Chapter Three

*The two kids started to swipe the dust and dirt from their clothes as the shaggy dog jumped around both of them in joy.

The girl laughed and placed her hands on her hips in triumph, "There, his dog house is done." Her hair was disheveled from wrestling and she had bruises and scratches everywhere, but she didn't care. She had won. She had won and now this bad mannered boy had to help her take care of this dog. Whom, they hadn't given a name. "Mmmm, I think we should give him a name." The girl looked at her companion expectantly, like she wanted him to start giving out suggestions. He didn't. The boy just pressed his back to the wall and slid down. No longer interested. "Humph", the girl crouched down and took the dogs head in between her hands. "I shall name you Curly."

She didn't get half way through her smile before the boy snorted. "Please, that's just sad. Don't give the poor dog that name."

The look on her face was purely indignant, "Well, I don't hear any suggestions from you jerk."

He turned his head away from the strange girl and the even stranger dog. Feigning indifference. "I think Butch is fitting."

A sound cut through the air. It sounded as though bells and birds were singing in harmony. The boys head swung around and his eyes widened. The girl was laughing. "Do you really see him," she turned the dogs head toward the boy, "as a Butch?"

At that moment the dog in question decided to loll his tongue to the side. His big chocolate eyes squinting as though he was trying to smile and that was the best he had.

Okay, maybe she was right, the dog wasn't a Butch. "Fine, he's name will be Shave." The boy put his hand on the dogs head and rubbed it.

"Shave, I think we can do that." The sound of bells and birds rang through the alley once more. "Because you seriously need a shave, huh?" She ruffled the dogs long curling locks.

Both the children's head's whipped around as the sound of many foot falls sounded their way. It was unmistakable and undeniable in the narrow alley, for it sounded as if thunder had rolled into the very stone itself. Boy and girl stood up and firmly planted their feet in front of their dog. The thunder rolled louder and louder until their ears ran, but by this point they both could see what was coming. Or really who, the five brats from a few days ago had come back. Stern faces and set jaws, the duo pushed their backs together and prepared to face off.

"Wait!" the middle boy held up his hands, then stopped to support his weight on his knees and catch his breath. All the other boys did the same. The duo still didn't relax as they cautiously watched their previous enemies. "We," huff, "we, want you to be our new Leader!"

Silence. Both girl and boy pointed to themselves emanating a simultaneous "me?"

There was a run of chuckles around the circle of boys. "No, not you girl," the spokesperson gave her a look that suggested she was definitely over shooting. "You're just a girl. The only reason you got a shot on me was because you came out of nowhere."

WHACK! The brat went ass first to the ground as the girl stood over him. "Really? Cause I thought once I had gotten free I had kicked more than just your dumb ass!" Shooting a look at the other boys while shaking in fury she challenged them. "Think I, a girl can't be a leader, huh!" The other boys took a step back, but all looked at each other darkly.

The boy with white hair just studied the girl with his arms crossed over his chest then looked at all the other boys surrounding them. "Why would we want to join you idiots anyway?"

The boy who got knocked to the ground grabbed the hat he was wearing that had fallen off as his own ass had fallen. Readjusting the cap he looked at the boy with white hair from under the brim and grinned, "Because we're going to be Marines one day!"

"We're Squad 5!" One of the other boys shouted.

The boy with white hair could feel the fury shaking him like a hurricane does to a tree. But it wasn't him to react to the comment. Before he could even take a step, he saw a quick movement and another loud smack sounded in the alley. He watched as the girl stood over the boy who had shouted out. She had kicked him in the face. The boy groaned and rolled on the ground as the girl positively vibrated.

"H-how dare you compare yourselves to the Marines!" The boy whom she had kicked stared up at the girl in fear. Her face was covered in shadow, but the half that he could see was what had him trying to crawl backwards. Her eye was wide, her pupil, a calm dot in the eye of the storm of her anger. Her fists where cranked down so hard the bones of her knuckles jutted out like mountains from the earth. "No Marine would pick on a helpless dog like you little shits'! Don't you dare, ever compare yourselves to the Marines!" Her head went down hiding her eyes but not her anger. "One day, I'm going to be an Officer in the Marines," Her head came up and she screamed at the brat before her. "And I'm going to crush little bastards like you!"

The boy with white hair stared at the girl before him, stunned. A Marine huh? Resolutely he uncrossed his arms and looked at the boy with the hat who had gotten himself to his feet. "I'll be your Captain." The girl twirled to face him; he wouldn't have been surprised to see steam coming out of her ears. "Someone has got to straighten you idiots up."

"Why you? Why not me?" The girl jammed a thumb toward her chest. "I believe I have every right to be Captain as much as you do." She glared in challenge.

The boy nodded, "You do." He looked straight at her and smiled as he raised his fists and cracked his knuckles. "Let's settle this, the old fashion way."

The girl smiled and raised her fists to fight.

"Alright boys!" The white haired boy was standing on a box, more bruised than before. "I am now your Captain, and she," He pointed to the girl standing next to the box whom was furiously sulking. "Is my second in Command, anyone got a problem with that?" Silence. "Good. We are now Squad 7!" All the boys cheered but the black haired girl.

The girl glared at her Captain. Bastard had let her win before.*

Belle seriously took in the man she had grown up with. "He's gotten bigger," she thought idly. How that was even possible she couldn't fathom. He had always been big, but time seemed to have graced him further with girth. Like he needed to be bigger. It didn't matter however, he could be as big as he liked. Nothing was going to stop her from catching those Straw Hats and prevailing where he had failed. It was her chance to shine, to finally prove that she was stronger than he.

"Alright," Belle shifted unconsciously and took in the men behind Smoker. There was a woman with glasses who kept readjusting them and looking at Smoker and herself as though she were watching a tennis match. All the men behind her looked positively star struck. She refocused on the larger than life man in front of her. Studying him from his brown combat boots, to his jeans, to the white jacket he wore baring his large chest, and to the oh-so familiar mess of white hair. "Let's get down to business, shall we. I want a full report on everything you know about the Straw Hats'. Everything you've heard before Loguetown, after Loguetown, up until now, and where they were last sited."

The darkest expression passed over Smoker's face as he listened to this slip of a woman giving him orders. It put him in a seriously pissed off mood, more than he had been before. He almost didn't notice the man that had gotten off the boat. The man wore the jacket of a Lieutenant, had to be Belle's second in Command. He wore sunglasses that covered part of a scar that started at what would have been his hair line if he hadn't shaved it off. He was also carrying what looked like a M1D Cal. Sniper Rifle. He couldn't tell what the scope was but he'd bet 1,000 berries it was an M84 Scope. It was a little old school, but in his experience it wasn't the model that preformed it was the user of the weapon. Fuck, it only made sense that Belle would have a sharp shooter as her Lieutenant. Belle herself was a close combat fighter, only ever using her tanto blades to defend from an enemy weapon. It was only logical to have a long ranged fighter to cover her back.

A frown touched Belle's face as she turned to her Lieutenant. "You didn't have to pick up the entire load luggage, you know."

Her friend and second in Command shrugged, "All I need is someone to point us to our rooms and I'll take care of the right Ma'am."

One of the men behind Smoker ran up and saluted the Captain and her Lieutenant. "I'll help you Ma'am!" The soldier was trying and failing to hide his flush of pleasure. Smoker growled in irritation.

That dark braid swung side to side as Belle shook her head. The Marine rushed to help with the rest of the luggage and started to lead the way to the rooms. Belle started to follow then looked over her shoulder at Smoker, who was practically biting through his cigars in fury. "I expect to have that report sent to me A.S.A.P." With that she swung her head and started forward off to her room.

CRACK. Two cigars hit the wooden deck of the ship. Smoker spit out the ends he'd bitten off in his anger. Reaching into his jacket he pulled out two more cigars. "That woman knows how to piss me off." Lighting his cigars he started to follow that damn woman. She wanted a report. He'd give her a fucking report. "Tashigi!" He didn't bother to look over his shoulder, "Get that report Captain Adonna wanted and deliver it to her room personally." He didn't bother to wait for a reply or see if she was going to listen. She always did.

"URGH!" Arms up in the air Belle stretched and quickly took off her Captain's jacket. Smiling to herself, she just couldn't believe how lucky she was to have this opportunity. She swung her braid around and starting to undo the tight rope. The look on Smoker's face as she had order him around was something she was going to keep imprinted in her memory till the day she died. It was probably wrong, nah it wasn't wrong at all, but she immensely enjoyed infuriating him. Once the braid was undone she swung her hair out and started to unbind her blades. She then placed the blades gently beside her bed. Finally done unburdening herself she looked around her small room. A familiar old feeling of restlessness began to fill her veins. Guess she could hit the gym while waiting for that report.

She paused as the door to her room opened. No knock huh, could only be one person. Her suspicions were confirmed as the sweet exotic spice that only came from a burning cigar greeted her nose like an old friend. Belle didn't bother to turn around as she heard her door click shut. She just went to the window and opened it so that she wouldn't be subjected to the second hand smoke.

"The Straw Hat Pirates are mine to capture."

Belle turned at the sound of his deep husky voice. In response to him she just sat on the window sill, crossed her long legs, and gracefully tipped an eyebrow up. This only seemed to agitate him further. Goodie.

"I won't let you get in the way, you got that. You will go back to HQ, tell them I'm being a good little whipped dog and that I'm taking care of the Straw Hat situation." Tension from his anger vibrated in his tone.

It wasn't an order, but a straight up command. Like she was really going to listen to that. This was her chance to beat him for once. "What makes you think I'm going to listen to you?" Her foot started to bounce up and down, the movement compulsive, undeniable. Smoker's large body moved in closer, threateningly, as he opened his to mouth to say something else. At that moment a knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Belle called her eyes still fastened to the man towering over her. He was so large he made her already small room feel like a closet. Maybe a cubicle.

"Umm, I have that report you asked for…" the voice sounded nervous and obviously female. It was probably Smoker's Lieutenant.

Craning her neck around Smoker, Belle smiled at the poor woman. She looked so uncomfortable. It was apparent she knew she had walked into something she didn't want to see. Please, this was strictly competitive. "Yes, thank you so much…."

"Tashigi."

"Tashigi, thank you." Belle hopped off the window sill, walked around Smoker, and grabbed the manila folder in the woman's hands. Tashigi saluted and popped off the, your-welcome-madams' and scrambled out the door, literally.

Opening up the folder Belle started to read as she walked back to the window sill, sat down, and started to bounce her foot again. From the start of Tashigi's interruption to the trip back to the window, she had felt Smoker's eyes track her like a hawk would its' pray. "This is everything you have on the Straw Hats?" Foot wave, up and down up and down. "There is a gap here," she tapped a page in the folder. "In the report of Alabasta."

Huff. Smoker let the smoke he was holding in release into the air. This infuriating woman in front of him was nothing and everything like he remembered. For that reason alone, he couldn't quite figure her out. There was one thing he knew for certain however, and that was she wasn't going anywhere. He watched her as she read the report Tashigi had brought in. Her long hair was shielding the elegant planes of her face. Ensuring he couldn't read her expressions. Huff. He let his eyes rest on the up and down motion of her foot. A sure sign she wasn't sleeping again. At least that hadn't changed about her. Belle was still an insomniac. Her lack of sleep made it near impossible for her to ever stay still.

Finally her head came up and those mossy eyes met his, "There is a gap here," she tapped one of the many pages in the folder. "In the report of Alabasta." She looked at him as she always head. Fearlessly, demanding she that get what she want without a single order.

Letting out another cloud of smoke he couldn't help but rub his face with his hand. This entire situation was ridiculous. He turned his back on her and went to her desk, grabbed the chair, turned it, and sat down facing her. The entire time her eyes never left him, making him acutely aware of every movement he made. Another cloud of smoke. Leaning his elbows on his knees he intertwined his fingers and rested his chin on the bridge they created. He met her eyes again and told the story of Alabasta.

Silence followed his story. He watched as she closed the folder and met his eyes once more. "I can understand now why you're so reluctant to let me peruse the Straw Hats." Smoker's eyes narrowed. "Even so, I'm still not going to give up." Damned stubborn woman. "Besides," she continued, "Do you really think HQ would have bought any story that had you following orders that easily? That's asking for a bit much." She leaned back and let the window's edge hold her wait. Exposing her long throat. Like he didn't already have a great view of her legs.

He had to admit, however, she was right. Smoker stood up while letting out another cloud of smoke. "So we're going to do this the hard way then."

At that moment she smiled at him. It was so happy looking and bright he blinked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Crazy woman.