?"

The last line was punctuated with a fierce glare and a sharp jab of a finger in the direction of the two Marine officers who were sitting on the couch. The pair ignored his tirade with the ease of long practice. In fact, it could be said that they seemed to have come to ignore his entire presence completely.

"This is good tea, Garp. I'm surprised that you have it." Tsuru delicately took a sip of green tea from her porcelain cup.

Garp munched contently on a rice cracker. Empty packets littered the coffee table. His booming laugh sent a small shower of crumbs onto the grey fabric of the couch. "Bwahahaha! I just received it yesterday. Dragon sent it. Goodness knows why the boy sent me tea leaves of all things. He had the good sense to send these rice crackers together, though. They're excellent."

"Will you two listen to me!?" Sengoku raged. Again, this had no more effect than the seagull calls from outside the window.

"And these dried persimmons?"

"They were in the package too. Hey, you like these, don't you, Sengoku? Want one?"

"Why, thank y-" Hand halfway to the open packet of dried persimmon, Sengoku froze. What was he doing, getting sucked into their pace? "ARGH!"

"It's not seemly to yell like that, Fleet Admiral," Tsuru admonished half teasingly, helping herself to a piece of dried persimmon.

"Just why do you think I'm yelling!?"

"Alright, we'll listen to what you want to say," Garp leaned back on his seat and yawned. Sengoku glared at him. "But are you sure you don't want a persimmon first? They're from Furan, you know."

"WHAT!?"

"Well, that's what Dragon said in his letter."

"Furan is known for their wonderful fruit products." Tsuru noted placidly. "How thoughtful of him to send us some. It's quite difficult to get any outside the island."

Sengoku looked like he was about to suffer from apoplexy.

"I think that you should calm down and think this over rationally."

"I am thinking rationally!"

The look on Tsuru's face told him that she didn't believe that for one moment. Sengoku took a deep breath and counted mentally to ten. No, make that twenty instead.

Garp broke his concentration at eighteen. "I don't see the problem, to be honest," he added his two cents nonchalantly.

Sengoku snapped.

"The problem!? THE PROBLEM!? You say you don't see the problem!? The whole thing is the problem! Firstly, these persimmons are from Furan, of all places-"

"I do believe that these can only be obtained as gifts from the villagers, for they are not generally for sale. It appears that he has gained their trust and good will. They are in fact known to be rather reserved people," Tsuru commented.

"And these rice crackers-"

"Are really good." Garp supplied between munches.

"Stellia has been prospering since their change of regime, as far as reports tell us."

"And Aoyama tea leaves!

"A brand that hasn't been found in the market since their former lord Minami claimed rule over the mountain five years ago. I would say that he has done well there, even if you hold to the contrary."

Silence fell.

"…That boy will be the death of me," Sengoku grumbled.

"Just let it be, old chap," was Garp's sagely words of advice.

"For once, I agree with Garp."

"Just 'for once'? You're so cruel, Tsuru-chan."

"It was his own decision, Sengoku. We could hardly have done anything about it. We've done all we've can."

"But that doesn't change the fact that he's been creating endless trouble for me, the damn brat!" Sengoku griped, resuming his pacing. "Do you have any idea about how much paperwork I have to do!?"

"Well, in that case, I suppose we better leave you to your work, Fleet Admiral," Tsuru got up to leave, brushing crumbs off her uniform pants as she rose.

"Yup, do your best, Senny," Garp ambled out of the office after his friend.

It took Sengoku one full minute to realize that the duo had sneakily escaped from having more work piled on them. Which left Sengoku with all the work. "Hey you two! Get back here!"

Unfortunately for him, they were long gone.

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