Hierarchy

Characters: Jean Bart, Penguin, Shachi. Rating: K. Warnings: None

A pirate crew had no set structure, regardless of what many people believed. Of course, the Marine's habit to portraying them all as murdering, heartless marauders hardly helped, but even members of a pirate crew were often unaware how unique each crew was.

Having been in two crews, and part of a Tenryubito's collection of pirate captain slaves, Jean Bart was more aware than most of the differences in a crew. To be sure, there was the captain. Then there was the first mate, and the navigator. All were of vital importance, and generally outranked the rest of the crew. At the other end of the spectrum, occasionally a crew would take on cabin boys, who were undisputedly the bottom of the pecking order.

When he joined the Heart Pirates, it was clear that their structure was not the same as his own crew in the past, nor did it match up with the stereotype or other stories he'd heard.

For starters, the captain was also the doctor. Both tasks were incredibly time consuming, and there was no way Trafalgar could split his time between the roles. He didn't. Somehow, the crazy pirate managed to remain in both roles simultaneously, barking out orders when required while elbow-deep in a bloodied chest, trying to save a life.

Still, with the captain taking on so much responsibility, Jean Bart expected to find a fully capable first mate backing him up at every turn. He was puzzled when, during the crew introductions – an unofficial affair where Penguin pointed while Shachi named and the pirate in question waved – no-one was named as such. Recalling Bepo's words as they fled on Sabaody, he reached the conclusion that, like the captain, the navigator was likely also juggling another role. It wasn't strictly unusual to find the navigator in such a position, so he didn't question it further.

His first real clue was after their escape from Marineford, while he guided the Polar Tang through an underwater volcanic field. Trafalgar was still in doctor mode, after his initial order that Bepo and Jean Bart "do something" about the attacks, and the life systems on the Tang reported calmly that they had days before the air filtering systems would need to recharge. Jean Bart had expected that they would remain submerged for as long as possible, until an argument filtered through the still-open tannoy.

After the high stress levels of Marineford, and with their captain busy, Jean Bart was unsurprised that tempers would fray. An enclosed space like the submarine did little to allow people to isolate themselves and cool off, and without their captain there was no-one to place peacemaker.

The argument appeared to be Bepo against Penguin and Shachi, although the longer it went on the more Jean Bart began to suspect it was less malicious and more a well-rehearsed dance. Even more interesting than that (with stress levels so high, how could they know laughing at each other wouldn't make one of them snap?) however, was the words.

At no point did Bepo give an order. He whined, complained and sulked, but not once did he demand the Tang resurface despite his desire being clear. When the order did come, it came from Penguin and Shachi, who strode into the control room with straight backs and a presence that, in another crew, Jean Bart would consider captain-worthy. He'd obeyed before he'd had time to really think about it, directing the Tang into a slow ascent towards the waves above. It was only once they were rising that his mind caught up with his actions and he asked the question he should have asked far earlier on (in his defence the Admiral, human jigsaw and Marineford had been a credible series of distractions).

"Who's the first mate?"

He hadn't expected the laughter, the pair clutching at each other in their mirth. Jean Bart waited patiently for them to get it out of their system (vaguely recalling days when he'd have snapped at nakama who couldn't stay serious in dire situations, and their current one was certainly part of that category), but he wasn't prepared for the answer.

"We don't have one," Penguin admitted after a minute, wiping his eyes before jostling Shachi with an elbow when the ginger didn't stop his chuckles. "Don't need one." With their captain devoting himself to two roles, Jean Bart found that claim highly questionable and more than a little concerning.

"But," Shachi continued, gulping back the last of the laughter and standing up straight once again. "You're right. Sometimes Law isn't around to make the calls." Law. It was the first time Jean Bart had heard anyone on the crew call Trafalgar anything other than 'Captain' and he suddenly recalled who, exactly, had been the ones to introduce him to the crew. "When that happens, it's me and Penguin people listen to."

"So you're the first mates?" Jean Bart asked for clarification, only for them to shake their heads in unison.

"Didn't you listen?" Penguin asked, crossing his arms harshly. "There is no first mate in this crew. We might have been in the crew the longest, but Law's never given us seniority."

"We're almost at the surface," Shachi broke in, surveying one of the surrounding panels. "Bepo's going to jump straight out." Jean Bart blinked and the pair were suddenly halfway out the room, clearly headed straight for the mink again.

Law's never given us seniority. Jean Bart smiled, recalling the way he'd unthinkingly obeyed them without question, as he returned his attention to the controls. Trafalgar Law struck him as a man who didn't like to waste time on frivolous things. What was the point of announcing something the crew already knew?

Jean Bart is such a useful character for giving the outside pov while still being privy to everything!

Like the Straw Hats (where Zoro is never named as the first mate but, well...) I don't think there's anything strictly official in the Heart Pirates. Also, while it's probably obvious by this point in time, I don't think either Penguin or Shachi outranks the other - Oda's never shown them apart, and in the scene in the anime where Bepo beg to resurface, the pair of them both give out the order for the Tang to do so. Besides, if we can have co-captains (e.g. Decalvan Brothers and Caribou/Coribou), then why not co-first mates?

Thanks for reading!
Tsari